This is discouraging for me.

But telling someone to google search is not enough to substantiate your position. Otherwise whats the point of bringing it up?

So this is about race and responsibility and conservative blogs...Gotcha

I'm sorry you took one woman who lacked responsibility as an argument against social programs. Your concern is prototypical conservative bullshit. We spend billions on military tech we trash for advance technology. We've spent trillions on two wars. Social programs pale in comparison.

How does this fit into the progressive movement?

As a liberal living in a small southern town, I’m exposed to a lot conservative viewpoints. Listening to these views and opinions sometimes makes my blood boil, but it is my personal policy not to argue, or even attempt to debate in social situations. Instead, I listen and struggle to empathize. It is important to me to try and understand why they think like they do because some of them are people I love, or at least like.

Most are against such hot button issues as gay marriage and abortion, but it is becoming clear to me that what really fuels their staunch conservatism is a misunderstanding of government social and welfare programs and the recipients of these programs.

In their minds, there is an overwhelming and growing number of people in this country that are making a career of being “on welfare.” In the average conservative’s opinion(at least the ones I talk to), these people, mostly black, suck from the government tit, while the government fills that tit with the conservatives own blood, in the form of taxes. In this world they see, these welfare recipients do nothing but lay around all day, supporting Obama, doing drugs and watching TV, while tax dollars pay the cable and crack bill.

It is a stereotype reinforced by Reagan’s famous “welfare queens driving Cadillacs” quote and various news programs and pundits. This fantasy that has gotten entrenched in their minds makes them angry every time they see the tiniest bit of taxes taken out of their meager paycheck. They see it going straight to the welfare queen’s gemstone studded purse. If I was deluded into believing this, I would be angry too.

They can not see the reality. While there are many instances of welfare fraud in our country, and plenty of sad folks that have had government social programs as their only means of support for their entire lives, the reality is that many working class U.S. citizens also benefit from government welfare programs in one way or another. As the New York Times pointed out last week, conservatives and those critics of welfare programs oftentimes benefit without realizing it.

Let’s use a real life example of a man from my town. Bill is a wonderful man, active in his church and community and I know him well. If I called Bill in the middle of the night and asked him to help me, I feel sure he would come running. He’s also funny and engaging. I like him a lot.

Bill retired when he was 62 and began receiving Social Security benefits. He comes from a long-lived family and is likely to live to his mid 80s or beyond and will spend 20+ years collecting Social Security. For the time being, he receives his health care (which he describes as excellent) from the VA, having spent four years in the military in the 70s. He has four grown children and numerous grandchildren. They all have vocational educations that were funded by Pell Grants. Even though Bill and his family are all fundamentalist Christians, none of his children are married because of the increased benefits to single mothers via WIC and Earned Income Credit.

When Bill’s children and their young families fall short at the end of the month and can’t pay their electricity bill, they are not helped by their parents or church, but are sent to receive help from a non-profit organization that assists in paying energy bills. This organization is funded by government grants.

Bill’s father died when he was 82, after receiving a $100,000+ triple bypass and valve replacement when he was 79, compliments of Medicare. Bill’s mother is 93 and lives at the local nursing home. Just after Bill’s father died, and a few years before his mother’s health began to deteriorate to where she could no longer take care of herself, Bill put all of her substantial assets in his name. Therefore, when the time came, his mother was eligible for Medicaid to pay for her long term care. She has been there nearly five years.

Yet, Bill is a staunch conservative, Republican and supporter of drastic cuts to all social programs. When last we talked, I asked him what he thought was the biggest problem facing the U.S. today. He answered, “Entitlement programs - Specifically, Obama’s redistribution of wealth.”

Sigh.

Our safety net has problems aplenty and needs serious reform. But this cannot be done simply by budget cuts. Perhaps the first step in reform would be for conservatives to practice what they preach.

