People used to work!

DWB

Well-Known Member
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/bid...ystem-he-needs-stop-paying-people-not-working

This is a good opinion piece about the welfare system in the U.S.. While labeled as opinion, there are many facts included that cannot be refuted.

I remember starting work in the 1970's. Everyone seemed to work in those days. You either worked or you didn't eat. Of course, the ill and elderly were taken care of, but able-bodied men and women were required to work. Then welfare became the norm, the "welfare" Cadillac" joke was indeed real. I've heard many women at that time state the more kids they had the more money they got, plus not having a husband added to the amount.

The article mentions the welfare reform of the 1990's which greatly reduced welfare rolls and the poverty rate, but Brandon wiped out all those requirements for covid and they still remain in effect. Just another push towards taking the nation down!
 

Wally

Choose Your Words Carefully...
And now they have lawn mowers that operate themselves.

If I wanted a model car or ammo for my Daisy air rifle, I had to work and earn the money or at least scour the neighborhood for 5 bottles to get a free soda.
But then that was when pennies actually meant something.

It seems now-a-days you are born with a VISA/MasterCard....
 

jab777

Well-Known Member
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/bid...ystem-he-needs-stop-paying-people-not-working

This is a good opinion piece about the welfare system in the U.S.. While labeled as opinion, there are many facts included that cannot be refuted.

I remember starting work in the 1970's. Everyone seemed to work in those days. You either worked or you didn't eat. Of course, the ill and elderly were taken care of, but able-bodied men and women were required to work. Then welfare became the norm, the "welfare" Cadillac" joke was indeed real. I've heard many women at that time state the more kids they had the more money they got, plus not having a husband added to the amount.

The article mentions the welfare reform of the 1990's which greatly reduced welfare rolls and the poverty rate, but Brandon wiped out all those requirements for covid and they still remain in effect. Just another push towards taking the nation down!
When I was ages 12-14 I used to babysit the neighbors’ kids. Then when I got to high school I worked at McDonald’s in my senior year. After high school I worked an office job and went to college part time. This was the pattern till I got my business degree when I was a married mom with a preschooler and a 1 year old. There was never any question that work was necessary.
 

MapleLeaf

Well-Known Member
Sorry, this topic is funny. I sometimes get stuck in the tick-tock style videos that Facebook now copies and I just saw one today where someone did a video on this and the video showed there are articles going back to the 1800s saying that "people just don't want to work anymore". It's fairly typical for people to despair over the next generation. I think some of the bosses that complain the most are the ones who expect their workers to do overtime at very little pay. It is easy to look at the n'er-do-wells and overlook the ones who are working hard. The media and politicians have their own agenda in putting those people at the forefront and showing them favourtism.
 

Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
It used to be that one could raise a family on one outside income, or home business/agriculture, or small proprietor business provided enough income and trade goods to do so.

It used to be that if a family's income was insufficient, barter, crafts, second job, odd jobs, children picking up some part-time work/odd jobs, and extended family made up the difference.

It used to be that extended families meant no one person had to leave the workforce to provide elder or disabled caregiving without help.

It used to be that families raised and preserved part of their own food, and even the cheapest meat, dairy, and produce was clean and safe to eat (no GMOs, and mostly animal manure, compost, beneficial insects, etc. used on family owned farms).

It used to be that children had chores, and such chores actually contributed to the household, farm, business, etc. instead of being symbolic or not teaching the child anything useful, and there were tangible consequences (in addition to punishment) for not doing said chores (taught good work ethic).

It used to be that people needing help were ashamed to ask, people only asked or accepted when there was no other option, and most charity was via churches and a few (mostly religious) charities.

It used to be that people gave a lot more money, time, and goods to churches and charity. It used to be that even children had their own offering envelopes to take to children's church/Sunday School.

It used to be that taxes were reasonable.

It used to be that mortgage rates were about two percent higher than the interest paid on savings accounts, savings accounts paid enough interest to actually see (about 4 percent for a very long time), banks gave premiums like place settings and toasters for saving, and basic checking accounts were free with a modest $1 to $25 minimum balance. It used to be that Farmers and Mechanics Bank had student savings accounts that children started in school with the help of the teacher, and everyone brought their deposits to school in a sealed envelope once a week.

