Chew on this

[CEF1959]

TANF is just money, use it for whatever you like (i.e. beer and cigs)

Well, that's fair. Same with unemployment benefits and social security I guess. The next time I see some old guy smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer, I'm gonna smack him.

 

[Minisocks]

Not around here!

Cite plz.

Oh here's mine:

Preliminary data released Monday by the FBI show violent crime fell 10 percent in Portland in 2009. The city saw a decrease in almost every category, including murders and aggravated assaults. The number of rapes was virtually unchanged, according to the FBI.

The number of rapes was virtually unchanged, according to the FBI.

Gresham experienced a 23 percent decline in violent crime in 2009. Eugene recorded a 5 percent decline, while Salem remained unchanged.

Of the four cities, only Gresham saw a small, 3 percent increase in property crimes. FBI statistics showed that among property crimes,larceny thefts in Gresham were up from 2,502 in 2008 to 2,747 in 2009.

Salem experienced a 14 percent drop in property crimes last year. Eugene saw a 12 percent drop, and Portland was down 9 percent.

Crime statistics from the Oregon State Police indicate violent crime also fell in Beaverton, Bend, Hillsboro, Medford and Springfield.

Crime spiked in the 1980s in Oregon, but that has reversed dramatically in recent years, said Craig Prins, executive director of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.

Link

Feel free to much about in the FBI crime statistics website if you want the raw numbers.

 

[Minisocks]

TANF is just money, use it for whatever you like (i.e. beer and cigs)

Do kids smoke and drink beer alot in this state?

 

[pokerace]

Well, that's fair. Same with unemployment benefits and social security I guess. The next time I see some old guy smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer, I'm gonna smack him.

I WOULDshoot STOMP YOU BEFORE THAT COULD HAPPEN

NEVER MESS WITH AN OLD GUY!!!

 

[CEF1959]

Geez, maybe I'd better rethink my position here. Maybe it's OK after all for us, collectively, to make payments to people who are old, sick or poor and not try to micromanage how they spend our tax dollars....

Or I could use the fact that some of them make unwise choices as an excuse to oppose taxes generally.

It's a puzzlement.

 

[Minisocks]

collectively

that sounds like commie talk

 

[Generator]

This was wonderfully un-announced by anyone running these meetings. I am at every single City Council meeting in Redmond, and a public hearing in Bend - as the only C.O. location should have been announced.

Thanks to the OP for getting the info out there in time for some of the other meetings.

Did anyone attend any of these?
Any feel on the mood before and after?

I'm only concerned over here in Central Oregon as far as our sheriff supporting it because his Jail expansion bond wasn't passed... and that is a whole different story of forgetting to tell the public what your bond is about....

 

[Trlsmn]

Well, that's fair. Same with unemployment benefits and social security I guess. The next time I see some old guy smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer, I'm gonna smack him.

Working people that reap the benefits pay into Unemployment and SS. Welfare recipients for the most part, not so much. When I'm at Safeways buying groceries I've noticed that nearly every able bodied, tattooed, peirced hipster pays with an Oregon Trail Card.

 

[FritZ PDX]

Working people that reap the benefits pay into Unemployment and SS. Welfare recipients for the most part, not so much. When I'm at Safeways buying groceries I've noticed that nearly every able bodied, tattooed, peirced hipster pays with an Oregon Trail Card.

Safeway??? You need to see WinCo Its way worse there!!!

 

[joken]

Huh? Your tax money is going to buy beer and cigarettes for people on welfare? I think I missed that Glen Beck episode.

OK, now listen. People on welfare get a freakin' credit card called the Oregon Trail Card. They buy stuff with it and get change in cash. They use the cash to buy BEER AND CIGARETTES. Next, try watching Glen Beck sometime instead of parroting what you here from other liberals.
To the other numb skull that thinks welfare is the same as social security and unemployment. Man, I hope you don't vote. If this makes you angry please take a moment and read what you wrote. I need to move out of Oregon this State has gone to ****. Ken

 

[smithmax]

OK, now listen. People on welfare get a freakin' credit card called the Oregon Trail Card. They buy stuff with it and get change in cash. They use the cash to buy BEER AND CIGARETTES. Next, try watching Glen Beck sometime instead of parroting what you here from other liberals.
To the other numb skull that thinks welfare is the same as social security and unemployment. Man, I hope you don't vote. If this makes you angry please take a moment and read what you wrote. I need to move out of Oregon this State has gone to ****. Ken

That's not how all of the EBT (Oregon Trail Card) benefits work, I'm pretty sure most people you see using those cards can only spend the money on approved food items. And they don't get cash in return (I've seen some people get pissed off about that fact).