You sure read a lot into what isn't said. I have a good friend who I roomed with in college who was the oldest of 15 kids. They were white though so all the kids only had one dad and he wasn't in jail and both parents worked and weren't on Welfare. They did, however, receive some assistance from the local community.

I notice that you said "she was black" often.

I know that all conservatives are racist. That's been proven over and over because we didn't vote for Obama.

You make it sound like black people aren't capable of personal responsibility Joe.

The idea is that some people have absolutely no idea of what personal responsibility is.

Why do you think she has no idea of what personal responsibility is? She works, her boyfriend/spouse worked until he got arrested. She had successfully kept her family intact. She has availed herself of certain government programs, but no one is accusing her of taking anything except that to which she is entitled. What's the problem?

Find me some video of a white person saying the same thing. Then I will wonder where their personal responsibility is as well.

If Angela's point of view and demand to be taken care of doesn't discourage you, not even a little bit,. then I think you're faking it. Trying to play the part of the white knight. Good for you. {last line deleted for taste}

. They were white though so all the kids only had one dad and he wasn't in jail and both parents worked and weren't on Welfare.

McGentrix wrote:

You sure read a lot into what isn't said. I have a good friend who I roomed with in college who was the oldest of 15 kids. They were white though so all the kids only had one dad and he wasn't in jail and both parents worked and weren't on Welfare. They did, however, receive some assistance from the local community.

Cool story, bro.

McGentrix wrote:

I notice that you said "she was black" often.

No, only twice. If you think that's "often," then it might be because you're fixated on race.

McGentrix wrote:

I know that all conservatives are racist. That's been proven over and over because we didn't vote for Obama.

There is, at best, a weak correlation between not voting for Obama and racism. After all, I didn't vote for Obama in 2012 and I don't consider myself a racist. On the other hand, I'd reckon that there's a much higher correlation between blogging about Angel Adams and being a racist.

McGentrix wrote:

You make it sound like black people aren't capable of personal responsibility Joe.

See, this is why it's sometimes difficult to take you seriously, McG. Here's what you posted:

McGentrix, in post 5658228 wrote:

The idea is that some people have absolutely no idea of what personal responsibility is.

In response, I wrote:

Joefromchicago, in post 5658386 wrote:

Why do you think she has no idea of what personal responsibility is? She works, her boyfriend/spouse worked until he got arrested. She had successfully kept her family intact. She has availed herself of certain government programs, but no one is accusing her of taking anything except that to which she is entitled. What's the problem?

Which prompted you, for some inexplicable reason, to accuse me of saying that blacks lack any idea of personal responsibility.

So, let's recap: you said that this story shows that "some people" don't have any idea of personal responsibility. I'm the one who said that this story does not show that. Consequently, if there's anyone here saying that blacks have no concept of personal responsibility, it certainly isn't me.

McGentrix wrote:

Find me some video of a white person saying the same thing. Then I will wonder where their personal responsibility is as well.

I'm guessing that the websites you frequent aren't making much of an effort to find that video.

McGentrix wrote:

If Angela's point of view and demand to be taken care of doesn't discourage you, not even a little bit,. then I think you're faking it. Trying to play the part of the white knight. Good for you. {last line deleted for taste}

What exactly do you find discouraging? That she's taking government benefits? That she feels entitled to those benefits? That she's not sufficiently grateful for those benefits? And what exactly would you do in this situation? Take away her benefits? Take away her kids? Give her a good smack upside the head? Help me out here.

McGentrix wrote:

. They were white though so all the kids only had one dad and he wasn't in jail and both parents worked and weren't on Welfare.

really?

they only had one dad because they were white?

dad wasn't in jail because they were white?

both parents worked because they were white?

they weren't on welfare because they were white?

Corporate welfare, meanwhile doesn't bother you, Billions and billions in ongoing, continual waste in the Pentagon - the biggest chunk of our tax dollars wasted and misspent. Billions and billions and billions more than anything wasted on welfare.

google it.