Should anyone suggest that the US is a Christian nation:
'Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur who acts as a watchdog on extreme poverty around the world, has issued a withering critique of the state of America today. Trump is steering the country towards a “dramatic change of direction” that is rewarding the rich and punishing the poor by blocking access even to the most meager necessities.
“This is a systematic attack on America’s welfare program that is undermining the social safety net for those who can’t cope on their own. Once you start removing any sense of government commitment, you quickly move into cruelty,” Alston told the Guardian.
Millions of Americans already struggling to make ends meet faced “ruination”, he warned. “If food stamps and access to Medicaid are removed, and housing subsidies cut, then the effect on people living on the margins will be drastic.”
Asked to define “ruination”, Alston said: “Severe deprivation of food and almost no access to healthcare.”ed with 91% in Canada and the UK and 99% in Japan...
Against that backdrop, the UN rapporteur identifies a slew of what he calls “aggressively regressive” policies coming out of the Trump administration that are sending the country “full steam ahead” towards greater inequality. In addition to the tax breaks, there are new work requirements for welfare recipients, cuts of up to a third in the food stamp program, a recent proposal from housing secretary Ben Carson to triple the base rent for federally subsidized housing, and a burning of government regulations that offered protections to middle-class and poor families.
“This is an across the board attack on those who are living on the poverty line or below it,” Alston said.'
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Here is a story of a good friend of mine. She is 58 years old and has suffered 5 strokes both ischemic and hemorrhagic. She receives SS disability. So increases came through but when that happened her food stamps were cut the exact same amount as her raise and then her housing subsidy was cut the same amount of her raise so she actually lost money. How can this be allowed? A country who thinks so little of its weakest members such as elderly, children, disabled can never call itself a great country.
AmelieMatisse
Level 8
June 2, 2018
3
Unfortunately, it seems a lot of people who are in dire straits get angry at the existing government and vote for people like Trump as a protest. Look where that ends up? When republicans talk about a smaller government they mean cutting benefits.
@JackPedigo Except if it benefits the wealthy and large corporations.
I just found out about another serious but back door way of interfering with our Social Security program. A friend's husband just died and she tried to get his name removed from the Soc. Sec. program. She spent days on the phone trying to get through. Once she waited 5 hours and when she got a message it said their offices were closed. She heard their staff has been cut some 30%. Receiving Soc. Sec. benefits after someone has died is a criminal offense so this is serious. She finally wrote a letter (I suggested she send it registered mail) so now it is up to them. I also just found out that last years meager increas was offset by an exact increase in Medicare. Later I found out this was illegal but it was still done. Where are the governement watchdogs when we need them?
JackPedigo
Level 9
June 2, 2018
3
Honestly it is too bad that the UN does not publically admonish this country. But then the Trumpsters would not care. And yes that is quite accurate with SS increase offset by Medicare increase. Powers in congress do not care.
Unfortunately, it is probably only going to keep getting worse. The USA is the richest nation in the world, but has the poorest government in the world. Name another nation's govenment that has a $21,000,000,000 debt that is rapidly getting worse. Sad.
Heraclitus
Level 8
June 2, 2018
2
The US government is far from being poor in fulfilling its purpose - the protection of its citizenry (the myth that the government is out to git ya seems to be an almost uniquely American notion) - nor is the deficit a problem. The national debt has become simply a club to beat down the poor - in Britain it served as the supposed reason to dismantle social programs and gut the National Health Service, while here in the US, now that it's been substantially increased by the recent tax give-away to the uber-wealthy and corporations, it's the rationale for yet assault on what remains of the New Deal, with Medicare the target this time.
@moNOtheist Starve the Beast
@Heraclitus Which Beast is that?
