Food Stamps and real estate

unemployable? lol, "green gardens"? are you serious? everybody can be a maid, janitor, learn to be a cook, ... sure, they might not ready to make any physical effort cause that's beneath them. i fully support food stamps though.

but to say that somebody is not being supported by a husband nor by parents anymore, hence the need for the gov to step in and help is too much. one is unemployable when cannot perform any task, not when they don't want to perform it (that's called not participating in the labor force).

Julialg,

I am glad you are here & agree about influencing people. But, when it comes to influencing some people, Galileo comes to mind: no matter what, they will not change their views. And, that's OK, as long as we're not condemned to house arrest in a crappy apartment! ;)

Julialg,

I am glad you are here & agree about influencing people. But, when it comes to influencing some people, Galileo comes to mind: no matter what, they will not change their views. And, that's OK, as long as we're not condemned to house arrest in a crappy apartment! ;)

lol, "grey gardens" not "green gardens"

some who are lucky and/or have birthright advantages can't see that their safety and security derives from this, and that it behooves them to care for those who have had bad luck

they, in their selfishness, seek to view the the weeak and failed as lazy and immoral

they would rather let a person deserving of help starve, than to pay to help the lazy

julia, you really should go to hartford and visit Yale--you'd probably find things there that surprise you

@NYCROBOT

SunnyD I'm concerned because it is my (and our) tax money that goes to pay for this shit! I actually care when I feel like I'm the only idiot being truthful and paying taxes and not stealing from the system.

Food stamps shouldn't exist: there should be food banks that you and pick up staple items. That way you can't blow your load on shrimp and steak.

Really? You don't think you're being a tad melodramatic?! I can assure you that you are NOT the sole, honest, tax-paying citizen in our great nation. My point was that you really don't know anything about an individual standing in line next to you at a grocery store. And, there are restrictions in place as to what sort of items can be purchased with food stamps. The idea that people are swiping their Benefit cards at Per Se is just absurd.

"Grey Gardens" is indeed a macabre documentary film made in the '70s which was suppressed for years, has a cult following, and is pre-reality-TV reality-TV depicting days in the lives of a mother and daughter who are(were) poor but live(d) in a large East Hampton home which Mom received in settlement of divorce from Dad. Mom was certainly unemployable, because she was incapable of making her own bed or cleaning her own bathroom, to say nothing of toilet training kitty. Daughter was not much better. Mom's father had cut her out of his will because of her eccentric stunts, such as showing up at her sister's wedding dressed outlandishly, etc., etc. Recently someone set it all to music, and the only reason the story was of interest to the public was that Mom and Daughter were near kin to a very famous, very glamorous ex-First Lady. Back to the lady buying shrimp with her food stamps or benefits card and a charge card somewhere in Manhattan recently, of course it's a scam and should not be tolerated, just as it's not believable that however many thousands of people living in NYC are "disabled" and physically unable to work.

> some who are lucky and/or have birthright advantages can't see that their safety and security derives from this, and that it behooves them to care for those who have had bad luck

> they, in their selfishness, seek to view the the weeak and failed as lazy and immoral

I do believe that the mother in "grey gardens" suffered from laziness. did you see how often she cleaned her house? Many women went through that and took a job, why couldn't she do it? She could even rent spare rooms during the summer, am i too strong for imagining doing something like that?

Were her maids/cooks/drivers very strong people for being able to earn a living? I'm asking, is it possible that if one doesn't earn a living till say, 45/50 years old, one becomes unable to do it even if becomes a necessity?

"And, that's OK, as long as we're not condemned to house arrest in a crappy apartment! ;)" dwell. If the "progressive" have enough power, believe me, we would be condemned to house arrest. Probably, the firing squad. You know, the liberals are the most illiberal, they despise individuality and dissent. The ends justify the means is their motto. The common good, whatever that means is their desire. Fair share and shared sacrifice their pathetic slogans.

"Mom was certainly unemployable, because she was incapable of making her own bed or cleaning her own bathroom, to say nothing of toilet training kitty."

sorry, don't agree. when the maids are gone, just accept it and learn. it's not rocket science. she's choosing not to work imho.

