Posted by 838 on March 9, 2006, at 17:55:47
In reply to Re: Imagine » 838, posted by AuntieMel on March 9, 2006, at 8:16:31
> But don't you think there is a difference between not getting a summer job (geez, even I'll admit that you do need some time to recharge) and not working for the rest of your life?
i would think that if i planned not to work for the rest of my life... then there would be something seriously wrong. because... what you get on welfare is very literally only just enough to get your basic needs met. and sometimes... one can struggle even with that... so it is not like people can live happy lives eating out and drinking coffee and driving a car and going to the movies and travelling around the country on welfare. not unless people are ripping off the system by working under the table (ie without the govt. knowing about it). so... why on earth would someone want to just scrape through life... only just getting their basic needs met... when they could get into some training course... and come out with some kind of reasonable job and / or come out with some job that is sheer slog but that they get lots more money off?
i would say... that there would be something wrong... something along the lines of depression... (whats the point i can't do anything useful anyway) or anxiety (i'm too damned terrified) or whatever.
i guess thats my take. and so with those people... i think the govt should continue to meet their basic needs for the rest of their life if need be - yes... but I think one better still is for the government to put MORE money into these people in the form of courses and activities and community workers etc etc. to find them something they would like to do... to talk to them about things they would like to do with the money they can earn (perhaps they have always wanted to go overseas somewhere on a holiday or to buy a car or something).
i agree that it is a bit of a social problem when people don't want to work and choose to stay on welfare for the rest of their life... but i think that just cutting them off from all support is likely to make the situation worse (they will probably turn to crime to meet their basic needs and that impacts WORSE on the rest of society imo).
also... little help...
and there might just be something that they can do (maybe with a little training) that can help them feel better about themselves etc.
but...
when i think of the working poor...
those struggling to make ends meet on minimum wage...
those struggling to meet their basic needs on minimum wage...
you can't really introduce a welfare system where people can get their basic needs met for free...because i wouldn't do the minimum wage however many hours slog per day in crappy work conditions probably being treated like crap with no real prospects for improvement... i wouldn't do that if i could get my needs met on welfare.
i'm not sure what to say...
to the best of my knowledge...
in NZ EVERYONE is best off working...
(though to be fair there is this problem of being on the dole working part time might be better off than working full time especially if you are looking at minimum wage... solution? work part time and do a course. then you will be earning more and it won't be an issue...)
> I can't imagine what would happen if everyone had that choice. Why would anyone work?
>
> Now, on budgeting - my mantra is save 10% of what you make. So, just go binge drinking 10% less and put the rest away...
poster:838
thread:617294
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060304/msgs/618035.html