God helps those who help others

[Thom Little]

A generation of politicians and pundits has told us that the poor are lazy and irresponsible and undeserving of our help. Indeed, trying to help them would only make them worse off, we're told.

So the last thing we should do is establish a broad social safety net that provides generous health care and raises the minimum wage and ensures decent housing for all. Why, any one of those things could prove absolutely ruinous to the poor!

That political philosophy — which claims to be a hard-headed compassion rather than the hard-hearted selfishness it really is — has become the conventional wisdom. But it's an odd thing for a nation that claims to be overwhelmingly Christian. There is nothing in the New Testament that says that helping the poor merely makes them worse off.

Many of us may believe there is, of course. In the August 2005 issue of Harper's, Bill McKibben wrote: "Three-quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that 'God helps those who help themselves.' That is, three out of four Americans believe that this über-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture.

The thing is, not only is Franklin's wisdom not biblical, it's counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the Gospel message, with its radical summons to "love neighbor."



http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tucker/2005/122505.html

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. There has to be a middle ground

between enabling and caring for the poor. Some folks only want to see black and white.

[Lars39]

2. Oh, yes indeed! The poor are treated so well in this country.

:sarcasm:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. I guess Reagan really gave voice to the whole

Welfare queen concept. I'd really like to hear from social workers out there about the "welfare reform" put into place under Clinton and how it has changed things, if it is working at all.

My daughter and her husband (pre-med student) have two infants and are on full Medicaid and WIC and food stamps. It has been a Godsend for them (and for us because we were paying their doctor/hospital bills) but I'll tell you, it takes a LOT of organization and even self discipline to keep it up. I can well imagine it is past the abilities of some, particularly folks with substance abuse problems, etc.

[bammertheblue]

4. Not to mention

that the whole "welfare queen/ welfare cadillac" thing was totally false and made up. I can't remember where I read this, so of course you shouldn't believe me, but I did read a story about the writer who made up that term and she (he? I think it was a she though) basically recanted the whole thing and said she invented it in her own little deluded head.
Okay, I know that is not proof, but anyone who honestly thinks people on welfare are driving around in Caddys is just insane.

Edit to add that this is my favorite line from the article: "Those who don't choose their parents wisely often find their achievements limited." Most people who are successful are just plain lucky. They were born into a rich (or at least not poor) family that valued education and nurtured them and their hopes and dreams.
For every person who was so fortunate, there are 50 (at least) who are not. Not every successful person worked hard, and not every hard worker is successful

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. I do remember reading

that the typical welfare recipient is a white woman. I don't know if that is still true.

Now, I do think there were some folks who abused the system. But that is only an impression..it is NOT my field. So I could be wrong and am ready to hear someone set me straight.

I do know that here in my school district we feed a lot of hungry babies (I call all my kids babies) breakfast and lunch and it makes me feel happy about paying my taxes. They are good, solid meals and they can eat all they want.

[Lars39]

5. Well, as someone mentioned on another thread,

five years is the lifetime limit. It's not inconceivable to use your limit while you are young and be so out of luck when you get laid off when your 50 or so and can't find another job that'll keep a roof over your head.

[bammertheblue]

7. My mom is a social worker

and a pretty hardcore Clinton fan, but she HATED the welfare reform he did. She said it didn't take into account the realities of being on welfare. I remember being about 13 and sitting at the dinner table and hearing her talk to my father (a public defender) about how most people on welfare are not lazy, they just need some help, and if they still need help after five years, they shouldn't be cut off from that help because of some politician's arbitrary ruling. She also talked about how the welfare system really screws over single parents (most of whom are women), because if they work, they have to pay childcare which eats up most of their paycheck. If they don't work, it's assumed they are lazy "welfare queens".

[TallahasseeGrannie]

9. Childcare should be free.

I am personally willing to pay higher taxes for it.

[bammertheblue]

10. Me too

It's ridiculous that in such a rich nation women (and some men) have to live in poverty because they are single parents. Raise my taxes for things like this, not for bombs and invisible planes.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. And how about a little creativity

in the solution, like co-op childcare with parents giving a couple hours a week and working in the facility?

[bammertheblue]

12. I would think that

would be a win-win solution. Parents can work and know their kids are well cared for and nearby in case of emergency, and the childcare centers could provide a job opportunity for many people (I know I'd apply in one! Beats retail, and more fun.)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

13. Heck, yeah

They would be "family" at the daycare center and be involved. Parenting skills would be shared, networking..everything.

[bammertheblue]

14. I think the govt. makes it harder

than it really is. Not saying I know everything, but if they just looked in a new direction, they might get some good solutions.

The problem is, a lot of brainwashed people would hear what we are saying and say "You are just damn dirty socialists"! As if that's somehow something terrible.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

15. Socialists have some good ideas

I don't buy it all, but sometimes a certain level of pulling together is a grand thing. Individualism is not always healthy.

[bammertheblue]

16. I agree

I'm kind of a "pick and choose" socialist. Things like medical care, childcare, and education should be rights in my opinion. Wealth should not determine if someone can go to college, or to the dentist.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

17. I hear you on the dentist

I make a pretty decent teacher's salary, but I can't afford the dental work I need.

[bammertheblue]

18. Most of my friends

are people my age, just out of college for a few years. They have no health insurance, let alone dental. I am lucky to be covered under my mom's good union (AFL-CIO) insurance until I am 25 or leave school, but if I wasn't covered I'd be out of luck because my meds for depression would not be covered and I'd be a big mess:(

[Skittles]

8. self deleting

do not want the brainwashed all in a tizzy

[HysteryDiagnosis]

19. God helps those who have helped themselves to our

treasury, nobid contracts, our privacy, and other sundry items the repugs don't see as "welfare".

[bemildred]

20. Welfare is peanuts.

The money means nothing.
What is feared is a citizenry that is immune to the threat of job loss.