Poverty, hunger near epidemic in South Tahoe
By Kathryn Reed
STATELINE – People in South Lake Tahoe are not only hungry, but they don’t know where their next meal is going to come from. That is called food insecurity. And it’s a growing problem here.
Poverty, of which hunger and food insecurity are byproducts, is such a concern that a survey was recently conducted by the El Dorado County Food Bank (which receives zero funding from the county) to gauge the needs of South Lake Tahoe.
One of the big things to be revealed is that what was once considered emergency supplemental food is now something people are relying on to sustain themselves on a regular basis. Twenty-two percent of the people surveyed require emergency food assistance at least once a month — so, 12 times a year.
Ninety-two percent of respondents said food distribution needs to be more often, 89 percent want more fresh food, and 70 percent need the distribution to be closer to where they live. Twenty-three percent have no transportation.
Most who are receiving aid are older and/or disabled, with 41 percent being at least 65 years old. Seventy-five percent are unemployed. Eighty-five percent of those working make less than $25,000 a year.
Twenty-eight percent of the households have children. And 99 percent of those have incomes of $25,000 or less a year.
Those statistics are all for South Lake Tahoe.
Respondents were people receiving aid and agencies. They were asked 30 questions.
South Lake Tahoe is following the state’s trend. For the second year in a row, the Census this month reported that California has the highest poverty rate in the country – 23.4 percent. That is 8.9 million people. Nevada came in second at 20 percent.
Carey Fong with the Food Bank spoke Oct. 21 to Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe about the growing issue of hunger and poverty in the city. Diane Weidinger, who runs the 25-year-old weekly hot meal program Bread & Broth, talked about that program.
Bread & Broth volunteers serve a hot meal to anyone who wants it every Monday at Grace Hall in South Lake Tahoe. Photo/LTN file
“It’s almost an epidemic,” Weidinger said of the hunger in this community. “It’s a cycle. Once you are born into poverty, it’s almost impossible to get out without some assistance.”
Every Monday about 100 people are served a hot meal at Grace Hall at St. Theresa Catholic Church. It’s families, singles, older people – a mix of those in need. Another 40 receive a meal on Fridays at the Presbyterian Church. Other churches and organizations also give out food.
Bread & Broth is a benefactor of the El Dorado County Food Bank, while Christmas Cheer buys food from the Northern Nevada Food Bank. Fong said they’ve tried to get Christmas Cheer to switch agencies.
The El Dorado County Food Bank brings 360,000 pounds of food to South Lake Tahoe a year, with a value of $600,000.
The local need is growing and that is not expected to change. Nationwide there will be 79.7 million older adults in 2040. This is twice as many as there were in 2000. They are the ones on fixed incomes with transportation issues, who are in need of food.
The Food Bank is looking at how it can better cater to the needs of those in the basin today and going forward.
Ideas include having a distribution center here to help with storage issues, increasing the number of days and hours when food is handed out, nutrition education, creating community gardens, and advocating for higher paying jobs. A task force has been formed with the goal being to form an action plan.
How’s that Hope & Change working out for you?
Great. People are becoming accustomed to depending on others to feed and care for them in ever increasing numbers, instead of getting up and figuring out how to care for themselves and their own families. And that is acceptable now?
Emergency resources are really a nice thing to have for people who hit sudden bumps in the road. But this ‘handouts as a lifestyle’ is not doing anybody any good.
This isn’t going to end well for the country.
Thank you to all of you who help those in need.
If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. ~Bob Hope
Dogula:
You are astounding. Whatever has made you so angry and uncaring must be horrific. I hope some day you’ll find peace and happiness.
I will repeat Ms. Threewit’s quote by Bob Hope:
If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
Spouse – 4-mer-usmc
How many Welfare Programs are there? At least a dozen and many are on SSI and both have seen millions drop out of the work force and sign on. There isn’t any way to justify a “hunger” epidemic with the available welfare programs. This type of story is one of emotion not facts. I would question if there are some that are newly illegally in the country that haven’t figured out the system yet that gives a living to those who choose not to work and expect others to provide support. There is a nationwide problem of welfare numbers that have doubled in six years under the Bummer gang, there is abuse of the system and immigration laws ignored. If people from many countries illegally in the country were deported the billions spent for their care, including those in jails and prisons, could be shifted to US citizens who should be the priority. Imagine the billions that could be better spent for actual legal residents of the country. This is what happens when laws are ignored and incompetent people are elected who have no idea what to do other then read speeches off a teleprompter and claim “
Dogula says – Posted: October 23, 2014
“Great. People are becoming accustomed to depending on others to feed and care for them in ever increasing numbers, instead of getting up and figuring out how to care for themselves and their own families. And that is acceptable now?….This isn’t going to end well for the country.”