@moNOtheist US Federal Government
@Heraclitus 'Fraid I disagree - the urge to shrink government seems the excuse to simply divert taxpayer dollars into private business, as in the plans now afoot to privatize public education, and starve government of the funds required to fulfill its primary responsibility - that of taking care of its people. Although, of course, we can well do without government regulations and safeguards as long as we choose never to breathe clean air, drink from a faucet, eat food, take medicines, dial 911, drive on the roads, catch a flight... was there any I missed?
@moNOtheist Sounds more like you agree with what the government (primarily Republican) "Starve the Beast" strategy is than disagree, that is, they cut taxes (Starve the Beast) and then to reduce the deficit they reduce public spending on benefits and regulations (which cost money). The additional transfer of public funding to private funding simply starves the beast even faster. It is "Starve the Beast" on steroids, which is why the total debt never gets reduced. When the government occasionally announces they have reduced the deficit, what they mean is that they have simply reduced the annual deficit to be less than what they had originally projected it to be. In any event, it is always only a question of how quickly the national debt is growing. There has been no actual reduction of the national debt since the Clinton years.
@Heraclitus Absolutely not - what did I say that suggests I agree with the 'starve the beast' mantra?
@moNOtheist I didn't say that you agreed with it. Neither do I. I said it sounds like you agree with what it is.
I just want to note that he's finishing what Obama started. My monthly cash stipend was stopped in the Obama era and I was sent a letter that actually told me to file for disability which is a long and tough battle that many times requires a lawyer. I opted for early retirement and I survive on a meager monthly stipend but it's one of life's greatest forms of enlightenment. Humility is a great teacher.
IAJO163
Level 8
June 2, 2018
1
this is really not the concern of the UN.
engineer_in_nj
Level 6
June 2, 2018
0
Why is that?
This is what they do as an international agency. Wouldn't outraged concern at the troubling findings of the report be more constructive than questioning the legitimacy of the United Nations?
@moNOtheist no what they do as an organization is park taxpayer funded mercedes in handicapped spots all over nyc when they arent busy spreading choleria to haiti.
We shouldnt even be a member of those sick twisted gangsters.
The UN has no legitimacy, no morality and should be set aflame.
@engineer_in_nj Then I guess we agree to disagree, although that does not negate the UN report on conditions here in the US, and our national disgrace IMHO.
@moNOtheist you can disagree all you want but I have stated facts.
@engineer_in_nj Okay - can you state sources? Otherwise these aren't facts but anecdote.
@engineer_in_nj And the tax payer funded Mercedes in handicapped spots all over NYC?
The work of an entire organization damned because of one report on a single website? That (literal) foul up - as inexcusable as it is - in no way negates the good work that the UN is tasked with carrying out. And in the present xenophobic climate, set by a man who regards Africa as "shithole countries" and speaks openly of ending US aid to third world countries, the United Nations may be one of the few resources now available to the disaster-struck and under-developed nations of the world.
@moNOtheist sorry have you bothered to notice my username? I am in the city pretty often, I gave you a link I could easily take a picture if you want.
Your friends park in handicapped parking spots and spread choleria.
@engineer_in_nj My 'friends'? LOL Seriously?
Instead of returning to your dismissive and underwhelming evidence, why not address my comment: The work of an entire organization damned because of one report on a single website? That (literal) foul up - as inexcusable as it is - in no way negates the good work that the UN is tasked with carrying out. And in the present xenophobic climate, set by a man who regards Africa as "shithole countries" and speaks openly of ending US aid to third world countries, the United Nations may be one of the few resources now available to the disaster-struck and under-developed nations of the world.
trump is a man that is all about real or imagined slights and insults to him he is spoiled and throws fits when he doesnt get his way and thei is nothing new to most of us that see his stupidity i think he hates america for his failures in business we didnt support his casinos yet dirty indians do well his steaks went bust and so many eat beef should have been a nobrainer trying to get into housing right at the bust can't sell friggin vodka or water and make it and he hates ppl of color and the dirty unwashed poor and his burning desire to erase obama so he is the king its gonna take work to fix all he is breaking
whiskywoman
Level 8
June 2, 2018
1
It's brutal. It's indefensible.
