" How come people on SSA Disability, or regular Social Security Retirement are not eligible?
Seems they need to make cell phones accessible to people who really need it, like the aged & infirm first, instead of excluding all of them from the program. "

" Nothings free! "

" Federal public housing assistance, food stamps, home energy assistance, Supplemental Security Income, National School Lunch Programs Free Lunch Program, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, or Medicaid, cell phones, and soon to be health care too. Give me! Give me! JFK once said, ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country!

Why not give these goodies to the permently disabled, veterans, elders and other who deserve it.

Debate - Rebuttle... "

" kamfong: I agree with you 100%! "

" Outstanding program!
Only question is how does this benefit the west Texas oil men, Halliburton, and the mega wealthy? "

" Bosch said she has generally advised people to research SafeLink, like they would any other cell service, for information on charges, minutes other contract information before enrolling.


An hour a month. I'd really like to see how that works out for them. What are they going to do if they use that hour up the first week? Charge them for going over minutes? Turn their phone off? Will it only dial emergency numbers? Or is this an opportunity for the phone service? Are they going to hand out those phones expecting people to buy more minutes? With their public aid? Charge them for extra minutes. Sounds to me like a great idea to help the low income but they think they will all use the free minutes and then some. Therefore making more money. If this is the case SHAME on them. If these phones are ONLY for ememrgency services then great. "

" TigerRose Kamfong and Bill I agree with you all 100%.

Slap I belive the "idea" behind these phones is so they can be used only for emergencies. (that is how the programs commericals come across to me) One can certainly hope that those who are fortunate enough to recieve this service would be appriciateive and realize this is a huge privalage, and use the phone only for emergencies and not use up their minutes just to make calls to whomever for non emergency reasons. "

" Well hell TigerRose, kamfong, billpriff101 and devilishangel61401, lets just take the poor out and shoot them, that would solve all problems, better yet, abort them if they are going to be born to poor people.


slap63

If it's TracFone, once they use their minutes up, only emergency numbers will work untill more minutes are purchased. Of course The FCC would choose TracFone, the most expensive wireless company in the country. "

" I have a great idea on how to get services such as these. I have been doing it for years. Are you ready? It's called, GET A JOB! Now I know it's a scary concept, and I know someone will use the excuse, theres just no jobs out there. I just cant understand why I have always had a job ever since I hit 16 if they're so hard to come by. Must be a motivational issue. "

" Medic I apologize if I offended you I did not mean my post to come across as "take the poor out and shoot them" I also don't belive money makes a person a good or bad parent, ( the abort them if they will be born to poor people) shoot Medic, I am poor myself, ( I live on SSI) I just was agreeing that those who are permantly disabled, military veterens and the elderly should be able to get this help as well and I didn't see them listed in this article. Medic, I apologize again if I offended you. "

" medic57 wrote on Nov 29, 2009 6:45 PM:

"If it's TracFone, once they use their minutes up, only emergency numbers will work untill more minutes are purchased."

.......

Any cell phone, whether there's time on it or not, is able to contact atleast 911 if need be.

I've got a Verizon cell in my desk, that's been out of circulation for around two years. If I took it out right now, & it still has a charge, I would be able to call 911 on it.

http://tinyurl.com/lmws7t

"Any Phone Will Do"

"Wireless carriers are required to complete 911 calls, even when the phone is not activated. Any phone that turns on and can receive a signal is capable of making a 911 call.

The problem is: if the phone you're using isn't activated, there isn't a phone number assigned to it. That means if you're disconnected from the dispatch center, you must call 911 back. They will not have a way to call you." "

" Bill I did forget to add that a person can be on SSI ( supplemental security income) and be considered "disabled or permantly disabled" Social Security puts a person on SSI when they don't have enough assets or income to qualify for regular disability income or at least thats the way the Social Security Adminstration has explained it to me. "

" These are to be used for emergency purposes, but someone somewhere will find a way to buck the system. People need to get jobs, and I'm sick of hearing that people can't find one, If you want a job bad enough you can find one it might not be the job you want but it's a job.

billpriff101-I agree totally "

" Beth Bosch, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Commerce Commission, said the FCCs Lifeline program is subsidized by the Universal Service Fund as a means of providing communications services for low-income households.