Spoken like the smug self righteous libertarian who likes to look in the mirror and tell herself she is going to heaven that you are.
Nothing like kicking people when they are down. Numbers have shown that the ‘fruits of the economic turnaround’ have been limited primarily to the top 1%. Laissez-faire economics has not trickled down, it has trickled ON the poor and middle class.
Best read up on your bible, Dogula, it’s the closest to heaven you are going to get(if it exists at all). That is Jesus you are criticizing. Oh, and invest in some Sunscreen-SPF666.
In my opinion, you are not only insane, you are also a petty, misanthropic disgusting pig. Ditto for inJustice.
People do support those who need a helping hand up to find work, not a generational welfare lifestyle that liberals want to impose for more dependent voters. How many Welfare Programs are there? At least a dozen and many are on SSI and both have seen millions added as people drop out of the work force and sign on. There isn’t any way to justify a “hunger” epidemic with the available welfare programs. This type of story is one of emotion not facts. I would question if there are some that are newly illegally in the country that haven’t figured out the system yet that gives a living to those who choose not to work and expect others to provide support. There is a nationwide problem of welfare numbers that have doubled in six years under the Bummer gang, there is abuse of the system and immigration laws ignored. If people from many countries illegally in the country were deported the billions spent for their care, including those in jails and prisons, could be shifted to US citizens who should be the priority. Imagine the billions that could be better spent for actual legal residents of the country. This is what happens when laws are ignored and incompetent people are elected who have no idea what to do other then read speeches off a teleprompter and claim “Now is our time.” Now is the time to throw these imposters out who are trying to wreck the country.
Bitter Clinger and Dogula epitomize Lake Tahoe’s “wanna be” white trash mind set. Just because you can make rent for your mobile home residence, does not give you the right to judge other people who are in need. The only reason you are living in the Tahoe basin is because you cannot compete with the real talent in normal society. Get your teeth whitened before you look yourself in the mirror again….you are scaring people!
Hmmm. I love the way you edited my comment. Trying to make me look like Scrooge, instead of including the part that ought to make sense EVEN to you.
Does that make you feel good about yourself, to portray everybody who believes in self-reliance as evil and hateful? Do you think encouraging people to live entirely dependent on the largess of others is actually beneficial to them?
What happened to the miracle that was supposed to occur as obama took the reins and liberal policies were the order of the day? Why is poverty even worse now than it was 6 years ago?
Hmmmm? Got an answer?
Oh yeah. It’s Bush and the Republicans’ fault.
Kae, Poverty and hunger IS at the highest levels I’ve ever seen on So. Shore in my 52 years here. Many of my neighbors have had their hours cut back at their jobs and some have been laid off and are looking for work, and there aren’t many jobs out there that pay enough to live on.
These folks are scrambeling to make ends meet,pay the bills and still put food on the table.
Many years ago my boss, Carol Sesser,( a woman whom you would’nt say no to!), or look out! She told me to start a “Holiday Food Drive”. A difficullt undertaking for a young man! But I was up to the challenge.
So I did as I was told, and it was very succseful! I was delivering food to the churches,The Womens Center, Christmas Cheer, The drug rehab place and others. All the food was donated by the caring and generous customers of South Tahoe Refuse.
There is a great need in this town to help those that find themselves in rough times.
Please donate to one of the many local food pantrys, you’ll be glad you did!!!! OLS
Just reading the title of this article I knew there would be the same old rants by the same disgusting trolls (dogzilla, bc, injustice and more im sure). You people are what is wrong with this town and our country. What selfish pigs you are and how unchristian you are. And you seem to think your rants will make anyone sympathetic to your causes. I wouldnt want to be anything like you and knowing that you live in this most beautiful place, well, I just wonder why.
Heres hopeing you never have to be homeless or hungry, and that you dont turn up at any of the fine establishments that openly, lovingly and sincerely help those that need the help. PIGS
Nobody has to try to make you look like a Scrooge, Dogula….you do an admirable job of it all by yourself.
