Everywhere you turn, conservatives are bemoaning the so-called “mentality of entitlement.”

To hear such folks tell it, the problem with America is that people think they’re owed something. Of course, income support programs, nutritional assistance, or housing subsidies have long been pilloried by the right for this reason — because they ostensibly encourage people to expect someone else (in this case, the government, via the American taxpayer) to support them. But now, the criticisms that were once reserved for programs aimed at helping the poor are being applied even to programs upon which much of the middle class has come to rely, like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance.



Let’s first consider class status, apart from race for a second. When someone with money insists that they “earned everything they have,” and therefore, they resent their tax burden, or various government regulations that might affect their business in some way, what is that, if not evidence of an “entitlement mentality?” After all, they didn’t really earn what they have all on their own. Our professional status and income owe much to circumstances beyond our own efforts and initiative.

So, for instance, those with money have benefitted directly from substantial public investment in schools (either for themselves or their employees), roads, technology and communication infrastructures that have been publicly subsidized, as well as fiscal and monetary policy aimed at making capital available to businesses. We make choices as a society, through instruments like the Federal Reserve, to either tighten or loosen the reins of credit — either of which decision can have a huge impact on whether or not you can hire new people, build a new plant, or expand your business — as well as what types of things to subsidize via the tax code (investment, home ownership, hiring, advertising, etc.), all of which can be made more or less costly due to the existence and size of various tax credits for each.

In other words, the wealth of individuals is only partly about their own hard work; more so, it is the result of the cumulative decisions made by lots of people

In short, to suggest that where people end up is earned — either high status because of hard work and ability, or low status because of its opposite — is to ignore the truth about the structural advantages and/or disadvantages to which persons are subjected in this society, due either to class status, racial identity, or a combination of the two.

Rather than continuing to go round-and-round about who’s qualified for certain things, or who earned certain things, or who is entitled to certain things, be they jobs or college slots, perhaps we would do best to engage a broader conversation about what it is we’re trying to measure? What are the standards that we think are important indicators of ability and talent in the modern era? Surely most people wouldn’t want to limit those to test scores, grades, or seniority, but would want to include certain other characteristics, like perseverance in the face of substantial obstacles (among these race and class barriers), as well as leadership traits, a proven ability to work collaboratively with others, an openness to new ideas and differing perspectives


Likewise, for class status, we should engage a broader conversation about entitlement, about who has what and why? We should discuss, all of us, the way that working class peoples continue to fall farther behind, regardless of constantly expanding labor productivity and hard work. We should be asking ourselves, our children, and our politicians why the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans now owns roughly half of the financial wealth of the nation, whereas in the 1970s they owned “only” 26 percent of it. Did the wealthiest 3 million or so people double their work effort? Do they not sleep any more, so busy are they creating jobs and the other wonders of the modern society? Or is it because of tax policy, fiscal policy, monetary policies, and trade policy that favored these few at the expense of the others? And if the answer is the latter (and it is), then what are we going to do about it? Not so as to “punish” high achievers, but so as to create a society in which high achievement is more broadly spread throughout the society, where people can live up to their true potential, and where reward will follow actual effort, not ascriptive characteristics like who your family was, what connections you have, and whether or not you lived in the “right” neighborhood.

from timwise.org 'what we deserve'

Communal things like school and roads are different then taking your money and giving it to someone else. Also only about 10% of school funding comes from the fed. Also outside of highways and federal land most roads are paid by local and state taxes.

These are equal access taxes. Rich and poor alike have access to these systems. I don't have a problem with that. Saying, however, that because I have a good job I have to give more money so they can give it to someone else is not a fair tax. These taxes are not going to something that enhances the community. They are going to individuals. The tax payers see no benefit from these tax dollars.

Social security for retirement is a "we no what's best" mentality. Could I not save for my own retirement with that same money? I have no guarantee that money will still be there when I retire. Also if you die before you retire then your money is just gone. If you save it yourself you can leave it for someone.