Universal Service Fund. = taxpayers money. We pay for it. One of those taxes or surcharges on your monthly bill. You can not tell me that tracFone does not expect to make money off of this. 1 hour a MONTH??? You know that is just a taste to get thenm to want the whole pie. And some people will buy the whole pie. And where will that money come from?? Probably that monthly check. And yes, I know, not everyone will be that way. But plenty will. And who is to profit? TracFone. Who will pay? taxpayers. "

" "Seems they need to make cell phones accessible to people who really need it"

Of course, "they" are the ones who "need to". As long as "they" are the ones paying for it, you are supportive. It is always easier to give away someone else's money.

JWT, be grateful for the mega-wealthy. If it werent' for the taxes they pay for all this socialism, you would have to actually pay taxes yourself. "

" I'm sure the money for this is coming from "Obama's stash". "

" I think this is a great idea! And, yes, I'm sure we are all paying for it in some way but to let people without phones have a way for potential employers to call for job interviews is a good way to get them self sufficient again. "

" It's free at most coffee shops where I live for goodness sakes, it's not that big of a deal........... "

" joe hardy wrote on Nov 30, 2009 8:10 AM:
"JWT, be grateful for the mega-wealthy. If it werent' for the taxes they pay for all this socialism, you would have to actually pay taxes yourself. """""



that's total BS...the mega wealthy pay a minute percentage of their income, as opposed to the little guy who gets hammered. "

" WOW....my HUSBAND and I are going to quit our jobs so we can cash in on some of these benefits. We can get divorced and shack up. If we have a few more kids too, we can get food stamps, free health care and EIC on our taxes. I am so excited that the above plan comes with a FREE cell phone plan too. Gee, why would anyone in this country want to go to work??? We are going to let the "other" guy pay all of the taxes in this country and we are going to sit back and reap the benefits. "

" OMG EVEN STEVEN! How horrible! An utterly cheap program to help out poor people in emergencies!

You don't have to complain about Obama EVERY time. "

" " If the right wing is so great why do they employ so many liars?
---------------------------

ANS: To counter balance all the liars working for the Obama administration, ACORN, and the DNC. "

" devilishangel61401

My misunderstanding, if that's what you meant, then it is I who should apologise.

Having no money has nothing to do with being poor, money also has nothing to do with being a good parent. There are MANY people with no money at all who are very rich, and many people who have everything who are very poor. Why is it that the people who have the least money, worry the most but are also the happiest?

bobbie

Answer me this, say you have a mother who gets X amount of dollars from the government to support herself and her kids, now say, hey, I found a job, full time at $8 and hour, she takes the job and loses all of her benifits, now she doesn't have enough to buy food and insurance, she also has to pay for daycare on her $250 a week (after taxes).

What would YOU do?

Or this scenario, you have a good job, but your child gets sick, (God Forbid) your insurance won't cover all of the bills or pay for certain tests or procedures, BUT, if you quit your job and go on state aid, everything will be taken care of, what would you do?


bobbie wrote on Nov 30, 2009 6:18 AM:

I'm sick of hearing that people can't find one, If you want a job bad enough you can find one it might not be the job you want but it's a job.


Really! I have seen businesses with NOW HIRING signs in their windows, and right underneath them, MUST PASS CREDIT CHECK, not backround, but CREDIT. What has a credit check got to do with being a good employer? I know the answer, anyone else here got the guts to put it in print?
Or how about a person I know who just got their car insurance cancelled because of a bad credit rating, they have never had a wreck or been late with their premium. Now that would be a good way to cut down the amount of drivers on the road, deny them insurance because of their credit, no insurance, no drivers license. Makes it kind of hard to get to work also.
Don't think it's happening, think again. "

" Now Ive head it all. If you get a job it may pay less than unemployment, and wont provide health care. Also, one may have to take responsibility for the 13 kids they irresponsibly plopped out, and pay for daycare to go to work. So the answer is to just give up, and say let the rest of society pay for me?? Is this what we have actually come to. Our great hardworking leaders of the past who worked so hard to make this country great would be rolling over in their graves, just to keep from laying in the vomit theyve spewed from watching whats become of us. GET A JOB!!!!!!!! "

" It's called indeed.com over 400 pages of jobs, Like I said may not be the job you want but it is a job.

