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by Chip from Phillipston, Mass

Last Post 20 days, 14 hours Ago


On Welfare, Consequences and Teen Pregnancy
May 28, 2008 | 3:28 AM
Category: News
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After listening, not too happily I might add, to the debate on teen pregnancy and the clinic at Gloucester High, I felt compelled to give a more comprehensive opinion.  I simply do not believe that teen pregnancy is caused, or cured, by disseminating birth control in schools.

Three decades ago, we began a policy of compassion, in an attempt to do away with poverty.  With noble national aspirations, we embarked on a welfare policy that has grown to gargantuan proportions today.  It was noble, and it was caring.  No child should be left hungry, and no mother should be left unable to care for her child.  No person should be left without income to support his/her family, and no family should feel the keen pain of economic hardship.  We designed, with these principles, the Welfare System we know today.

Unfortunately, in the process of loving our fellow man, we missed one important point.  It is the direct consequences of our behavior, both good and bad, that shapes that our behavior.  In our zeal to be kind, we built a system that robs people of the most important building block of human learning....consequences.

Now, we have an epidemic of teen pregnancy.  We "need" to have birth control immediately available (no consequences).  We need to have clincis in our schools (no consequences).  We have a day care center (no consequences).  We NEED these things, because parents aren't stepping up to the plate (no consequences).

Folks, all the birth control pills on the planet will not cure this epidemic.  Why's that, you ask?  Because it is not an epidemic of teen pregnancy.  It is an epidemic of poor behavioral control, created by a well intentined, yet tragically flawed, Welfare philosophy that robs our children, as it robbed their parents, of the most precious thing in life, a firm understanding of what makes you successful, and what makes you a failure, based on the direct consequences of what you do.

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Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 4:58 PM

Chip, not only is this not an epidemic of teen pregnancy, the Gloucester idea is a lawsuit waiting to happen in our "It's not MY fault this happened, it must be someone else's fault!" society. The first teen girl to have an adverse reaction to the pill? The parents will probably step up. To calling a lawyer to sue the school. Or, God forbid, if a girl contracts AIDS or another STD because she didn't think that she could catch it if she was on the pill.

I'm all for being caring and compassionate, BUT, I draw the line at what is essentially enabling the root of the problem here- Lack of parental involvement and consequences for actions.
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 6:50 PM

The parents have been absolved of THEIR responsibility too. Welfare lets them off the hook too.
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 7:05 PM

Chip, welfare is the ultimate "Get Out Of Jail Free" card in life. Unfortunately, too many people equate that with being caring and compassionate.

What I wouldn't give for a time machine...If those well-intentioned folks could see some of what people today are doing because of their kindness, I seriously doubt they would have implemented the original system!
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 2:26 AM

I agree Xantun. The question that baffles me is why our "liberal" legislators don't see or don't care about the damage that well intentioned policy does.

I just wish that government did empirical "outcome research" like industry...
FoxFan67 read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 6:06 AM

I am so sick and tired of parents not taking responsibility. It is not the school, the Government nor the Clinic to provide any sort of birth control for these kids, It is the sole responsibility of the parent to speak to and teach thier chiildren. Stop passsing the buck and SPEAK to your children.
And for Gods sake stop teaching them how to "work" the system. It has become generational at this point.
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 6:23 AM

Chip, the problem with that idea is simple. If politicians suggest anywhere near seriously that the government starts behaving like industry does now, they'd never get re-elected.

And, I think they DO see. And, on some level, they might even care. But in our "I want it, and I want it last month" society, people with the forethought who dare point out potential hazards about well-intentioned and "feel good" policies understand that even if they are right in the future, they're still Satan (or in this climate, Osama Bin Ladin) for bringing it up.
ahumbleman read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 7:25 AM

One of the big problems with welfare, IMO, is that the welfare programs have moved away from being a safety net, and have in essence become entitlements. Under the current system, there is no real substantial encouragement towards upward economic mobility of the recipients of various economic welfare programs. I don't think anyone would say that we shouldn't provide food assistance to a poor family, or unemployment compensation to someone who just had their job shipped overseas, or housing assistance to a family who doesn't make enough to make ends meet. The problem is that for the most part, programs such as these don't do nearly enough to move people out of these programs. Is there rampant abuse of the system? You bet, heck I live next to a person who collects disability every month, his disability? ADD. Not to belittle people who have this disorder, but no effing way does that prevent you from working, no effing way. But he collects a nice 750 dollar check every month, and his daddy pays the rest of the rent on his place for him. So yes, there is rampant abuse, but it exists because that's the way the programs are set up, to allow as many people to benefit as possible.
JuneInMA read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 8:30 AM

ahumbleman,

To further exemplify your point, my grandparents live in a building for low-income folks. My grandparents are in their 70's and unable to work any longer. Most of the folks in the building are anywhere from their 20s to their low 50s (working years). I went to visit her last Sunday. I had to drive through the buildings parking lot to get to the other side where visitors park. I counted them this time. There were 5 Mercedes Benz and 4 BMW's. I couldn't find the justification for that.
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 9:02 AM