No answers from you. Just more insults.
Ever notice Republicans & the Tea Party people never have a problem with giving CORPORATIONS welfare?
You don’t need my help in order to make yourself look like Scrooge…all you need to do is type your opinions. It’s like surrealistic alternate universe where John Calvin and Herbert Spencer had a test tube baby together.
The only stats given for our area are from people who are already on assistance. Numbers would of course be high from these people, but how many people were in the group questioned? Doesn’t sound like a lot. But of course these people would say they want more often, closer distribution centers. It would have been nice to see numbers of people in the south area basin that are in poverty. I do know a number of people that are on food stamps and other assistance in town, a good many of them (by no means all) have addiction problems. A couple of times I have spoken to people who have just filled their fridges with food and then went to the food bank for more food. I asked them why and their reply was because it is free. They were perfectly capable of working but refused to even look, haven’t work a real job in decades. It is the numerous people like this that strain the system and hurt the people who cant help themselves. This is what most conservatives hate, not the truly needy who cant work and have no other way to feed themselves. The few bad apples are spoiling the barrel.
The bickering and ideology aside, we are proud to support the wonderful work of Christmas Cheer and Bread & Broth. Regardless of your opinion of why poverty exists, it does exist. “Handouts as a lifestyle” is not the norm in these programs. Rather than throw around cliches, spend a little time as a volunteer and you will see first-hand what kind of people utilize these programs in our community. Act like a Christian, it is not that difficult.
If I may add one more thought to the hunger and poverty situation here in SLT. When the shoes on the other foot and you or someone close to you loses their job for whatever reason, you would want to help that person, Right? If it’s YOU that finds yourself that’s in need of help from a loss of income or having a health problem with mounting medical bills, you would want help, Right?
Untill you find yourself in one of these life altering positions it’s easy to sit back and be an uncaring, selfish person, compfortable in your bubble of security, money, good health and plenty of food.
Try putting the shoe on the other foot and think of what others are going thru…. PLEASE!!! OLS
Dogula has an opinion as does everyone here. At least he doesn’t bash and name call and hate everyone with an opinion that differs from his. I believe in helping people in need and do often. There is a difference in helping the needy and helping the helpless. We need to build the community, create jobs. Give people an opportunity not a hand out and change the direction of what has become an “epidemic”. Lets fix the problem.
“act like a christian, it is not that difficult”…this is more low hanging fruit. i rest my case. (for now, anyway, until i cannot resist more fruit)
Doesn’t Raley’s help provide locally? Seems like they have done a good job. I think this town reaches out a lot more than people realize. What bothers me is the people who fake needing hand-outs. Seen them outside at the Y…come to find out it’s all a scam…”ran out of gas”, etc.
Just yesterday a woman came up to my husband at the gas station claiming she needed money for gas; for her BMW!! She wouldn’t tell him where she was trying to go, so he shined her on.
I hope no matter what the food situation is for needy ,that someday, no one will go hungry, There should not be ifs or whys on the poor ,or the rich who get food anywhere free, should not be a issue ,No one ,I mean no one should go hungry,No matter what.There is food for everyone thank God ,so there should be no subject on this issue ,who is getting and why and should not be ,EAT TILL YOU ARE CONTENT ,
My belief in God causes me and my family to reach out to help others, especially those with children. It makes sense to have organizations like Bread and Broth and Christmas Cheer to help families because it can be done more efficiently if we all pitch in together in an organized way. I don’t think that I have the right to force other people to give through government laws. It can hurt our society if we teach people that there is a government reward for not working. But there are so many who are legitimately sick or who have lost their job through no fault of their own. While I think it is better to give food than money to those who are alcoholics or drug addicts, our society shouldn’t allow their children to suffer for their parents actions. But as I said I don’t believe that I have the right to use government to take money from rich people. If they don’t help others then it is on their soul and on their conscience. When I ran the Boys and Girls Clubs I saw families living in cars under bridges. It was heart breaking. I don’t have the answer. I wish I did. It’s about the kids for our family. I’m not putting anyone down here or looking for points. My point is that it is an individual choice to give or not give.
