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As a US citizen what do you feel you are entitled to?
#1
A lot of people have differing opinions on what they are entitled to. Some think free education from four years old through their bachelors degree, some think free healthcare, free ride to work, free Internet access, free childcare, free money if you lose your job, free money if you have too many kids, free abortions if you get your girlfriend pregnant.

I just want to understand how much free stuff the average person thinks that the rest of their neighbors owe them. I guess I forgot to mention free retirement for life.

Its important for politicians to know how much free stuff is expected by the public so that they can build a campaign promising all of that free stuff plus more if they are voted for.
BSBA CIS from TESC, BA Natural Science/Math from TESC
MBA Applied Computer Science from NCU
Enrolled at NCU in the PhD Applied Computer Science
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#2
Nothing is free these so called "entitlements" are paid for with taxes. Now is it necessary to provide these services some would say yes and others would say no. Personally, I think we need to spend less on global problems and more on domestic issues. We need infrastructure repaired (which would create jobs). We need more manufacturing in this country and less overseas. Yes I do understand higher wages, etc. Yes as a person who lost her life savings (including all of my husband's retirement money) on a major family illness (mine), I do think we need some form of nationalized medicine. Younger people have a right to complain about these costly entitlements. Older people may feel the same, but personally I hate the fact that mental facilities have been closed and patients dumped on the streets or put in jail. I hate to see our elderly abused in rat infested nursing homes (where no one really takes care of them). I hate to see children and young families going hungry because a family member can't find work. In my state unemployment hit 10% long ago. Higher education doesn't guarantee a job. I know many professionals who can't find work and have been out of work and lost their homes. Times are tough and it does not look as if it is going to get much better. If you believe it is okay for a family to live on thes streets without assistance because they can't find work, people should die because they can't pay for medical services and the elderly and mentally ill should be (let go by whatever means so they are not a drain), then by all means this "so called free stuff" is definitely an evil. By the way I am not a liberal and never have been. I'm just tired of hearing people complain that others need to get their own and leave mine alone.
A.S. General Transfer Chattanooga State 2009
B.S.L.A. Thomas Edison State College June 7, 2013
33 CLEP
18 DSST
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#3
I don't believe we are entitled to anything free, but I do believe we should have more of a direct say in how our tax money is used. I'm not sure how that would work exactly, but for example: my family has home-schooled for all but 2 years (which I spent in public school). Our education wasn't free. When we took placement tests, we scored higher than the majority of the public school kids in our state, yet our taxes paid for these kids to have less than ideal schooling (and TN spends a LOT of money on education with some of the lowest results...:confusedSmile. I understand that probably many of those wouldn't be able to have any schooling if it wasn't for the public school system, but that's not my point. Since my family doesn't make use of that system, should we have to pay for it?

I hope that makes some sense.
~ Laura ~
[SIZE=1]CLEP/DSST
--- 120/120 :hurray:
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | English Composition w/ Essay | College Mathematics | English Literature | American Literature | Humanities
| Art of the Western World | Western Civilization I | Western Civilization II | History of United States I | History of United States II | Social Sciences and History | Astronomy | Introduction to Computing | Introductory Sociology | Introduction to World Religions | The Civil War and Reconstruction | A History of the Vietnam War | Western Europe Since 1945 | Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union | Introduction to the Modern Middle East | Environment and Humanity | World Conflicts Since 1900 ECE | FEMAs taken: 24 | [COLOR="Navy"]TESC FlashTrack course - "War and American Society."
[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE="3"]Officially graduated on September 9, 2011!!![/SIZE]
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#4
As long as big corporations can utilize loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, I take with a huge grain of salt any finger pointing/moralizing done on the part of individuals toward other members of society when it comes to "entitlements". The same rationale that corporations use to avoid their responsibilities is the same rationale some individuals use when seeking to get their "entitlements". Both figure if they can get it, no harm no foul. Not saying either is correct, but the problem of a "getting something for nothing" entitlement attitude is not exclusive to any one segment of society.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/busine...hardt.html
Excelsior - BS Business 2008
Son #1 TESC BSBA Computer Information Systems completed June 2010
Son #2 TESC BA Computer Science completed November 2010 Currently in Florida State (FSU) Masters CS program and loving it
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#5
I have the right to free speach, practice religion, pursue happiness, travel, vote, to be secure in person and property, you know; all the basics that are in the constitution.
I'm far to independent to allow (avoid by all means) myself to rely on the governement to take care of me. No one owes my anything. If I want it I want to work for it.
TESC BSBA
1A – Eng 101 & 102 SL – Business Communications SL – College Algebra ALEKS 73% - Intermediate Algebra ALEKS 74%
1B – Macro SL – Micro SL – Business Stats 80% ALEKS – Substance Abuse DSST 450 – Environment and Humanity DSST 55 – Intro to Psychology CLEP 56
1C – Intro to Religion DSST 445 – Ethics in America DSST 443 – Sociology CLEP 58
1D – Pre-Cal ALEKS 76% - Tech Writing DSST – I need to choose 4 more
2A – Business Law CLEP 57 – Intro to Comp DSST 443 – Principles of Financial Accounting SL – Managerial Accounting SL – Marketing CLEP – Principles of Finance DSST – Business Ethics and Society DSST – Strategic Management Capstone – Management CLEP 50
2B – Money and Banking DSST - Marketing need to choose one – MIS DSST 415 – Organizational Behavior DSST – Human Resource Management DSST
2C – Principles of Supervision DSST – Intro to Business CLEP – Business Law 2 DSST 49
2D – Personal Finance DSST 446 – HTYH DSST 435
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#6
Ryoder, free retirement for life????? Please explain. SSI is that what you are referring to. If so how is that free when someone has paid for it their entire working life?

