New york giving public assistance recipients 200 dollars for school supplies

[darth los]

http://www.state.ny.us/governor/pres...s_0811091.html It's a rather long read but the bottom line is that all Public assistance recipients with children ages 3-17 will be recieving 200 dollars for school supplies. Now who amongst us believes that people recieving those funds will use it exclusively for that? I'm all for gov't help like universal healthcare, medicare and S.S, but this is just stupid. Have people learned nothing from Katrina? The victims were given a $1,000 debit card and many wasted it on plasma tv's and cosmetic surgury. Not to say they all did but what did they expext them to do? The right thing? Please. I would have been much more in favor of just giving them the supplies directly. That way you know it won't be mispent. You just know a liberal came up with this idea. I'm an independant by the way. We haven't had a serious debate here in a while so I guess this is as good a place to start as any. Feel free to inject your opinions on the healthcare debate,etc, as well. We need to have a grown up, civil debate about how we are going to move forward as a country no matter which political party controls Washington at the time. I look forward to your responses. And please, Let's Keep it CIVIL

[bassman]

And the worst part is that the people who receive this assistance are probably the same ones who stay at home all day for no reason while the rest of us work our asses off so that they can get some money.

[Skippy911sc]

They should just provide school supplies not money. Although I have never been on the receiving end of such benefits nor have I had the misfortune of being so down that I would need such things. I might take a different view had I been through some really down and out times.

[BillyRay]

Wouldn't it make even more sense to give that money directly to the schools themselves? They could ensure that it gets spent on actual school supplies, AND you could track stock to ensure availability (No "I left it at home, teacher"). But that would mean actually giving money to schools. And that's bad because of Socialism, so they tell me.

[Danny]

Wouldn't it make even more sense to give that money directly to the schools themselves? They could ensure that it gets spent on actual school supplies, AND you could track stock to ensure availability (No "I left it at home, teacher"). But that would mean actually giving money to schools. And that's bad because of Socialism, so they tell me. dont know how it is over there but any secondary school over here would use it on shit and bury it in paperwork. why not just give a kit with like some pens and pencils and textbooks to the poorer students?

[darth los]

Wouldn't it make even more sense to give that money directly to the schools themselves? They could ensure that it gets spent on actual school supplies, AND you could track stock to ensure availability (No "I left it at home, teacher"). But that would mean actually giving money to schools. And that's bad because of Socialism, so they tell me. People have to stop saying that socialism is evil. All of it is not the same. I don't want this to be a socialist country either but there are things that I do consider to be "smart and practical" socialism such as Social Security And medicare. People cling to the idea of capitalism because in this system potentially anybody can strike it rich. Americans being as lazy as they are of course always want something for nothing. So, they will live in a rat race where the chances of them living that dream are about the same as hitting the lotto. Is that what we've become? A nation of people waiting to hit the lotto? It's sort of a "if we make sure everyone has what they need then I lose my lottery ticket", mentality. And people from different demographics are going to disagree on things like this just on principle or philosophy or whatever you want to call it. Healthcare for example is something that definitely should be left up to the states. If people in Missouri don't want universal coverage that's fine with me me but the people in new york do and we shouldn't be beholden to what people who live 1,700 miles away want. If the people of that state want it then only the taxes of the people of that state should be taken to pay for it, imo.

[BillyRay]

Huzzah, Darth. But a lot of politicians have got a lot of mileage out of the "All taxes are bad all the time, regardless of the reason - BOO! TAXES!" mentality. So public assistance (Not just welfare, but medicare, etc), schools and roads take the hit. Then we wind up with poor, desperate folks turning to drugs and crime, inner-city kids not getting an education and keeping the cycle of poverty going, and bridges collapsing (remember in St. Paul a few years ago?). The private sector isn't gonna do anything, not if there isn't a profit involved. But if one dares suggest more Government control & oversight...SOCIALIST!!! We could use more Government involvement in Quality-Of-Life issues, like roads, schools, health care, etc. It's not going to result in Stalinist/Soviet style Socialism, or even modern European-style Socialism. We always do things a bit different in America.

[Danny]

WUT. people talking calmly about different ideals and caring about people worse off than them without flaming,homepage of the dead first! WHAT.IS.HAPPENING!?!?!!!!!!111!!!ONEONE!!!