This is a hard world to live in but some people need to try. I am handicap and work 7 days a week. like I said things are tough all over but some folks fail to even try, that's what stinks, and they get everything handed to them. The working man has no chance in this world. "

" Medic-
I received a letter a while back from my insurance company stating that they were going to raise my rates over 250 dollars a year due to my poor credit history. I was irate and called them and demanded an explanation. I pointed out that I had a spot free credit history, and had never had a credit problem. They put me on hold and after a while came back on line and said yes, I did have an excellent credit history. I thought I was out of the woods. Wrong! The person on the end of the line said that they would still have to raise my rates because I had driven about 2000 miles that year over the previous year. Needless to say, I changed carriers. I have to wonder if those, who apparently have a love affair with the health care insurance companies, have the same infatuation with their auto insurance company. "

" bobbie wrote:
" These are to be used for emergency purposes, but someone somewhere will find a way to buck the system. People need to get jobs, and I'm sick of hearing that people can't find one, If you want a job bad enough you can find one it might not be the job you want but it's a job.

billpriff101-I agree totally "

I totally disagree with you on the job hunt bobbie. Try finding a job in coles county right now that will pay the bills, pay the insurance, pay the mortgage, clothe the kids AND feed them. I don't think it is as easy as you think. I haven't been job hunting in a very long time but I don't believe its "easy" to find a job. College kids have the quick turnaround jobs. I was in a clothing store yesterday where a woman was asking if they were hiring. They told her no. She had been all over town. I don't think its quite as easy as you think. Now, I still don't agree with the phone. I think the only thing it will be good for is making TracFone money. And..yes for 911 calls. "

" Still waiting on the mega wealthy to "trickle down" some of their cash.... Still waiting...... "

" lefty wrote on Nov 30, 2009 6:00 PM:

" OMG EVEN STEVEN! How horrible! An utterly cheap program to help out poor people in emergencies!

You don't have to complain about Obama EVERY time. "

Why shouldn't I complain when more and more of my money is taken away by the government then given away to people who won't take responsibility for themselves? I object to the government forcing me to pay taxes that politicians use to buy votes. The whole idea that someone else is "entitled" to a portion of my income is insane.

I'll be damned if I'm going sit silent while politicians with socialist leanings legislate me into poverty while increasing the size of the dependent class. I've known plenty of able bodied people who were living on the public dole, and that's just wrong. This is just another straw on the proverbial camel's back... the camel being those who work, make responsible choices (like not having children when they can't affort to take care of them or not becoming unemployable due to substance abuse). I don't have a problem with the concept of a helping hand, but that's not what we're getting with "entitlement" programs. Generations of people living in public housing and receiving welfare is evidence that the current system not only doesn't work, it's making matters worse. So I say enough is enough... not one more penny from me for that nonsense, and I'll vote accordingly. "

" "that's total BS...the mega wealthy pay a minute percentage of their income, as opposed to the little guy who gets hammered. "

Once again you prove a complete lack of knowledge of any facts. The bottom 50% of taxpayers in this country pay under 3% of the total income taxes collected, and the majority of those in the bottom 50% pay no income taxes at all. (Source: Internal Revenue Service website).

JWT, what right do you have to any of the cash of the wealthy? The sense of entitlement in this country is appalling. "

" JWT, what right do you have to any of the cash of the wealthy? The sense of entitlement in this country is appalling.

Joe Hardy

Taxpayers have a RIGHT to it if those same rich people got subsidised from the government. "

" joe hardy wrote on Dec 1, 2009 11:12 AM:
" "that's total BS...the mega wealthy pay a minute percentage of their income, as opposed to the little guy who gets hammered. "

Once again you prove a complete lack of knowledge of any facts. The bottom 50% of taxpayers in this country pay under 3% of the total income taxes collected, and the majority of those in the bottom 50% pay no income taxes at all. (Source: Internal Revenue Service website).""""""


like i said, the wealthy pay a smaller percentage of their income in taxes. albeit at a higher withholding rate, they actually pay taxes on a lesser percentage of their gross income. "

" people just hate to see people helping people. "

" No worries Medic, =) I too find it just insane that anyplace has to do a credit check before hiring anyone, what does a poor credit rating have to do with a person's motivation and ability to work hard?

