How much poverty is a choice?

Can't you just admit that you are wrong for once? It's just a lack of character on your part to not be able to admit it. It says nothing about any general intelligence overall it only says that there is a little difference on this issue. Typical brainless Con! Can't see their own shortcomings because of their own shortcomings.

 

No fact. Just more insults. You are loosing it, moen!

 

Hmmmm....seems our resident libs have become silent? Whatsa matter? This doesn't align with the liberal narrative?

 

I like this statement from the study which you either missed or couldn't see (check into that eye examination I told you about):

Republicans tend to be older, well educated and male, which are characteristics associated with political and economic knowledge. Still, even when these factors are held constant, Republicans do somewhat better than Democrats on the knowledge quiz.

Dumb democrats...

 

Still says nothing about their IQ just that they know somewhat more about this issue. This isn't an IQ test and you can't seem to understand the difference. So much for your education.

 

WOW, you are one arrogant *****. Yes, that is a judgement, much like yours. You have no clue on being poor, despite your "poor" upbringing. Living on a farm and being poor is very different than living in a city and being poor. Having your family around to help feed you, provide clothing, house you... that's not something all people can say they've had. Some people don't eat every day. Some people wear clothing they "wash" in the rain. Some people live in shacks with no electricity or plumbing. But that's not who you want to think about, your example is of someone who had cell-phone and cable bills. I agree, they should go without those things. Out of the two though, cell-phones are becoming a necessity. They are replacing land-lines, and a phone is important to have for work, looking for work, or medical emergencies. The cable bill I agree with 100% though, as there is no need for it.

Something you should consider though is that quite a few people have no idea on how to manage their money. While it's good that you "councilled" the couple on setting priorities, it would also help to continuously inform the congregation on financial management through services or voluntary meetings.

 

Dude, you need to get your ADD in check, seriously!
You started out on a rant (again, no one can tell me what was "judgmental", you just say I was being "judgmental") and ended by seemingly supporting me. I don't get it.

"whosh...squirrel"!

 

That's 'cause you're an idiot. You have no clue on the lives of other people and have no tolerance for anyone who doesn't do exactly what you think they should do. That you get a minor point right, and I agree with it, doesn't mean you're NOT an idiot... it just means even an idiot can occasionally get a point right. You have no clue.

 

While you were on "vacation", an understanding came over this forum that personal attacks would be ended. One might consider calling someone an "idiot" a personal attack. That is, of course, between you, the person you attacked and the moderators. Webster's defines the word idiot as, "usually offensive : a person affected with extreme mental retardation". A label like "idiot" does nothing to further the discussion on a political forum.

Now, calling someone "ignorant" is perfectly acceptable since ignorance is defined as "destitute of knowledge or education, also : lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified". Calling someone an "ignoramus" is acceptable since the definition is "an utterly ignorant person".

Since you may have been ignorant of this change and since, in my opinion, you're an ignoramus, I felt it best to bring it to your attention.

 

I'm going to assume Coin said something irrelevant, and probably stupid. I can't say for sure since I literally ignored whatever he said.

 

Hence, ignorant.

 

Sooooooooo.....what did I post that offended your sensibilities so much? Can you try to focus long enough to at least let me know what got your panties in such a wad?

 

Like I said... you have no clue. You seem to expect everyone to live your ignorant way of life, and when they don't, you chastise them for it. You don't seem to realize your way of life is one of many ways.

So some of your charity cases own cell-phones or TVs, so some of them smoke, so what? Do you get in their face and tell them what you really think of them or do you mutter something under your breath in your car as you drive away?

You say people choose being poor, and that's why you're an idiot. Do poor people make bad decisions? HELL yeah! So do rich people. Are a lot of poor people idiots? HELL yeah! So are a lot of rich people.

Do you think you're NOT looking down on poor people and chastising them for making bad decisions? I say you are and you wanna know why I believe that? Because your tax dollars are being collected, and you think every cent of that goes to those lazy, idiotic poor people and you can't stomach the idea. You're greed has got you by the gonads and the idea that some poor-person is out there right this minute purchasing a cell-phone, TV, or cigarettes is the squeeze.

