God Bless America

[byu71]

Just to be clear on this, again I say if the system allows it, go for it and I have no ill will toward you. As long as you aren't defrauding the system.

For instance over on CB now and then they have the great food stamp debate. Some take the position that even if you qualify, morally you shouldn't be taking it.

I say bull crap. I remember a while ago one of my children came to me. They were in tough shape and wondered what I thought about them taking food stamps. They know how conservative I am.

I said, if you qualify, go for it. I said don't feel quilty. I am not going to show you my tax return, but trust me, I pay for it and if you qualify, go get it.

[Surfah]

I have been in the situation as your "wife's friends". It was the most difficult, humbling, and at times, embarassing moment of my adulthood. It is by no means an easy task. I would do side jobs for the local ranchers, I picked up a part time job renting out U-Haul trucks and trailers for my EQP that owns his own equipment rental business that lasting only 2 weeks because he realized that he would make more money renting out his own trailers, I would help my great uncle clear stables and riding arenas of goat heads and most of all went into a great amount of credit card debt that we are still fighting our way out of. I say all of this because I can understand why your "wife's friends" would want to use a portion of their tax returns and get a break for a week. They probably need that break now more than ever.

Yeah, having been there too, I agree. When I was down and out I'd feel guilty as hell if I took my kid to McDonald's but I learned that sometimes you just have to do things like that to feel normal again.

[byu71]

Yeah, having been there too, I agree. When I was down and out I'd feel guilty as hell if I took my kid to McDonald's but I learned that sometimes you just have to do things like that to feel normal again.

You, PN and are evidences of what is good about the system. Someone gets helped through a tough time and eventually they are paying into the system.

The ones who get hooked on it are the ones I am concerned about and also those who cheat the system. Instead of a small slap on the wrist, how about serious jail time for them.

[Flystripper]

Yeah, having been there too, I agree. When I was down and out I'd feel guilty as hell if I took my kid to McDonald's but I learned that sometimes you just have to do things like that to feel normal again.

I too remember the feeling not so long ago and it scares the shit out of me every day.

[Babs]

bumping this to get the other thread off the front page.

[Flystripper]

should I post about 10 bogus political threads so that it gets sufficiently buried?

[Babs]

should I post about 10 bogus political threads so that it gets sufficiently buried?

I just didn't want to have to see it on the front page. It's all about me.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Sizzle, what strikes me is the poor financial sense. Reminds me of some people we know. They have been on hard times for several years and now the husband has some good income coming in (he works in an up-and-down industry). Rather than pay off a ton of debts and get a cushion for the next dry spell, they are spending like there is no tomorrow and going even deeper into debt. New car, trips, toys, etc. It is painful to watch.

[Sizzle]

Sizzle, what strikes me is the poor financial sense. Reminds me of some people we know. They have been on hard times for several years and now the husband has some good income coming in (he works in an up-and-down industry). Rather than pay off a tone of debts and get a cushion for the next dry spell, they are spending like there is no tomorrow and going even deeper into debt. New car, trips, toys, etc. It is painful to watch.

Yeah, I think that is the bigger issue, not with the help they're getting, but their lack of sense with the money they have. Again, I'm not their parents, they have the ability to spend/do as they please... it just doesn't seem prudent. That is probably the larger issue that I have, try to put yourself in a position where if something were to happen again where you can deal with it better. I know I could be better in this regard too though, so maybe I should just keep my mouth shut.

[USUC]

I am currently in a similar situation. Last Spring I went to part time at work to focus on finishing up my thesis. I got married this summer, moved to Vegas, and continued to work part time as I finished the thesis and looked for a "career" job. Then my wife was laid off. Because I had been working part time I didn't qualify for any assistance. Luckily, my wife was able to. Although we couldn't justify going on a cruise, I'll agree with others on here that sometimes you need a break from the overwhelming stress, frustration and guilt from the situation. Going out to eat or catching a movie is about the only escape we can justify. Sometimes we feel guilty, but I figure that we have put enough money into the system over the years, the system should be able to take us out occasionally.

[Babs]

Sizzle, what strikes me is the poor financial sense. Reminds me of some people we know. They have been on hard times for several years and now the husband has some good income coming in (he works in an up-and-down industry). Rather than pay off a ton of debts and get a cushion for the next dry spell, they are spending like there is no tomorrow and going even deeper into debt. New car, trips, toys, etc. It is painful to watch.

That's kind of what I was thinking. It's not a matter of whether they're entitled to spend the money that way, but whether it's prudent to do so.

[Levin]

Reminds me of comfortable graduate school students with large earning potentials having babies off of Medicaid and getting their milk and cheese from WIC -- and their iPods from Apple and their cars from Lexus.

[FN Phat]

That's kind of what I was thinking. It's not a matter of whether they're entitled to spend the money that way, but whether it's prudent to do so.

And this point of view make obvious cents but we cannot forget about the other side of the coin.

[TripletDaddy]

Reminds me of comfortable graduate school students with large earning potentials having babies off of Medicaid and getting their milk and cheese from WIC -- and their iPods from Apple and their cars from Lexis.

Lexis gave out cars???

When I was in law school we only received t shirts.

[old_gregg]

Lexis gave out cars???

When I was in law school we only received t shirts.

you must have only had an academic subscription.