Republicans have done their job well in making "entitlements" a dirty word.

[elocs]

I have a married couple who are retired as friends and they are very conservative. They are now shocked to find that being on Social Security they are now part of what they always thought were those bottom feeders who receive "entitlements".

I warned them during the Bush years that Republicans were lumping Social Security in with all the rest of the "entitlements". Evidently they didn't pay attention and now they are mad to be made to feel like they are receiving welfare when they paid into SS for years.

Their predicament and discomfort is actually a little amusing given that they've been labeled by the party they worship.

[Mist]

1. Not to mention they somehow always avoid mentioning the fact that people have

been *paying into these programs* for decades. People expect to get their *own* money back, and that's a bad thing?

[elocs]

2. I did mention to them that most who get welfare or foodstamps

do not receive the aid for long and it is likely they have paid taxes for many years or will pay for many years after they get help.

I get foodstamps now and do not feel bad about it at all because I paid taxes for decades.

[XanaDUer]

6. And remember, there is not welfare anymore

nt.

[Bandit]

3. Remember Veteran's Benefits are "entitlements" as are Congressional pensions.

Those people are "entitled" to those benefits because of their service..

[Shandris]

4. It's the same with Unemployment, but you'd think that people on UE...

...were the scum of the earth who'd never lifted a finger off their remote control a day in their lives to hear a Teathoritarian talk.

[XanaDUer]

5. Well, it's a good thing they now know they're on entitlements

I hope they got lots and lots of catfood stored up.