 

I read that one. You and stu can NO NO NOT EVEN WITH MISSING WORDS

 

See, your rage consumes you to such a degree that you create fights were none exist. I didn't pass judgement, chastise anyone or post any of that hyperbole crap you spewed. I simply asked how much poverty is voluntary. This couple made me wonder & to be honest, you make a case for self-imposed poverty.

 

lol... that was rage? Anyway, the point I'm trying to make, that I don't expect you to take to heart , is that while you live your life one way, it's better to allow for other ways of living then to be whining about how your tax-dollars are being spent.

 

This thread has nothing to do with spending tax dollars. Where did you get that from? In fact, the assistance given to these folks was privately funded.
I simply wonder, with all the class warfare talk coming from the left, if some, little or all poverty is self-created by choices and/or priorities.

 

David, congratulations on giving them counseling. Sometimes people don't see the problems in front of their very noses and need gentle prodding to fix it. At other times, they convince themselves that they've pared down the bills as best they can and can't see a way of reducing them any more.

I have been on food stamps in the past and, to some extent, my poverty was "by choice." I became depressed at being alone for the first time in my life and stopped being engaged with the world. Taking care of my dogs was the only thing that kept me alive--literally--but they could not help me keep my job. I was able to get less involved work at a far lower rate of pay, but needed to find a way to pare my expenses. I went from having a $90/month cell phone bill to using a prepaid phone that I charged with about $30 of minutes a month (paying once to have double minutes for the life of the phone saved lots of money) and reduced my cable bill--my internet connection is necessary for school and for work--by getting rid of the upper level channels and the movie channels. But until someone gave me the advice, I was so locked into life as I perceived it to be necessary that I felt trapped. If it weren't for the help of my church and my friends who counseled me during that difficult time, then I would not be on the upswing in my life instead of remaining on a downward spiral or smacking hard against rock bottom. Counseling is not "being judgmental." Counseling is teaching a person how to fish, instead of giving them the fish to feed themselves.

 

How much poverty is a choice?

That's the title of this thread. It's a good question. A question that nobody here can answer.

NOW, is there poverty in existence because of bad coices? Absolutely and it's been going on for a long, long time.

Me and my wife made some poor decisions in the past. We never got to the food stamp level but did need a solution.
We went for couseling with CCCS (Credit Card Counseling Services).
At that time the service was $5 a month.

We brought in pay stubs and bills and sat down with a counseler. We came up with a strict budget. You really had to follow it.
Once a month we had to bring in a money order and you HAD to be on time. We did this for three years.

In return our interest rates were lowered and we paid off every cent we owed anyone.

Funny thing was we felt it was the resposible thing to do and our credit rating was destroyed by doing it. Actually declaring bankruptcy would have been better but it's water under the bridge and we still feel we did the right thing.

We learned a lot from this humbling expience. We now have ONE credit card. Had two but Chase cancelled it because they made NO money from us. I pay the bill entirely when it arrives. They don't like that. Talk about irony.

My credit card balance is zero. My mortgage is due in May because I pay ahead and the utiliy company owes ME money as I pay ahead. I do this "just in case".

My point is people can change and people make bad decisions. These things will never change unfortunately.

There will always be people that "work the system". I've seen it myself in past job experiences.

There are givers and there are takers. Always has been.
Many people DO need help through no fault of their own. Kicking them to the wayside because of abusers is not the answer.

Figuring out the "real needs" from the "takers" is the answer. It's just figuring out how to do that in a cost effective way.

It's certainly not a black and white, cut and dried, scenario.

 

Actually, if the lender was forced to lower the interest rate for you, they did not receive "every cent" owed to them. You may have paid back what you borrowed but not what you contracted to pay back. When a bank is forced to lower the mutually agreed upon interest rate (or risk default) they pass that loss to their other customers in the form of higher rates or increased fees. So, thanks for that.