Shame is a powerful human emotion. Unfortunately, governments do everything they can to reduce shame and replace it with dependency. The single greatest problem in New Mexico is the “culture of dependency,” not just among welfare recipients, but among businesses that feel they must rely on government subsidies to succeed.
Unfortunately, the attitudes that have exacerbated the culture of dependency in America seem to be worsening as this story on a lottery winner who still feels entitled to food stamps illustrates. Here in New Mexico, food stamp shoppers go grocery shopping at Whole Foods.
If welfare programs were run, not out of Washington, but at the state or local level, there is no doubt that more accountability would exist. Ideally, charities would be the providers of welfare, (and birth control for those who cannot afford it) however.
I believe our society is enabling welfare to the point that it is beyond politics. Our children in schools are getting pampered and receiving undeserving privileges and promotions. There are too many high school students of all ages that cannot read, write, or do simple 3rd and 4th grade math. Unfortunately, High Schools That Work (HSTW) is intervening within all high schools and are NOT targeting the root of the problem. The actual root of the problem derives from parents and although there is not a whole lot we can do to fix that problem, we, as a community/society, can hold parents a little more responsible. If our government must waste money paying people to intervene, then they should develop organizations such as Elementary Schools or Middle Schools that Work, rather than High Schools that Work. I believe this would work much better in reducing the number of children that enter high school as illiterates. So many of these young people either drop out of high school or as mentioned above, are freely handed their diploma and this ultimately results in those people becoming welfare recipients.
Thanks for this website!
Paul, you have no shame about using socialist streets.
Andrew… Your nutjob “entitlement mentality” is showing!
Streets are a necessity… laziness is not.
“Socialist Streets” another made-up name to hide the fact that while yes, the streets are necessary, they cost too much (collusion) they wear out too soon (crooked deals between the governments and constructors) and there are too many bureaucrats to “oversee” the corrupt, inadequate construction and maintenance.
It is no coincidence that government agencies always cost more to perform a function (if indeed they even perform at the same output as a corresponding private agency) and turn out a lesser quality product than their private counterparts. Private agencies have to perform or they are gone because they can’t cover fraud and waste like governments can. They can’t simply demand more and more forced “contributions” from the masses to continue to underperform.
Enough of this drivel about “socialist streets”. It shows ignorance and collectivist bias that has no place in the mind of an intelligent person.
A million dollars? But the government steals twice. The money that funds the lottery was taxed once already. Then the IRS taxes the winnings. So in effect the food stamp program would be a partial refund.
But I myself would say to the hell with it. Give it to the dog and I’ll be it’s interpreter and financial agent!