How the GOP wants to help me (not)

[gunhilda]

So, the GOP is opposing a Democratic stimulus package that would help shore up state governments, assisting them to continue to provide medicaid benefits, unemployment benefits, teacher salaries, education budgets, etc. etc. Instead, the GOP insists that the following measures are what are really needed to help the country (my comments in

Comments

[shimmeringstar1]

Speaking to the Medicaid programs, particularly those that serve children and those in nursing homes (and the second one is the one that is the budget-buster in most states), yeah, if they don't do something the states are going to have a hard time for the rest of this fiscal year, let alone next fiscal year, keeping up their 50% split and may have to cut back, and probably on payments to doctors/hospitals, meaning less of them will want to participate. (Medicaid for the aged, blind, disabled, and the children is funded 50%feds/50%state.) And if you're not in one of those categories (read: between 18-65 and not considered disabled by Social Security Administration rules) you're SOL because there's just no program or funding out there to help you

[gunhilda]

Yeah, I found this article on CNN this morning.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/13/economy.violence.ap/index.html

Off-shore drilling is really going to help these folks.

[ziparumpazoo]

crossing fingers for a minority government in today's canadian elections because if Harper gets a majority and the Republicans are in power (even for a little while longer) we're all doomed. we're well on our way to selling out whatever environmental legacy we have left just to make the almighty buck.

[gunhilda]

Yeah, the environmental policies have been very sad. I feel for you.

[reihla]

What amazes me is that the only proposals we see have one or two good ideas couched in a whole bunch of idiocy. Medicaid reforms... sure. Food stamps & unemployment insurance? Those are just a means of keeping the lower class dependent on government (not to mention securing their loyalty). I can see the same problems with the GOP proposals... the difference seems to be *whose* loyalty each plan buys...

Heh, you already know how I feel about laying our current economic situation solely at the feet of the GOP...

[gunhilda]

Um... so all the custodians and housekeepers with whom I used to work at the Physical Plant (being paid just above minimum wage) who qualified for food stamps are made dependent on the government? Interesting take on it. I would give them kudos for continuing to work full time jobs to support their families.

See, there's a common misconception that poverty in this country is all about laziness, but that just isn't always the case.

[reihla]

I prefer to believe I'm just basing my opinion on my own experiences (and don't we all do that?) rather than laboring under serious misconceptions. I know 3 people right now drawing unemployment and every one of them has been turning down jobs because, frankly, unemployment pays better

[scifithinker]

At one point in my life, I was working about 50 hours a week in two part time jobs and making so little that I qualified for food stamps. They made a real difference at a time when I couldn't find a full time job with benefits.

I never felt bad about using them, though. I paid more in federal taxes than I made in benefits. Wouldn't it have been easier to just lessen my taxes? Not to mention cheaper, given how much bureaucracy it takes to run these programs?

[wolfgrrrrl]

It would take far too long for me to comment on even just ONE point here. Every four years I just wear myself out looking into both sides of the story. My parents taught me to always make informed decesions and I have tried to continue that tradition. State quesions are usually the trickiest, at least for me. Here's one that is near and dear to my heart: State Question 742. The gist is: State Question 742 would amend the state constitution to