Poor in Northeast set to freeze to death

[Jhhnn]

People survived before there was government handouts when it was cold.

And damned few survived to the age of 92.

Speaking of giveaways, here's one that should make America's Righties cringe in shame-

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1870219,00.html

Maybe he's the "compassionate conservative", huh?

 

[dank69]

Another liberal with misguided compassion (you're probably young, stupid, and still idealistic too aren't you?) You fail :thumbsdown:

This country is turning into a bunch of emotional non street-smart sissies.

Does the woman have family? Have they offered to help with the bills or let her move in with them or help her to move to a warmer climate?

What... she doesn't want to move, won't take money, and wants to stay "in her own home till the day she dies" ? Okay....

Yeah, you guys are right. That lazy bitch should get a fucking job!

The lack of compassion is not directed toward the person in this article.
...

Clearly:

... Living in an area with a median home price of 340K on her income is a bad decision.

Guess they should have saved more when they we working.

...
If she's too fucking dumb to get an electric heater and wear a sweater, then she is on her own. It's too stupid to be real, so I assume the author is a bleeding heart retard and made it up.

...
oh come on...put on a freakin sweater

Maybe she should spend $100 and have someone fix those drafts?

...
The lady is old enough to have experienced this situation previously. This is not her first winter.

She also knows what needs to be done. Lower the temp and weatherproof.
...

 

[brencat]

There is no nirvana in this life, Texas. People are going to get screwed over by circumstances no matter what type of economy, government intervention, or assistance is in place.

There is absolutely no way we can enact a society in which every possible scenario in which a person gets screwed out of their money is completely removed.

Exactly right. There will always be poor, unlucky, and unfortunate victims of circumstance. Best we can do is enact policies to minimize the pain (and we have! SS, heating assistance, welfare, disability insurance, etc etc etc) but utopia does not nor will ever exist (in this life anyway).

 

[Texashiker]

There is absolutely no way we can enact a society in which every possible scenario in which a person gets screwed out of their money is completely removed.

All we can do is make the best decisions we can at the time, and hope everything will be ok in 20, 30 or ever 40 years later.

At the very least, you tried, and that is a lot different then not trying at all.

Back in 2001, 2002, 2003, I was doing some computer work in the north Houston area. One guy I did some work for, him and his friend were sitting at the kitchen table talking, and both looked rather worried. When I finished my job and had the customer sign the work order, I asked if everything was ok. The gentlemen told me his buddy and him had lost a good bit of money with enron, and coupled with almost doubling of property taxes, they did not know how they were going to make it.

The men had bought an average size house, maybe 1,500 square feet in a nice part of Houston, had tried to make wise investments with their money, but they could not foresee property taxes going up so much.

They thought enron and companies like mci were good investments. But little did they know they were victims of a massive fraud.

Some of the people were paying close to $10,000 a year in property and school taxes. If things kept going like they were, the men were going to have to sale their house and move to somewhere with lower taxes.

 

[EagleKeeper]

And damned few survived to the age of 92.

Speaking of giveaways, here's one that should make America's Righties cringe in shame-

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1870219,00.html

Maybe he's the "compassionate conservative", huh?

More like political gain.

According to the IRS, the Red states donate more to charity than the Blue ones.

So some people actually put their money where their mouth is instead of flapping their gums looking to take from those that have and give to the have nots

 

[EagleKeeper]

All we can do is make the best decisions we can at the time, and hope everything will be ok in 20, 30 or ever 40 years later.

At the very least, you tried, and that is a lot different then not trying at all.

Back in 2001, 2002, 2003, I was doing some computer work in the north Houston area. One guy I did some work for, him and his friend were sitting at the kitchen table talking, and both looked rather worried. When I finished my job and had the customer sign the work order, I asked if everything was ok. The gentlemen told me his buddy and him had lost a good bit of money with enron, and coupled with almost doubling of property taxes, they did not know how they were going to make it.

The men had bought an average size house, maybe 1,500 square feet in a nice part of Houston, had tried to make wise investments with their money, but they could not foresee property taxes going up so much.

They thought enron and companies like mci were good investments. But little did they know they were victims of a massive fraud.

Some of the people were paying close to $10,000 a year in property and school taxes. If things kept going like they were, the men were going to have to sale their house and move to somewhere with lower taxes.

Property taxes go up because the public decide that they want to spend money on projects.

Someone has to pay for those projects; do you think money appears out of thin air on demand (excluding Stimulus printing presses)

 

[dank69]

More like political gain.

According to the IRS, the Red states donate more to charity than the Blue ones.

