What would you do with it if you could get it...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ May 23 2006, 05:31 PM) [snapback]260014[/snapback]</div>

The posts by you and dogtrainer sound as if you're unaware of the welfare reform achieved under Clinton, in a truly bipartisan fashion, over 10 years ago. It effectively ended the former system under which able-bodied people (mostly women) could stay on welfare indefinitely. (Most of the money paid out was earmarked for the children, not the adults, but that's where the system broke down and devolved into the growth of a "welfare culture".) Now they are limited to a set amount of financial benefits (I think it's for a year) and MUST participate in employment training, which includes some temporary child care if needed.

Most of the people still receiving long-term cash benefits are "disabled" or otherwise unable to work (mental impairment). Yes, there's undoubtedly some abuse in too many people being declared partially or fully disabled, as there has always been under various disability/disability retirement programs (and Workers Comp, possibly the most-abused of all). But "welfare" as we knew it was drastically cut, including Food Stamps.

The former emphasis on building high-density public housing ("projects" to the poor) was abandoned about 20 years ago as a failure. Replacing it as "housing help" for low-income people has mostly been "Section 8", which is a rent subsidy for units on the private market. I don't know how much is being spent on Section 8 compared to what was on public housing, but there's an extreme shortage of Section 8 housing in most urban areas, with waiting lists 2-3 years long or more after signing up.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eyeguy13 @ May 23 2006, 09:15 PM) [snapback]260139[/snapback]</div>

Instead of bitchin' and moanin' about it on PriusChat . . .
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! :angry:

PROTECTED COMMUNICATION:
a. Any lawful communication to a member of Congress or an Inspector General.
b. A communication in which a member of the Armed Forces provides information that the member reasonably believes evidences a violation of law or regulation, including sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination, mismanagement, a gross waste of funds or other resources, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, when such communication is made to any of the following:
(1) A member of Congress, an IG, or a member of a DOD audit, inspection, investigation, or law enforcement organization.
(2) Any other person or organization (including any person or organization in the chain of command) designated under Component regulations or other established administrative procedures to receive such complaints.
( c ) AIR FORCE - Individuals designated to receive disclosures within a member's chain of command are as follows: the first person who has command authority to take UCMJ action against a member up through the general court- martial authority or any superior commander. (AFI 90-301, para 3.31.3)

[NOTE for Military Service Members: Generally, no person may take (or threaten to take) an unfavorable personnel action, or withhold (or threaten to withhold) a favorable personnel action, as a reprisal against a member of the armed forces for making or preparing - a communication to a Member of Congress: an Inspector General; a member of a Department of Defense audit, inspection, investigation, or law enforcement organization; or any other person or organization (including any person or organization in the chain of command) designated pursuant to regulations or other established administrative procedures for such communications. ]

http://judiciary.house.gov/Reportfraud.aspx
http://www.dodig.osd.mil/HOTLINE/fwacompl.htm
http://www.dodig.osd.mil/HOTLINE/milrepri.htm

I have been retired from the military for several years now, so I am not absolutely sure :huh: . . . but . . . I'll bet you a cold one that PriusChat is not within your chain of command. :lol:

P.S. What is the source of your chart of military spending? I would be interested in seeing what the asterisks (*) next to China and Russia denote. Without a reference, yeek, I could draw up something which looks official or substantive. <_<
[edit: I just read Squid's post regarding the chart. Oh, yeah, that too. <_< ]

 

Where the heck is all that money going?!

$2000 toilet seats

$5000 hammer

$1000 door knob

that used to be the running joke.

A friend of mine thats in the Army was telling us that he only made minimum wage & thats why he had to live on base.... I know a cpl of contractors that where in Iraq they got paid 10k a month for installing extra armor on the vehicles . He said he wasnt sure why they didnt let the grunts install the armor unless they didnt want to do the job or they(personel) where where needed else where...


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ghostofjk @ May 24 2006, 12:57 AM) [snapback]260177[/snapback]</div>

I see, thanks~

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ May 24 2006, 12:59 AM) [snapback]260211[/snapback]</div>

As a member of the Armed Forces, I thank you for your service.

You assume wrongly that I'm, as you so eloquently put it "bitchin' and moanin'". I'm stating fact and of course I know that PriusChat is not in my chain of command. So what do you mean? We are on a public site, having a normal discussion about the military, I've disclosed no Secret information. This is my opinion and not the position of the United States Armed Forces. Please explain what you mean and why all the reference information? What is your point?

Why do members of the Right always assume that we on the Left are always crying, and bitching and moaning? It's so pathetic. Really. And childish.

This is the source of the military spending. I wouldn't "draw up something" and make something up just to make a point. I'm not that smart. If you Google US military spending, you will get other sources to confirm this source. And these numbers DO NOT include the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Ar...de/Spending.asp

I hope you are enjoying your retirement. After 18 years of service, I'm looking forward to it myself.




<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ May 23 2006, 11:41 PM) [snapback]260166[/snapback]</div>

Squid, here is the site of the information on the military budget.