The United States is the number one country for economic inequality. It speaks volumes about the moral compass of the rich. The needle is pointing at them.
Ellatynemouth
Level 8
June 2, 2018
6
I went to see Wim Wender's documentary on Pope Francis. Even as a non believer I found this movie to be well worth my time. Francis talks about this, he talks about science, gay rights, women's rights. It made me wonder where Catholics who are following Francis fall in the Christian continuum of hatred, greed, etc. I see lots of stories on this nasty Christian attitude but never articles talking about Catholics in particular. I guess I've been short sighted in lumping them altogether under Christian and it makes me wonder if perhaps the Catholics in our country are an unpolled group who will assist with a blue wave in November.
I doubt if all those changes will be made. Trump is sort of blustery, but even if he wanted to do those things his power would be limited. He’d need congressional backing.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
June 2, 2018
1
Unfortunately he seems to get backing from this current congress
I live in an economically repressed area. Wages are low, unemployment high, and many people simply cannot make ends meet. There is a serious drug problem in our area, as well, however we know from states that have passed legislation requiring drug testing for welfare recipients that most recipients of government assistance do NOT test positive for drug use. Yet I read a post by a real life acquaintance on Facebook recently cruelly condemning poor children of illegal drug users to loss of government assistance because they're parents are "breaking the law" and need to "take care of their own kids." This woman is a devout and outspoken Christian, constantly letting her little light shine for Jesus. I find such attitudes outrageous, devoid of compassion, and, quite frankly, typical of Evangelicals like this gal. Anybody else run into this frequently? We're definitely in the Bible Belt. The Assemblies of God headquarters is in a nearby city and Christians here like to say we live in the "Buckle of the Bible Belt." They're proud of their Trump-supporting, unkind, often cruel belief system. I get so frustrated!
LadySocratease
Level 2
June 2, 2018
4
I suspect that identifying as a Christian and regularly attending church tends to imbue some (many?) with the certainty that they are thus unassailably right in their opinions. It's amazing what we will commit ourselves to carrying out in the unquestioned belief that ours is the side of right and goodness - the firm conviction that doing so protected European culture from violation by predatory and parasitic Eastern European sub-humanity gave permission for otherwise ordinary Germans to abuse and murder Slavs and Jews by the thousands.
OMG yes they act like they know what it is to be poor and how lazy single mothers must be cause they just wanna ride the welfare train in the past that could work but in texas the train is more of a caboose 4 kids 168 bucks a month to live on and 3oo or so stamps to eat on I defy anyone to ride that and not live under a bridge and if you work they adjust that taking away more than you earn so that working makes you have less and you gotta pay a sitter I hear ppl say well the tax scam is so great ...one guy said I got an extra 200 and I told him then he is well off cause ppl I know can't find jogs and when they do they can't pay rent and bills and car and they got less already and mc d and wall mart brats and burger king and that fucker papa john claim they can't afford even a nickel an hour has anyone else seen where papa john lives huge house on a cliff near the ocean or a lake and tennis courts and pools and gardeners and servants quarters big ass lawns perfectly manicured ppl on the bottom work harder for less than anyone
and on the lady wanting to punish the kids of druggies OMG how cruel can someone be our drug laws create most of the problems and doctors create many of the problems if you go get serious surgery and the recovery is long they give you pain relievers and when you are better stop cold turkey and you are hooked so you get what your body now craves from the streets heroin deltoid whatever if drugs were legal and could be purchased taxed and done in safe places ... less addiction less crime
I just don't get it id gladly pay more if old ppl could get meals on wheels and kids could get breakfast and lunch even if they didn't do better in school and anyone sick could go to dr or hospital and not go broke trying to pay
Do you have a citation for this?
bingst
Level 8
June 2, 2018
4
My apologies!
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