Half of US social program recipients believe they "have not used a government social program"

[krispos42]

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/07/08/half-of-us-social-pr.html




http://government.arts.cornell.edu/assets/faculty/docs/mettler/submergedstat_mettler.pdf

:banghead:

[gateley]

1. That's ANOTHER thing we aren't messaging correctly.

Jeez, it's so frustrating. If the situation were reversed, you can bet the Republicans would make sure every single person was aware of the benefits they're receiving.

:banghead: is right!

[krispos42]

3. Like Bobby Jindel... handing out giant novelty checks for projects he opposed...

...and were paid for with stimulus money.

[vaberella]

4. This is where I believe we need to take up the mantle on informing people.

The Dem Congressmen aren't doing their job or messaging properly. We need to be taking control of the dialogue.

[gateley]

6. How? Those who get on TV only get a sound bite and often

times end up sounding rabid. Those who get longer time are generally on shows that only WE watch anyway.

So how could we do it? Some have tried - and keep trying, Bernie, Weiner, Grayson, others, but it's not a cohesive effort/script like the Republicans always trot out. How many times did you hear the phrase "job killing Obama Care" from Republicans' mouths no matter WHAT the subject or question. They always manage to get that sound bite in and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Why can't we do the same?

People who aren't wonks aren't willing to take the time to learn the whole stories, so sound bites are needed, IMO. Sad it's that way, but whatever works.

[sudopod]

9. Messaging can't resolve a fundamental lack of curiosity and self-honesty. nt

[Kind of Blue]

25. +1000 n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. In other news, half of US social program recipients are morons. nt

[Cali_Democrat]

5. +1000

[tridim]

7. You don't know what you got 'till it's gone.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Looks to me that the 50% ers are all in the middle class tax

break realm. For those getting food assistance it is 25%. Half of the denial of the home mortgage deduction set. Interesting.

[jwirr]

16. It is all in how you are treated. When you are poor they let you know

that you are getting "Welfare".

[Bryn]

10. Amazing!

K&R

[MouseFitzgerald]

11. You know what percentage of people use government services on a daily basis?

100%. You flush your toilet, turn on a light, or drive your car and you are benefiting from a government service.

[arcane1]

12. Thanks, just shared on FB

I like to post thought-provoking, yet not blatantly partisan, things on there for my right-wing former classmates to ponder.

[krispos42]

13. Me too, although there are not many on my FB list

I try to keep it managable... and I'm far from a social butterfly anyway.

[dkf]

14. A tax exempt account or deduction is a social program? Really?

By whose definition?

That doesn't make sense to me because if you had no government then you would be exempt anyway.

Wouldn't that make anyone who itemizes the beneficiary of a social program?

[krispos42]

21. If it involves money to aid people in need, it's a social program

Especially money targeted to address a specific issue of society.

[dkf]

22. Most people will never use a 529 account and many who use it aren't needy.

It's one of the best ways to gift a whole lot of money at one time.

"Because your contributions to a 529 plan are treated as completed gifts from you to the 529 account beneficiary, your $17,000 in contributions this year means you would normally have to report a $5,000 taxable gift.

But as you have suggested, there is an exception available: You can elect to treat your $17,000 in 529 plan contributions as if they were made ratably over five years instead of all in one year. The result of this election in your particular situation is an annual gift of only $3,400 ($17,000 divided by 5), which is obviously well below the $12,000 annual limit.

In fact, if the annual exclusion amount were to remain at $12,000, you would have room for $8,600 in additional gifts (including 529 plan contributions) in each of the next four years. The annual exclusion is actually scheduled to increase in 2009 to $13,000, meaning you would have room for $9,600 in additional gifts to your child beginning next year.

The same math would apply if you were to increase this year's 529 contributions from $17,000 to $32,000. Rather than reporting a $20,000 taxable gift ($32,000 minus the $12,000 annual exclusion), you could make the five-year election and count only $6,400 as this year's gift. You'll be left with an available exclusion amount of $6,600 in each of the next four years.

You can see why 529 program disclosure materials speak of the possibility of a $60,000 ($120,000 per couple) maximum contribution to a 529 plan for each beneficiary without incurring gift tax. That is the maximum shelter you can achieve in 2008 with the five-year election. In 2009, that number bumps up to $65,000 ($130,000 per couple)."

http://www.savingforcollege.com/bankrate_articles/article.php?article_id=78

[krispos42]

24. Same goes for deducting mortgate interest

Nonetheless, it's there to help people get through college.

[Faryn Balyncd]

15. K and R

[annabanana]

17. They should stamp a GREAT BIG HONKING SEAL on every damn

penny that goes out along with a message WRIT LARGE; "This money brought to you by your Federal Government."!

[Enrique]

18. "i was on food stamps, did anyone ever help me? NO!!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTwpBLzxe4U

[krispos42]

19. Without even looking... Craig T Nelson, right?

:rofl:

[ShadowLiberal]

20. An education campaign on this could do us a lot of good

A 3rd party group running an educational campaign on this (ads to teach people what are social programs & talk about their good for society, and maybe also encourage people to oppose all cuts to social programs) could really do us a lot of good.

Unfortunately there's too many issues that people are just uneducated about, issues that we could probably swing the numbers at least 10 points our way if we better educated people. I blame the right wing media for a lot of this problem, and our education system gets a bit of blame to.

[Philippine expat]

23. All I can say is

I've never used any on your list

[krispos42]

26. I used WIC and the EIC n/t

[Ruby the Liberal]

29. So let me sum this up

You didn't attend college, have never paid a mortgage, aren't saving tax-effectively for a child's education, never served in the military and have never been unemployed?

Damn friend. Can I be you for a month? :D

[toddwv]

27. Michelle Bachmann never accepted gov't handouts.

Her FARM did.

Important distinction...somehow.

[Ruby the Liberal]

28. 529/Coverdell and home mortgages leading the pack.

Home owners and those saving tax free for their kid's education.

Why am I not surprised.