Seamoore, dogula is a woman based on the fact that “her”husband was approached by a person at the gas station wanting money for gas for her BMW. dogula is also one of the first on most stories to cast stones and name call against anyone who thinks differently than her (which is most everyone). She is no victim. She is entitled to her opinion but if she thinks posting on a public blog will be without reply, well its my guess she likes the fact she can do anonimousally as most of us do.
Duane Wallace opines: “But as I said, I don’t believe I have the right to use government to take money from rich people.” However, he does believe, as do all conservative wanna be millionaires, that destroying the middle class and racing to the bottom on wages and benefits for working folks while funneling money to the 1% will magically trickle down to the rest of us. Give it up, reaganomics is an obscene failure and the phony xtian thing is nauseating.
I know Duane Wallace; he’s a good man. Why do people want to make the worst assumptions about others (“However, he does believe…”)?
What is it in the Bible that leads people to believe that a Christian should support government welfare? Christ wanted nothing to do with the government. He believed that people should help one another. What Duane wrote agrees with what Jesus said in the Bible.
I am probably making a mistake writing here, because the small number of regular LTN bloggers who are callous and rude, call names while making no persuasive argument, sour the whole discussion. Go ahead, call me a name, too – I anticipate that you will.
Looking at this from a different point of view…………money spent on welfare and food stamps is a miniscule part of the Federal budget. Ditto with county and city food assistance programs. Do the people who coldly condemn those who need assistance ever think of the billions (now trillions?) spent on the off- budget wars we are involved in? Consider the $1,000,000+ cost of a Tomahawk missile routinely fired at such high value targets as an old pick up truck out in the desert. No problem there, huh?
These expenditures are making a few wealthy beyond comprehension but the middle and lower classes are slowly sinking into poverty and hunger.
How does one apply to be part of the task force from the community?
This is a joke. I have the answer to this issue: it’s the little strip-motels that have been turned into LOW-INCOME HOUSING AND HALFWAY HOUSING FOR THE MENTALLY ILL AND PREVIOUS FELONS.
IF THE CITY OF SOUTH LAKE WILL EVER WAKE UP AND RAZE THESE PLACES, THE LOWER CLASS WILL VANISH.
STOP PROVIDING LOW-INCOME HOUSING VIA STRIP MOTELS TO THESE PEOPLE.
Oink-woof, Oink-woof….My critiques of the Obama administration for being A) too cozy with bankers, insurance companies, fossil fuel companies and bigpharma, B) too militant and C) inept are well known. It is also well known that there has been 6 years of gleeful nonstop obstructionism coming from (and an activist Supreme Court supporting)
the GOP in Congress.
@City Resident-I agree with most of what you wrote, though I probably fall within the realm of those LTN bloggers whom you critique. Jesus was very clear in his statements as to where the limits of giving/charity were. Conversely we have seen the attitudes of those who’ve served the church have been about the collection and distribution of wealth(a large part of why I renounced Christianity-it was about the church, and about piggish Christians, and not about the Presence of the Christ). Jesus’ opinions regarding the virtue of ‘being rich’, and the rewards of greed, and the effects of turning one’s back on those in need, also are apparent.
As natural resources diminish, as population increases and as wealth ever increasingly concentrates in the pudgy hands of the few, as greed becomes inculcated into our social rhetoric as some sort of ‘virtue’ it becomes more important than ever to make caring for others not just a matter of principle, but of policy, lest we have Food Riots. Teach a man to fish-absolutely…but for God’s sake don’t let him starve while waiting for a bite on the line.
Or we could reconsider the ‘modest proposal’ put forth by Jonathan Swift in 1729.
“On Giving
Kahlil Gibran
You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?
And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?
And what is fear of need but need itself?
Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?
There are those who give little of the much which they have–and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
And there are those who have little and give it all.
These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.
And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;
They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.
Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;
And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.
And is there aught you would withhold?
All you have shall some day be given;
Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors’.
You often say, “I would give, but only to the deserving.”
The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.
They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.
Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you.
And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.
And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?
And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.
For in truth it is life that gives unto life while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers… and you are all receivers… assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.
Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;
For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.”
As I see it, the people that are taking advantage of the free food are the Democratic free loaders that think that WE the tax payer owes them for their lazyness, There are Republicans also but you will find that the majority are Democrats and refuse to even look for work. Why look when the Government will give to you for free.
