Do you think that people who earn more than you shouldn't care about welfare abuse? Or care that there are folks who think that b/c the government is able to pick the pockets of their neighbors they ought to take advantage of it JUST b/c it's there???

"Doing well" is a matter of personal opinion. We ALL struggle with one thing or another. But, we would all be doing much better if we didn't have to take care of those who don't pay taxes and those who take advantage of government assistance. If you can't afford something, don't get it--including kids.

Like I said, we've gotten away from the real subject matter here.

No i did not say that at all or mean to insuate it. I do not know if you earn more than me and my h do or not and it does not matter to me what you or i earn. I pay taxes the same as you as i have held a job (and so has my H) for my entire adult life and most of my teen years as well.

Do you think if people did not take advantage of it then the program would go away? Maybe so but the tax dollars would go elsewhere not back to you or i.

When me and my H moved to the location we are now the school district offered a TAG (talented and gifted) program. Both of my DDs were eligible for this program because they were smart and their teachers nominated them for the program.

This teachers for this program were paid for with tax dollars and heck yes i took advantage of it for my kids (never for myself but anything for my kids) and i do not see anything wrong with that.

We have also always supported our kids and i agree that you should not but something if you can not afford it.

I am simply stating that THIS taxpayer thinks differently than you regarding WIC that is all.

Let them have cake! lol


Cake eaters and WAS both suck. Instead of cake they should both eat cow pies.

I thank God for WIC (and the taxpayers who make it possible) because it helped my daughter feed and nourish my two grandchildren. She works full-time and has been with the same company for five years but her income is not very high, still isn't.

My oldest GD was born with some medical problems that required surgery and there was no way my daughter could afford that. She was able to get the surgery through a government medical program for children with special needs. When my GS was born, WIC helped again.

She took maybe one week off of work for the birth of both children. She has NEVER had a vacation. Her paycheck goes for necessities only. She gets a nice tax return each year but it usually ends up going to buy much needed new clothes for the kids and catching up on bills.

Could she afford kids? No. But she didn't/doesn't believe in abortion on demand either. And they're here now. She doesn't want any more children (has learned THAT lesson the hard way) and had her tubes tied after my GS was born.

I'm proud of her for how hard she works to provide for her little family. She is looking for a new job since she just used her tax money to pay back her boss for loans he made her throughout the year to get by. She didn't want to leave owing him any money.

It was because of government programs that she has been able to better herself and SURVIVE.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if a person can afford a cruise, no matter where the money came from, then they shouldn't be taking government money.

The only exception I could see would be if someone BOUGHT the tickets for them and they were non-refundable. But going on a cruise involves more than just the tickets themselves, there are all kinds of other costs involved.

I dunno, my daughter would be THRILLED to go on a cruise, but she knows that's not realistic until her financial picture improves and she doesn't require assistance.

She jokes that maybe some day her (wealthy) knight in shining armor will rescue her. But until then, she does what she has to do.

Well, your earlier statement sounded as though you do care what others make and approve of high taxes for those who earn more money than you do.


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Now you're back to the "If the program is there why not take advantage of it." mentality.

Taking from your neighbor is still taking from your neighbor, whether you break into their house and steal from them or whether you ELECT someone to do it for you.

I hope your bright girls will grow up one day to take advantage of the AMERICAN DREAM (while it still lasts) not government programs.

It all boils down to morals. Do you have them or don't you?

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a great program in that it not only provides what mothers cannot afford, but also education. From what I recall they encourage breast feeding and offer (require?) classes. This is great for those who need it because with all the babies having babies these days, IMO, it's education that they lack! And without much family support they need a place to turn.

My accountant told me, "the Government wants you to take their money". Kind of like a 'use it or lose it' scenario. If you qualify, you should apply. However, I'm sure the Government doesn't want you lying or cheating and that's not a very harmonious way to live. You know who you are if you're doing it! I accept that my tax dollars help the needy. Heck, a year ago I WAS the needy and thanks to a program I found out about thru my power company, y'all paid to keep the lights on in this very house.

