Hurricane Katrina and the welfare state

[goosegunner]

how many on this forum can walk 200 miles to safety in 48 hours

A fit person could manage that easy on a bicycle. (ofcourse with limited supplies). It would not be a option for the masses, but if you really needed to get out it could be worth a try for some individuals if they have the equipment and training. As for evacuating everybody, well sometimes it just can't end all good. The total number of casulties would probably have been the same if the hurricane had hit roads packed with people evacuating in busses.

 

[magsnubby]

My cousin works for the postal service in Picayune, Ms.. She's a letter carrier in one of the more "economically depressed " areas of town. One day a little girl about 7 yo was standing by the mail box when Sharon delivered the mail. The little girl looked up at her and said "Do you work hard for your money"? Sharon replied "Yes honey. I work very hard for my money". the little girl said "My momma says your stupid. We're on the welfare and we don't hafta work for our money".

I've heard teenage girls say "If i get pregnant i'll just get on welfare". I've heard grown men say, after loosing their job, " Hell i ain't worried about it. I'll just get on welfare".

Give a man a fish and you've fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he demands the government supplies his bait.

 

[stevesmith7]

About 20 years ago I saw a really disturbing TV news article illustrating this point. The show was about a young black girl who was raised in a welfare family. She was doing well in school, was very articulate and seemed to be quit excited about nearing the age where she would be out on he own (she was probably agout 16 or 17 at the time). They interviewed her at the end of the show and her goal in life, given the far superior education she had received and was quite proud of ,was to be a much better manager of her welfare check than her father, who didn't have such a great education. She dreamed of all the extras she would be able to afford by better applying her gov't handout. What a waste.

Steve

 

[CAnnoneer]

There is something fundamentally wrong with a system and a society that encourages and subsidies the proliferation of their weakest, least fit members. While humans are not horses and eugenics has significant ethical issues, it still remains ridiculous that weakness should be encouraged, instead of at least being put in the same conditions as fitness.

All this makes me consider the merit of a law that suspends voting rights for individuals on welfare. Such would prevent this demographic from voting for welfare politicians as well as prevent politicians from manipulating that demographic.

Going back to the founding fathers, wasn't there a property cutoff for voting rights? Did indentured servants have voting rights? Somebody enlighten me.