[DjfunkmasterG]

My COmpany holds a school supply drive every year so that we can provide school supplies to lower income children. We don't raise money and give the money to them, we all go out and buy supplies, turn them into the charity department who gives us a receipt for the donation and then the week before school starts we have an open house here at work and the supplies are given to the children. The nice part too is whatever we buy, the company matches 100%. So if we buy 10 book bags, the company buy another 10 to match the donation. I swung by the Dollar Tree and scooped up $50 worth of Pens, Pencils and notebooks, then swung by Big Lots for the $5.00 book bag sale and scooped up 20 bags, so I donated $150 worth of supplies, which the company will match piece for piece. That is how it should be done, plus having the open house lets kids see this huge world of sciences going on right in their back yard, and gives them something to strive for in the future. Hell I even volunteer to give tours and tell the kids what we do and hows its done. They love it, I feel like something is being accomplished... it works out for everyone, but a state just handing over $200.00... sheeeeit, the druggies will get it and either snort it up or shoot it up and the kids see squat.

[EvilNed]

It's not going to result in Stalinist/Soviet style Socialism... Naw...

[darth los]

Huzzah, Darth. But a lot of politicians have got a lot of mileage out of the "All taxes are bad all the time, regardless of the reason - BOO! TAXES!" mentality. So public assistance (Not just welfare, but medicare, etc), schools and roads take the hit. Then we wind up with poor, desperate folks turning to drugs and crime, inner-city kids not getting an education and keeping the cycle of poverty going, and bridges collapsing (remember in St. Paul a few years ago?). The private sector isn't gonna do anything, not if there isn't a profit involved. But if one dares suggest more Government control & oversight...SOCIALIST!!! We could use more Government involvement in Quality-Of-Life issues, like roads, schools, health care, etc. It's not going to result in Stalinist/Soviet style Socialism, or even modern European-style Socialism. We always do things a bit different in America. There's an old saying: To believe everything or to be skeptical of everything are two equally convienient solutions. They both dispense with the need for thought. We're adults and through our life experiences, although they are unique as a snowflake, there are a couple of universal truths. One of them being that things in life are rarely black and white. There's alot of nuances. That's why I'm an independant. I believe in some republican views and also some democratic views. I will also call them on their bullshit in a heartbeat. Of course the gov't wastes our money like drunken sailors!! But to cut off your nose to spite your face and opposing things that are common sense is madness. Don't medicare ans S.S. work just fine? And let me tell you will have to pry those things from the cold dead hands of most of even the most staunch conservatives. That's socialism that works. I agree that the gov't should be involved in quality of life issues. They can stay out of my personal business though, ala, terry schaivo. WUT. people talking calmly about different ideals and caring about people worse off than them without flaming,homepage of the dead first! WHAT.IS.HAPPENING!?!?!!!!!!111!!!ONEONE!!! Well, hells this is a good place to start as any right? If we all held up the ideals of charity, concern for those less fortunate and just basically trying to actually live up to the ideals that so many hypocrites espouse than perhaps we wouldn't need socialized anything. We would all just take care of each other and be done with it. However, since that has yet to happen in the last...oh i don't know 10,000 years, we must look for other solutions.

[BillyRay]

If we all held up the ideals of charity, concern for those less fortunate and just basically trying to actually live up to the ideals that so many hypocrites espouse than perhaps we wouldn't need socialized anything. We would all just take care of each other and be done with it. However, since that has yet to happen in the last...oh i don't know 10,000 years, we must look for other solutions. While I'll agree that hasn't happened yet on a truly large, societal scale, It happens every day in a million different ways. Just look around your own community. There's food banks, womens' shelters, or people simply helping their friends and neighbors. It'll never make the news, but it's happening anyway. Each act of kindness and compassion is another drop in the bucket. Remember kids, You may not be able to change the world, but you can change yours.

[darth los]

While I'll agree that hasn't happened yet on a truly large, societal scale, It happens every day in a million different ways. Just look around your own community. There's food banks, womens' shelters, or people simply helping their friends and neighbors. It'll never make the news, but it's happening anyway. Each act of kindness and compassion is another drop in the bucket. Remember kids, You may not be able to change the world, but you can change yours. You're totally correct on that and with all that there's STILL people that go hungry or get turned away from shelters, etc. So...we definitely need more than that. It just can't be a few charities here and there we ALL have to pitch in.

[Danny]

-and knowing is half the battle! GOOOOOOO JOOOOOOOOOEEEEEE!!!!! -sorry.

[BillyRay]

It's one to grow on, anyhoo...