Thursday, March 28, 2024

Entitlement Programs can be Beneficial…

September 3, 2011 by  
Filed under Opinion, Politics, Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) It is quite a concern that many of our politicians are adamant about cutting  entitlement programs that have been designed to help the poor or those with limited resources. Many of these programs  are already insufficient in funding; people are turned away, because we can not truly help everyone in need.  Cutting them, will be catastrophic. They will not go unmissed.

There are three major types of personalities that are against these programs  and we have to be careful about lumping them all together.

1. There are those with their own agenda, and  will further this agenda until we are caught under a cloud of environmental racism; this group does not care if we take programs away from poor and minorities. They feel that because they are white, wealthy or more privileged, that they are being taken advantaged of, or victims of discrimination. This group will take advantage of subsidy programs if they can benefit from them, and find means or shortcuts to pay zero taxes, if they are able to do so. Government programs that they benefit from, can stay around; programs for the poor should be abolished.

2. There are others that feel that by taking away certain resources and programs, this will motivate and push the poor or working poor to “do better” or get off their “lazy” behinds. This group creates and enables a breeding ground for the feeling of shame. Many people that are in need of these programs are embarrassed to use them. Sometimes, their situation may get worse based on this feeling of embarrassment and will forgo the assistance that comes from entitlement programs, even if they are in dire need.

3. And finally, there are many that are like deer in front of headlights, really not understanding the dynamics of an entire subculture that are entrapped by simple lack of resources. This group is a sound-bite for the above two, following the trend within the dominant culture. They have no serious knowledge of what is going on. They just don’t get it. This group is the most dangerous of the above two. A fool that makes decisions blindly, has too many handicaps. He is both blind and dumb. And unfortunately their handicaps has not been mandated by the courts, so they are amongst everyone else, making decisions for our country.

Is it too hard to believe that we truly have poor people here in America? Have we become  too self righteous as a country, unable to accept or perceive that real poverty exists here? And why do many of us feel that the United States of America would be the last place on earth, that could  contain a class of people that are impoverished? This mindset has driven us to believe that because many of us can obtain a certain amount of success here, then no one else has “the” excuse to not to be able to do so. It is too difficult to conceive that the circumstances may be truly different for many others?

The truth is, there have always been a poor class of people here in America that coexisted with the wealthy class. Some groups have been unable to escape poverty more than others. And with the way things are going (the severe lack of disconnect and the plummeting economy), it is going to get much worse. Poor Americans are not refusing to work, nor are they refusing to work hard. They are being denied the means to do so, by cutting many of these entitlement programs.  The resources  from entitlement  programs, has given many some sense of hope, and the ability to escape further unfortunate circumstances.

The reality is that there are truly people with less resources than others.   These entitlement programs, has had the ability to help people who have been disadvantaged or poor, disabled and elderly. To blanket an entire group with  ignorant silly claims and calling welfare recipients for instance, raccoons (Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning has made this comparison  to welfare recipients in a recent speech) and other derogatory statements, is just simply disgusting.

Resources from entitlement programs enables its users to contribute back to the economy, therefore never hindering it or depleting it.

  • Welfare/Food-stamps is conducive to the economy. The consumer spends government funds on products here, therefore stimulating the economy.
  •  Student Loans and Pell Grants enables Americans to afford an education, therefore providing a more skilled labor market as well as competitive globally.
  • The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit is helpful for single parents or families who are working.  Americans that can go to work without the worry of childcare expenses can practice consumer spending by patronizing American businesses like child care services amongst other consumer needs by alleviating the conflict of work and high childcare expenses.
  • Unemployment insurance enables Americans to still maintain their living and pay bills, which is great for the economy and consumer businesses. The economy can benefit from unemployed consumers as well. When people feel secure, everyone else benefits.
  • Government Subsidized Housing creates security for those who may have less resources, thereby creating  an entryway for all classes to be able to enjoy their lives, put money back into the economy, therefore stimulating and boosting various markets.
Entitlement programs are not bad for Americans health. Wasteless spending is disastrous for our country‘s well-being. If we are able to look at ways that entitlement programs can benefit us, instead of blanketing every government program as socialist approaches, then we can move forward as a country. But would you believe that we are so afraid of socialism, that if something truly works in our society, the fear has possibly hindered us. And if we keep listening to politicians who apparently will make decisions based on who has lobbied them, then we can not make decisions that would be conducive for ourselves.
 
Written By Julene Allen-Dell’Amor
 
Official website;  http://julene.womenforaction.org
 
 

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