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The $50 lesson (i.imgur.com)

submitted by Coolguy587

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[–]I_hate_alot_a_lotLibertarian Conservative 18 ポイント19 ポイント

I doubt this actually happened, but a cool story nonetheless.

[–]CindjorConservative 8 ポイント9 ポイント

Because the moral of the story trumps the fiction of the experience.

Aesop told me slow and steady wins the race, but obviously animals don't talk so the moral is also false. RABBIT WINS!

[–]6NippleCharlie 0 ポイント1 ポイント

It was before he chopped down the cherry tree and she sewed the first US Flag.

[–]MrSilkyJohnson 15 ポイント16 ポイント

If you've ever volunteered or just sat down to speak to those less fortunate than others, it would be obvious that this problem isn't black and white.

Conservatives have this crazy idea that every homeless person in America is an able-bodied individual with no issues or illnesses. That simply isn't true. I volunteer monthly to help these folks and, while I do encounter freeloaders, the vast majority have mental issues that make carrying normal conversation difficult. These people have no chance whatsoever of going into the work force or even, in OPs example, to someone's yard to do work.

Again, are there people who are homeless due to their own mistakes in life? Yes, but of the hundreds I've spoken to, these is almost always something wrong with their mind that is more likely to be a birth defect than substance abuse.

[–]wethedownvotedNeoconservative 8 ポイント9 ポイント

Conservatives don't feel government planning is the way to solve the problem. Leftists feel government is the solution to all problems so when conservatives say, "we don't want to solve this using government", their natural response is, "why don't you want to help the poor? you must hate them!".

[–]MrSilkyJohnson 0 ポイント1 ポイント

We, as a country, have a mental illness problem. Homelessness is only one side effect; school shootings may serve as a more prominent example.

We have treated mental illness as taboo for far too long. Perhaps the government isn't the solution, but then what is? Can we depend on a loosely regulated private sector to spend its own capital to create medical solutions that are affordable for those in need? If the current state of health care and private insurance (pre and post ACA ) in this country is an indicator, then the answer is no.

Hypothetically, if every american chipped in a single dollar, we would be able to afford the capital to research a solution and distribute it for free. That, to me, is an ideal function of government. Is that how the current government works? LOLNO, but that is a different topic for a different day.

One problem solves another. For every person helped and moved back into the workforce, that's less welfare paid out and wage taxes coming in. Cyclical solutions where virtually everybody wins.

What would the Conservative plan be? (No sarcasm, seriously asking)

[–]wethedownvotedNeoconservative -1 ポイント0 ポイント

plan

there it is again. first you have to disabuse yourself of the notion that central planning is the solution.

[–]MrSilkyJohnson -2 ポイント-1 ポイント

Alright, I won't use that word. So what would conservatives do to alleviate this particular issue?

[–]berger77 7 ポイント8 ポイント

I work next to a drop in. I would say about 80% of those ppl are able to work just fine, but it is easier for them to get handouts than to get try to get a job. 15% could work some type of easy job (due to their mental issues), and 5% are actually unemployable.

But god forbid you actually ask them to do something, like ask them to clean up the mess they just left, to not stand in front of our business entrance, Quit parking in a no parking zone, then I am the ass hole becasue "they are less privileged".

[–]diadelsuerte 2 ポイント3 ポイント

I worked in affordable housing at the ground level for years. In my experience, the people we helped were a 50/50 split - 50% used the help to make their lives better for themselves or their families, and 50% were lost causes that have/would/will never work a day in their lives, added zero to society, and are content to live off SSI, SNAP and free rent/utilities + not work or have real responsibilities.

What people miss is that you shouldn't really envy either half - the maximum SSI benefit for someone that hasn't paid into the system is like $600/month. Can you imagine living on $7,200 per year? I certainly can't. Sure, they live an easy life, but it's not one to be desired or envied.

[–]MrSilkyJohnson 1 ポイント2 ポイント

Quit parking in the no parking zone...you mean with CARS? The people I am talking about would never be eligible for a driver's license, let alone pass the state driver's test...

...or be able to safe enough money for a rusty bucket of a car.

Perhaps you are mistaking homeless people for loiterers.

[–]gecko_softscale -3 ポイント-2 ポイント

work 'next to' or work 'with' how well do you know these people besides getting pissed at them every day c'mon guy

[–]Xatencio 10 ポイント11 ポイント

It's a story meant to illustrate a broader point. It's not to illustrate literally every possible scenario one finds in life.

[–]MrSilkyJohnson 1 ポイント2 ポイント

But there are people who actual believe it at the "broader point" level. A lot of people don't care to research or dig deep; they just believe what the 60 inch box in the living room says at face value.

I just wanted to illustrate that there is often a lot more to consider in every issue before someone forwards this via email or on social media.

[–]qounqer 5 ポイント6 ポイント

And substance abuse doesn't make them subhuman either. With some help they could enter the workforce to.

[–]MrSilkyJohnson 1 ポイント2 ポイント

If they are young and homeless sure, but most of those who are less fortunate are likely beyond the age (and thus experienced long term mental deterioration) that medial science can do anything.

[–]Cunfuse 0 ポイント1 ポイント

"Conservatives have this crazy idea..." Get out of here with that unabashed, broad generalization. That's the sign of a truly ignorant remark. That's just like saying "Blacks have this crazy idea" or "Gays have this crazy idea". It's ignorant no matter what group you're generalizing.

[–]Coolguy587[S] -2 ポイント-1 ポイント

Now your just making a big generalization of a lot of people. In the case of the story it seems that the man is an able bodied worker. Also plenty of people with mental illness and those who are mentally retarded are able to work and do so. I'm simply reinforcing the statement that everyone that can work should.

[–]pjmazza419 3 ポイント4 ポイント

That's awesome. People always say "there's no jobs to be had" when talking about homeless people. Anyone can make some money if they have the drive to do so.

[–]Mister_Johnson 5 ポイント6 ポイント

The problem is they make more money in a day sitting on their asses panhandling than they could by actually working. In some ways they're smarter than you or me: no debt, free rent, get paid to do nothing.

[–]qounqer -1 ポイント0 ポイント

Definitely makes them more then a job at mcdicks

[–]stuxnet667 2 ポイント3 ポイント

Who is out there advocating for you to give 100% of your paycheck away? I think this would have been more accurate if the guy said "why don't you give that homeless man $2" and then she says no. That would mean you're a republican.

[–]jeepdave -1 ポイント0 ポイント

I think a more accurate number would be 47%.

[–]ANAL_PLUNDERINGConstitutionalist 2 ポイント3 ポイント

Whenever someone posts this they print it out and take a picture of it. I guess people are just grabbing for link karma.

[–]JunklessTrunk 0 ポイント1 ポイント

I like the part of this story where the guy offered the same job to the homeless man and he said no.