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EDITOR:
I am writing this letter out of sheer confusion and frustration. I wanna know why as a society we reward stupid and irresponsible behavior and make it tougher for those that work hard and try their best to do whats right, not just for themselves, but also make the choice to not be a burden to society. I am a single mom with two children, I went to school and I have what’s considered to be a “good” job, making around $35,000 per a year. After my divorce, I decided to move back home to save some money and pay down some debt. In the last few weeks I have been looking to rent a nice two bedroom apartment or home for my two kids and I. What I have found is just down right disturbing to me.
A decent two bedroom apartment, in a decent apartment complex depending on area such as Cameron Park, for example runs approx $850 to $1000 per month. Okay, fine, but that got me thinking. How exactly do a lot of these people who make even less than myself make this work? Especially if you have children, are a single income household and paying for daycare, groceries, etc.? I have an car, along with an average car payment and very minimal debt, yet even apartment living is a stretch and pennies will be pinched just to get by. Now I made my career choice, that is no one’s fault but mine and I have currently enrolled myself back in school in order to make some more money in the future and yes I am paying for my own tuition. However, my question still stands, how do these people do it? The answer is amazing. They don’t.
I am amazed at how many people think it’s okay to get a three bedroom apartment for next to nothing based on income, and how many kids you have. If you couldn’t afford the first child or the second then why burden the tax payers with a third child? Have you ever gone to the grocery store and saw that couple with WIC checks and an EBT card buying Oreo’s and a tri-tip while you’re standing there, still in your work uniform, buying a loaf of bread and hoping to god you have enough gas money to last you until the next pay period? My favorite is when they get finished using their EBT card, they whip out a hundred-dollar bill to buy the carton of cigarettes and a 18 pack of Coors Light, not to mention the $1,000 worth of tattoos and the $35 fake nails. Oh and let’s not forget the purse that’s nicer than the one you’re carrying. So I ask myself, why is this okay? The answer is it’s not.
I am not saying that these programs are bad, and I certainly am not saying that in these times there aren’t well deserving people out there that need a “leg up.” What I am saying is shame on those people who consider Medi-Cal their “insurance” plan, yet have another kid. Shame on those people who are perfectly capable of working yet choose not to. I can’t say that I blame them, I am starting to feel like the dumb one. Hell, if I quit my job tomorrow, I can get my very own two bedroom apartment for next to nothing, all my day care can be paid for, my kids can get free lunch, and hell, why hurry through school when I can get that paid for too?
Self responsibility and accountability are lost for far too many people. We as a society need to change that, and the only way that can happen is to make people responsible for their own lives and their own destiny. Until we gather the strength to do this, it’s going to be a long, hard road for the next generation of taxpayers.
STEPHANIE DUNCAN
Shingle Springs
Yeah, I always love it when they get better food than I can afford and are quite proud of it. And then they get in the express lane with their multiple transactions during the busiest time of day and hold up those of us holding down a job to pay for their lifestyle. You have all day to smoke, drink, and play, couldn’t you time it so we don’t have to see you in your pj’s at 4pm at the local Safeway…
Stephanie, Your frustration and anger is shared by many. It’s unfortunate that a majority of society has accepted government assistance like its an entitlement. Pride and humility are no longer the driving force. Far too many people have accepted the attitude that government owes them a living. They are the park squirrels we fed with good intentions only to find the squirrel barking at you for being in their park. Of course that’s after they eagerly accepted your generous handout. I feel your pain and can only hope that we as a society recognize that by not teaching our kids pride and humility we will continue to remain dependent on the great enabler, “Big Government”.
Amen to Stephanie, Darrin, & Ron. Unfortunately, if we continue to give it to them, they will continue to take it. The voters don’t understand that voluntary donations would cover more than enough needy.
There is so much truth in the above letter, and so much for working people to be frustrated about. In my opinion, the most significant problem highlighted by Stephanie is her observation that the welfare problem is increased with increasing populations and people having babies that they can’t afford. Think about that the next time you vote for someone who will make it harder or impossible to get an abortion.
Our government gives free money and health care to illegals and lazy people. They have zero reason to get a job like the rest of us. Yes, they also seem to expect it like they deserve it for some reason. And they squeeze out a new puppy every two yrs so they can re-up their free welfare money.Pathetic! Almost as pathetic as our government.
Anti-Obama Film, ’2016: Obama’s America,’ Expanding Release After Notable Success (VIDEO) LINK HERE The Huffington Post
i understand your frustration and you have my empathy,keep your heart and soul clean.it’s not always easy.