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Ar...de/Spending.asp

These figures DO NOT include the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So you can plainly see, we are spending a lot on the military in this country. Like I told Sufferin' Prius Envy, Google US military spending and check these facts. They are accurate.

I know we'll hear from you again...you'll probably say something like "Clinton made up the graph!", or "Hillary picked out the color pink" or something close. Watch. You can't help yourself.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ May 24 2006, 07:24 AM) [snapback]260258[/snapback]</div>

You may be right. The contractor that runs the clinics does not offer health care or retirement benefits. I have a technician that works for them, and she gets straight pay.

All I'm saying is that as the miltiary budget increases, active duty personnel are being drawn down in the Air Force. We always have to do more with less. There is less money each year for new equipment. Less money to go to required medical conferences. Etc... I'm just telling you about my little sphere in the military world. We are NOT seeing this extra cash. Contractors are everywhere on our base. They are manning the front gates, they are in personnel and finance. In the clinic's now. On the flight line fixing planes.

Commanders on this base have complained about the contractors. There are more of them. The remaining active duty members have to do more of the details and are deploying more frequently because there are less active duty around.

That's all. You can attack this again if you want. Go ahead. I'm getting used to it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dsunman @ May 22 2006, 04:33 AM) [snapback]259152[/snapback]</div>

Well, England doesn't have the level of free speech that we do, so if you are comfortable with restrictions on the First Amendment, then #1 is do-able. I would rather see full disclosure of all contributions BEFORE they can be deposited. We'd get rid of the trust fund babies running for congress that way, and get some competent people who can raise enough money from people who support them. Money = speech. Always has (just who do you think could afford a printing press in 1790?)

And on number two, you realize that means another reduction in free speech for the elderly (AARP is always one of the top 2 or 3 lobbying organizations in the country), labor (the unions), minority rights groups (NAACP) and many other grass roots organizations that are the core of democracy. While the big bugaboo is "corporate lobbyists", AARP and the NRA dwarf the corporate lobbyists, and they are grass roots organizations.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ May 23 2006, 04:10 PM) [snapback]259927[/snapback]</div>

OK, I'll bite. (I know it was one of those "you" commands)

We make our opinions based upon our past experiences. Mine is 18 years in the military, living in a semi-socialist system (free health care, subsidized housing and food, uniform allowances, 30 days paid leave), living three years in Germany and six years in Japan. America is great and I love this country, but we could do things better. I've seen it first hand. I'm not 'far liberal', just left leaning and a registered Democrat (probably one of two in the military, it seems ) Here is how I would like to see this country in 10 years. I'm not going to give specifics, I did in this thread already, nor go into detail on how you would pay for this. I'm not a professional politician. Not yet at least.

1. National Health Care. We have a health care crisis in this country. All industrialized nations in this world have it, we should to. We don't have to re-invent the wheel. Look at ALL the other countries in this world, and pick the best from each and make it our own. One reason why Ford and GM are tanking----health care. It costs more per car for health insurance than a car made in Canada. You would think big business would be in support of a national health care system.

2. An Increase in the Minimum Wage. Someone mentioned on this thread, daron maybe, that how can the guy who makes 10,000 dollars afford health care insurance? Well, if his salary was higher, he could afford it like the rest of you.

3. More Paid Days Off for All Employees. Life is too short. Europeans know this and everyone takes a month holiday each year. The average work week is less than 40 hours per week. No one on their death bed every said "I wish I spent more time at work". Having 30 paid days off in the military is very nice. I wish more people had that.

4. A Comprehensive Energy Policy. One with actual muscle. Covers everything from conservation, to drilling in places we don't want to drill, to building cars that get great gas mileage, to limiting the production and use of gas hogs. I'll say it again, because it's worth saying, the EPA, on their website, says that saving oil and gasoline is in our national security interests. It does matter. It really does. Our grandparents in WW2 bit the bullet and conserved for national security. We need to make sacrifices and do the same.

5. Practical Land Development. We all hate seeing America turned into a 'cookie cutter' country. If I take a photograph of any of our mid size cities, they will all look the same. Why do our new suburban oasis' have no sidewalks or parks? Why don't we build more light mass transit and design our communities to take advantage of this? I would NEVER build a housing development next to a major highway or interstate. That should be forbidden immediately. I've driven across this country many times. We have lots of land. We don't have to place people's homes next to major highways and interstates. Our communties should encourage people to walk and interact with one another.

6. Tax Reform. Don't know much about it. Flat tax sounds good. But this is a complicated issue.

7. Election Reform. Same for this one.

That's all for now. I could go on. Most of these ideas is how I would like to see America in the future. These ideas improve people's lives and makes them happier. If you make more money, and don't have to worry about getting sick and losing everything, and have more time off, the stress level will drop and you will feel happier.

These are my lefty views. Radical? No. Most of the major allies of America operate under the same system and it works. Lefties do care about everyone and are not egocentric, as someone accused me of last week. I forget who. Plus, the beer is great in Germany!!!! And the sushi fresh in Japan!!!!!