What you give out in life comes back to you - ALWAYS. And if you take from life, then life will take from you.

OH - and I think it's safe to say I have a Walk Away Spouse.

The government has money?

My goodness, a little disagreement results in this!!!

There is really no need to bring my children into this discussion at all. We simply have a difference of opinion.

Me and my H make enough money that we have NEVER qualified for any assistance other than WIC (and that was only for a short time until we started earning more money) and i think WIC is a wonderful program as was the TAG program at my childrens school (which has since been done away with due to lack of funding so the talented and gifted children no longer get more challenging assignments while staying with children of their same age group).

I did not set up the WIC program it was set up well before i had children and i did not set up the TAG program. And i was not asked what my income was for my children to be in the TAG program.

While i agree with all of you that you should not accept assistance if you do not need it, i feel if the program is there and you meet the qualification for it you should take advantage of it.

At least i know my tax dollars are going to a good cause as PM just posted regarding her DD.

PS FWIW all three of my children have also had jobs since they were 15.

First of all, let's clear up that YOU are the one who brought your children into the discussion.

Where I am from, all schools offer programs for "gifted" students. It is just part of the standard public school system--the gifted program. Property taxes and the lottery fund the educational aspect of the schoold there.

TAG program was discontinued likely because too many people decided to bilk our government by getting WIC and taking cruises!

I feel sorry for the elderly people who either don't have insurance or not enough insurance and can't get proper medical care or prescriptions that they need but also can't get any government or community assistance.

The people who are able to provide for themselves and their families but take assistance should be ashamed.

Actually i brought the TAG program into the discussion, my children were simply put in it to say that they were able to take advantage of the program that actually i had no idea was funded by tax dollars until it was cut and i asked why and that is when i found out about the funding.

And in my state TAG is not part of the standard public school program, you would have to go to a private school for this kind of program here.

I too feel sorry for the elderly who live on fixed incomes. My mother was one of them, she would go without her medicine so that she could pay her bills. She was not able to get any assistance either.

At least she lived in a small community and the pharmicist knew everyone by name. He let my mom charge her medicine and make payments on it, when she passed away the pharmicist told us not to worry about mom's bill, there is no way we could have done that and he was paid.

Even with all that said i still belive the WIC program is a good program and i am glad my tax payer dollars go into it and i hope everyone who qualifies takes advantage of it.

Let me ask you this do you and your H take all of your deductions when you file your taxes?

I would hope the answer is yes because you are entitled to them.

That is all i am saying about WIC. The program does exist, it has an income qualification, if you meet that qualification then you are entitled to the benefits of the program.

We support our own family and do not receive assistance of any kind. My H and i choose to not have things like cell phones and expensive cars and we only have basic cable and no long distance on our phone and we shop at the thrift store for our things so that we can take vacations and such with our family.

Taking DEDUCTIONS is NOT the same thing as accepting government hand outs.

Deductions are about keeping more of what YOU have EARNED.

Accepting hand outs are about taking what OTHERS have EARNED.

Sorry about my confusion on who brought the children issue into the conversation...My bad.

About the only deduction my H and I can take on our taxes is our interest on our mortgage. Our kids are grown so, there aren't many deductions for us to take.

Like I said before, it's as bad as saying, that man over there is AVAILABLE/WILLIMG to have an affair with me so, why shouldn't I "take advantage" of doing that? Even though I'm narried and I don't need him but, as long as he is there and willing, I might as well....

See the difference?

If it's needed FINE, if it's not needed but just "available"--not FINE.

Folks - let's keep this respectful and let's get back on topic...

Hear hear

Can we get back to Opinion on Cake Eaters v.s. Walk Away Spouses?

Will do but i do think i was being respectful.

I was finding this rather interesting