Saturday, August 6, 2011

My Dander is Up Again!!!

August 6, 2011

It's a pretty Saturday morning even though the weatherman is saying that it is hot and sticky outside.  I guess it just depends on where you are sitting.  I am sitting in my living room, and who knows where he is.  On the weather map, it looks as if there is a lot of rain all over the southeast part of the country and it will be coming our way later today or tonight.

Yesterday's newspaper had a headline that drew my attention.  "New law worries welfare advocates."  The only time these folks get worried is when we are trying to make sure that the "free" money is being spent legally.  So I read the article.  Now my dander is up!!!  Critics of the new law are saying that it only stigmatizes low-income people as prone to vices and irresponsible with money.  They also say that there are no facts to back up having this law. 

This new law makes it illegal to use welfare monies to purchase alcohol, cigarettes and lottery tickets.  If beneficiaries are caught buying these items with their welfare money they will be required to reimburse the state, and the store owners caught selling them will be fined $500 to $1,000.  Mind you, there are lots of ways to get around this law, but I won't go into that here. 

I don't think the system goes far enough with this new law.  The funds on a recipient's card should not be allowed to be turned into cash - only product.  Folks, for years, we have all watched the huge amounts of welfare monies being spent on drugs, alcohol, junk foods, lottery tickets, etc.  I don't get any of this money, but I certainly cannot afford to spend what I do have on these things.  I don't know about most folks, but I first have to pay to keep a roof over my head, food on my table, and all the bills that go along with living in a house or apartment.  And I had to work very hard and long for my money too.  Any comments?

Meanwhile, yesterday I mentioned that I haven't seen many dragonflies this year.  Shortly after writing that, a couple of them showed up.  For the first couple of hours though, I was not able to get photographs because of where they were.  This first photo shows a little bare tree branch that is on the other side of the butterflies bushes.  I put a circle around the spot where the dragonfly is perched.


This next photo is a close up of that spot.  Even though it is quite fuzzy, you can make out the dragonfly sitting on top of that tree limb.


A bit later,  the dragonfly came a lot closer, and I was able to get a lot of really nice photos.  Those, I will save for tomorrow.  Right now, I have to do a bit of laundry.  That's all for this morning.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

3 comments:

seamhead gypsy said...

Comments? You betcha! I can't disagree with you at all! Before I retired, I spent at least a third of my life protecting the citizens who lived in a suburb of Cleveland. I saw first hand how some of those recipients spent our tax dollars. What got my dander up was that I had to be inconvenienced at least once a year to drive to a not so close medical center for a drug test. So I always wondered why I had to be drug tested but the recipients of some of my hard earned money were not. I also learned long ago that I probably couldn't count on social security to keep me comfortable in my golden years. That's why I maxed out my contributions into a deferred comp program to help support me when social security won't be available to me.

Nani said...

I gotta agree with you and SG on this one too. Private and public sector people are subject to drug testing to keep their paychecks, so should people needing public assistance. Money to aid in living expenses; food, clothing, shelter and transportation, should be just that, LIVING expenses. The recreational items, like tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets and the lot, should not be available to purchase with assistance money because they are of NO assistance!

My brother has to be able to produce receipts for SS money he receives for his daughters on-demand. Surely recipients of assistance should be accountable for no less than a widowed father!

Anonymous said...

First of all I agree totally that the hard workers are the ones being penalized. Don't take me wrong there are people who need a helping hand to get back on their feet and then there are those who feel that they deserve to get what they want without trying to make their lives better. Make people responsible stop enabling them. Now second I love your photos and wonder if you would post the brand and model of camera you use. My husband and I love nature and what it all entails and take alot of pictures but your shots seem to be so much more detailed and brilliant. Thanks for all your wonderful posts.