Rico, we have three children. All of whom were born pre-term. We have expenses that normal children would not have incurred. In addition, we have the normal expenses: school uniforms, insurance, child care (for three, mind you), groceries for five, gasoline for 2 commuters which is now over $100 a week. Yes, we made bad choices along the way that made things worse. I am not in favor of the government stepping in to fix any of the errors we've made along the way. It will take us two more years to become debt-free. Then, yes, we will have a better "standard of living" where the budget isn't so tight. Two years after that, we should be building/buying a house. (And birthday cake is an exaggeration on my part. We really can't afford the latest video game system and 6 new games every Christmas. However, if the government bought all my groceries, including those birthday cakes, we certainly could afford those types of things.)
Rico, we have three children. All of whom were born pre-term. We have expenses that normal children would not have incurred. In addition, we have the normal expenses: school uniforms, insurance, child care (for three, mind you), groceries for five, gasoline for 2 commuters which is now over $100 a week. Yes, we made bad choices along the way that made things worse. I am not in favor of the government stepping in to fix any of the errors we've made along the way. It will take us two more years to become debt-free. Then, yes, we will have a better "standard of living" where the budget isn't so tight. Two years after that, we should be building/buying a house. (And birthday cake is an exaggeration on my part. We really can't afford the latest video game system and 6 new games every Christmas. However, if the government bought all my groceries, including those birthday cakes, we certainly could afford those types of things.)
No doubt the child care is taking a huge chunk of what's coming in every week. I remember reading somewhere that by the time you deduct for the extra child care expenses, the commuting costs, and the wardrobe costs, many two income families barely break even on what the second income brings into the home. Even so, both of you working will pay off come retirement time, since you both will have SS, plus any retirement plan you put together on your own. Also, I hear you on those video games!! Good grief! Them things are high! I get my son a new game every now and then, but it's always from Game Stop because they sell games used. Some of them can be bought for only $10 too. We could probably qualify for food stamps, but we were alread on them for around three years, and I told my wife I am sick of having to spill my guts to some caseworker to get a few hundred dollars of food stamps. We eat a lot better quality food off of them anyhow, because we are very careful about what we buy now.
Rico, we do come out a little ahead. About $600 a month. Which is going towards the debt snowball. By the time we are out of debt, our children will also be old enough to be "latchkey" kids for the hour and a half before their dad gets home. So, our budget will look better in a two fold manner: no more debt payments and no more childcare expenses.
Regarding SS, that will be bankrupt long before I am ever entitled to get my money back from them.
I think you all are missing something. IMO there is a big difference between an American welfare recipient and a poverty stricken African. Welfare doesn't really mean poverty in America. I don't know how anyone can visit a third world country and not want to help the people because the poverty is so extreme. (Ask Sherri) I can't fathom how Obama could have blood relatives in such poverty and not feel desperate to help them in some way no matter how small. I might not support a relative who is living off welfare in America because I would know if they really wanted to they could get a job. But a relative in serious poverty? I would have to help no matter how distant they might be.
I think you all are missing something. IMO there is a big difference between an American welfare recipient and a poverty stricken African. Welfare doesn't really mean poverty in America. I don't know how anyone can visit a third world country and not want to help the people because the poverty is so extreme. (Ask Sherri) I can't fathom how Obama could have blood relatives in such poverty and not feel desperate to help them in some way no matter how small. I might not support a relative who is living off welfare in America because I would know if they really wanted to they could get a job. But a relative in serious poverty? I would have to help no matter how distant they might be.
Ditto!
__________________ Never burn the bridge of mercy... You never know when you will need it to cross.
Doctrine makes a wonderful servant but a horrible master!
Rico, we do come out a little ahead. About $600 a month. Which is going towards the debt snowball. By the time we are out of debt, our children will also be old enough to be "latchkey" kids for the hour and a half before their dad gets home. So, our budget will look better in a two fold manner: no more debt payments and no more childcare expenses.
Regarding SS, that will be bankrupt long before I am ever entitled to get my money back from them.
Right now we are coming out ahead between $100-$200 a month, and it's all going into savings. Things are picking up with this work from home job I started a few months back, so I hope to be more ahead by the end of this year. Our children are all in school, so we are past the child care years. Not having to pay those expenses will make a huge difference in your budget. Like you, I have some serious doubts about SS being around when I retire.
I think you all are missing something. IMO there is a big difference between an American welfare recipient and a poverty stricken African. Welfare doesn't really mean poverty in America. I don't know how anyone can visit a third world country and not want to help the people because the poverty is so extreme. (Ask Sherri) I can't fathom how Obama could have blood relatives in such poverty and not feel desperate to help them in some way no matter how small. I might not support a relative who is living off welfare in America because I would know if they really wanted to they could get a job. But a relative in serious poverty? I would have to help no matter how distant they might be.
I go to church with some good honest heard working folk who fall below the poverty line here in america. They are from other countries... and they send a large portion of thier income back to their family in those third world countries....
you are 100% correct.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
I'm not out to villify Obama, although I certainly won't be voting for him. But it does seem hypocritical for him to call the biggest moral failure of America the failure to fulfill the commandment in Matthew ("...that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, ...you do for me.") (Obama's quote--not the exact scripture)
That is, it's hypocritical if he isn't assisting his "least" brother. If the brother is currently living on $1/day, then Obama could send him and extra $3/day and possibly quadruple his quality of life.
Rico, as for your question: "Why don't you send his brother money if you care so much?" (directed at someone else, I know) My husband and I already support my mother, the church, missions, and other charities, so we do our part with our extra income. e.g., when I encourage others to be charitable, I'm NOT being hypocritical, because I'm practicing what I preach. When someone touts charity as Obama has, then he should make certain that he has BEEN charitable, else he will look hypocritical as this article was intending to point out.
This is especially true if there is a close friend or family member who needs help, which impliesknowledge of a need without action.
The point of this article is not whether you are for or against welfare or "government dole", but whether or not Obama lives what he preaches, and that is a valid question to ask.
__________________
"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
i personally have helped my brothers and sisters and will continue to as the lord blesses, aint listening to nobody lecture me about giving, especially democrats, dt
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A product of a pentecostal raisin, I am a hard man, just ask my children
George - as in curious
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