Like arbitrarily giving Illegals legal status, the current welfare and unemployment system needs to be overhauled.

Cut the food stamp rations in half.

Stop making taxpayers supplement their housing. Section 8.

Stop extensions for folks who have been unemployed for over, I'd say, 18 months.

Create jobs;

Hire investigators to actually enter the homes of welfare recipients. Count heads and look to see if more than reported are living there. The ones who are unreported are the ones with jobs. IE; Woman sits at home while boyfriend works.

Put more folks to work actually running down the lists people report to have actually contacted about a job and that jobs listed aren't just duplicated and submitted.

yes, they have ACCESS Even if they dont use it,, like people who dont have kids that go to school or have cars or bikes to use on the roads,, yet they all still will be responsible to contributing in some way to that COMMUNAL resource, whether they take advantage of it or not

cutting food stamps is not humane, people (mostly children who are the majority receiving) need to eat

taxpayers supplement plenty of things that any one of the millions probably dont use themself but help COLLECTIVELY the culture and morale of the community

Children also need homes, and the money has to come from somewhere,,,

Im not aware of unemployment lasting more than 18 months on any regular basis

instead of creating jobs to kick people off of assistance, create the jobs that can help people earn a way off of it,,,

the money spent for employees to search EVERY job posting (I do on average a minimum of 240 per month) is a futile way to punish people for the lack of job availability

there really arent an endless supply of jobs in any given residential radius,, contrary to popular belief

and almost ALL employers , unless you have the right 'reference' , are seeking some experience in the field or some other arbitrary preference that legally excludes large groups of people,,,,

Incorrect, even if I don't have kids when I do have them I have access to schools. As long as I am paying taxes I do not have access to all those welfare programs.

Well, timwise.org put one h*ll of a spin on it, but it does not change the fact that it is liberal spin at it's best....

AND...........You may consider SS an entitlement program Harmony, but after paying into it for 30 plus years, I sure don't!...

IMO, referring to Social Security as an entitlement program is not only incorrect but extremely offensive to all the hard working people who have paid into the program for many decades.....

how do you figure,, each year I Get a notice of how much SS I would be 'entitled' to, although most years I Have not made enough to be required to pay tax and have received the money back,,


so in essence, its a tax to set aside for FUTURE use, that is currently being applied to those who CURRENTLY need it, whether they are currently contributing or not,,, and will be there for me in the future,, regardless of how much or if I actually contributed to it financially,,,



,,,,an entitlement,,,

If you can't provide for your own kids then maybe they should be with a family who can. The state can easily support the children who have no ability to support themselves. Then let the parent find work where they can be self sustaining, or get an education, etc. Honestly a parent living on welfare is not a good role model for kids. Having a self sustaining family that teaches real world values will give them much more.

the great american entitlement attitude

if you hit hard times,, too bad, its not my problem, lose your kids to richer folks or let them starve or be neglected and tossed around in foster homes


I will DIE for the american flag, but Im sure as hell not gonna PAY for american kids to not starve,,,,,


being human enough to sometimes need help is not a good 'example' for children,, its too realistic,,,lol

I truly give up,,,,

be entitled and angry at all those barely surviving with 'entitlements'....

You're kidding with this righ??!!! No Harmony, if you don't pay in, if you don't earn sufficient credits, you will get nothing!!!!!! We're talking about Social Security here....You are very misinformed my dear....And FYI, nothing you pay into FICA is ever "returned" to you because you did not make enough money You are confusing this with earned income credit.....You desperately need to get informed about Social Security and how it works....

perhaps the social security tax doesnt come back , you have me on that

but the entitlement is still working the same way,,e xcept instead of getting the payment DURING your need , you receive it at the END of life when you have finished working


the theory is you have worked enough years to pay into a fund, a fund set aside to help you when you are done working

and its still being paid in currently by people who will not be 'entitled' to it until some LATER Time

just as those taxes I will pay, will more than cover the 'entitlements' I receive now

the theory is I will work enough years to pay into a tax system, which has a fund set aside, to help me when I am in need (for a maximum of FIVE years out of those five or six decades of working and being productive)

