A Can of Worms ~ or ~ Social Injustice

welfare and ss

My husband opened a can of worms when he shared this picture with me via facebook. Someone shared it with him, and it was shared from someone else before that, etc., etc., so I really have no idea where it came from other than social media. What I do know is that it rang my bell. It’s a good topic if you’re in the mood for a heated debate. Let me add a few of my own observations.

When you think about it, the comic does make a valid point. Will social security run out? Does welfare run out? That’s really something, isn’t it? What is really scary is that the welfare system appears to have a spin off of generational support in some cases.

Please don’t get your panties in a wad. I’m not saying that all welfare recipients are laying back on the government. But I am saying that there seems to be a propensity of living on welfare passing down through generations. Black, white, beige, red, blue, or purple; color doesn’t matter.

I have a close friend who used to work in a food stamp office. Man, she could tell some stories if she wanted to. Stories about how young, strong people ask for assistance but are interrupted because they have a call coming in on their smartphone. Seriously? How do they pay for that? More importantly, why do they pay for that? Of course, in this day and age, pretty much everybody needs a phone, but there are still tracphones and such that don’t cost an arm and a leg every month. Sure, no internet on these low cost models, but hey, you can get internet free at the library. Come to think of it, doesn’t our government provide free phones with prepaid minutes for low income people? Besides food stamps, factor in Medicaid, HUD, and whatever other aid is available and it’s no wonder multitudes of people are dependent on welfare. It’s like the government is teaching people not to get a job. Ok, I’m not talking about communities that are at or below poverty level, especially in terms of job availability. I am simply talking about people who take advantage of the ‘system’. (I have few opinions on who should be approved to receive welfare too, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear about that now. It has something to do with drug testing and being required to do a number of service hours each month.)

And now we have to worry about a breakdown in the social security system? What about those people who have had social security deducted from their paychecks for years and years and years and – you know.

Is anybody else scared?

Why are there no jobs? Because as a rich country we believe in the bottom line. Profit. Businesses here send their manufacturing jobs overseas because they can take advantage of cheaper labor costs, therefore, more money in their pockets. Well, for Pete’s sake, why not bring the jobs back here and give them to the people who need them? Some might say the impact would be devastating for the foreign countries we support with our manufacturing jobs. The way it is now is devastating our own country. And we provide a ton of aid for tons of foreign countries even as we scrape the bottom of the social security barrel. I believe that sending jobs overseas is what has caused our economic in-security in the first place. Am I crazy or do you think if we had those millions of jobs back in this country, our economic status as a whole would improve? Am I being narrow minded to think that? Am I not seeing the whole picture?

Disclaimer: When I say ‘everybody’, I don’t mean everybody. When I say ‘they’, I don’t mean any specific ethnic group. And I am in no way referring to economic/racial barriers when I speak of welfare recipients. Period. I believe that fair is fair, equal is equal, and getting ahead is a result of hard work.

By the way, I believe in Jesus, am against abortion, own guns and plan to keep them. I am not racist, homophobic, or prejudice against any other religion, be it Christian, or otherwise. I have faith in God, mankind, and my husband. I am not perfect by any means whatsoever, nor do I ever expect to attain perfection.

Whew, thanks for letting me get all that off my chest.

Now seriously, pray for peace ya’ll. That’s the first step.