I want to tell you all THANK YOU! I was on medicaid and used WIC

[GreenPartyVoter]

through both my pregancies. And I was on food stamps for a time as well. Also, received heating assistance a few times too.

So thank you for paying your taxes and helping to help me take care of my kids with assistance programs. Unlike those repubs who, while some of them brought boxes of food and fuel $$ and whatnot that were very helpful at specific times, didn't go to the store with us _every_ time we needed more food or milk.

And that is the difference between conservative and progressive compassion. The conservatives, while very well-meaning people, limit their ability to help people for any length or number of times just by trying to plgu each individual break in the dam as it arises. And if there are too many leaks for them to plug, oh dear.. hope someone else can step up.

The progressives recognize that a systematic approach to rendering assistance goes further and lasts longer.

If only we could get those well-meaning conservatives to recognize that. (Sine most of the conservatives I know happen to be fundagelical, I wish I could get them to read this article. But I doubt I ever will: http://www.right-wing-pseudo-christians.com/matthew-25.htm )

[Not Me]

1. That's what America is all about.

And I don't mind shouldering the cost in the least.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. My feeling is this: "You take care of your family....

and all of us.. the world over, are family."

That's what _my_ take on my faith has taught me, anyway.

And my kids and I will put back into the system and help others at some point.

But really, thanks again.

[Lars39]

3. Yes! ***Consistent, reliable *** help.

Food banks will sometimes only let you have a box of food every 6 months.
What are people supposed to do the rest of the time?

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. We weren't poor enough to get food bank food but we could earn

boxes of "seconds" by volunteering in the bank and sorting food and cleaning etc.

[Tux]

4. You're welcome

Glad to help. I'm unemployed now but at least some of my taxes helped those that need it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. I hope that you are able to get some help while you are in a jam now.

[tjdee]

5. Did the pro-lifers provide you with clothes/etc.??

When I was pregnant, about a week or two after I decided not to have an abortion, I got something from some pro-life organization (not sure how they got my name/address) with a baby outfit, a little plastic fetus, and your basic 'abortions are evil' literature.

And ya know, I never heard anything from them again--like... hey, if you're not having an abortion, call us up about childcare/babysitting/whatever. And pro-life individuals are many times Republicans who *don't* support head start/ food stamps/ welfare/etc.

Hilarious that many pro-lifers are *really* pro-birth. Well, hilarious if it wasn't really fucking disgusting.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. The conservative church that hubby and I attend wants to start

a half-way house for pregnant girls.

That is GREAT and really puts their money where their mouth is, BUT they can still only help a finite number of girls this way.

[tjdee]

10. That is great, I agree.

I wouldn't be so nearly irritated with pro-life supporters who do things like that. It would seem to be almost a no-brainer.

I know the kind of looks I got sometimes when women realized I wasn't married and was walking around pregnant (no ring...which could have meant I outgrew it, LOL!)--and I wanted to walk up to them and ask them if they'd rather I had an abortion. I'm kind of bitter, LOL.

But as I said, halfway houses and resources for women help a lot and are "walking the talk".

[oscar111]

11. Never in history have charities ended all poverty

only the state can do that.

BTW, another thing is that the sick person cannot supervise and talk to all the fundies needed in the fundy piecemeal approach.

one fundy to bring milk, another to patch the roof, another to take the garbage out, etc.

all the phoning and talking is beyond a sick person.

and fundies, what of the isolated sick? No help at all, unless the state is there for them.

even the state can be piecemeal if not set up by democrats. Paperwork can wear out a patient too.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Exactly the point of the article I posted in the OP. You are right on.

[dansolo]

28. True, but I still respect their efforts

For most conservatives, even helping out one person is too much of a bother, or they just write a check and feel like they've done enough. For these people to be supportive and not be judgemental, then they should be applauded. Then, and only then, can they truly consider themselves "pro-life".

[GreenPartyVoter]

29. Agreed. If it wasn't for their compassionate ministries I think I would

have nothing in common with them.

