Pond in the foothills

[j.w]

Beautiful up there Mitch w/ all that winter wonderland white. Your two huge black dogs will never get lost in all that white stuff

What you don't like our health care system Mitch? Obama thinks it's swell.......................hmmmmmmmmm, wonder why he doesn't use it?

 

[MitchM]

="..
What you don't like our health care system Mitch? Obama thinks it's swell.......................hmmmmmmmmm, wonder why he doesn't use it?

It's too expensive, jw. Doesn't matter if it's democrats or republicans in charge.
And this may sound strange, but your taxes are too low.
I like paying higher taxes knowing that for the most part it's going towards people less fortunate than I am.
Brand me sappy. I've worked with mentally handicapped. Puts things in perspective.

 

[CountryEscape]

Wow, that's a LOT of snow. Thanks, but what we had this year was more than enough. You are sure tough up there in Canada, to handle all that snow and frozen ground for such a very long time. I'm ready for the frost to make it's way out of the ground VERY soon here. Thinking spring bulbs will be popping up by this weekend.

 

[MitchM]

It seems normal to me, CE.
But then wait until I start complaining about the heat.
Then you guys will be saying "What heat?" "This isn't heat!"

 

[j.w]

It's too expensive, jw. Doesn't matter if it's democrats or republicans in charge.
And this may sound strange, but your taxes are too low.
I like paying higher taxes knowing that for the most part it's going towards people less fortunate than I am.
Brand me sappy. I've worked with mentally handicapped. Puts things in perspective.

Have to disagree w/ you on the taxes Mitch. Don't know about up there but down here there is a lot of misuse of funds to people who don't deserve it. Lots of illegals and lazy people who take any advantage they can not to work but still want everything for free. It would be great if we had social services down here that could make sure help went to the right people but too many people to each social service worker to keep tabs on. If a person is able to work they should have to do something to earn their keep even if they have to pick up garbage on the streets. I think they are trying to keep tabs on the abusers but it's not working that well yet. I liked our health care system we had ok but it did and does have problems and my hubby and I still have pretty good insurance right now but it may change when Obama gets through fixing things in the future. For some it is a mess right now. We are managing fine so far. You are not sappy for wanting people to get the help they need when handicapped,ill or really trying to find work and just can't. I agree w/ you totally on this part

 

[CountryEscape]

I have to say I agree with JW. Too many people taking advantage of the system, getting money they do not deserve, especially illegals. Around by me, immigrants (not the illegal ones) are given extra incentives to purchase businesses, they usually buy gas stations. They are given incentives that they don't have to pay any property taxes, or maybe sales tax, for a year or two. Then, at the end of the "deal", they bug out, usually clean out the store overnight, and are gone, poof!
Then, we have the people with smart phones, all the latest electronic gadgets (way before I buy one for myself), and yet the are on public aid. That's not even mentioning the ones that have been on food stamps for years and years. They don't know any other way to live, but to expect the government to feed them and their families. Saddest part is it is a life the kids rarely rise above as they become adults. Lots of programs are attempting to help the families move out of poverty, but not many working so far. It's just irritating when people have that "you owe me" attitude, when it's the hard working public that is feeding and housing these bums, and I'm only talking about the ones that are able bodied folks that just are too damn lazy to get up off the couch and get a job. Always an excuse - no car, can't find a job, felon so no one will hire them (there are businesses that are paid an incentive to hire convicted felons!!!), etc. Then there is the other side of the coin, those that work 2 or 3 jobs since they can't find a full-time job, and still have time to raise their kids. Hard workers, struggling all the time, but absolutely refuse to go on welfare, determined to make it on their own. Those people I want to really give a pat on the back!
Insurance, that's just a totally other situation. I'm thankful to have insurance through my job, but not sure how all this insurance reform will affect it when we re-up this July. Hopefully it won't make a difference, but time will tell.

 

[j.w]

Agree wholeheartedly w/ you CE. You said it very well People who can should work for their money honestly in whatever way they can find. If they look hard enough they will find something. There is no excuse for an able bodied person to go years w/o a job sucking up funds that should go to the really needy people incapable of working.................dog gone it

 

[MitchM]

Have to disagree w/ you on the taxes Mitch. Don't know about up there but down here there is a lot of misuse of funds to people who don't deserve it. ...

I wasn''t thinking so much of extra tax funds going to able bodied people, I was thinking more along the lines of healthcare, including mental health and physical education so we can prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed in the first place.

Perhaps extra funds could also go toward properly trained and paid professionals whom would be accountable to manage the existing welfare issues,

I would also like to see drug addiction treated as a health issue, not a criminal one.