I’m 75 years old and have never taken one thing from the Government, never been without work and never taken an unemployment check. When I was out of work I took a job that didn’t pay as much but kept looking in my off time until I found a better Job, 3 kids to feed and a wife I could not afford to be out of work,and don’t say that there are no jobs out there, there just aren’t Jobs that pay what you think your worth, If you want a high paying Job, move to a City that has your kind of work, South Lake Tahoe is not where you will find your kind of work but there are still Jobs available here Just don’t pay what you THINK your WORTH
Please Cora D. tell us you are joking.
Bitter. The Hope and Change is working better then the “compassionate CONservative thing.”
Providing food and possibly housing and medical care for those people who find themselves in a tough spot should not become a discussion among liberals and conservtives.It’s just the right thing to do for a fellow human!
Sure, some people fall on hard times. Loss of a job, reduced hours if you have a job, getting laid off
without much prospect for finding another job, Health problems,drug and alcohol abuse…and all kinds of other problems.
Do not turn your back on these folks in need! Give them a hand up, not a slap in the face!!!
Lets make ths community better for ALL!Not just the wealthy with the high priced properties, the second home owners from out of town, and the businsses with low paying jobs.
Lets work together to make So. Lake Tahoe better!!! Please donate some food today!!! OLS
I daresay Hard to Understand has utilized Medicare benefits–the one payer system available to everyone at age 65. I loved it when the elderly tea party demonstrator yelled into the television camera, “Keep the government out of my health care!” Really?
Those are some interesting “statistics” that hard to understand has posted. I bet he cant give any true or credable connection to wherehe got this valuable info. And im sure thats because they are made up and completely bogus. Or he probably heard Bill O and Rush limpd#$= spew this info on their daily rants. He sounds like cj with his hatred spewing.
Hmmmm, thanks for posting Kahlil Gribans ode to giving.
Last year at the holidays my husband and son delivered turkeys and hams to Christmas Cheer. My son asked his dad why the woman getting food was crying. My husband replied because she is grateful.
Hikerchick, when the government has been forcibly taking the medicare and social security ‘contributions’ out of a person’s pay check for 40 years or more, damn straight they should take the benefit. If it was optional to contribute, it might be different, but since they demand their money from us, we’d be pretty stupid not to take what we are owed.
Now, you’ll probably say that we end up getting out more than we put in. Maybe. But what about the people who die young? They never see any return on that theft. If government allowed people to determine their own retirement savings, they might do FAR better with their investments. AND they could leave it to their heirs. Instead, it all goes into the black hole of the Federal government.
Fear not, after just six short years of the devastating “Obummer Economy” I’ve heard a rumor that “recovery summer” is right around the corner!
So we’ve got that going for us… which is good.
After getting conned by that whole “Hopey-Changey” thingy a great number of stultified dupes have finally seen the light, (although precious few here, apparently) and given the fact that 65% of Americans now feel that we’re on the WRONG TRACK I’m confident we can expect a new rebirth of hope on Nov 4th. Keep hope alive!
Then we can send Obama out with that other lame duck, the Aflac quacker, to spend the next two years on the golf links. They’re both lame quackers and lame hackers and they both cheat, so they should get along well together… as long as they don’t keep score.
The Bummer is going to Hollywood to his new mansion and beg for bit parts because he “cares” so much about the millions he put into poverty. Biden will be doing hair-plug and Rogaine commercials or reverse-mortgage senior rip-off commercials. Time to send the liberals down the road!
Wow. All this venom for those whose sin is to be poor, and hungry. Amazing.
Speaking for myself, I have plenty of compassion for the “poor and hungry”. My venom is reserved for those whose goal it is to make us all so. Rather than promote a rising tide which lift all boats, progressives yearn to establish the ultimate “socialist utopia” which grounds us all at the same low ebb, equally (and of course, perfectly) miserable.
Personally, I favor the hand up vs. the hand-out, as does one of our esteemed founding fathers.
“I am for doing good to the poor, but…I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed…that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.”
― Benjamin Franklin
Ralph. Fear what? If anyone has anything to fear from Seventh Circle of Hell it is Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Powell, Kristal and the cast of GOP Pimps and Prostitutes that got us into the Iraq War that blew: 4,488 of our GI’s and Contractors away, 32,222 or our GI’s maimed, 100,000 Iraqi Civilians killed (includes Women and Children).
