Sick of the upper class bashing

[cc1013]

I have to disagree in to the comparison of grants being welfare. Grants are a part of the system that helps people go to college. Yes, sometimes people that shouldn't get grants do and vise-versa. Still, coming from a single-parent home where both my mom and I had paid into the tax system for years, should I not accept the pell grant I was awarded simply because it's viewed as a handout? The pell grants are supported through our tax system and granted to individuals who qualify. Had I not received my grants (which definitely we not enough to cover even half of my expenses) I don't think I could have afforded school. Essentially, the taxes that I now pay contribute the the grant system and others can benefit. People do skim the system, but show me a government supported program where that doesn't happen.

 

[CheshireVal]

I'm taking a wild stab in the dark and thinking that maybe he was here as a displaced person after the wars over there, and there were federal aid packages offered for refugees. But I could be really wrong.

Anne

Okay, that does make sense.

 

[ducklite]

So you would prefer to punish the many, for the sins of a few?

~Amanda

I'm not sure what you are saying. I'm not saying we need to cut off all benefits to everyone, and I never did.

I'm saying that we need to tighten the purse strings and force able bodied/minded people to exhaust alternate options before requesting and getting public aid. I also think that in all but the most serious situations there should be a waiting period of up to six weeks for aid to begin after application--with a review just before the first "check" is issued. My guess is that in a measurable number of cases, people will have figured out a solution on thier own and no longer be eligible for/need public assistance.

 

[Arielle22]

I noticed on many threads that McMansions were called cookie cutter. This is nothing new.

If you look at the houses on the street I grew up on the houses were all the same layout with slight changes to the front (porch added) or maybe the floor plan was flipped. These houses were built in the 1940's.

If I look out my bedroom window now I see 3 houses that again are the same except for some outside details. These houses are from the 1950's.

If you drive down any street in South Boston all the triple deckers are the same.

In my town the larger houses aren't put in old neighborhoods. The former farmlands are all new developments and these houses have land with them.

 

[Chloe'sMom]

I have to disagree in to the comparison of grants being welfare. Grants are a part of the system that helps people go to college. Yes, sometimes people that shouldn't get grants do and vise-versa. Still, coming from a single-parent home where both my mom and I had paid into the tax system for years, should I not accept the pell grant I was awarded simply because it's viewed as a handout? The pell grants are supported through our tax system and granted to individuals who qualify. Had I not received my grants (which definitely we not enough to cover even half of my expenses) I don't think I could have afforded school. Essentially, the taxes that I now pay contribute the the grant system and others can benefit. People do skim the system, but show me a government supported program where that doesn't happen.

I pay into the tax system for years, I have now lost my job due to outsourcing, and I had to take a job w/o health benefits. Should I not accept welfare, WIC, and CHIPS in order to take care of my family during these hard times?

BTW - I completely agree with what you are saying. But many many people would say "tough luck" to you.

~Amanda

 

[ducklite]

I have to disagree in to the comparison of grants being welfare. Grants are a part of the system that helps people go to college. Yes, sometimes people that shouldn't get grants do and vise-versa. Still, coming from a single-parent home where both my mom and I had paid into the tax system for years, should I not accept the pell grant I was awarded simply because it's viewed as a handout? The pell grants are supported through our tax system and granted to individuals who qualify. Had I not received my grants (which definitely we not enough to cover even half of my expenses) I don't think I could have afforded school. Essentially, the taxes that I now pay contribute the the grant system and others can benefit. People do skim the system, but show me a government supported program where that doesn't happen.

Grants are a handout. Loans, private scholarships and private grants, and work/study would have afforded you to go to public school without a public funds grant.

 

[hydster]

I pay into the tax system for years, I have now lost my job due to outsourcing, and I had to take a job w/o health benefits. Should I not accept welfare, WIC, and CHIPS in order to take care of my family during these hard times?

BTW - I completely agree with what you are saying. But many many people would say "tough luck" to you.

~Amanda

Nope because you didn't PLAN for it to happen that way and if you are not prepared financially for anything to go wrong in your life you're screwed! The goal here is to find a good fortune teller that can tell you what horrible things to save up for so you never have to ask for help from anyone!

 

[Tyler's Dad]

Grants are a handout. Loans, private scholarships and private grants, and work/study would have afforded you to go to public school without a public funds grant.

Grants were put in place to help students afford schools that may not be able to without them. In most places, grants are only given to bring the cost of tuition down. Nobody gets a free ride off of grants. Without those grants, kids coming from smaller schools, whose families don't have much money, would not be able to afford many universities.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I disagree. I think taxpayer funded grants are hand outs, loans are hand ups.

I worked very hard to earn my degree. I didn't live in palatial housing. In fact I lived in the cheapest dorm on campus for a good portion of my schooling (a co-op with no air conditioning). I ate many ramen noodles and at times had just enough to eat ONE meal a day. We all have our hardships.

On a related note, I did know those who abused student loans as well.

 

[Chloe'sMom]

Grants were put in place to help students afford schools that may not be able to without them. In most places, grants are only given to bring the cost of tuition down. Nobody gets a free ride off of grants. Without those grants, kids coming from smaller schools, whose families don't have much money, would not be able to afford many universities.

Then they should MOVE. They should get better jobs and not be farmers.
Don't they know they should PLAN for their children to attend universities in the city?

~Amanda

 

[cc1013]

Grants are a handout. Loans, private scholarships and private grants, and work/study would have afforded you to go to public school without a public funds grant.

By the way, I did go to a public school, had loans, private scholarships and work study. With all that, I still had a grant and make zero apologies for it. I didn't go to a private, super expensive school, I did it within my means which included a pell grant. And now, I pay into the system significantly and support others. It's how the government works. Should I not accept my current tax deduction for being a student because it's also a handout? You make it sound like everyone is taking advantage of the system.

 

[Chloe'sMom]

Nope because you didn't PLAN for it to happen that way and if you are not prepared financially for anything to go wrong in your life you're screwed! The goal here is to find a good fortune teller that can tell you what horrible things to save up for so you never have to ask for help from anyone!

To Do List:
*Go to the Gym
*Pick up Daughter from Daycare
*Grab Dinner
*Look for Fortune Teller
*Balance Check Book

 

[connorlevismom]

Not to be a downer, but this thread has gone completely OT and the subject that it is has turned into is nothing that I wanted it to turn into. Please use the other theads on this very subject to have this discussion.

Kristine

 

[ducklite]

Grants were put in place to help students afford schools that may not be able to without them. In most places, grants are only given to bring the cost of tuition down. Nobody gets a free ride off of grants. Without those grants, kids coming from smaller schools, whose families don't have much money, would not be able to afford many universities.

I have no problem with PRIVATE grants obtained through funds donated to universities being given to students to help defray costs. I do not think that public funds should pay for people's college educations. So the student can't afford the college of their dreams--there are plenty of other fine but less expensive schools who would be able to offer privately funded assistance packages. Publicly funded grants are a free ride, because the tax payers don't need to be paid back.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Not to be a downer, but this thread has gone completely OT and the subject that it is has turned into is nothing that I wanted it to turn into. Please use the other theads on this very subject to have this discussion.

Kristine

Threads often morph into other things. It happens here all of the time.

 

[Chloe'sMom]

Not to be a downer, but this thread has gone completely OT and the subject that it is has turned into is nothing that I wanted it to turn into. Please use the other theads on this very subject to have this discussion.

Kristine

Because we are all getting along?

 

[Chloe'sMom]

Not to be a downer, but this thread has gone completely OT and the subject that it is has turned into is nothing that I wanted it to turn into. Please use the other theads on this very subject to have this discussion.

Kristine

I have no problem with PRIVATE grants obtained through funds donated to universities being given to students to help defray costs. I do not think that public funds should pay for people's college educations. So the student can't afford the college of their dreams--there are plenty of other fine but less expensive schools who would be able to offer privately funded assistance packages. Publicly funded grants are a free ride, because the tax payers don't need to be paid back.

But see this is where I disagree. If a kid wants to be a Doctor, Lawyer, Scientist - they have to go to the best schools. While I agree they should get student loans and still work - it truly may not be possible. I don't want to hold a kid back and say - No sir you cannot go to medical school and find the cure for cancer because your parents were middle class.

If we get rid of things like grants and such - then only rich people's children will get to go to the good schools and then there really will be a class war. Besides I don't want the Paris Hilton types becoming the only Dr's available.

~Amanda

 

[Galahad]

I haven't read anything but the last few posts but I'd like to chime in with: education grants are a big boon to the economy. It certainly isn't "welfare". A good percentage of people that get education grants generate a lot more than the cost of the grant in tax money from higher incomes than we ever would have saved by not having the grants. Moving people out of poverty or "up the ladder" helps EVERYBODY. I can't think of a more defensible way than helping folks get an education.

Note: no, nobody in my family have ever gotten grants. I just think it's a pretty silly think to attack.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

No, we should all live in poverty and work three jobs if we weren't born into the right family.

 

[ducklite]

By the way, I did go to a public school, had loans, private scholarships and work study. With all that, I still had a grant and make zero apologies for it. I didn't go to a private, super expensive school, I did it within my means which included a pell grant. And now, I pay into the system significantly and support others. It's how the government works. Should I not accept my current tax deduction for being a student because it's also a handout? You make it sound like everyone is taking advantage of the system.

I think the "system" is horribly bloated. If we would cut away many of the "handouts" we would all pay far less in taxes. If you were paying less in taxes, you would have more to put towards tuition, food for your family, health insurance, etc.

I don't think "everyone" is taking advantage. I do think there is a lot of room for us as a nation to put more money into the pockets of hardworking citizens by cutting back on a lot of things--starting with our military (not begrudging the individual soldiers anything, but the cost of this "war" is absurd), and trickling down through pork-belly spending to social services.