What are any of you actually producing!!!??? That's right nothing!!! The whole lot of you are self entitled, self important, do nothings, producing nothing and receiving monies for pretending to be something!!! What, if you are white you are supposed to be ashamed to receive benefits that are rightfully yours??!!! The lot of you are intelligent morons!!!! If you think your monies come from anywhere else than where her's originates from (last time i checked, the federal reserve~) then go back to beginners!!! And if you think any of your monies which you earn for being self important is paying her food stamps you are a fool, there are more government employees in this country than private enterprise (you paying the majority of workers their wages plus everything else, wake up and smell the coffee!). The only reason the dollar has strength is that our army can slaughter any other army and force their nation to accept our money! Oye!

julialg, what rot. the "firing squad." how melodramatic. i just wish you'd speak up more, it makes things so much clearer.

i ADORE dissent. i'd love to see a lot more of it. and i love individuality. although i'm not so fond of you as an individual, but that's not because you're different than me, it's because you're narrow-minded and selfish. and you define dogmatic, so don't even go there. i not infrequently am persuaded to alter my opinions on specific issues, or certain circumstances. reality can wreck havoc with ideals, and as i've gotten older i realize that many things i'd love to see occur will not because they are simply not feasible or can't be accomplished in my lifetime. reality, try it.

"inonada, it might be a too gauche suggestion for you, but: there's a new butcher shop on Amsterdam & 87 (Shatzy the butcher). I tried them 3 times; so far so good."

You got me all wrong, commoner. You're talking to a guy who eats street food for lunch most days. The real problem, however, is that's really far from me. If I'm up there, I will stop by, however. Thanks for the tip.

there's a decent butcher in the gramercy area, second ave. b/t 21-22nd. but i doubt they carry beef from cows that have been massaged.

http://nymag.com/listings/stores/gramercy_meat_market/

"there are more government employees in this country than private enterprise " Not yet... But that is the goal of many. "The only reason the dollar has strength is that our army can slaughter any other army and force their nation to accept our money" Sounds like you are from the Krugman school of economics.
"What are any of you actually producing!!!???"... Believe it or not, some people actually work and produce and are rewarded with money. Is that okay?

I see aboutready is being a foul-mouthed hypocrite again. Shocking.

nada, you can order grass-fed (they deliver to your home or office on thursdays) from this hudson valley farm.

http://www.fleishers.com/meats-beef.htm

Tell us julia, outside of your god given right to spray around your pheromones, what do you produce outside of a large carbon footprint from all the paint and polish and maintenance it takes to shine up your tail??? Yes Julia, WHAT???! P.S. Cheers!

Hey Perfect, First of all, I take care of myself and despise "maintenance". Second, I am an extreme libertarian and believe everyone should live as they want, to purse their desires and values as long as doing so doesn't interfere with others doing the same. Third, I don't need to justify or receive your approval.Cheers!

Super Julia, thanks for your answer, i admire your self entitlement, everyone is entitled to live, unless society deems otherwise! Keep me in your prayers and perhaps someday we will meet on a beautiful blue warm sunny day for a plate of truffles and a bottle of red wine under the protection of a grove of mature trees in beautiful Central Park!

"there are more government employees in this country than private enterprise "

Right, not yet... but there are now more government union employees than union employees in private enterprise...

Mom in "Grey Gardens" is a great example of a loser who comes from a wealthy family. The only thing she was prepared for in life was being married to a rich husband. Take away the rich husband and she was ...... well, you pick your pejoratives. Daughter probably qualified for food stamps at least during the period when she lived at her mother's house in EH. No source of income, no trust fund, no savings, no assets.

still wondering about what julialg is producing.

if you don't pay your taxes the IRS sends a letter...I doubt very much they'll come "storming" into your house.

no drama....

check it out.

"forced by violence?" Yes, if i don't pay my taxes the government will send me a letter. Is that force?

then...if i ignore the first letter....

they'll send me a registered letter.

then...if i ignore the registered letter...

they'll serve me with papers.

CC. What happens if you never respond?

i don't know...never tried it.

is accuracy part of your religion?

hey..by the way....what is it that you produce that makes you so valuable?

CC. If you never respond they take your property and put you in jail by force.. Julia, you are very naive.CC Again, never adding anything, only petty little comments.

when do they come storming into your house?

only if you refuse to go peacefully. so, once again, show me the society that meets your exacting requirements. the one that fits YOUR needs above all, because as one of a few hundred million people that's what matters.

if you don't respond to a letter from the IRS then you're a fool.

julia, We are talking philisophically.

"if you don't pay your taxes the IRS sends a letter...I doubt very much they'll come "storming" into your house."

No, but I can assure you they will garnish your paycheck, bank account, and put a lien on your apartment.

