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Thoughts from an old progressive
Roy Pratt

If you can't take the heat Pt2

Posted Wednesday, August 31, 2011, at 4:19 PM
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  • While I don't advocate lots of processed stuff, I must tell you that sometimes when you make a judgement concerning the person who is checking out in front of you. Keep in mind, that their children deserve a treat once in a while.

    I do think that they should have to attend classes on proper nutrition. But then again, they would have to get vouchers for babysitting. And there goes the savings right there.

    It is always something and right now we are all a bit upset about how the economy is going and having to tighten our own belts.

    So, I ask you to examine it from the top down. The elected officials who dine on our dime probably spend more than what we spend on a month of groceries for one meal. They also have expense accounts that are larger than any welfare recipients monthly income.

    If they are saying that we are broke, then someone on the top needs to make the first sacrifices. No more parties, trips or padded expense accounts.

    Lets look at it this way instead. For all the welfare and foodstamp recipients in the US probably don't even come close to the excessive lifestyles of our elected officials.

    And if we really want to go even further, don't you think that $35,000 a plate is excessive too? or $1,000.00? These people can deduct this expense from charitible donations at the end of the year.

    There are many people on assistance that have never had to be there before. The real waste is not some junkfood at the grocery store, it lies squarely on the steps of the Capitol.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 10:21 AM
  • I don't think we the tax payers should knit pick what someone who receives food stamps can buy.

    Gosh poor people like ice cream and candy just as much as others.

    What needs to be done before they are given food stamps is a class on nutrition and budgeting and they should have free babysitting for the kids in the same building the class is held.

    Roy you need to try and eliminate the processed food in your diet. Besides everything cooked from scratch is so much better tasting then what comes out of a box.

    -- Posted by MsMarylin on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 10:41 AM
  • Seems you can't win Roy. You can't suggest what welfare people eat and anybody on this blog can tell you what to eat.

    -- Posted by arsenal on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 11:46 AM
  • The General Accounting Office announced that 4 Billion dollars were being wasted on programs for Education benefits for teachers, the same program in several different agencies without oversight as to whether the programs are sucessful. They said that Each Grade School and Middle School could have 55 new computers with the waste in spending there.

    This doesn't even cover what programs are duplicated in bureaucratic agencies. there is where the real waste is going on. We wouldn't even have to cut any social programs, just make everything more efficient.

    The General Accounting Agency is non-political by the way. They just keep the books. Why isn't someone listening to them and their recomendations?

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 12:53 PM
  • While I agree that there are too many packaged and processed foods, I have to balance my schedule, my wife's schedule and the fact that my grandson is just now learning how to cook. The last one is not my fault. A garden would be nice if I had the time during growing season, but that is also my busiest time of the year coupled with 3 escape artist dogs to keep out of the garden. We do get treats now and then. They are not part of my basic shopping list. We don't buy chips or soda or bottled water. We do drink kool-aid. I do keep the things needed for rice-a-roni, and do make it from scratch when time allows.

    KH Gal, with what our public officials make, they have no business going out to eat on our dime. And these fund raisers, money corrupts politics, plain and simple. Legalized bribery. Same for PAC's.

    I guess the point I've tried to make is that food stamps are for food, not empty calories that seem to lead to obesity, the effects of which we get to pay for also.

    In 16 months when I retire (sort of), I will have the time to garden and cook from scratch. One of the things I do miss about the part of California I lived in, were the massive fields of processing tomatoes, AKA Romas. I was always out there to glean.

    I still like the course Terry Reilly offers for free. They take people to Winco and Walmart and teach them to shop and budget. A classroom is just not the same thing.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 12:57 PM
  • KH Gal, because the people in power are being bribed too well.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 1:00 PM
  • Yes, we could all used some lessons in nutrition. We get so busy and it is more convenient to get something fast.

    Greed is the the number one problem in the world today. Greed for wealth, power and territory.

    Men meet behind closed doors to shift natural balances all the time. The big surprise that is in store for them is that God is on to them and they really do not have a chance. They may be winning the battle, but the war has a positive outcome if you believe in a Higher Power.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 2:22 PM
  • JYD, If you have read my other comments on my blogs as well as others blogs, I do not believe in "charity", at least when it comes to the peoples tax dollars. When something is provided it is only right and proper to have certain expectations. When a person gives out of their own pocket, that is an entirely different situation. I am a great proponent of the LDS model, but not the church. To simply give a hand out reduces the receivers humanity and self respect, as well as teaching them to become dependent on others. There are cases, such as small children and those who are severely disabled that lack the ability to give something back. Giving back can be as simple as going to a homeless shelter or seniors center and helping serve or clean up.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Thu, Sep 1, 2011, at 6:33 PM
  • When the government confiscates money from one person and gives that money to another person strings need to be attached for the use of that money. When I give money to another person it's my business.