And it is YOUR parents who should have the "beamer" right June? After their lifetime of work and commitment?
JuneInMA read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 10:21 AM

Well Chip, I gotta tell ya, they (my parents & grandparents) sure are a deserving bunch, but we can't afford them. Knowing my parents, even if they could, they still wouldn't. I couldn't understand how "low-income dwellers" can afford Beamers and Benzes. If you can afford the payment, upkeep and insurance on one of those, you can afford a normal apartment with regular rent. I get furious when I see stuff like that!!!
FoxFan67 read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 11:28 AM

I have a friend that is an EMT in the city and he has gone into many low-income homes and was floored by the number of Plasma TV's, Stereos, and top of the line furniture in these homes.

Meanwhile ....I work my arse off, have a car with over 165,000 miles on it, sit on a couch that is older than God, blah, blah, blah......
What's wrong with this picture ????
But atleast my children will have a work ethic and appreciate all the good that comes thier way.....God willing !
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 11:44 AM

The fraud in the system is rampant. I have a client whose ex-wife is on Disability, receiving food stamps and has Section 8, paying $300/month for a $1000/ month apt. she is living secretly with a man who is alcoholic, but works for a contractor and takes home over $1200 per week....they have a time share in Hyannis...

What's wrong with THAT picture?
JuneInMA read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 1:18 PM

A LOT is wrong with both those pictures!!! They are examples of blatant abuse of assistance. Meanwhile, I am aware of at least one family that desperately DOES need and deserve the help, and they are on a 'waiting list'. It's disgusting.
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 2:16 PM

Sadly enough, I know people who ARE deserving of disability who've had to fight tooth and nail to get the help that they really do need. Of course, I know of others who don't need the help, but manage to get it anyway.

Chrissy, the problem with that picture is that you have ethics. Which really isn't a problem, IMO.
FoxFan67 read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 6:24 PM

It is sad cause the truly needy get screwed in the end. I wrote a blog about a very good friend of mine. Now she is not only fighting for her life but to keep her home as well.

When pray tell is this system ever gonna change. Where are all those promises that are so loudly shouted out during elections. It is so effed up. I'm sorry for the tone, but I am mad as h e two sticks. Any one else ?????
Where is that welfare reform that was once promised by who knows who now. UGGGGGGHHHH !!
Xantun read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 9:40 PM

Chrissy, welfare reform got lost once recipients of legal ability began to vote. Although, I do have to say that Bill Weld tried. (I think that was the guy here who promised it, wasn't it?) He just couldn't compete with the folks who're so blinded by good intention that they don't realize we're all being robbed.
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 2:47 AM

June and Chrissy, That IS the important point. The truly needy get screwed. How many truly needy folks have you known who have use "welfare" as a spring board, yet have been see as "sliders"? Who have used our kindness just the way we wanted it? Yet, howmany do we see who lounge around, fail to use the opportunity provided and find themselves in economic slavery? Too Many.

At the risk of sounding cruel, there simply HAVE to be unpleasant consequences built into/allowed by the system. It is the only was to assure that folks will STOP taking the assistance. There also have to be INCENTIVES for hard work. Those will ENSURE that people stop taking assistance...not to deny anyone anything, but to make the resources avaialable to other people who are in need. At $4.50 a gallon for heating oil, can we even imagine the truly needy folks whose children will be cod this winter, while the family I described, or the owners of the "Beamers" June mentioned collect fuel assistance?

cont.
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 2:55 AM

cont.

My thoughts go immediately to Amy Hanson, Chrissy's friend, who is way up on the list of the deserving, both because of her affliction, but also because of her spirit, drive and courage. If I knew for a second that my tax money was going to help HER, I'd grin at my pay stub later this morning!!!

And Chrissy...I've said it before, but it is worth saying again. If you were parking a "Beamer" in front of a new Sealey Posturpedic you bought while on cash assistance, you wouldn't get a wink of sleep. That peerspective is why you are a wonderful woman...that is why you have wonderful children...and that is why the Good Lord will welcome you with open arms on the day of your judgment. You...like June and Kim and so many here...decent hardworking regular folks. I just wish our government would redevelop a system where folks like us could have a safety net without robbing us, and al recipients, of our potential success and our dignity.
Chip read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 3:26 AM

And Xantun, it WAS bill Weld. His quote I always loved was "Welfare should be a trampoline, not a hammock."
FoxFan67 read my blog view my photos
May 30, 2008 | 4:38 AM

Thanks Chip...for the very kind words once again. Boy did I need those this morning ....
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Chip

Just your average guy, married to a woman who is incredibly smart and possibly more conservative than I am. Father of three and grandfather of one soon to be two. Devoted Patriots fan and season ticket holder, snowmobile enthusiast and lifelong public servant.

Member Since: 9/26/2006


 

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