"there are more government employees in this country than private enterprise "
So much for a reasonable government. This is really, really depressing. The "government" and "unions" in the same sentence is really bad.
inonada: apology for being presumptious.

columbiacounty.. 47 percent of our fellow citizens don't have to worry about ever getting a lovely letter from the IRS because they pay ZERO federal income tax. Zero--- Now that is fair share.

why don't you trade places with one of them? then you would be happy and they could be miserable.

like you.

CC Think about it cc 47% pay Zero...Nothing-- They are just parasites..Then you have the 65+ sucking the system dry with social security and medicare..GREAT-- bankrupting the country...

Do you understand my question? Name a society that is or was suitable for your self-centered needs.

julialg, petition your elected officials to just shoot all those 65+ leeches. Also all the sick, the feeble, the crazy, all non-productive, non-Arian.
Do you actually realize they've been paying taxes for 40 out of those 65 years?

aboutready...47% of your fellow citizens pay ZERO federal income tax.....ZERO...Then the corrupt politicians demonize the "wealth" who pay all the taxes. And then, the 47% that pay ZERO taxes vote the crimminals back into office.

"wealthy"

what is the average income of the people who don't (according to you) pay taxes? does that matter? what is your income? what is it that you produce?

cc... What is your income? What do you produce....Oh, I know nothing. You are 1 of the 47%

i'm not out here spouting crap...you are. you're the one who claims to be special...the great producer. i'm the one who believes that we're all connected...you know, the shit that you hate.

and, honey, trust me....i pay taxes...a lot of them.

but...I don't think that makes me better or special.

so...what do you produce that is so special...that sets you apart from everyone else?

" i'm the one who believes that we're all connected...you know, the shit that you hate."
Exactly.... Well said.

the politicians demonize the wealthy? are you out of your fucking mind? they worship at the altar of the wealthy, unless it is political suicide to do so.

and yes i realize how many people are unemployed, underemployed and poor in this country. unlike you i'm happy to pay to ensure that my daughter doesn't grow up in a modern-day version of Calcutta in the '70s. beggars are so unseemly, don't you know?

btw, i'm one of those people you think should be angry because i'm getting soaked by the poor. and guess what, i'm not.

lets go back to the fun stuff...

julialg---tell us more about visiting yale in hartford.

or harvard in chicago.

or princeton in florida

or the university of chicago in detroit.

let them eat cake.

that worked well for another regime that systematically destroyed the middle class and increased the ranks of the poor to benefit the wealthy.

luckily for us as a society, most people are not willing to throw the masses under the bus, run over them, back up and run over them again, just to gain more for themselves. the banks are willing to do so, but not the average citizen.

julialg, where is that society that you admire so? if it has never existed, yet could be so grand, don't you wonder why not? and if your answer is politicians, or whatever, don't you ask yourself if there isn't something inherently present in power and wealth that creates systems that run counter to your wishes, making it impossible for your ideal society to exist for any real amount of time? or do you think at all? it's easier just to criticize and say your way would be better, especially when there's no possibility of your way existing, so you can just make blanket assertions.

uh oh....yet another problem with you, julialg....

misinformed?

or downright stupid?

"We should never define Libertarian positions in terms coined by liberals or conservatives – nor as some variant of their positions." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism

Julialg is not selfish. She is a libertarian. Libertarianism is a political philosophy, so it's not a question of being "selfish" or "Let 'em eat cake", but rather rejecting the idea that the individual must work for the good of the collective. Now, if you take that idea & run with it, you get people like Bill Gates who created something for HIMSELF, which ultimately benefited the entire world. It's about creating an environment where individuals have liberty, opportunity & desire to follow their dream (not the government's dream) & society benefits from the fruits of the individual's dreams.

oh, and ms. lg, another problem with your analysis. the poor aren't a particularly active group of voters.

you have zero regard for the truth. although i like your approach better than RS's because you don't even try to substantiate your horribly indefensible statements with "proof".

so...how come bill gates is ok with being a slave?

" It's about creating an environment where individuals have liberty, opportunity & desire to follow their dream (not the government's dream) & society benefits from the fruits of the individual's dreams."

dwell, Good Evening. You are a fine individual with kindness and intelligence. You would be a citizen of my ideal society,

what are you going to do with poor people? kill them?

Dwell, how could gates have possibly created something like that in our non-libertarian society?

I like you but that's complete and utter bullshit. Julialg just a few posts ago labelled 47 percent of our society parasites and said the elderly shouldn't receive what they have contracted for over a long period of time.

