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In other words, you've met countless people who could easily live on $1595 per month? Cool. I have no doubt they exist. And that they could have handled the sit

In other words, you've met countless people who could easily live on $1595 per month? Cool. I have no doubt they exist. And that they could have handled the situation from the article better. Why can't welfare policy focus on helping those people? Competent slum people are more effective to help, and much more sympathetic, than incompetent people getting a monthly check for more than full time minimum wage work.

potatolicious 17y ago
Because those people, and those other people, are really not that widely separated. I currently work at two places that deal with the homeless - one focuses on work placement, the other focuses on immediate relief, and what I see is that the population between those two groups are really separated by sheer luck, and the amount of support they have been able to receive from non-profits, family, and community. The people who have been able to bootstrap themselves out of homelessness and into gainful employment all have done so with a gigantic effort from countless concerned citizens, many of whom (including myself) work entirely for free. The notion of a homeless person who through sheer determination and savvy pulls themselves up, without the understanding support of those around them, is a complete fabrication. I find your argument as thus: I see some people who have been able to exit poverty and homelessness (conveniently ignoring the fact that the support programs that enable this are far less vindictive and judgmental than you seem to be), therefore anyone who can't is just unworthy of help. I have, in my brief time working with this issue, met many people far better than myself, who dedicate a ludicrous portion of their lives to enabling and improving lives... and none of them subscribe to the idea of the lazy, good-for-nothing poor. If I may be so bold - our homeless/poor support systems, as overtaxed as they are, succeed in spite of attitudes like yours, not because.
xiaoma 17y ago
According to the article, Mr. Eisen gets a $1,595 monthly disability check each month because he has diabetes, hypertension and liver failure. Surely you realize that medical care for these kinds of conditions costs something, especially in the US. Calling him and his 57 year-old wife "incompetent" and implying that an elderly couple with medical issues could live off of a single minimum wage salary is heartless. It's important to make sure that welfare policy doesn't become a disincentive to work, but we're talking about a disability check that doesn't even bring them up to the poverty line.
- xenophanes 17y ago
  Hello? They are spending 1380/month on rent. That's what I said. Did you read it? Obviously if they stopped doing that they'd have far more money. And I'm saying I don't want them to be given more money, not to take away his check. If you don't find a job or a cheaper place for 2 years you shouldn't go "omg i'm gonna be homeless, we need help, we're the perfect sob story, write about us in the NY times and then mention how obama wants to extend unemployment so i could get more checks that i totally deserve for not working or managing my budget for 2 years".
  - potatolicious 17y ago
    Please keep it civil - the other poster didn't sling any mud at you, it would help your credibility if you did the same.
    - xenophanes 17y ago
      What mud? He ignored what I said. I pointed this out. I didn't say anything about him.

potatolicious 17y ago

Because those people, and those other people, are really not that widely separated. I currently work at two places that deal with the homeless - one focuses on work placement, the other focuses on immediate relief, and what I see is that the population between those two groups are really separated by sheer luck, and the amount of support they have been able to receive from non-profits, family, and community. The people who have been able to bootstrap themselves out of homelessness and into gainful employment all have done so with a gigantic effort from countless concerned citizens, many of whom (including myself) work entirely for free. The notion of a homeless person who through sheer determination and savvy pulls themselves up, without the understanding support of those around them, is a complete fabrication. I find your argument as thus: I see some people who have been able to exit poverty and homelessness (conveniently ignoring the fact that the support programs that enable this are far less vindictive and judgmental than you seem to be), therefore anyone who can't is just unworthy of help. I have, in my brief time working with this issue, met many people far better than myself, who dedicate a ludicrous portion of their lives to enabling and improving lives... and none of them subscribe to the idea of the lazy, good-for-nothing poor. If I may be so bold - our homeless/poor support systems, as overtaxed as they are, succeed in spite of attitudes like yours, not because.

xiaoma 17y ago

According to the article, Mr. Eisen gets a $1,595 monthly disability check each month because he has diabetes, hypertension and liver failure. Surely you realize that medical care for these kinds of conditions costs something, especially in the US. Calling him and his 57 year-old wife "incompetent" and implying that an elderly couple with medical issues could live off of a single minimum wage salary is heartless. It's important to make sure that welfare policy doesn't become a disincentive to work, but we're talking about a disability check that doesn't even bring them up to the poverty line.

xenophanes 17y ago
Hello? They are spending 1380/month on rent. That's what I said. Did you read it? Obviously if they stopped doing that they'd have far more money. And I'm saying I don't want them to be given more money, not to take away his check. If you don't find a job or a cheaper place for 2 years you shouldn't go "omg i'm gonna be homeless, we need help, we're the perfect sob story, write about us in the NY times and then mention how obama wants to extend unemployment so i could get more checks that i totally deserve for not working or managing my budget for 2 years".
- potatolicious 17y ago
  Please keep it civil - the other poster didn't sling any mud at you, it would help your credibility if you did the same.
  - xenophanes 17y ago
    What mud? He ignored what I said. I pointed this out. I didn't say anything about him.