Also free daycare? Are you talking about childcare that is subsidized for people that work and do not high enough income to meet the burden of that expense? Where are these working people suppose to place their children while they are trying to earn an income or take classes so they may obtain a degree so they can possibly get a better job?

What shall we do with our elderly that are being taxed out of their homes? Is it considered free money when they are able to have a break on their property taxes because their income is no longer high enough to maintain that bill?

The name for free money if you lose your job in my state is called unemployment. This is not welfare or a handout..These people have paid taxes most of their lives. Being laid off is not a walk in the park and people are struggling to live on way less then had made.

Ryoder it seems that you are blessed at this point in your life and you are very lucky to be in that position. Not everyone has that. Sometimes things happen in our lives that we actually have no control over and a person or family might need some help. This is not a black and white topic. The word ENTITLEMENT is not even appropriate.

What's the expression.....there but for the grace of God go I.
"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion."~ Henry David

BA Humanities - TESC
AAS Construction and Facilities Support - TESC
AA Interior Design - MCC
AA LS - MCC
Certificate Interior Design - MCC
Certificate Management - MCC
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#7
Life
Liberty
Pursuit of happiness

That's about it.

Now, defining the parameters of those is the tricky part.

For the most part I'm a less govt the better proponent, which is not the same as anti-government.

Tho there is plenty i have come to expect, or rather not expect, there is very little I feel entitled to.
M.
Mom of 11

Graduated 6, still home educating 5

Credits from CC classes:
eng 1113 freshman comp 1
eng comp 2
pos 1113 american fed gov't (political sci.)
spa 1103 spanish 1
bio 2123 human ecology
his 1493 american history civil war era - present
phi 1113 intro to philosophy
soc 1113 intro to sociology
total credits 24 hours
gpa 3.12



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#8
The federal government is trying to renege on their SSI promise by turning the younger generation against the older generation.
How are they doing it? By calling commitments they made to taxpayers - ENTITLEMENTS!
You're darn right the payees are entitled! We're all promised that when we pay into the Social Security system (no choice here), money collected will be distributed.
Of course, rules have changed along the way. The retirement age has been changed and legislators have expanded the number of SSI entitlees to include the disabled, drug users, etc.
Has this put pressure on the system? You bet.
Has age longevity caused problems? You bet.
Are baby-boomers responsible for the mess? NO.
The SSI administration has been collecting increased funds over the last 40 years in anticipation of the boomers retiring. That's why the SSI dollar limit has been raised over the years - from $30k to over $100k. (There should be no limit)
The trick now is for the government to convince folks that entitlements are a bad thing, which will then give them an excuse for cheating the future retiring generation out of what they've been promised and for what they have been paying in all these years.
How dare the federal government spend 10 billion dollars a month on defense and then act like crybabies when it comes to ponying-up to their financial commitments to their taxpaying citizens.
Also, concerning paying for education - I justify my taxes going to free public education as a "Pay Forward" - When I was a child, my parents and their neighbors made it possible, thru their tax dollars, for my brothers and I to get an education. I'm paying today for what I got then.
Just my two cents...
Have a blessed day!
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#9
I just want exactly what my two Illegal Alien neighbors back at my original home get. Everything you guys mentioned, they get. Free health care (No doctor's bill, no dentist bill, free medicare/medicaid), Disability checks, free education, free housing, FOR LIFE. That's how good the U.S. is with everyone else except it's citizens.