Julialg enjoys the benefits of having money. Disproportionate health care benefits. But she can't stand the thought of anyone else receiving more than they pay for. She has the ultimate let them eat cake attitude.

Thanks, Julialg. Well, that's what I believe the ultimate objective of government should be.

Oh and you do realize that gates came from a very well-off family? His contributions are huge but he really wasn't risking that much when he dropped out of college.

"47% of your fellow citizens pay ZERO federal income tax.....ZERO."
Now that's the attainment of "rational enlightened self-interest".
Look julia has created her own utopian vision right here. 47% of the country have become candidates for citizenship in Julia's ideal society.

And let's write to gates to find out if he supports a libertarian society.

will citizens of julialg's brave new world need to know where yale is located? or any other basic facts? or, will they just heil julia?

heil, julia.

heil julia....and to hell with anyone else.

can i qualify now?

Dwell, yes, but exactly what form of taxation would be necessary to keep this utopia extant?

Would your utopia allow for government-funded research. And of what sort?

Moxie, very funny.

I know you'd like details, but, I can't write a treatise on the SE board, so just keep the basic principles in mind: small government, low taxes & individual freedom. Re: government-funded research, yes, perhaps, but depends on the details.

"I like you but that's complete and utter bullshit."

AR:
I could easily use language like that to describe your ideas & positions too, but, I refrain out of respect for you. So, please be advised that I will no longer continue this discussion with you.

Dwell you're not getting my point. yes I agree there are problems in our system. some of the things you wish for I do also. but julialg self-proclaimed herself as an extreme libertarianist who wants to cut off the elderly and the poor. Like now.

If you'd like to discuss some things that could be done to alter our current system so that it works better I'm your gal. If you want to blanket accuse the less advantaged for the ills of the world I'm not.

I admire you for supporting someone but pick your battles. there's a very thin line between libertarianism and self-interest. Julia falls into the latter category but good for you seeing humanity where I cannot.

Our posts crossed dwell. But that's fine. Parasite used to describe almost half of our country is so much more tolerable.

Lie down with dogs and wake up with fleas.

"Lie down with dogs and wake up with fleas" More platitudes from a Yalie.

Have you figured out the difference between new haven and Hartford?

Hey ms lg have you been able to answer my simple poli-sci question yet? If your solution is so great and it can work, why don't you have an example?

Hey cc. Where did i say Yale was in Hartford?

Actually that's from a Nora ephron novel. But whatever.

Btw it wasn't a platitude. It was an insult.

julialg
about 9 hours ago
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i went up to hartford and visited yale the other day...those profs are really stupid... Didn't say they were stupid. Did I ? But, they are socialists and collectivist and part of the establishment.

Hey cc... I was quoting ubottom 3 posts up.. Forgot the""".. ...

"i went up to hartford and visited yale the other day...those profs are really stupid..." Didn't say they were stupid. Did I ? But, they are socialists and collectivist and part of the establishment.
TALK TO UBOTTOM... He thinks just like you.

cc honesty forces me to admit that might be misleading. Although an earlier comment may or may not have indicated ignorance. seemed so to me and the lg one wasn't exactly quick to respond earlier which isn't characteristic.

So...wait...could you be blaming someone else for your stupidity?

Is that the brave new world that you're advocating?

It wasn't my fault...he made me do it.

cc... Don't ya feel silly? You betcha.

No...what I feel after talking to you is queasy.

Julialg it must really piss you off that so many well off people disagree with you. Including, ironically enough, some of the wealthiest.

I wonder what they know that you don't?

"i went up to hartford and visited yale the other day...those profs are really stupid..."

Wow, you libertarians really are stupid. Yale is in Hartford?

Now excuse me while I go to Brooklyn to visit Columbia.

You betcha? Shudder. There's a palin in the house.

"Hey cc. Where did i say Yale was in Hartford?"

I don't know. Towards the bottom of the first page of this thread? Are libertarians really that stupid? There is nobody I hate more than libertarians.

The_President
2 minutes ago
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report abuse "i went up to hartford and visited yale the other day...those profs are really stupid

That is a ubottom quote. Wake up, follow the thread.

aboutready.. please tell your liberal frieds to wake up. It is really sad.

cc el presidente .. Please, WAKE UP!

el presidente..... nice try. Talk to ubottom. He can tell you where Columbia is located.

So you said they were Socialist, another stupid comment. Really? Is Robert Shilelr Socialist? Considering he has his own housing index on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he seems like quite a capitalist to me.