It used to be that a family generally only needed one car, and if it was unaffordable, carpooling, hitchhiking, mass transit, bicycling, and/or walking were both acceptable and expected. It used to be safe to hitchhike and pick up hitchhikers.

It used to be safe to stop and help someone broken down or out of gas on the side of the road.

It used to be the norm to listen to the baseball game on the radio while maintaining or repairing the family car under a tree on Saturday afternoon.

It used to be that people's expectation of material wealth was more modest and in keeping with the reality of one's income and resources.

It used to be that property was cared for because it had to last, a lot of clothing was home-made or purchased at the hardware, five-and-dime, co-op, or thrift shop, and hand-me-downs (and hand-me-ups) were the norm.

It used to be that upward mobility was available to law-abiding people via hard work and good financial management.

It used to be that most families owned dog(s) and/or cat(s) for practical reasons (including companionship), and not status or frivolity.

It used to be that the public schools had the Bible, prayer, the Ten Commandments, and homework (which taught a good work ethic) and the 3Rs. Children were literate enough in reading, writing, arithmetic, and basic living skills, acceptable behavior, and civics to function in the real world after completing third grade (end of primary grades/primary school). Children also had their own library cards and knew how to (and did) use the public library.

It used to be that families went to church or synagogue pretty much every week, helped their neighbors without question, most people voted, most people flew the American flag, everyone watched out for the neighborhood children, if a child misbehaved the parents knew before the child got home, parents spanked their children early and often for bad behavior, lying (or suspected or accused of such), and parents washed their children's mouths out with soap for lying, cursing, disrespect, or other unacceptable speech.
 

Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
It is a privilege to be able to work.
Shame on those who can , but choose not to work.

I agree that those, who can, should work. But it isn't always cut-and-dried.

What is your definition of being able to work? Physical and mental health? Do family circumstances or beliefs enter into the equation? What about persecution/exclusion/discrimination of/against religious or ethnic groups, or women?

Some families choose to have one parent stay home and not work outside the home. The recent pandemic also caused parents (usually the Mother) to leave the workforce or (sometimes) have lots of absences because of kids not being in a brick-and-mortar school and too young or irresponsible to be at home alone without supervision.

I chose to take care of my very elderly parents (now only Dad). Because of his behavior, frailty, and senility, and my service-connected disabilities, I am unable to work outside his home and am technically homeless (albeit considered sheltered). If The Lord tarries, after Dad's gone to Heaven, I'll be homeless (unsheltered) for some period of time until I can get on my feet. Hopefully, I'll still be able to work and someone will be willing to hire me (ageism is very real). I trust God for the consequences of not being able to save, build equity, add to my Social Security, or have my student loan payments credited to PSLF. Learned the trusting God for consequences from a Charles Stanley sermon :biggrin
 
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Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
I worked at gas stations as a teen. Paid much better than "girls' jobs," plus I learned very useful skills that are still useful.

The best gas station gave a $0.25 per hour raise for each new skill/repair learned, and the weekly paycheck reflected all raises for the whole week :smile Minimum wage was $1.32/hour, but they started at $2.00/hour. And we were allowed/encouraged to use the lifts, tools, etc. for personal/family car when not on the clock and there was an available bay. Skills/repairs learned in this way also counted for raises. Learning how to change out motor mounts (bottom type) on my parents' car was the hardest and dirtiest raise I earned :lol That gas station was open all night in a bad area of town, but one of the best jobs I ever had because of incentives to learn, a great manager, and good coworkers :smile
 
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Kitten

Member
Work is vital, for so many reasons. I had to take a too-early retirement back in '21, and even though I have been blessed with good 401K accounts, I realize now just how important work was in my life, to my overall well-being. I miss it. Sigh.
 

mphsmom

Well-Known Member
The day I turned 16, I started working at Caldors. Worked there until I went to college full time and worked 5 jobs in two states while I was in college and I bought my own brand new car too. I worked until I had my daughter at 34. My husband let me be a stay home mom. I tried working part time when she got older, but my medical conditions wouldn't let me. Even now, I wish I could find a job I could do sitting down.
 
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