Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Personal, Political, Random Thoughts

Our welfare system is broken and inefficient

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IMG_1077 I sit here listening to the rants and raves of our political leaders. Seems anything that benefits the common people its labeled communism or socialism but if it benefits the rich it is accepted with little objection. I agree we shouldn’t be a welfare state and that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to the welfare system in America. I see too many people taking advantage of food stamps, welfare and many other programs while so many who really need the help are denied any help. They wonder why our federal and state governments are in debt and seem to want to blame social security, Medicaid or Medicare. The elderly deserve those benefits since they paid into them all of their lives but yet I see so many who never work (and are perfectly able to) receive food stamps, housing, gas cards and welfare. Does this mean we should stop helping those who are really in need? I think not, I believe we need to investigate and monitor recipients at random to confirm they are not abusing the system.

What really bothers me is what a friend told me, he worked at a local grocery store and saw a woman who bought 250.00 dollars of a name brand soda with her food stamp card and she sold it to the small gas station down the road, when he called it in to the state he was told there was nothing they could do because its al hear say. More or less they didn’t care or didn’t want to bother doing anything about the food stamp fraud. Since then I have seen other people doing the same thing both buying with food stamps and selling the soda to a gas station (for half price) . There are so many ways they can take advantage of the food stamp system its just crazy that we don’t have a task force out there to stop such abuse.

Recently they at least passed a bill to allow random drug testing of food stamp recipients so at least they are trying to find ways to weed out some of the abuse of food stamp. Now don’t get me wrong I am a strong supporter of programs such as food stamps, government housing and welfare for those who truly need it and don’t abuse it. For “We the people” are the backbone of this great nation and we should take care of our needy, handicapped and elderly. If we look upon any social class, race, religious sect or individual as expendable or undeserving of the basic rights guaranteed by our constitution then we are not the great nation our founding fathers created. Our welfare system is broken and inefficient and needs an overhaul and definitely we need to find a way to make sure there is little to no abuse of the benefits it provides.

The only way we may find solutions to the current financial crises that our nation is when the republicans and democrats realize that compromise along with sacrifice is the only way to get things done. Until then we will see more and more people sink into poverty if not become jobless and homeless. Lucky for our politicians they have a guaranteed job and retirement along with a good health plan and a salary paid by all of us. I guess that’s one reason they seem to be apathetic and unconcerned about the urgency of the problems at hand. They all seem more worried about campaigning and playing politics than about trying to come up with solutions to the current problems before us as a nation.

 

 

Well enough ranting for now, Right or wrong that’s my 2 cents worth today.

Raymond Barbier

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Political, Random Thoughts, Thought of the day

To Govern or to play Political Games?

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IMG_1077 Too much politics and not enough creative thinking in congress, they rather focus on the differences between their political parties and the upcoming elections than on finding solutions to the problems at hand. The lack of the ability to compromise for the common good in congress wastes both the taxpayers money and time. The longer they play these political games the worse our nations problems will grow.  The congress seems too focused on the upcoming elections and their parties agendas that they can not find any true solutions to our national debt or the declining economy. Maybe if they would put as much effort into fixing the problems at hand as they do the propaganda and political spin they spew out to the media they might be able to work together to find a solution.

The immaturity the congress is displaying along with their inability to co-operate will not only allow our nation to slip into ruin but it also will tarnish this great nations global reputation. We are supposed to be a guiding light and the shining example for the world to follow, but how our government is in chaos due to the political games being played we will not be able to be such a guiding light. For a house that is divided upon itself surely will fall, so we need to get our house in order before it falls.

So congress, you can either keep playing your political games and bring this nation to its knees or work together and fix the problems at hand. The choice is solely yours to either govern or to play political games. Either way you will be responsible for the choices made as well as the results. For We the People have given you the power through the elections and now we place the responsibility upon your shoulders.

God Grant them the wisdom to see the error of their ways.
Raymond Barbier

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Congress and Change

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"The Third-Term Panic", by Thomas Na...
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Will the congress keep being partisan and make a congress that is in permanent gridlock or will they man-up and work together for the good of our country? Will party and personal agendas stand in the way of the changes in policy that is needed to further and maintain this country’s well being? Will big business and lobbyists control the direction our country is heading in or will the congress finally listen to we the people? Only time will tell, but if they keep with status Quo then they will ignore the pleas of the citizens and bow to big business or lobbyist like always. They will be more interested in the agendas and the status of their own party than the well being of our country.

  For change to happen it takes the development of the minds and hearts of those in power. They need to wake up to see that the true agenda of a government should be the wellbeing of both the citizens and of the country itself. Businesses will be born and shall go bankrupt that is a part of the free enterprise system. Not to say I am totally against bailouts, but how many mom and pop small business failed since the beginning of this recession and how many could have thrived if they too were considered for bailouts. Mom and pop businesses are the true backbone of America, unfortunately the government does not recognize them as small businesses because they do not make enough money to qualify.

  Congress needs to grow up and stop bickering amongst each other and see they are all one family in the scheme of things. They all represent us and should stop making decisions based on party bias and more on if it would help both the citizens and the country grow. They may be Republicans and Democrats, But they are servants to the public and government first and foremost.

The Constitution of The United States

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defense, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
United States of America.”

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