JeffSly

[SLY]

I think that sometimes happens, but I definitely wouldn't say it's more often than not. I think most Supreme Court justices take their job extremely seriously (hell, most lawyers do despite the jokes and stereotypes).

I just disagree with a lot of you. Most people on message boards are more cynical than your typical citizen. Like Awaz and Pix comments on Welfare above - you guys do realilze Welfare has been significantly reformed over the past 20 years, spurred by some great ideas/reform from Republican governors. I don't think what you guys are talking about really exists b/c there are time limits on the programs and they do have work training programs. The bigger problem is a lack of good jobs and people USING the programs properly.

I can say first hand there are lazy sacks of shit who mooch off of entitlements up here in the NE for sure. They definitely outweigh the ones actually using it to try and better themselves (actually jobhunting and not popping out kids endlessly for a free ride).

 

[KennyBanyeah]

LOL.

People who begrudge those on welfare kind of baffle me.

How much do you get while on welfare... $20,000 per year?

It`s not like being on welfare affords someone some kind of glamorous existence. If people truly think that they`re life is great on welfare they have issues. I`d rather they get jobs but I`m happier than I`d be than if they were jacking my car while I`m sleeping off a hard day`s work. In that case I`m happy to have them be on welfare.

 

[SLY]

Everyone thinks differently. I am of the mindset, nothing is for free.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Everyone thinks differently. I am of the mindset, nothing is for free.

For sure man.

I just wouldn`t want to live like a welfare case when I`m perfectly capable of having a better and more fulfilling lifestyle by working. I honestly can`t see how ANYONE would choose to be on welfare rather than being a more affluent and productive member of a community. Hence, I don`t believe that these people have many options and I`m more than happy to shell out some of my money to keep as many of them from being sick, starving and/or criminally inclined.

Just my philosophy but I value the fact that services are available to those less fortunate than myself more than the $10,000 or so I could potentially save in taxes.

I guess this is why I`ll never be stinking rich. LOL.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

For sure man.

I just wouldn`t want to live like a welfare case when I`m perfectly capable of having a better and more fulfilling lifestyle by working. I honestly can`t see how ANYONE would choose to be on welfare rather than being a more affluent and productive member of a community. Hence, I don`t believe that these people have many options and I`m more than happy to shell out some of my money to keep as many of them from being sick, starving and/or criminally inclined.

Just my philosophy but I value the fact that services are available to those less fortunate than myself more than the $10,000 or so I could potentially save in taxes.

I guess this is why I`ll never be stinking rich. LOL.

There is definitely a portion of those on welfare that genuinely just want a handout. Disability, food stamps, welfare assistance, section 8 housing, whatever they can get. However what some people in this country don't understand is you can't just cut off all welfare and fuck over all the hard working families and thousands of kids who really need help just to spite the leeches. It's not a perfect system, but I don't really see a cost effective way to clean it up. I'm sure there is a solution though.

 

[quoipourquoi]

How much do you get while on welfare... $20,000 per year?

I would imagine less than that. I worked full-time retail for less than 15,000 back in college.

 

[awaz]

I think that sometimes happens, but I definitely wouldn't say it's more often than not. I think most Supreme Court justices take their job extremely seriously (hell, most lawyers do despite the jokes and stereotypes).

I just disagree with a lot of you. Most people on message boards are more cynical than your typical citizen. Like Awaz and Pix comments on Welfare above - you guys do realilze Welfare has been significantly reformed over the past 20 years, spurred by some great ideas/reform from Republican governors. I don't think what you guys are talking about really exists b/c there are time limits on the programs and they do have work training programs. The bigger problem is a lack of good jobs and people USING the programs properly.

There shouldn't be a way to use them improperly. That's my point. 'food stamps' shouldn't be debit cards mailed from the govt that the receiver can do with as they please. If they wanna buy cool boots or an Xbox for their kids, get a damn job. Sorry working at McDonald's isn't cool, but they'd bet they're hiring. There may not be enough 'good jobs' but there are plenty of jobs. Drive down the street and look at all the fast food and retail stores that ave a now hiring sign out front. You probably can't raise a family on a McDonald's job, but at least you're making the effort. It's a lot easier to help someone that is making the effort then it is for someone who is spending their 'food stamps' on a 30 second high.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

It does drive me batshit when someone is in the liquor store, buying overpriced junk food on their EBT card and then pulling out a wad of cash for a case of beer. That's my fucking money, moocher, and that's my fucking beer. Hand it over.

 

[SLY]

It wouldn't be hard to close these loopholes. Government as we know it today relies on these people relying on them. An endless cycle of shit is what this system has become. Sickening.