 

[CountryEscape]

Good points, Mitch, on the drug addition. Problem there, too, is that once a person is convicted of drug use/sale, etc., they are a felon. They want to sit on their butts and collect welfare, "I can't get a job, I'm a felon, no one will hire me." At least now I have a list of employers that WILL hire them, so that is no longer an excuse. Now our lovely State of Illinois (which is the laughing stock of our Country, having had 2 Govenor's in a row sent to prison ...) is so broke, the offices that have these professionals watching for welfare fraud, are cutting back, not moving forward with more help. Actually, a new guy started in our office building, and that's all he is doing, checking out welfare fraud. But, it's very time consuming for each individual case, and he only has maybe 10 cases he is working on at a time. No way will that even touch what is going on out there.
Our State is seriously thinking of allowing parents on welfare, that get child support (the job I do), to get up to a $200/mo pass-thru instead of the now $50/mo. What that means is ... if they get say $200/mo welfare (this is money, not including food stamps and/or medical care), and we get them a child support order for $150/mo, it doesn't pay for them to go off of welfare, and collect child support instead. But, currently, they will receive $50/mo pass through of that $150. The State keeps the other $100. On the new rules they are contemplating, they would get all $150, so it's an incentive for them to ask for child support. We have some that are on welfare that refuse to work with us to get a child support order because .... get this ... "I don't need child support." REALLY????? Yes you DO, because the rest of us hard working citizens are tired of supporting your lazy butt.

 

[MitchM]

We have a program running up here for the last 10 years or so, in Vancouver called InSite.
Have you heard of it? http://supervisedinjection.vch.ca/
Safe facilities and equipment, along with counselling are provided for addicts to inject illicit drugs.
It winds up saving the addicts lives, prevent further spread of disease and reduces the burden.

That's the kind of thing I would like to see implemented more. Besides improving the lives of all parties involved, it reduces the burden on our medical system.
Problem is that people with closed minds feel they need to impose their ideologies on others and as a result the program is under constant attack.

People need appropriate help with improving their lives, not to be locked away.
Giving them money to go away without conditions attached to that money isn't a solution either.
(off soapbox, lol)

.

 

[j.w]

We don't trust our gov't down here to use our tax money that they take from us already so why would we want to give them more to waste? They need to show us they are honest, reliable servants of our hard earned money. Then maybe we can back them up on what they do. Till then they have to squeeze what they can from us as we kick and scream........ha ha! Wow never heard of that center you are talking about w/ the drug addicts getting a place to inject their illegal drugs Mitch. Do they try to help them get off the drugs also? I'm thinking on this one Mitch and not sure I could be down w/ this. Do these people still buy the drugs illegally and go there just to inject safely? Hmmmmmmm, seems if we have a law and someone breaks it the place they need to go is to jail until the law changes. Otherwise what good our our laws? While in jail tho there should be a way to help get them off the drugs, not encourage them to go out and do the same thing over and over again. What if Jesus ran the jails? He would be tough on them but he would love them also as his children. Jails are full of hate. Too much bad going on in this world, going down the tubes fast. Why shouldn't we all live an honest, clean, hard working life like many of our forefathers? What happened to our families taking care of our loved ones and making sure they do the right things in life and have good morals and values? Getting worse not better. Those of us that are Christians on this earth are being shoved under the rugs. Why? Do they not want good standards to live by? It would be so nice if people loved each other as the Bible teaches. Lots of haters now. Living on this earth is quite confusing at times. Glad I have a place to go after this life that promises nothing but good. I think I ranted to much here and hope I'm not in trouble now

 

[MitchM]

I always enjoy hearing other's point of view.

The addicts supply their own drugs but they are given new needles, a safe room to take their drug and there's medical staff on hand in case there's a problem. They must take counselling.

It's a heck of a lot better than sharing needles in a dark corner where they could become victims of violence or die. Then our medical and legal system take over from there.
The transmission rate of HIV and hepatitis has dropped dramatically apparently.

Jails are a place where new criminals can learn to become better criminals.
Our whole approach needs to change.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, gone are the day when we were all children (those of us in our late 40's and older ... I'm mid 50's), and could ride our bikes without worry, walk to our friend's house 6 blocks away, take candy from a "stranger" who lived in our neighborhood, and go to the woods and play in the creek. I don't think kids these days even know what a creek is, and many have never been to the "woods". It's a very sad life they are leading, they just don't know it! My kids were raised in the country, so they were some of the lucky ones. They went to the woods (we lived in the woods, LOL), played in the creek and pond, had animals to care for, that loved them back unconditionally, and never used any type of illegal drugs. Whew! I think there are so very few other young adults like them, it has been hard for them to find a life-long friend to become their husband/wife. My daughter has found a man that shares her morals and dreams. Hoping my son does soon, too.
Not sure I can agree with having a place for drug addicts to go to take their illegal drugs, but if counseling is mandatory, maybe it is a way to help keep other diseases from spreading. I have never been on that side of the tracks, so would not know what they go through, only through tv shows and movies. It seems like it is a life from hell. But, there are so many programs to help them get off drugs in our country, too. They only need try and do their best, but then stay off once they are clean. I guess it's like telling a cigarette smoker to quit, which I know is a very hard task, too, and they must first WANT to quit, before any program is going to help them quit.

 

[morewater]

Well, to lighten it up a bit......

There was a news story just recently where a Girl Guide set up her cookie sales point in a grocery store and only sold a couple boxes in 2 hours......she then moved down the street in front of one of those new legal marijuana stores, and sold out in 45 minutes.

Location, location, location........

 

[CountryEscape]

Love that, Morewater! What a little entrepreneur she is!
And, forgot to mention above, Mitch, your "puppies" are gorgeous! I forget what type of dog you said they are, but they are really great healthy looking dogs. Must do well in your frigid temps. Do they come inside at all, or stay out all the time? I know you've said, but can't remember .....