 

[ZachS]

My hipster friend got an Oregon Trail card, with a whole $75/month in food stamp benefits. She needed every penny she could get, as the small catering company that hired her (and laid her off) would only pay her under the table, resulting in an unemployment benefit of $100/week. She has an MA in Immunology/Microbiology from OHSU.

It's a tough job market out there, and maybe it's best not to make assumptions about everyone who gets public benefits.

That said, it's probably still safe to make assumptions about a lot of the people who get them.

 

[Chee-to]

Working people that reap the benefits pay into Unemployment and SS. Welfare recipients for the most part, not so much. When I'm at Safeways buying groceries I've noticed that nearly every able bodied, tattooed, peirced hipster pays with an Oregon Trail Card.

So do many of our non English speaking visitors.

 

[Russianfist]

Unemployment insurance is just that......INSURANCE! Your employer pays into an insurance pool and when you loose your job you collect the insurance under the right conditions.
SSI is also INSURANCE that you pay in to a pool and collect under the right conditions.

Wellfare/Oregon trail/state healthcare etc.etc... Is insurance paid in to a pool from taxs. To "bag" on someone for buying beer or smokes with money that they themselves paid the insurance on would be wrong, don't ya' think?:huh:

Now, when I see people buying topshelf T bone steaks and Tillimok Icecream with Oregon trail I get pissed! When the wife and I both work a 50 hour week and we have to be super frugal to get by and the "patchouli oil,rope headed dirt ball" Get's the good stuff ???

Not fair!

That being said, I don't want it to go away either. Their may come a time in my life when I will need help. Just because I don't need a parachute now doesn't mean I will not need one later. I just wish the system was fixed to prevent scumbags from taking advantage of it.

 

[marty8587]

I could possibly support an increase in the backround check fees if they eliminated them all together on concealed permit holders as we have already had a much more thorough backround check. As it stands it's just another tax exploiting law obiding citizens.

 

[Trlsmn]

Wellfare/Oregon trail/state healthcare etc.etc... Is insurance paid in to a pool from taxs. To "bag" on someone for buying beer or smokes with money that they themselves paid the insurance on would be wrong, don't ya' think?:huh:

To say that they've paid anything into the system is an assumption, the large percentage have paid nothing or have paid little and taken lots.

Now, when I see people buying topshelf T bone steaks and Tillimok Icecream with Oregon trail I get pissed! When the wife and I both work a 50 hour week and we have to be super frugal to get by and the "patchouli oil,rope headed dirt ball" Get's the good stuff ???

I see that all the time! Also many OTC dollars/food stamps get exchanged for drugs too!

Not fair!

That being said, I don't want it to go away either. Their may come a time in my life when I will need help. Just because I don't need a parachute now doesn't mean I will not need one later. I just wish the system was fixed to prevent scumbags from taking advantage of it.

Unfortunately it has become an alternative way of life for many able bodied people.

 

[Generator]

I could possibly support an increase in the backround check fees if they eliminated them all together on concealed permit holders as we have already had a much more thorough backround check. As it stands it's just another tax exploiting law obiding citizens.

It should be like the 'Express'/'Frequent traveler line' at the airport..

Also, thanks for being on topic.

Welfare state comments are agreed with, but I don't want to pay 130% of a Mosin's price because of the darn government... and what about the $50-$75 pawn shop finds... this jack in fees is effectively a 45-60% tax!

 

[Trlsmn]

Safeway??? You need to see WinCo Its way worse there!!!

I do the majority of my food shopping at Winco twice a month. Safeway is right by my house so I go there for milk and such but their prices are outrageously high!

 

[Trlsmn]

OK, now listen. People on welfare get a freakin' credit card called the Oregon Trail Card. They buy stuff with it and get change in cash. They use the cash to buy BEER AND CIGARETTES.

That's not true. They may receive either/or cash benefits and food stamp benefits. The cash benefits are used just like any cash card at the register or ATM, the food stamp benefits may be used only for food and the balance stays on the card, there is no residual cash handed out. What the druggies do is exchange the use of a certain amount of food credit on the card at 50% on the dollar toward drugs.

Next, try watching Glen Beck sometime instead of parroting what you here from other liberals.

I would suggest not listening to any pundits, be they Beck Limbag or Madcow Obenfuhrer.

To the other numb skull that thinks welfare is the same as social security and unemployment. Man, I hope you don't vote. If this makes you angry please take a moment and read what you wrote. I need to move out of Oregon this State has gone to ****. Ken

I agree, but the grass isn't any greener elsewhere.

 

[marty8587]

I don't really get the connection with the welfare state, but what I do see in Government alot (as I work for the government) Is beaurocrats creating job security for themselves by creating a false need for all this paperwork. As a mailman I see all these people who never touch the mail wanting to curb delivery or sqeeze more out of me so they can keep their overpayed jobs that have no real product. Samething with these backround check fees, they want to grow their industry.