R4T, now that you mention it, nobody answered my question from yesterday: why, if Bush/Cheney are war criminals, is not obama for his drones murdering innocent women and children also? Why the inconsistency from you on the left?
Whatever Bummer does is excused as he “cares” for the poor by making millions poor and unemployed. His wars are good because he is a liberal and that is all the dim bulbs care about. His intentions not results, he meant to do so much but he couldn’t, he’s a victim.
Dog. First. It is the War on Terror, you know the 1st War Bush started and the one he should have stuck with.
Second. Because America would rather use Drones and targeted strikes to take out Taliban/Al Qaeda rather then invade with 200,000 Troops at $15 Billion a month in cost. And be caught in a Sunni – Shiite Civil War.
Third. Because if you are an Al Qaeda leader hanging out with your minions, I would think by now the Women and Children would have gotten far away. If not… Sorry, but they are guilty by association.
Rock,
Thank you for your excellent demonstration of a “non sequitur”!
Justice. Envy is not a virtue
Unemployment has dropped from 10% to 5.9% and America has recovered about 9 Million jobs since the Great Recession.
GDP is up from -2.8% in 2009 to +2.5%/2010, +1.6%/2011, 2.3%/2012, 2.2%/2013 and +2.5 for the 1st half of 2014.
American Car Sales are the best they have been since 2001 at 16.5 Million units sold in 2013 with predictions of 17 Million in 2014. The American Auto Industry and Workers aren’t “bummed.”
In Early 2009 the DOW was at about 7000; now it is at 16,700; that’s a 240% Rise! Investors aren’t bummed.
Interest Rates for home loans are around 3% fixed; home buyers aren’t bummed.
In 2009 Consumer Confidence was 25% and now it is at 90%; consumers aren’t bummed.
Well, seems you are on your own with the bummed thing.
Rock,
Thank you for your excellent demonstration of a “non sequitur”!
Ralph. You don’t see the logic. Does if follow for GOP Pimps to blow $2 Trillion on a War that could have been avoided; $2 Trillion would be pretty handy to have about now… you know for feeding people or building new roads and bridges here at home and putting more Americans to work. You and I obviously disagree on what is logical or not.
Justice, what’s the matter.. your Ebola rant wasn’t working so now you go after folks on Welfare.
Welfare is: Medicaid, Social Security Income (SSI) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF.)
In 2013 there were 55 Million Americans on Medicaid.
in 2012 there were 3.5 Million Americans on SSI.
In 2013 there were 3.8 Million American Families in and out of TANF.
In 2009 there were 49 Million Americans on Medicaid.
In 2009 there were 3.1 Million Americans on SSI.
In 2009 there were 4.1 Million Americans Families in and out of TANF.
Overall increase of 10%
Center for Medicaid and Medicare
Social Security Administration
Office of Family Assistance
The Labor Participation Rate now is about 63%
The Highest Labor Participation Rate was about 67% in 1999.
The Highest Labor Participation Rate from 1948 to 1960 was about 60% in 1956.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Poverty Rate in 1960 was 22.5% and number of Americans in Poverty was 40 million.
The Poverty Rate in 2011 was 15% and the number of Americans in Poverty was 46.2 Million
Population in America 1960 was 179 Million.
Population in America 2011 was 310 Million. 2013 est 316 Million.
Census Bureau
We had the Great Recession that is abating and Baby Boomers are retiring in mass every month.
Better go back to the Ebola panic.
‘ My venom is reserved for those whose goal it is to make us all so.’
name that logical fallacy.
Not surprising that such a story would spark such ideological battles, few of which are original, on either side. I differ from most here in that, while I own a small property here in SLT, I don’t live here. I vacation here. If I lived here I wouldn’t be able to survive, because my line of business just doesn’t exist here. And I just don’t understand the mindset, prevalent as it is all over, not only here, that one is entitled to live where they want, regardless of whether they can support themselves there, or not. There is always enough charity to go around if those in need are a reasonable minority, and are in temporary hard times, and doing all they can to get out, and in a reasonable time do get out, on their own. But as the article points out, the temporary aspect of it has transitioned to a permanent status, and the numbers involved are swelling astronomically. As Thatcher said, “The only problem with socialism is when you run out of other people’s money.”. You offer no Christian charity when all you offer is other people’s money. Things will be OK, but tough lessons learned. Young able bodied unemployed, if they’re responsible at all, will move to wherever they can get work. The elderly who aren’t making it are in a tough spot. They failed in their life plan and should serve as an example to the rest of us of what not to do. But they’ll get minimally fed. Working taxpayers and the evil corporations that employ them will foot the bill, with the help of real charities like St. Theresa’s. All we can do, aside from chipping in a few bucks, willingly or unwillingly, is watch, learn, and consider how to live our lives, and instruct our children likewise. Plan on living so you can give, or be forced to be on the take? It’s unfortunate that this land of independence is falling so short of teaching all to be independent. Will never be 100%. But needs to be a lot closer, if this experiment of a democratic republic is to survive.
