The following is a guest post from our good friend Water Pirate.
Stark Reminder
As we approach the big day on Tuesday, I have a humble request. We are all scurrying about worrying about a lot of things that we think are paramount to our lives this cycle.
The Sheriff
Sign gate
Casinos
A plethora of issues that in the end, matter little to a lot of people living in Sussex. Today I had a stark reminder that many people among us are living so far below the poverty line that that they are not even aware a line exists. I was dispatched to a home on the eastern side of the county that we all associate with wealth, traffic, and the good life, that had no running water and no septic system.
I would ask all our elected officials in Sussex, and those candidates that may gain office this cycle to not forget that there is a class of people below the class in the news. To lament about the working poor, or the demise of the middle class, pales in comparison to what I bore witness to today.
The fact that in 2014 it exists at all is frightening to me. From my house at the hickory pole, I ad forgotten how far we need to go.
Thanks for the reminder. I as a Republican,fight to make sure people have the opportunity for Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. To often we fall short, we still have much work to do to have us all rise from poverty. Vote on Tuesday for candidates who share our values.
My point exactly! I as a human being, and a Republican recognise that if we insulate ourselves from the things we choose not to see, we do not see them. We need to not only vote on Tuesday for the people who will see this work through, but we must also take it up on a individual level and give aid to those who are need.
As has been known and observed for thousands of years, the poor will always be with us. No matter how many trillions of dollars are confiscated from taxpayers and redistributed to ‘the poor,’ some people will always be poor. Some people make decisions that lead them to poverty; some make decisions that keep them in poverty. It is no disgrace to be poor, but it is a disgrace to be willing to stay that way. Redistribution (“War on poverty”) programs make the poor comfortable in poverty and profoundly discourage them from taking positive, informed and industrious steps to exit poverty. The Water Pirate’s experience notwithstanding, if a detailed interview were conducted with the impoverished household described in his encounter, it is doubtless that reasons for their situation would be uncovered. I am not casting aspersions at them, but I have met (and have been friends with) poor people who simply have no desire to cure their own situation, even when a path out of poverty exists. The left will blame “the rich”, “the right”, “racism”, “discrimination” and a host of other “reasons” that some people remain poor. Some poor people, however, have made decisions in their own lives that keep them, or make them, poor. Increasing welfare payments will do nothing to improve the judgment or ambition of a person who possesses neither in any usable quantity in the first place. It costs nothing to attend school regularly; to study assiduously; to save money habitually; to learn judiciously or to develop and apply focused work habits and sound financial judgment. No program will disabuse some people of their proclivity to expend scant resources on non-essential things. Shall we provide “War on poverty” funds in such a way that they can only be spent on necessities, and not on beer, smokes or high-calorie, expensive foods? I can hear the left now: “That violates their rights! You’re all racists and islamophobic, xenophobic, homophobic bigots!” Okay…so if a poor person spends 10-15% (or more) of their monthly taxpayer-supplied income on cigarettes, wine, beer, recreational pharmaceuticals or other non-essential items, then complains that they are STILL poor, or they don’t have enough money to pay their utility bills, whose fault, really, is that? Reince Preibus’ fault? Charlie Copeland’s? John Riely’s? Richard Nixon’s? Or George W. Bush’s?
I realise this Is a political blog, however. we as members of the human race is Sussex County need to put politics aside in this matter. Food, shelter, running water, and proper sanitation are necesities. The who,how, what, beyond that is for others to disect and examine. This is one area where I take money out of my own pocket,as well as my tax dollars with no complaint.
Frank Knotts
November 1, 2014 at 7:46 am (Edit)
WP, I hope that this is more than just a political site, and since all issues end up being political due to the ever growing of our government’s role in our lives your conversation is always welcome.
Dr. B, I agree with the majority of your comment, however, I am hesitant about the idea of restricting what the entitlement money can be spent on, the issue is not that they spend the money, the issue is that we keep enabling people to subsist on the benefits of others. My concern is that when we set the precedent of allowing the government to make the decision of what money can be spent on, somewhere down the road we may find government telling all what money can be spent on, we see the leading edges of this right now.
The answer is not to limit what those receiving the entitlements can spend them on, the answer is to limit who receive entitlements, and for how long they can receive them.
I can’t believe Dan Gaffney would have the likes of Frank Snotts delivering campaign news coverage on his talk radio station. Time to boycott Dan Gaffney 105.9 for making such a poor decision on allowing a unsavory and despicable person to comment on something as important as voting people in elected office. Shame on you Dan Gaffney.
Gerald, thank you for that trip down memory lane, I haven’t heard Frank Snotts since second or third grade. I am a little misty right now remembering the person who called me that back then, but of course they are likely in prison, or on the above said entitlement programs, due to there inability to rise to a higher level of intelligence, Gerald, your real name wouldn’t happen to be “Joe Stinky Pants” would it?
Dr. Bowman,
You don’t even know the people Waterpirate is talking about, so why is your default conclusion “It’s their fault”?
@Delacrat: Nowhere did I say it was “their fault.” Beyond that, what makes you think I don’t know the people in question? And do YOU know them well enough to be utterly certain that their circumstances are not the result of their own decisions, choices, actions or conduct? Sometimes (not always, but sometimes) poor people are poor because they make decisions that keep them poor, or they don’t have the self-discipline, judgment, foresight or ambition to work themselves out of poverty. Do you disagree with that statement?
I do not care what choices, decisisions, actions or conduct got them to that point. It is unacceptable to me in 2014 to let that condition exist. Without shelter, food, sanition, and clean drinking water, nothing else is posssible for these people.
Dr. Bowman,
“Nowhere did I say it was “their fault.”
Come off it “Dr.”
Notwithstanding the “Sometimes (not always, but sometimes)”fig leaf for your overt disdain for your people with lives less comfortable than yours, your whole post was an “It’s their fault” argument.
To those who took the post to heart and offered help to this family in need, THANK YOU!!! Help was allready underway and being brought to bear from all sides, when I was made aware of the situation. The whole mess is days away from being resolved. My shock was from the standpoint that these conditions still exist, and from the posts here trying to lay blame, and withold services.
Again thank you! members of the human race
Gerry Gerry Dingle Berry.