Medic also raises a good point it is hard to get off of welfare when your job barely pays for your daycare expenses so you can go to work let alone pay for rent, power, a way to and from work whether its the city bus or gas money to a neighbor to take you or money for gas and maitence for an old clunker car to get you to and from your job. If your job is part-time you usually dont get any benefits, your kids cannot attend school or daycare if they are; vomitting, have a contagious illness such as the flu, have diaherrea, or are running a fever. You miss work one time too many to take care of your sick kids you loose your job. You make even one dollar over income limits for assistance and you get no help. It does not matter if you don't have the money for rent or utlities you're sorry out of luck.
There are a lot of people both those who cannot get assistance of any type and those who do get something, who do not rip off or abuse the system. Many of us in this situation are in the proverbial "rock and a hard place" you get barely enough to get by but too much to get any help. For some of us we aren't hurting and needing help because we are spending money on things we don't need, we are hurting because the price of everything has went up up up and our income has not. I know many seniors who have this issue on an ongoing basis. I used to be able to spend 100 dollars at Aldi and buy food for the whole month and that was when my son lived with me, 100 bucks fed me and two kids for a month. Today 100 bucks fills up either the frig/freezer OR the cabinets for about 3 weeks. The power rates have went up, bills went from 110- 120 a month to 140 or 160 a month even though I use the same amount of power as before. Gas has went from 15-20 bucks being able to fill the car for almost 2 weeks to taking 25 or 30 dollars for one week depending on what the price is that day. I buy everything at thrift stores, dollar stores, yard sales and pawn shops because I want to and I have to in order to live within my means. Its getting so that I have to either not pay my bills or not buy my medications,( copays that are required) or buy so little food that I eat once a day to that my daughter can have three meals plus one or two snacks every day. Its not about "getting a job any job even if its not what you want" its about being able to find a job that is going to pay for your expenses so that you don't have to depend on any type of assistance, a job that one is going to be able to perform at and do on a daily basis. Once upon a time you could graduate high school and that was enough to obtain gainful employement that supported you and your family, now you need a two year college degree to work at a minimum wage job that barley pays anything.

If you're a single parent you are hard pressed to find a job that lets you work while your kids are in school so that you don't have to spend all of your income on daycare and still be dependant on assistnace programs. If you have conditions such as fibromyalgia or rhemutoid arthritis you're hard pressed to find jobs that are going to accomodate you when you have a "flare up" so bad that you can barely hold a pen or turn on a sink faucet, let alone come in and stand on your feet for 8-12 hours and pack boxes. Can't miss too many days due to calling in sick or you get fired then what do you do? Everyone says "get a job any job" its not always that easy, one of my dear friends husbands got laid off a month ago he has went everywhere looking and is often told that he's "too old" (he is 53 too young to retire) of course they don't say it as "too old" because that is disrcrmination. If you've not worked in more than a year or two or more, many employers are not jumping in a line to hire you because you dont have "enough work history" it does not matter if you were laid off, or fired or quit they want you to prove yourself before you ever start. If there are no jobs in the immediate area how is a person supposed to afford to drive 45 minutes or more away to make 8 or 9 dollars an hour?? That certainly won't cover the expense of getting there and back let alone any of your other bills. Once again the person is dependant on help if they can even qualify for it. So here again is the question "what do you do?"

Yes I realize I sound "pathetic and whiny etc etc" but I just tire of people assuming that its so "easy to get out of poverty find a job" and that "every person on assitance is milking the system for all they can" those are generalizations not acutal truths. "

" Guess what folks -- cell phones aren't necessities. The article didn't say that they only gave them out to people who didn't have land lines; it basically stated that if you were already enrolled in a governmental handout program, here's another freebie for you.

And yes, devilishangel, you do come across as whiny and defending your "right" to governmental handouts. People can and do pull themselves up by their own boot straps -- even those too poor to afford boots! It's called having pride and a work ethic. People used to be ashamed that someone would even suggest that they needed charity or welfare. Now people brag about receiving it on public websites. (BTW, who pays for your internet access? Isn't that, too, a luxury and not a necessity?)

The times they are a-changin', and not for the better! Something tells me that if it came down to having to work to provide for oneself and one's children or live on the streets and starve, most of those complaining about how hard it is to get off public assistance would miraculously find a way to "get 'er done"! "

" Very well said logic over passion! "

" ???:"Also, one may have to take responsibility for the 13 kids they irresponsibly plopped out,"

I do agree with this; people who cannot wait long enough to apply contraceptive of some kind are unusually stupid.