No I think the kids should be taken care of. If the parents can't they are unfit until they can. The ideal situation is removing the child raising burden from the parent and allowing them to succeed through either a career or education leading to career then reuniting the family who is now a self supporting unit. You do realize kids raised on welfare are less likely to succeed themselves. So being separate for maybe a few years is worse than trying to be an example on how to make something of yourself. You even have used your kids as a reason you can't work. You have stated in another thread that you could find a job and be self supporting if you didn't have kids. Would you like to tell them that? Would you want your kids to believe they are a barrier to u succeeding?

We have a system of no consequences. If you don't get an education or get knocked you out of we'd lock then we will support you. No wonder 39% of women are having kids when they are single. There are no consequences. It's a bad system for the country as a whole.

not really

I have an education, a degree, and both my children were born during marriages to men who later financially bailed,,,


but continue with the assumptions about those terrile parents who need help,,,,

must be nice to live in a world where everything is so black and white and wrapped in simple packages,,,,

I have you on that? Harmony, this is not a contest...I am shocked at how little you understand about Social Security and how it works....I just hope if you are not paying into it, you are not counting on receiving it after you retire....If you don't earn enough credits, you do not qualify for anything, including disability, through Social Security...The only way you can collect through Social Security without paying into it is through your spouse if he or she has earned enough credits...Noticed how I continue to use the word "earned"...Social security is not an entitlement,,,never was, never will be...you are sadly mistaken....

Oh and PS...I just read your earlier post where you say both of your children were born with husbands who bailed financially....Just so you know, you can't collect on your ex's social security benefits unless you were married to the last one for a minimum of 10 years and have never remarried....If you become disabled you may be able to get some social security bennefits for your children through their father's social security "earnings" provided those fathers have "earned" enough credits to qualify....BECAUSE Social Security benefits are not entitlements, they must be "earned" .....

Father's who don't have citizenship? And a degree in what? U r the one who said u can't work because of kids. Could they not be in day care while u work?

I am mistaken on the tax side of it, but I am not regarding paying into it

I Will get it, I have worked since I was eighteen until the past three years,,,but the past three years I havent paid into it and yet will receive it based on what I HAVE done

similarlly, based on what I have done and WIll do to contribute to the economy and budget of the US, I shouldnt have to worry about my kids basics being a part of what that hard work and taxation will apply to,,

good grief Chaz, I am not a criminal, I will answer one last group of questions

I have a degree in education and am parelegal certified as well. On the deans list during BOTH of those educational endeavors.

yes, My child has a father who was not and still is not a US citizenship. I Actually had a passport and had relations with someone in another country AFTER We married in that country and planned (at the time) to reside there together


I cant work just ANY job (any shift, any pay rate, any benefit package, any job description) , because I have to make sure my kids are looked after. not JUST financially, but emotionally by the examples and values I live by

YEs..

this is reality, I have no issue with my kids understanding reality and they have enough love and reinforcement not to feel like an 'obstruction'

I never said they are the reason I 'cant work', but they are a consideration to what TYPE Of employment I can accept

No, you will receive it ONLY if you have "earned" sufficient credits...40 I believe...I am not saying you won't receive it...I am saying you won't received it unless or until you "earn" sufficient credits...Another thing I don't think you realize is when you get your yearly statement and it shows the amount you will receive, if you read further you will see that the amount shown is based on you continuing to work and earn at least the amount shown on the latest statement for how ever many years it takes you to get to early or full retirement age...Plus these missing years (when you don't pay in) are penalized and will act to reduce the stated benefit amount when it comes time to file...Call your social security office and request the booklet that explains EVERYTHING in detail or go to their website and download it...I think it will be very beneficial to you in the long run Harmony...You do not have a clear understanding of how this program works and you need to if your are counting on social security to be a part of your retirement income....I'm done with this cause it's giving me a headache....Good luck.... & peace...WEW!!!