[ET Awful]

9. A plastic fetus?

You have got to be kidding me!

That is completely fucked up.

[tjdee]

12. It was really tiny.

Like a 'this is your baby at six weeks' or whatever.
It freaked me out, and like I said, I wasn't even having an abortion.

[ET Awful]

13. Were you supposed to use it as a keychain or something?

I mean . . . what the HELL is the point of it?

[tjdee]

14. To be like whoa, my baby is baby shaped at six weeks!

To dispel myths (or whatever) that a fetus is a bunch of cells, or whatever. A little plastic baby gives you a visual of what you are aborting. That's the point.

[LiberalEconomist]

15. Please...

you do not need to thank anyone for this. You and your children are entitled...yes, I said ENTITLED...to these things. Actually, as far as I am concerned you are entitled to even more, and I am ashamed that this was the best we could do for one another. In a moral society, every individual is entitled--at a basic minimum--to food, shelter, clothing, health care and education. Unfortunately, we do not live in a moral society.

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. I agree. I am for the state giving far more

to its people because that is the job of the state. To care for the welfare of the people.


And that purely capitalistic crap of threatening survival in order to get the best productivity out of people still means that someone has to be on the bottom. Someone has to suffer. And the cons trite answer of "They could choose to do better for themselves" is no help at all. Even if they DO choose to do better or luck into it or whatever.. there will be someone else still at the bottom.

And these nuts think _socialism_ is a thing to dread!! Ooh, if I pay more in taxes I might never be able to afford that third vacation villa. (As if you will EVER be able to afford just your main house, you working class schmuck who insists on voting against your own interests) :banghead:

[LiberalEconomist]

22. The ironic part is

raising someone's basic entitlements allows them to maximize (or at least enhance)their capabilities, which, in turn, allows that person to consume more, which, in turn, favors stable economic growth. I am a firm believer that the stronger the consumer class the better off the capitalists.

[GreenPartyVoter]

24. Exactly. Sure some little kid's family might work its way up the ladder,

but at the time they are at the bottom of the ladder that kid is suffering. Without decent food, healthcare, and education at that critical time period the potential of that child may never be fully met.

[Rebellious Republican]

16. Your welcome GPV, I understand completely, my mother was left

with two small children in 1965, after my fathers death. She had an eighth grade education (she grew up on a farm and was needed to help feed the family).

There was no assistance to speak of with exception of Social Security and some Veteran's benefits (he did not die while in the military).

She had to get a job at a munitions plant making bullets to keep us alive.

Thats the readers digest version, anyway life was a struggle every single day.

I know about a hard roe to hoe for someone in your position, and thats why I am all for SS protection and paying taxes.

I am doing OK, not wealthy, but I sure do not mind helping those that need it.

Contrary to many conservatives belief that people have their hands out because they will not help themselves.

What they do not understand is that, if we help those in need, just maybe thats all they need to help themselves.

God bless you and your family. RR

:applause:

[GreenPartyVoter]

26. Your mom sounds like an amazingly strong woman, and she raised

some smart kids too. :)

[w8liftinglady]

17. I was,too

...I have been a nurse for over 20 years,but while I was in college,I also used WIC and AFDC.I would have never made it through nursing school without that help.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Imagine. If you hadn't gone to school you wouldn't likely be a nurse

right now. And think of how many people you have helped!

Honestly, the conservatives do not see the payoff. Helping one people hepls MORE people in the long run.

[oscar111]

21. MUTUAL AID SOCIETIES with other progressives

we should think about helping each other in the progressive community,

more than we do now.

when one gets sick, we should all help out.

from what i have seen, progressves fail miserably to help each other.

result is that progressive people get sick or jobless, fall to a lower level of existence, and stay there.

The member suffers. The P. movement suffers.

Makes no sense, since we are supposedly about caring. But i have seen it. lots of cases of this.