I worked under circumstances where one must not have a child in the summer (no available medical care) -- but one would want the child as old as possible for travel the NEXT summer.

So I had one child the first week of October, and the other the second week of October. Right on the target!!!!!
And since I wanted only two, I HAD only TWO.

So there is NO EXCUSE whatsoever for anyone having 13 children unless they can afford to support them. "

" GOOD NIGHT MRS. DUNN WHERE EVER YOU ARE!!!!!! "

" Lol, please EVEN STEVEN, I doubt you have enough money to be "taken" by those crazy "socialists." "

" Logic if you must know my mom pays for my internet access so I can go to college online and try to make my future better than it is right now, and so what if I do come across whiny? You come across like someone who has never been poor or had to struggle through life someone with little to no compassion for others. I give to charity all of the time even though I don't have it myself, if I can't donate my money I donate my time can you say the same??? I dont feel that I was defending my right to have any handouts I feel as though I am not entitled to anything,and Id rather walk over coals than get anything and trust me I dont get much! But when I did work I paid more taxes than I was required to so I paid my share into the system when I could. What I am trying to do is to explain to people like you what its like to have to be on assistance, since you come across sounding as though you have no freaking idea what its like to be poor and need help. Everyone's not so lucky that they have a great job with great pay and great benefits. I have known many people who have been on assistance and busted their butts me included to get off welfare then something happens to them and they "cant do" for themselves and have to rely on help. Car accident that cripples the for life, They find out they have Cancer, or they get injured on the job and loose their job because they are laid up for too long for their employers liking. One of my best freinds workd 60 hours a week lost all of her benefits and still did not make enough to pay all the bills she had and take care of her 2 daughters and she lived in a one bedroom apartment in the poor end of our home town, her kids had the room she slept on the sofa. Her ex husband was a deadbeat and kept on changing jobs every 3 or 4 months so he wouldn't have to pay child support! She wasn't making enough working all the time never being home to be a mom to her kids and felt as though her kids would be better off if she worked one part time job and got what help she could rather than work all the time and have half her wages paying for daycare. I have pride and I have work ethic I worked since I was 12 years old until I became unable to do so. When I did work I worked harder than half of my supervisors did. Logic you sound like you belive that because a person is on assistance they are lazy and don't have ethics that's not always true. As my freind used to tell me " Its really hard for some people to think that they should go and "try harder" when they are worse off for working more than they are if they just work less swallow their pride and get whatever help they can."

Logic when you can find me a job that will allow me to work from 8 -3 everyday so I'm not a "drain on society" by getting help to pay for daycare and am not going broke paying for it so that I don't have to rely on help, will cater to my fibromyalgia, arthritis, and back problems and isn't going to fire me when I am in so much pain that it takes me 30 minutes to climb out of bed because it hurts to move and find somone to watch my special needs child that can deal with her, pays all of my bills and still leaves money for food and medical care then I'll show you somone who works their hind end off!!! Until you walk a mile in my shoes do not attempt to judge me!!! "

" Cognitus: "So there is NO EXCUSE whatsoever for anyone having 13 children unless they can afford to support them. " I will agree with you on this 100% Family Planning bases fees on a sliding scale fee, Medicaid pays for birthcontrol ( again free) That OctoMom ( what was her name Nadya something or other) she is ridicolous! She was already on assistnace with 6 kids then had 8 more! I stopped at 2 because that was all I wanted.

The scary thing is I had a public aid worker in my hometown actually tell me that "if you had another child you could get more help" I flat out told her "lady have you been drinking the cianade laced koolaid? I have 2 kids and am in here needing help, why in the world do I need another one if I can't take care of the ones I have? To do so on purpose is irresponsible on my part and its irresponsible on your part to suggest that to me." She goofed though because her Supervisor was standing outside the door and heard everything!! She got reprimanded and told her boss " I am too difficult to work with" and I got a new case worker ;) "

" Sorry, devilish, but you seem far more full of excuses why it can't be done than someone looking for a way up. And as far as not judging someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes, don't judge me because you haven't walked in mine!

