Liberal Words
Over the past 50 years, poor people have been immeasurably aided by Social Security, Medicare and the minimum wage. Middle-class incomes have been flat for 30 years while the wealthy get wealthier. I do not believe that this is the basis of a healthy, sustain¬able economy. I am not casting stones or blame, but it is not sustainable. We would be better off fixing the system than picking sides and whining about the other side. (David MacGregor, USA Today 1/7/2013)
Discussion
For starters this liberal should understand the findings of the Pew research study posted at Upward Mobility and the Poor. What this liberal misses totally is that a single element coexists with each of his so-called “government subsidies of the poor”. This element, surprise, surprise, is called working. This means working for a living, struggling to make ends meet. Working for your keep. Earning a living, which often starts for many with a minimum wage.
To review for clarity, a necessary evil when dealing with liberals, it is only working that qualifies one for a minimum wage or better. It is only working year after year and making consistent contributions to Social Security that enables one to collect benefits at retirement. It is only working that qualifies an individual to receive Medicare benefits at retirement. All of these items are there for folks who work. They work for a living, they work for decades, and they retire in their sixties.
The fringe benefit of all this working is that a very large number of these same folks also contribute to company and personal personal retirement plans in addition to Social Security. Through working a large number of these same folks also invest in homes and make mortgage payments throughout their working lives.
Most of these folks do not get wealthy, but through working and investing in their own futures they earn a comfortable retirement.
The poor in America are largely those who believe they should receive all the same benefits of working without working. These are the entitlement classes.
The Antidote:
Unfortunately, the antidote is a difficult chasm, the difference between working and not working. If one chooses not to work then this choice virtually guarantees living on the dole (poor). Working does not guarantee getting ahead, but it puts those who work on the right road to getting ahead in America.