This is what happened when I drove my Mercedes to pick up food stamps

[CountDeMoney]

I suppose it makes sense if you equate wealth with morality.

But it's always "handouts" when it comes to The Takers, which is not only prejudicial but incorrect.

[Neil]

Forcing someone to sell their car or house to receive benefits is wrong in just about every circumstance.

[DontSayBanana]

Do you mean the shelter they currently inhabit, or some shelter?  The transportation they currently use, or some transportation?

I don't think it's fair to the guy living within his means in a shitty little efficiency to hand over free money to a family living in a mansion and driving to pick up their food stamps in a Rolls.

And where do you draw the line?  You expect to cram the family with 4 kids into a 1 or 2-bed apartment and somehow you don't expect to pay for the problems down the line?  The single guy in the shitty efficiency could live pretty large on the amount of money it costs a single mom to struggle raising two kids.

[sbr]

Well it's their own goddamn fault anyway.

Pah! We all have a right to free, lovely housing and a car.

I'm not sure anyone outside of Ide would claim that, but where is the cut off and who decides?

Due to a normal slow time and the project I am on going sideways I have not worked since last Wednesday and it isn't looking like I will work this week.  Even though I am employed I am eligible to claim unemployment and I will do so.  If something weird were to happen and my "layoff" were to continue longer and I was eligible for other aid, including food stamps, I would most likely take it.  Should I have to sell the truck I bought in February first, or the home bought 10 years ago and is underwater?. 

I have worked and paid taxes for 25 years and I would have no problem taking something I was eligible for even though at the end of the year my income will still be well above average.

[Ed Anger]

Take anything not nailed down.

[garbon]

I'm not sure anyone outside of Ide would claim that, but where is the cut off and who decides?

I'd assume our lawmakers?

[Razgovory]

Honestly, I'm of the opinion that a family's shelter and transportation should be sacrosanct.

Do you mean the shelter they currently inhabit, or some shelter?  The transportation they currently use, or some transportation?

I don't think it's fair to the guy living within his means in a shitty little efficiency to hand over free money to a family living in a mansion and driving to pick up their food stamps in a Rolls.

Do you believe it's ever fair to give away "free money"?

[DontSayBanana]

I'd assume our lawmakers?

The same ones that decided on a regressive system for medicare contributions?  Or the scaling for the Earned Income Tax Credit?  Or for a more current example, the ones that came up with the scales for the tax credit towards purchasing health insurance?

[Admiral Yi]

And where do you draw the line?

Somewhere around a 6 year old entry level Mercedes.

Which, in my mind, is infinitely more sensible than not drawing one at all.

[Admiral Yi]

Do you believe it's ever fair to give away "free money"?

I've already answered this; several times in fact.  You didn't pay attention those times and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't this time either.

[dps]

If I had a 6 year old luxury car that was worth $14-16K in 2008 dollars, and was in a bad financial situation, I think one of my first thoughts would be to sell the damn think and buy a different used car in the $3-4K range.  Even after taxes and licenses, I'd end up with at least $9000 I could use to cover other expenses.

And in 2008, $9000 could buy a pretty decent used car, even in you had a couple of kids to haul around.

[garbon]

Btw, maybe I was off put the fact that she noted her affluent suburb was a "white" one.

Well that and "I just wasn't sure I wanted to do that much work."

[Scipio]

Cars are different in America. However, the idea that you couldn't have effectively downsized to a much cheaper, more manageable car is bullshit. Kompressors are pretty reliable, and retain high resale value.

But her story is not atypical. I don't have any pity, but I have some sympathy.

But, whatever. I'ma judge her ass, because she lives in a commie pinko bubble. Those assholes are infuriating.

And I'm not kidding. Fuck her. She don't know broke.

Selling the house was smart, though. Smarter still, DON'T FUCKING BUY A HOUSE WHEN YOU'RE PREGNANT WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND, DUMBASS.

Houses tie your ass down, and all that fucking cocaine you did in college fucks up your baby-making machinery but good. And who's going to buy the cow when they're getting the milk for free?

[Monoriu]

One thing I don't understand.  So a perfect financial storm happened to her.  She became pregnant with twins, they bought a house, then the housing market crashed, her husband became unemployed.

Maybe I missed it, but what happened to her job?  She quit to become a stay home mother? 

[Scipio]

One thing I don't understand.  So a perfect financial storm happened to her.  She became pregnant with twins, they bought a house, then the housing market crashed, her husband became unemployed.

Maybe I missed it, but what happened to her job?  She quit to become a stay home mother?

Nah, she kept her shitty job. But it was, you know, shitty.