When I was growing up, my family was quite poor. My dad would put in 14 hour days and volunteer for extra work on weekends, and in addition to raising the 8 of us and all the labor involved with that, my mom worked nights (when dad was home and all of us were asleep). It took every cent they had to feed and house and clothe all of us. They did without a whole lot of things, as we all did. I didn't get a driver's license until I was 23 because I didn't have access to a car; we had 1 car as a family and it was always in use by mom or dad going to/from work; I would carpool with siblings or friends to get to work and college classes. I had 2 pairs of pants to wear during high school and college -- one would be in the laundry while I was wearing the other. I only saw a dentist when it was required for the school physicals. But I never complained, nor did anyone else in my family, and we certainly never took charity from others or assistance from the government.

As far as my so-called lack of charity, again you presume. Through many sacrifices and much hard work, I have made over 33 million dollars as an adult. I have kept about 15 million of that and have given away over half of what I worked for -- about 18 million, to charities like Habitat for Humanity (which I love -- a hand up, not a hand out), college scholarships at my high school and college alma matres, and charities like Salvation Army and Catholic Charities, to name but a couple. I don't mind doing that when it's my CHOICE! I resent, though, paying taxes to support people who aren't able to work as hard or sacrifice as much as I did.

How about finding another single mother in your situation and swapping child care for free -- one of you work nights, the other days, like my parents did. What about child support from your children's dad? You mentioned that your mom helps you with the Internet expense -- why not move nearby her and have her help out with the children? Are you affiliated with a church? If so, is there not anyone in your congregation who would be willing to help with child care? Maybe several people, each of whom would be willing to pitch in a certain day of the week? (We did this in my church to assist a single mother of triplets, who was not willing to go on Public Aid and wanted to work to support her family.) What options have you tried, other than throwing up your hands, saying there's no solution out there, and willingly taking governmental support? Just because someone paid taxes at some point in their life doesn't mean they should be content to take back that money and then some from the government later. "

" Logic our childhoods sound a heck of a lot alike in the finace department. I do also apolgize for my rudeness to you, that was uncalled for on my part... Thing is my mom lives 3 hours away, I moved here to Mattoon to be with my son who lives in a group home here. My mom refuses to move here because she says and I quote "Ive raised my kids I am done" She never wanted to babysit so I could work when I lived in the same town as her. Shoot I had a nervous breakdown and tried to kill myself about 6-7 years ago and needed to be in the psych ward for a week, she wouldn't even take my kids then, even though a social worker called her and tried to reason with her, the kids had to go to a foster home, until their godmother came to Illinois from Nevada to take care of them for me. ( sadly for me on top of the "phsycial junk I have mental illness as well.) My ex hubby doesn't want to move here because as he says "I won't know anyone Im not ok with that" I get child support only because the state takes it out of his checks, he didn't come to see the kids when we lived across town from him and he doesn't come to see them now that we live 3 hours away, ( My son is blessed with people to take care of him, I am all my daughter has though,) ex hubby is totally unintrested in his kids... I have tried the swaping babysitting thing with other single moms, usually has ended up that I do all the child care for them and when its their turn to babysit for me its always "Im too tired or I have xyz to do" and they don't show up then I have to call into work, since the other option is leaving my child at home alone which is not feasible and which Im not comforatble with. I always end up giving to them and getting nothing back so I gave up on that idea, I don't socalize with much of anyone because I stupidly give and give to people and don't see that I am being taken advantage of until after the fact, so I've gotten to a point I'd rather not be around anyone because I am tired of being hurt and used and then tossed aside when I have tried to do my best to help others.

As for church, I only recently started going to church, and I hate asking anyone for help because I am too ashamed and embarrased to do so, not to mention there are others out there worse off than me that really need the help. I also hate to let anyone know when I am hurting or need help. I was raised that "you're not supposed to ask for help, no showing tears or fears" and yah I realized after I posted what I did I sound full of excuses for that I aplogize, I have "given up" you are right about that, I only "gave up " recently because I've spent my whole life being knocked down and am just sick and tired of getting back up and trying over again, only to be knocked down a lot harder and a lot farther down. I am willing to admit that I am wrong in that I don't see any way out of my situation, I don't have "job skills" I am still earning a college degree which hopefully someday I will be able to use, I will admit freely that I don't see a way out at least not an immediate one, I have come to a point where the only thing I can think of to do is feel sorry for myself which I hate even more than being a burden to other people. But Im at a loss for what the next step should be to get myself and my family to a better place. "

" "like i said, the wealthy pay a smaller percentage of their income in taxes. albeit at a higher withholding rate, they actually pay taxes on a lesser percentage of their gross income. "

Do you even understand that tax rate = tax percentage? Do you understand how contradictory your first statement is?

