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

[crazy canuck]

Very little money for a 6 year old Bentz?

Compared to what was paid for it, certainly.  Why should someone in financial trouble be forced into a fire sale of personal goods.  To further punish them?

[The Brain]

Very little money for a 6 year old Bentz?

Compared to what was paid for it, certainly.  Why should someone in financial trouble be forced into a fire sale of personal goods.  To further punish them?

Forced? They don't have to take my money.

[Neil]

I do not agree with government provided day care.

There are many different potential models you can use for child care.  There is traditional day care, but there is also a parent staying home, or grandparents or extended family, or nannies, or day homes (where a family takes in a few extra children to look after).

Why subsidize only one of those choices, but not the others?

Maybe the government there has decided that day care is like education:  Something that can only be handled by state.  Given the paranoia surrounding the vulnerability of children right now, the thirst for accreditation and the fact that single-income households just aren't realistic for the vast majority of the population anymore, it's not that surprising a step.

[The Brain]

And people consider the nuclear industry dangerous:

http://www.thelocal.se/20140611/day-care-rapist-charged-molesting-eight-kids

[Barrister]

I very much doubt that formal day care is the majority.  In my experience most people rely on informal day homes, family and friends.

Perhaps because formal daycare is prohibitively expensive for most?

So why should the government be promoting the most expensive option then (well perhaps 2nd most expensive after nannies).

[crazy canuck]

I very much doubt that formal day care is the majority.  In my experience most people rely on informal day homes, family and friends.

Perhaps because formal daycare is prohibitively expensive for most?

So why should the government be promoting the most expensive option then (well perhaps 2nd most expensive after nannies).

Government promoting?

More like government recognizing it is the only option for the majority of people. 

[Admiral Yi]

Compared to what was paid for it, certainly.  Why should someone in financial trouble be forced into a fire sale of personal goods.  To further punish them?

I don't understand how the depreciation is relevant.  I would not be in favor of people holding on to their yachts either, even though there is presumably a significant difference between the prices of new and used yachts.

[crazy canuck]

Compared to what was paid for it, certainly.  Why should someone in financial trouble be forced into a fire sale of personal goods.  To further punish them?

I don't understand how the depreciation is relevant. 

Because people need cars for transportation.  Why would you force someone in financial distress to take a loss in a perfectly serviceable vehicle and then purchase another vehicle.  That sort of logic only works if you have a brother in law in the used car business.

[The Brain]

How are they taking a loss?

[DGuller]

How are they taking a loss?

Used cars are not that liquid.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Very little money for a 6 year old Bentz?

Entry-level luxury cars like that typically lose 70% or more of their value in that time.  I have to estimate based on comparable models from 2008 since Kelly doesn't publish historical pricing, but that car was likely worth $14000 - $16000 at the time the woman was going through the financial rut.  Does it really make sense to make someone go through the trouble of selling that car and buying an "acceptable" one, particularly if the car they already own is paid off?  That process isn't free.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Forced? They don't have to take my money.

In which case they would need to have a fire sale of their possessions anyway.

[Admiral Yi]

Entry-level luxury cars like that typically lose 70% or more of their value in that time.  I have to estimate based on comparable models from 2008 since Kelly doesn't publish historical pricing, but that car was likely worth $14000 - $16000 at the time the woman was going through the financial rut.  Does it really make sense to make someone go through the trouble of selling that car and buying an "acceptable" one, particularly if the car they already own is paid off?  That process isn't free.

Assuming she could have bought a basic transportation used car for 5 grand?  I suppose it's in the debateable range.  We also haven't discussed the public transportation option.

However you do seem to have conceded my original point in principle: that people receiving public assistance should spend their own money first.

[CountDeMoney]

However you do seem to have conceded my original point in principle: that people receiving public assistance should spend their own money first.

No, I don't think he has.

[Admiral Yi]

No, I don't think he has.

Then what's the point of bringing up the resale value of this particular car?  If they were allowed to have nice things it wouldn't matter if it the car would fetch 40 grand.