From the children at Democratic Underground:
The Cato Institute recently ran the numbers and found out that, yes, in fact the poor are getting the middle class’ (and the rich’s) money to the tune of 3 times minimum wage in some cases (a summary can be found in THIS POST). In fact, if a poor family were to take advantage of every welfare program available, they can “earn” more than $20/hr, which is more than many middle class working families.
The real con game is getting people to think in terms of slogans fit for bumper stickers.
Sifting Reality 
One thought.
Good. Glad to hear it. I’m glad the poor are able to catch a break somehow.
You’re glad to hear that people who can work, don’t and get paid more to sit on their rear than people who bust their hump trying to make ends meet? I’m sure jesus was all for that too.
Jesus didn’t appreciate the right’s love of money, John. Worship of mammon is highly frowned upon by Jesus. The poor certainly don’t worship mammon and if they have to con in order to survive, than con they should. There are going to be one heck of a lot of “Christian” people shocked when they figure out that God didn’t appreciate their attitudes or their direct persecution of the struggling poor.
You know some of the wealthiest members of the government are Democrats right? Theyre also the biggest tax cheats
TheWarrioress,
You said, “Jesus DIDN’T appreciate the right’s love of money, John.” (Emphasis added).
You say that as though it already happened, which leads me to believe you are referring to the episode in the Temple with the “money-changers.” Are you seriously suggesting that they were members of the “Right” as the term is understood today?
What’s next? Lucifer being the former RNC Chair?
Seriously, your leftwing bias drools out in puddles.
Study on the parable of Lazarus in hell, while the poor beggar enjoys heaven. Seriously, Terrance. I suggest you study that really well. God doesn’t like the way the right is treating the poor within this nation or the world. You can try and twist and reinterpret scripture all day long, but it is very clear what Jesus thought of the poor when He walked this earth. The bible tells us over and over how God will protect and care for the poor and how they will ascend in power and greatness for eternity, while the rich will be elsewhere with Satan, ruling nothing.
If a man doesn’t work neither should he eat. Paul says it there pretty good. Notice in Jesus’ parable of the vineyard he makes people work for their money, he doesnt just hand it out. No where in scripture does God ever endorse or command authorities to prop up the poor. The only command given to institutions regarding the poor is that they are treated fairly in court. The commands to care for the poor are for individuals.
You cant defend what the U.S. governments does with tax money for the poor with the bible.
“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. He cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish.” (Luke, Chapter 16)
“Most Christians believe in the immortality of the soul and particular judgment and see the story as consistent with it. Others believe that the main point of the parable was to warn the godless wealthy about their need for repentance in this life and Jesus did not intend to give a preview of life after death.[22] The parable teaches in this particular case that both identity and memory remain after death for the soul of the one in a hell.[6] Eastern Orthodox Christians and Latter Day Saints see the story as consistent with their belief in Hades, where the righteous and unrighteous alike await the resurrection of the dead. Western Christians usually interpret Lazarus as being in Heaven or Limbo and the rich man in Hell.” Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_man_and_Lazarus
So then you wont be responding to my comment…
I dont take my theology from Wikipedia. The fact that you did says quite a bit about you.
Oh, that’s rich! It’s scripture and an interpretation that is common to Christians, John. COMMON TO CHRISTIANS.
I dont read Wikipedia for theology.
But will you be responding to my comment about how the bible says we ought to address the poor?
Paul is talking about those who will not work, who are taking advantage. Paul is not talking about the majority of the struggling poor, disabled, elderly, the sick, single moms, etc.
Here is more scripture for you and your comment about how Christians are to treat the poor, John:
“Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.” Psalm 35: 9-10
“Sow your land for six years and gather in its crops, but in the seventh year leave it alone and give it a rest so that your poor may eat from it. What they leave, let the wildlife have. Do the same with your vineyards and olive groves. Exodus 23:10 – 11
“When you harvest your land, don’t harvest right up to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings from the harvest. Don’t strip your vineyard bare or go back and pick up the fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am God, your God.” Leviticus 19: 9-10
“‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. Leviticus 25: 35
“If you want to give it all you’ve got,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.” That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go. As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom? Let me tell you, it’s easier to gallop a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.” Matthew 19: 21-24
No one here is talking about legitimate uses of safety net programs. It is always about the abusers, of which there are exponentially more than you are wiloing to see.
Second, none of those say anything about imposing taxes to support the poor by the govt. So why do you support gouging the wealthy to robin hood their money to the poor? Since you want to be biblical…
I believe there is enough of everything on this plaent for all of us to share and live well, if we do not become greedy.
Why do you – and all liberals – automatically assume rich people are greedy? Was Solomon greedy when God blessed him with wealth?
Wealth does not equal greed. As has been pointed out, the empirical evidence shows that we conservatives spend many, many, many, many times as much on charity as the liberals do (and most of what liberals spend for charity is for causes like environmentalism, animal “rights,” etc – nothing to help people). Jesus said that the poor will always be with us – He never told us to try to eliminate it. We as Christians are also to take care of believers first (every read Galatians 6:10?), which means if I as a Christian do not have enough to take care of believers first, then I certainly don’t have enough to take care of others. I give as much as I can without putting myself in poverty.
It is not the government’s job to decide who needs the money and who doesn’t. Every welfare program the government has ever come up with has led to disaster, causing more people to become poor and leaving more people without care. And yet you want them to continue to take our money and put it in wasteful programs to make YOU and liberals like you FEEL GOOD about doing SOMETHING!
You promote class warfare every time you make rich people out to be greedy. I’m sure some are, but a blanket claim against all is illogical, unethical and downright immoral.
Conservatives give more in volunteer time, monetary donations to charities, and blood donations. Thats not an opinion, its a measured fact.
TheWarrioress,
My concern has nothing to do with your opinion that Jesus wasn’t happy with the money-changers. My problem is your insistence on framing Jesus’ actions in political terms. God is beyond politics. But since you brought it up, I’m sure Jesus would appreciate the Left murdering and dismembering unborn children, emboldening homosexuals and transsexuals, and normalizing every sexual perversion under the sun.
Remember Jesus’ parable of the workers? Keep in mind he paid the guy who worked all day the same thing as the guy who worked an hour and told the complainer to shut it, we had a deal.