 

[elocomotive]

There is definitely a portion of those on welfare that genuinely just want a handout. Disability, food stamps, welfare assistance, section 8 housing, whatever they can get. However what some people in this country don't understand is you can't just cut off all welfare and fuck over all the hard working families and thousands of kids who really need help just to spite the leeches. It's not a perfect system, but I don't really see a cost effective way to clean it up. I'm sure there is a solution though.

Eddie makes a perfect point in that there is NOT a perfect system. It's choosing the lesser of a number of evils. Many decisions in gov't, organizations, and our lives are like this. But we don't frame the debate like that in this country, and I think that is one of the things that The Newsroom gets at. We frame it as "Group A wants solution X, which clearly indicates they are both evil and stupid" and the other side says "Group B wants solution Y, which is completely in their own self-interest and hurts the American public."

We can't have an honest discussion and debate the issue. We have to talk in stereotypes. Oddly enough, Jeff Sly is more guilty of this than anyone in this forum and I thought of him as soon as the last part of that speech was delivered on the Newsroom. He'd rather say "everyone on welfare is lazy sacks of shit it shouldn't exist" than examine the issue itself and the costs/benefits of changing it and/or keeping it the same. B/c as Eddie points out, what happens when you take it away - crime spikes, people starve, there still aren't jobs for them, etc. That's not a solution. And it's easy to sit in the cheap seats and say "this is stupid," but it's a lot harder to actually come up with a solution to the problem. But I will say, it starts when you can talk honestly, without insults, without bullshit, etc. And that's a point we aren't at in America right now. And I think it's fucking sad.

 

[SLY]

I am one guilty bastard. I have never advocated completely taking entitlement programs away. However I don't believe it is a waste of time nor a deterrent to reform all entitlements to close any and all loopholes. No system is perfect, but ours is extremely far from it. I understand that there are those that are less fortunate, I grew up as one, but that should not give anyone the right to just suck on the government's (taxpayers) teat for life.

 

[4thstreet]

Great show by Sorkin (glad to see a Republican as a lead character in a drama). Can't believe the critics haven't taken to The Newsroom as much as I have.

They'll take notice when this show garners a crapload of Emmys' IMO.

Jeff Daniels is a terrific actor.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Jeff Daniels is a terrific actor.

 

[mattola]

i fucking cried at this scene I was laughing so hard. especially when he grabbed the towel to wave the smell out. holy god its funny

 

[pixburgher66]

I don't doubt that reform occurs. I'm not nearly educated enough in the matters. I know this. I'm not knocking Republicans...I mean, I am one. I just hate the extremist views.

 

[SLY]

Yep, all extremists are ridiculous, however for some reason I am viewed as one by some people here. Not sure how that is even possible.

 

[SLY]

But, back to the OP, I finally watched all of the episodes (watched ep. 3 and 4 last night), this show is awesome. I love the dialogue and emotion in it.

 

[Automattic]

The wellfare system sucks. Bottom line is, you can't help someone who doesn't do anything to help themself. Got a food stamp card, eh? "yeah, just had to order a new one cuz i lost it in between all the baby seats in my Escalade dats sittin' on DUBS..."....Dipshits. Hell, I remember when it was an embarrassing thing for a grown man to not have a job. I even see homeless people nowadays standing in front of Wal-Mart with the ol' "will work for food" sign. A FUCKING WAL-MART! DO YOU KNOW WHO THEY WILL HIRE?!?!.......THAT'S RIGHT.......ANY.FUCKING.BODY!!! "Why bring this up?" I'm glad you asked. Most of these sumbitches have food stamp cards too. Where'd ya get that mailed to, asshat?

I could go on forever...."Oh really, Auto? Ramble on and on? You?..."...But Like I said, the wellfare system sucks. I'd tell you how to fix it, but I'm a lazy sack of shit.

 

[SLY]

The wellfare system sucks. Bottom line is, you can't help someone who doesn't do anything to help themself. Got a food stamp card, eh? "yeah, just had to order a new one cuz i lost it in between all the baby seats in my Escalade dats sittin' on DUBS..."....Dipshits. Hell, I remember when it was an embarrassing thing for a grown man to not have a job. I even see homeless people nowadays standing in front of Wal-Mart with the ol' "will work for food" sign. A FUCKING WAL-MART! DO YOU KNOW WHO THEY WILL HIRE?!?!.......THAT'S RIGHT.......ANY.FUCKING.BODY!!! "Why bring this up?" I'm glad you asked. Most of these sumbitches have food stamp cards too. Where'd ya get that mailed to, asshat?

I could go on forever...."Oh really, Auto? Ramble on and on? You?..."...But Like I said, the wellfare system sucks. I'd tell you how to fix it, but I'm a lazy sack of shit.

At least you work to support your family.

 

[Automattic]

At least you work to support your family.

Only when I want to. I completly got out of the construction biz. Just catering special events here and there. BUT, I don't mooch off the government...I sponge off of my wife. Took ten years, but I finally trained her right. (she loves that joke...)....:charlie: