Its clearly the right time to slash the social safety net

[Tupac Shakur]

The solution is to take away SS and Medicare from the elderly and give to children. Why we have this so backward is beyond me.

[Kidlicious]

Yeah, I'm sure I don't believe in a figment of my imagination.
Fortunately there's nothing for me to actually prove since I have no beliefs in that area.

You believe that everyone can get a job at 30k. How much am I exaggerating? You believe in a figment of your imagination.

[giblets]

When I read his post I interpreted it as "I'm surprised someone who was working as an architect for 100k can't get a job for 30k", not "I think everyone can get a job at 30k".

[loinburger]

You believe that everyone can get a job at 30k.

Please quote where he said this, because I'm looking and I can't see it.

[Fake Boris]

I don't think living in a trailer park is that expensive, even for poor people.

Am I right in thinking that in the USA, it is rare for someone who makes say, 70 thousand dollars per year to live as if he only made 40 or 50 thousand and save the rest with the objective of buying a few properties in a period of 15 years and then living from the rents of those properties?
Or would that be bad business there for some reason?

It's not really possible to do this in the US. The housing market is not the same in the 1st world.

[DanS]

He could do the first two steps, but it wouldn't pay enough for him to retire after 15 years, I'm guessing.

[Mojotronica]

The solution is to take away SS and Medicare from the elderly and give to children. Why we have this so backward is beyond me.

Kids don't vote.

[DaShi]

That's where Ozzy comes in.

[kentonio]

There is no connection between Social Security/Medicare and homeless kids, you ****ing moron. There might be some connection between unemployment benefits and homeless kids, but the GOP supported a lengthy extension of unemployment benefits and a payroll tax holiday that benefited all workers.

Ever heard of bankrupcy due to medical bills you clueless ****?

[Hauldren Collider]

Yeah, so, I've pointed this out over and over again to you, kentonio, but the cuts that Republicans propose are basically only to wealthy people. Ending upper-class welfare

Who's the clueless ****?

[Hauldren Collider]

Kids don't vote.

Folks, we have a winner here.

**** the elderly and their voting bloc

[KrazyHorse]

Ever heard of bankrupcy due to medical bills you clueless ****?

Are there a lot of 65 year-olds with dependent children where you live?

What a useless ****ing poster you are.

[Tupac Shakur]

Are there a lot of 65 year-olds with dependent children where you live?

What a useless ****ing poster you are.

QFT

[Zevico]

Is it ever the "right" or the "wrong" time to "slash the social safety net"? Are there circumstances in which it should be slashed, or raised? When? Does the wisdom of that scheme depend on the "right time"? If so, how?

What were the rates of child homelessness when these programs were introduced?
What are the rates today?
If higher or lower, does it mean the program has failed?

You've reduced this issue to a single statistic but it's much more complicated than that. Poverty and homelessness is caused by many factors. The proper task is to determine which factors, taken together, have a greater influence; whether there are ways of combating their influence; and which of those means is the better. For example, social safety nets are not panaceas and, when poorly designed, can have the perverse effect of perpetuating poverty.

[Kidlicious]

Zevico,

I believe there is very little truth to your claim that safety nets perpetuate poverty. You are making the assumption that because of these programs people don't look for jobs. That's the rare case, and it doesn't really matter that some do not try to work, because there aren't enough jobs both for them and for others who truly wish to work, but can't. So it comes down to a question of whether or not these programs keep people off the street or not, which is answered using common sense.