Go now and help out some progressive who is down. Ask him what he needs. Start where he is, so to speak. Be one to link to all the others who will help, as the sick one cannot do all that phoning and door-opening and thanking. Find the others who wil help. A sick person cannot muster the energy.

Tell this to your P. local group, and set up a Mutual Aid type of group. Reach out too, to P.'s who may have been too isolated by illness to join up. Value each other. It will ultimately also help the movement.

[oscar111]

23. RECOMMEND FOR GREATEST PAGE. button at bott of orig post

thanks

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. Right. We need to be reaching out as individuals as well.

[micrometer_50]

27. It's in the constitution

U.S. Constitution: Article I

Section 8.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and
Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and
general Welfare of the United States;
but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. I agree, but freepers and cons think that welfare consists of defense only

[micrometer_50]

31. I hope you reminf them the phrase (in bold) is:

common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;


:shrug:
Add on edit:
I'm glad you have received support from the community that is our nation.
I consider it to be my tax dollars well spent.

[RobbinsdaleDem]

32. Been there as a kid.

My family was on welfare when I was a kid. I don't know how we would have survived without it. My brothers and I are all married now with families of our own. I never resent my tax dollars being used for people struggling through a difficult period in their lives. I'm glad you were able to get the help you needed.

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. I am glad too, that your family was also able to get some help.

[cssmall]

33. In accordance with this post, I would also like to say

thank you to the people as well because I am a beginning graduate student with a wife who is an undergraduate (no we didn't meet in class). I am currently on food stamps, which, of course, if I wasn't I wouldn't be able to afford food for my family as I have to get my graduate degree to have any chance of making money in my field.

Not to mention, my wife was on medicaid and WIC throughout her pregnancy and my daughter and step-daughter are both on ARKids 1st. Much like the originator of the post, I thank you all.

Without them, I would not have finished college and my wife would not even have been able to resume her collegiate experience.

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. Welcome to DU. :^)

[philosophie_en_rose]

36. No thanks are needed. You work just as hard.

It takes so much effort to find resources. I've always said that it IS a full-time job to be on public assistance, especially for women that are pregnant or people with small children.

I admire your fortitude. You don't have to thank anyone.

For anyone that doesn't understand, I suggest watching 30 days: minimum wage. It's the television show by the guy that made Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock.

[GreenPartyVoter]

38. What really got to me was before I had the kids I did work as a

substitute teacher, and that's not the kind of job you can oount on for X $ to come in at any given time.

But while I was on food stamps we would inevitably go over our income allowance in May and June because a lot of teachers are out then, then have our food stamps cut back to balance it all out in July when there was no money coming in. July was always a very hungry month. *lol*

[DanCa]

37. I am on ssdi now so I know how you feel

I still get cheap shotted by my fundie sister saying i shouldn't bad mouth president bush because he signs my welfare checks every month even though my hands tremor horribly and my legs have independent movement.

However with that said i want to thank you all for supporting social security and knowing that there people out there who depend on the service. (big hugs) Fyi I do tithe ten percent back to democratic causes just so you know. I believe in giving back.

Green Party Voter thank you for having the courage to post this. I feel better about my current situation. I really hope congress passes stem cell research I want to be able to drive and go back to work.

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. My hubby is a conservative and would be livid that I aired our "shame"

publicly. (He's a real bootstraps kinda guy and HATES getting help in any form be it governmental or charitable assistance.) But I don't feel that way. I believe in the social system and wanted people to know that it works and that I am grateful that it exists.

And if you ever need something to say to your sister you can always send her to the site I posted in the OP. And I have more Christian resources on poverty and justice on my site as well. :hug:

[DanCa]

40. Lol my sister is a real piece of work

I got stories millions of em. She basically uses my living situaition as emotional blackmail when she starts loosing political arguments.

[DanCa]

41. Cinderella Man -spoilerish

Green Party Voter did you see cinderella man? If you can stomach the fight scenes you should. It's about james braddock and his struggles of surving the depression. I dont want to give away any more but there is a scene in there that made me cry and reminds me of your situation.