    -- Posted by skeeter on Sun, Sep 4, 2011, at 6:00 AM
  • I will continue to stand by the LDS model.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Sep 4, 2011, at 4:16 PM
  • Roy, I have enjoyed your post on the blogs. I was wondering.... you being from California.....what do you think about the legalization on marijuana or medicial marijuana to defere state taxes?

    -- Posted by homee on Tue, Sep 6, 2011, at 12:38 PM
  • homee, As I have said on another blog, I just can't remember which one at the moment, I do advocate the legalization of certain drugs, and marijuana is one of them. I do this for 2 reasons, the first being that history has shown you can't make a problem go away by prohibiting it. That only leads to illegal activity,coupled with human misery. I view marijuana as possibly less destructive than alcohol which is legal. I can speak to the destructive nature of alcohol with some authority. I am a recovering alcoholic who is coming up on 18 months of sobriety the 26th of this month. Second, legalizing and regulating and taxing of marijuana would generate a significant amount of tax revenues as well as saving the state an enormous amount of money spent incarcerating the small time user. I am not a religious person, but I heard someone say something that I took as being very profound. If marijuana were so bad, why did God give it to man. It is not manufactured, but grows wild. It's hard to argue with that logic.

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Sep 6, 2011, at 8:47 PM
  • Roy, thank you very much for your post!!! I could not agree with you more!! And very well said.

    -- Posted by homee on Tue, Sep 6, 2011, at 9:56 PM
  • Poison Ivy is given to us by God too, but it doesn't mean that it won't harm you in some way.

    They lace the MJ with so many chemicals for the ultimate high, that it is dangerous. and damage to nerves and chromosomes of future generations has been debated for over 30 years.

    I sat on a drug panel in high school after researching this. And 35 years later, it is even worse because of the chemicals.

    So I respectfully disagree with you. It is like any other drug or alchol problem. Some people never have problems at all and others are slaves to life for the want of a substance that eventually kills you.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Wed, Sep 7, 2011, at 11:23 AM
  • And Thank you, Hewbet for your post!!! I am doing my best get it legalized in Idaho!!! ......;))

    -- Posted by homee on Fri, Sep 9, 2011, at 10:17 AM
  • I did drug and alcohol counciling as part of my duties.........The only place we saw laced MJ was in NAMM.tHEY LACED IT TO HOOK THE GI'S SO THEY WOULD BUY MORE.....WE TAUGHT THEM CAPITALISM,ENTPRENAUERSHIP.tHey WERE GOOD AT AT.it was a small part of the majority because the stuff over there was triple the strenght of street stuff in the statesMost people could take a couple of hits and they were good for hours.So 1 joint a day was enough.heroin was plentifull so they would lace it with red rock heroin crushed up.Bad scene we had guys hooked and they didnt even know it till a **** test.THC content inthe states about 3%...budda grass about 9-10% consistently.

    Straight M,J IS NOT WORTH THE PROSECUTION COST AND TROUBLE.BUT WE ARE GOING DOWN THE ROAD OF PROHIBITION.I HOPE WE WAKE UP SOON ON THIS ONE WE COULD USE THE MONEY.....SMILE.(being vacicous)

    KH GAL there has been many trends of thought on this matter...I am telling real life experience as we saw it daily,and we saw a lot.We even stoped giving bad conduct discharges for MJ got to a point were we gave general discharges it was not worth the appeals and lawyers and a host of other things, better to just let them go more cost effective.At one time it would get you 3 yrs hard time in leavenworth.Some times the military moves faster than the civilian world,and they usually contrary to popular belief get it right........have a good one

    -- Posted by lamont on Sat, Sep 10, 2011, at 12:12 AM
  • There is a big difference between legalizing pot and the right to have a gun. A right to have a gun is a right in our founding papers. The right to do dope is not. A lot of the left would prefer it was reversed in the constitution, a right to smoke dope as long as no one has the right to own a gun. Be a lot easier to control the ruled that way.

    -- Posted by skeeter on Sun, Sep 11, 2011, at 11:24 AM
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