The wealthiest 20% of Americans pay about 25% of their income in taxes. The lowest 20% in terms of income pay less than 10%. I suppose in your world 10% is more than 25%.

As I said before, it is amazing how anyone be as consistently uniformed about so many topics, yet be so quick to state fallacy as fact. "

" logic over passion...

Lao Tzu said "Give a Man a Fish, Feed Him For a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, Feed Him For a Lifetime".

You say that you've made $33 million and, evidently, through your various philanthropic interests you've given $18M away.

I surmise from your posts that you are 'sitting' on $15M, not necessarily putting this capital to work.

Since you are posting here on these JG-TC blogs I'll assume you are local or at least have local ties to the east central Illinois area.

You've written on these blogs how you are against bringing fetus' to term with disabilities because of how the they strain social support systems.

Rather than give money away to charities, why not put the capital to use, develop local opportunities that allow a 'Man to Fish, (to) Feed Him For a Lifetime?'

You've probably noticed I'm not too delicate with my wording, so as others have noted 'you seem to have all the answers', why not put your excess capital to work rather than give it away?

There's talk about a convention center coming to the area. I'm suspect of a business model that brings a convention center to this area.

Anybody that's gone to a conference at a convention hotel knows that when people go to a conference/convention they go to the convention in part for the extra-curricular activities afforded to them during non-conference hours.

And there ain't nothing here entertaining to entice conventioneers to conferences here...

Besides this fact...service jobs like those provided by a convention center don't build wealth. Making things (adding value to raw material) builds wealth, and at all economic levels (trickle down/supply-side does work).

Purportedly FutureGen is coming. The processes involved in sequestration will require service support activities as well as 'value added' economic type activities...

So to cut to the chase...why not put your capital to work in the area that might augment/support something like a FutureGen activity rather than just give your cash away? "

" Hey devilishangel61401....

As for...

'As for church, I only recently started going to church, and I hate asking anyone for help because I am too ashamed and embarrased to do so, not to mention there are others out there worse off than me that really need the help.'
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You need to get over your internal issues of embarrassment...

If the thought is in your head that you might want to ask for help...that's called having a conscience...an angel whispering in your ear...so just ask the the church folks...

I know of 2 churches along Charleston avenue that would bend over backwards to help... just remember not to abuse their charity once they've helped... "

" Cognitus wrote on Dec 1, 2009 5:28 PM:

"So I had one child the first week of October, and the other the second week of October. Right on the target!!!!!"

That's a pretty neat trick! "

" Neo Con, because I believe in planning for the future, I feel I am only being responsible by holding onto a little less than half of my post-tax income. I am a business person and do employ about 30 people. It's not my responsibility to provide jobs for everyone who wants one. I feel as though I have done my part. As for "teaching a man to fish" that's why a large portion of my donations have been to Habitat for Humanity (hand up, not hand out) and to scholarships so people can better themselves. I also volunteer my time, even though I'm a single parent; we actually volunteer as a family. What have you done to better the world around you? "

" Thanks NeoCon, you're right I do need to swallow my feelings and just ask for help. I would never dream of "taking advantage" of help from the churches you mentioned, I don't take advantge of help now and I don't plan to ever start. =) One of the reasons too I don't like asking for help is that I know there are people out there a lot worse off than I am and I don't like to think about taking help from other people who need it.. thanks again "

" What have you done to better the world around you? "
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I don't care to say as I enjoy my anonymity.

Suffice to say that I have influenced thousands, influenced patents and the subsequent development of products/processes, helped companies, with employment in numbers in the hundreds if not thousands, improve their processes, as well as helped companies to be profitable. "

" Until a couple years ago, I was one of the only people I knew that did not carry a cell phone. There are very few pay phones anymore. If a person's vehicle breaks down or gets injured, not as many "good Samaritans" will stop to offer assistance; probably, figuring a victim will use their cell phone to call for help. It is more challenging to find a job with no phone and the eligible phone recipients are people with other barriers to finding a meaningful job. "

" I would just like to point out 'even steven' that Obama has nothing to do with this Safelink program. It was started last year during Bush's time and he is not involved in any way.

A cell phone can give people the chance to find jobs and therefore will no longer be a drain on society so I'm sure you are smart enough to see how this is actually a good thing. "