ian-mstm

I don't think I am. People who have the drive to succeed, will succeed. If someone doesn't make it to the level they believe they should be at, then they either don't have sufficient drive or they don't have realistic expectations.


I'm well aware of the nepotism and prejudice... which is why I'm not a Republican! I do, however, wish that everyone was judged entirely on his or her merits.

Ian

scrubbedexpat091

At this point I would trade healthcare for food.

Bob

It's shit though...it doesn't help vast chunks of people who are poor and/or struggling, as the income thresholds to qualify are so low that when most people are there, they're already seriously up the wall.

ukmedic

think good food and good health go together really

cluedweasel

The US is really screwed then.............

Budawang

Allow me to explain. Person X has an annual income of $300,000. Person Y has an annual income of $30,000. Person X pays $80,000 in taxes each year. Person Y pays $5,000. Person X receives receives $10,000 in government services each year and Person Y receives $15,000. Therefore, the tax system is transferring $10,000 ($15,000 - $5,000) from high income tax payers (like Person X) to Person Y. Person X, on the other hand, is transferring $70,000 ($80,000 - $10,000) of his/her income to low income tax payers like Person Y.

This is a crude way of describing income redistribution via a progressive tax system. All developed countries do this.

scrubbedexpat091

Its not much here. You have to be destitute and have no other options such as life insurance , selling your car etc.

Pays very little. A single gets 235/month. If you have housing they will pay up to 375 for rent.

Brigette

If only it was just black and white. Unfortunately there are shades of gray that has nothing to do with unrealistic expectations or insufficient drive.

ian-mstm

Would you kindly care to elaborate?

Ian

londonights

i feel the example of having to eat a rat is very sad but i feel v.extreme

Brigette

Sure All I'm saying is that just because someone is not successful does not "necessarily" mean that is from lack of trying or lack of drive. Your concept for the most part though valid, does not account for variability.

Example: some people can do everything right, work hard and continue to do so, yet they are not at the level they should be. Other people can be in the same position, and just get a lucky break... in the right place at the right time, know the right people, have the right connections etc

So while I agree with the concept of what you are saying, I just have a more nuanced view of it. For me it's just too much of a blanket statement to lump all together without allowing for varying circumstances. So yeah most people who have the drive to succeed will probably succeed. Will there be an outlier here and there, yes, there will be...and that's the point I was trying to make. So while there was validity there, (in your statement) it sounded like a sweeping generalization (or that was my interpretation of it) and so I wanted to account for "shades of gray".

Sorry for being so long winded... but this was a welcome break from working on my research methods project which is about to drive me mad

scrubbedexpat091

You never know what could be wrong with someone, plenty of people can lok able bodied and be working age but not be able to work.

If your look at me you would say the same, but health concerns prevent me from working, they are just not a visible problem.

Giantaxe

As I've mentioned before in this thread, only four states give Medicaid cover to adults without children. Additionally the income and asset thresholds are typically very low to qualify. Millions fall into the trap of not qualifying for Medicaid, not getting employer health insurance, and not being able to get affordable individual coverage.

Ethelred_the_Unready

Really struggling to understand why so many Americans have such abysmal attitudes towards the poor. The UK isn't perfect either, but I don't recall hearing as much vitriol against the working poor, nor do I recall healthcare being denied to the poor, or it even being implied.

Thoughts?

Ethelred_the_Unready

Yep. Eating well here costs a small fortune and there isn't the variety of fresh food that is common in Europe. The US needs to create more small scale farms to grow fruit & veg only for towns & cities in a 50 mile radius and end subsidies to farmers to grow endless corn to be turned into corn syrup (bad). This would bring down costs significantly.