Excellent letter, Doug. 100% correct.
Wow! Did anyone read the article? The food hand outs are coming from non profits. Last winter many needing food included ski resort employees whose jobs were never realized due to lack of snow. All who have written with so much judgement need only to be there to hand out boxes of food or laddle it into a tray and then swallow hard and thank the God of your life that it is not you accepting the hand out.
What about the people whose ‘failure in their life plans’ occurred when their job was eliminated due to technology, or ‘downsizing’ or their pensions were ‘restructured’ during a hostile takeover or bankruptcy settlement after being raided by upper management, ripped off by Wall Street(I’m thinking Enron…but you can add whichever example you wish from any of Mitt Romney’s portfolio of successes)? Or who lost most of their investments when the Stock Market tanked or due to out of control medical costs after their insurance company dumped them when they, their spouse or their child got sick(there is a REASON for the affordable care act beyond the big payday the insurance companies and politicians turned it into)?
“Failed in their life plan.” How disgusting of them. How irresponsible. How sinful.
Not saying you intended it to come across this way,
to me it sounds so…what’s the term… morally judgmental.
I figured some would take it that way. I certainly never said it was sinful to get old and broke. And unless willfully negligent, it’s not. It just sucks, is all. A small collection of the poor will always be with us, and it’ll be our duty to care for them. But when we reach a critical mass where a near majority are in that situation, there can develop a group think of, “Well no one else is doing all they can to prepare for retirement. Why should I?”. “If I grow a little nest egg, then I won’t qualify for government benefits.”. Etc. If you’re already there, old and broke, you’re done. No choices to make. No right or wrong. But if you have a decade or more left to prepare, and haven’t covered every base, then today’s conditions should scare the hell out of you, and you should get moving. And, this isn’t West Africa. Solutions not easy, but simple here, by comparison.
Thanks for clarifying your thoughts. Personally I think there’s more to the equation…that our way of doing things is inherently flawed and will result, either by design or by circumstance in more and more people facing their ‘golden years’ ender a ‘golden shower’ due to trickled-on theory. There are some who’ve posted from a “screw’em position”, which gets my dander up, (you probably could’ve guessed that, from some of my previous posts) due to the Calvinist judgement in their attitudes, implied or not. Peace.
Peace.
What upsets me is when I give a healthy cash hand out to those in need and come to find out it’s all a scam. (lady with sign at Y gave my $60 to some guy after she claimed domestic abuse–I watched this happen)–no I don’t know the full truth, but I have decided not to give handouts to people holding signs. I don’t want those who for the most part truly need help, to go without so have decided to give my money to legitimate organizations in town.
Rain: Welcome to reality. I’ve watched many a low life stand in front of Raleys looking OH SO FORLORNED with their heads down….then after a while someone drives up and they give them the cash or they switch low lifes. It’s a TOTAL scam. Just like the BMW fraud. I saw that as well. WHO comes to Tahoe with not enough money for gas, or lodging. REALLY?!?!
I don’t buy that crap for a second. Most of the time they are a product of living off fraudulently obtained money and too lazy to fend for themselves. I know there are SOME real cases but the majority are lazy, drug addicts. I always tell them PET-Co or McDonalds is hiring…..go get a job. There are plenty of jobs of sorts for those willing to work. Trust me…the roadside BMW or the clowns in front of Raleys are FRAUD. Save your hard earned cash…or throw them a penny and drive on.
Yes MCDOANALDS IS HIRING ,
If it’s a person I haven’t seen before, I’ll sometimes go in and buy a sandwich for them. And I’ve given McDonald’s gift cards. But never cash. Never.