On a side note, If I were to get all of the above, being the person I am, I wouldn't feel right. I rather do what I do now and feel some kind of accomplishment for everything that I do get already. They should lower the retirement age to 60, and use all the SSI payments we give, just for SSI, and nothing else, and only for those that pay into it.

And of course, if I am promised something for my services(whatever they may be), then I expect it at the end.
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="3"][SIZE="2"]Excelsior College - DONE[/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]AAS-[SIZE="1"]2009[/SIZE], BSLS-[SIZE="1"]2010[/SIZE] [/SIZE]

[COLOR="DarkRed"][B][SIZE="2"]Thomas Edison State College - DONE[/SIZE]
[SIZE="2"]BA in History[/SIZE]-[SIZE="1"]2011[/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]

[SIZE="2"]Texas A&M University Central Texas[/SIZE]
Master of Arts in History - 18/36 SH

CLEPs Passed
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="1"]Spanish, Freshman Comp, English Comp w/ Essay, Social Science & Hist, Info Sys & Comp App, Intro Sociology, Prin of Mngmt, American Gov , US History I, US History II, Western Civ I, Western Civ II[/SIZE][/SIZE]
DSSTs Passed
[SIZE="1"][SIZE="1"]Civil War & Reconstruction, Rise & Fall of Soviet Union, History of Vietnam War, Intro Modern Middle East, Western Europe Since 1945, Drug and Alcohol, Here's to Your Hlth, Intro To Comp, Prin of Sup, Technical Writing, Prin of Physical Science I[/SIZE][/SIZE]

Quote: There are no stupid questions, only stupid people. "Mr. Garrison"[/SIZE]
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#10
51% of tax filers pay no federal income tax. Some of those actually receive money back, called a refund, for taxes they never paid. This is done through earned income credit.

Imagine if 70% of Americans paid no taxes. That majority would oppress the minority who does pay taxes by voting in politicians who promise to keep soaking the "rich" and distributing those monies to the needy. You have to have shared sacrifice in a fair society. This means that even the lowest paid among us should pay taxes. A person without tax liability would never ever vote against a tax increase because of their own selfish intent. Well most people anyway.

I come from a very humble background and received free and then reduced lunch while in school. When my mom moved up in her job we were able to pay our own lunch and no longer qualified for the assistance. I was so proud of standing in the lunch line with my cash instead of a meal ticket. I told this story in high school one day in my government class. The class had a lot of economic diversity and some kids were really offended by the pride I recalled having when I no longer needed other peoples money to buy lunch.

Those who received the first social security checks did not pay a dime into the system. In those days there were fifteen payers per one payee. Now it's more like five to one. What happens when there are two payees to one payer? Take a look at the population pyramid for othe US and the trend is toward a massive top heavy population. Further slice that pyramid and remove all non taxpayers from it and it looks even worse. Social security reform needs to start now.

The people at 55 or up will not be affected. Its people like me, at 35 who should expect to receive limited or no benefits for retirement. We have a 14.3 trillion dollar debt and the cost is $45k for each man woman and child in America to pay it off. When I was a kid it was at crisis levels and was $3 trillion. Obama added $3 trillion in his first two years alone. That is two hundred years of debt in two years.

Lets just be honest about where we are and how bad it can get. Look at Southern Europe for examples of social programs and green job creation that destroyed the nations solvency.

Geezer, i agree partly with corporate income tax evasion. Thats why I want to end corporate income taxes. Those taxes are easily evaded by some, Obama friendly companies like GE pay zero income tax and that bugs me. Corporate income taxes in the end are paid by the consumer anyway. The end consumer and the taxpayer bear all the costs of any product or service. This is why a fair tax is so appealing. It empowers the consumer by putting the cost of running the government right in front of her with every purchase she makes. A can of beans would cost 1.89 with .75 cents going to uncle Sam.
BSBA CIS from TESC, BA Natural Science/Math from TESC
MBA Applied Computer Science from NCU
Enrolled at NCU in the PhD Applied Computer Science
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