Thank you for your letter Stephanie, you are not dumb. I commend you on your courage, honor, and strength to resist the chains of entitlement. We are fighting against an evil oppressor in this next election, seeking to destroy what our founders and others before us have died to protect. There are those of us who will stand against tyranny for we dare not repeat the mistakes of history. The Roman empire had the same problem we have today, ‘Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt’, “Coined by the Roman poet Juvenal in the first Century in his Satires lamenting the continuing slide of his former Roman Republic into dictatorship”.
Thank you again for your courage, honor, and strength, teach your children our Constitution and the writings of the Founders so we do not repeat the same mistakes again. From those of us who will fight for Liberty and Freedom “WE WILL NOT COMPLY”.
Martin Mathews
Very well written, Stephanie. I feel the exact same way and it’s so disheartening.
Wow. Tough crowd. Ok…first of all it should be noted that I agree with many of the comments provided in the excellent letters. And for the young lady who initiated the dialog, thank you for being a role model for your family and working hard to make your way. It is truly admirable. I know hard work and have been self-supportive from the moment I left home. Heck, even before that in many ways. And i can remember a time not too long ago where I ate nothing but rice and whomp biscuits for two weeks because after paying rent, truck, and unexpected bills, my paycheck was done. A much younger man of course but one who did what it takes. Sounds like Stephanie’s got it too. But folks: There But For The Grace of God Go I. Think for a moment; yeah who hasnt been a bit pissed at WIC crap having to be rung up 18 ways to freaking Sunday. Or the people who load up on premade sugar evertying and cuts of meat seemingly superior. I even know of someone who sells her allocation for 50cents on the dollar and then uses the cash for dope. Nice, eh? But these are the people you see because they are standing out in the crowd. Obnoxious. Intoxicated. Trashy. What you don’t see are the ones who are humbled and modest and unassuming. The folks who have fallen on hard times and just need a helping hand up. The letters here contain some venom and lump all recipients into one sweeping generalization of disgusting lumps. Perhaps maybe we should just execute them all, no? Or let them and their children starve because Jane wasn’t smart enough to keep her legs crossed? Isnt this what we really want to say? Kill the poor or let them die. Folks, I have no doubt there is room for improvement. But that humbled person you DON’T see in line but is struggling could just be you one day. Count your blessing and your luck and your hard work that it isn’t. But life does indeed contain many reversals of fortune that people never saw coming. That little slut might be your daughter. That drunk you after losing your spouse tragically. Or maybe you because of economic conditions that wiped you out. And now provided you with 200.00 in groceries that must last an entire month. For some, yeah. The party is on us, But for most, it remains a struggle to survive and by no means are they getting rich. You miss them in line at the store. Because they look an awful lot like yourself.
It’s a recession when my neighbor loses his job. But it’s a depression when I lose mine.
Right On Stephanie. You are absolutely right we are the dumb ones.
Thank you for your Efforts.
Welcome to GODS spaceship Mother Earth:
A ship so ingeniously designed that humans never had a clue that we were on one.
The spinning planet spaceship Earth is flying through the universe at a million miles per hour, with a really good water and food source for all.
Mother Earth gives all passengers a set of instructions called instincts. All the passengers but one follows these rules.
Humans have misplaced their internal handbook.
Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil or air, overuse resources, deforest massive areas, overpopulate or use dangerous genetically modified organisms and abuse domestic livestock for no other reason than to profit.
Mother Earth has from time to time, decided some passengers have finished their flight. Only humans continue to force other passengers to leave because we ignore the handbook, Mother Earth and the other passengers are being very kind to us.
We see everywhere in the world there are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world. There are many groups and organizations who are working on the most salient issues of our day: poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more. Possibly the largest movement the world has ever seen. Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse the concentrations of power limiting the masses from purpose.
The world is in our hearts. Life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. We should think of no better motto for a future life and global economy. We have abandoned homes without people and abandoned people without homes. We have failed lawyers advising failed bankers advising failed regulators and Lobbyists advising corrupt politicians on how to save failed assets. We are the only species on the planet without full employment. Every bacteria, insect, plant and animal on the planet has a purpose, yet some humans do not. We have a global economy that tells us that it is cheaper to destroy Earth in real time rather than renew, restore, and sustain it. Humans print currency to bail out financial institutions but unfortunately humans can’t print life to bail out a planet.
Currently we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product and leaving the cost to our offspring .We can easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the Earth we exploit people and this causes untold suffering. Life on this planet should not be a way to get rich, but a way to be rich in life. Human greed by the few, for far too long has caused senseless suffering to the many.
GOD and Mother Earth own and pilot the Spaceship Earth. Our fare is being paid by ordinary compassionate people from all the races and religions of the world. With GODS grace, hopefully their efforts will continue to be enough…