So some people actually put their money where their mouth is instead of flapping their gums looking to take from those that have and give to the have nots

Giving money to God, unless it is specifically used to help the poor, shouldn't count. God doesn't need money.

 

[Texashiker]

Property taxes go up because the public decide that they want to spend money on projects.

Someone has to pay for those projects; do you think money appears out of thin air on demand (excluding Stimulus printing presses)

Property taxes also go up because company ABC can get their products made in china cheaper then in the USA.

The company closes their doors, demolishes the factory, turns the land hay field, and gets their tax burden reduced to almost nothing.

The taxes company ABC was paying are then shifted to the residential sector.

 

[rudder]

How can someone possibly save enough money to last them through retirement, with all of the other stuff going on in life, unforeseen increases in cost of living and fraud?

Look at what happened with enron, MCI and the recent bank bailouts. In the past 10 years how many people have lost their life savings? How are people supposed to save for retirement, when everything they save is wiped out ever 10 years? After enron collapsed, there were news articles interviewing people who were set to retire in a couple of months, and lost everything when enron collapsed.

Who is to say the lady in the OP did not have a retirement, and it was cleaned out due to fraud?

How much would you have for retirement if you put away $100/month in a mutual fund that earned 8% starting when you are 20 going to retirement?

$100 sounds like a lot? People pay that much for cable a month. I see people driving around in $40,000 cars where the payments are more than their house or apartment. Buy that $200,000 home instead of the $300,000 home.

People who thought they had Enron retirements are hurting... just the same way people who think social security will be there for them.

Who is to say the lady in the OP went to the bars and burned through $100 every weekend.

So the government helps her. They then have to multiply that help by millions. A lot of people are relying on social security... the money is just not there.

 

[zsdersw]

I can't remember the last time I turned on the heat in my place... many, many years ago, to be sure.

Then again, I'm Norwegian... we don't really get cold.

 

[Texashiker]

How much would you have for retirement if you put away $100/month in a mutual fund that earned 8% starting when you are 20 going to retirement?

That works out great on paper.

In the past 15 years, and all of the companies I have worked for, and out of several 401ks, only 1 has not lost money.

One 401k I was in, they were losing 20% of my contributions, and that was supposed to be low risk. When I contacted the company and asked why they were losing money, they refused to discuss there the money was going. As far as I knew, they money was going to some CEOs new private jet.

The 401k I am in right now, its the only one in 15+ years that has seen some kind of positive return.

 

[CPA]

How the hell we survived up to the early 1900s is beyond me.

 

[cybrsage]

What did poor people do for the last 32,000 years (the length of time people inhabited the East Coast of upper North America)?

 

[dank69]

What did poor people do for the last 32,000 years (the length of time people inhabited the East Coast of upper North America)?

I'm not sure North Americans had money that long ago.

 

[cybrsage]

I'm not sure North Americans had money that long ago.

Dunno. I cannot find how far back the Indian tribes used currency. They were definately using it when the Europeans arrived.

 

[Texashiker]

How the hell we survived up to the early 1900s is beyond me.

Up and into the 1960s and 1970s, we had people who know how to take care of themselves.

My great grandfather who died in 1972, and my great grandmother who died in 1978 were both born in the 1890s. They knew how to raise chickens, raised pigs, cows, turkeys, knew how to grow and store their own food and took care of themselves.

When my great grandmother died, her pantry was full of jars of beans and other food she had grown herself and put up for the winter.

Today, we buy everything we consume.

In the past few decades there has been a shift from being somewhat self supportive, to being totally dependent on outside sources.

 

[Blackjack200]

I'm not sure North Americans had money that long ago.

I'm not sure how many lived to be 92 either.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Property taxes also go up because company ABC can get their products made in china cheaper then in the USA.

The company closes their doors, demolishes the factory, turns the land hay field, and gets their tax burden reduced to almost nothing.

The taxes company ABC was paying are then shifted to the residential sector.

Where are the tax funds going to?
Public projects approved by the residential sector.
The commercial sector happens to provide extra funds.

When those funds are no longer there, the public has to either pony up the difference (increase taxes) or reduce the spending (budget cuts).

It is still the responsibility and actions of the public to match spending to taxes receipts

 

[EagleKeeper]

And damned few survived to the age of 92.

Many survive now due to government handouts in one shape or another

 

[Ausm]

We used to turn down the heat to 50 at night with no problems when we were kids.

I can remember going to see my grandfather and his place was considered cold.

You wear woolen socks, flannels and sweaters; One can easily survive with the house at 60.
May not be comfortable as if 74, but is not life threatening.
It is called bundling up in layers. But bleeding hearts are used to 75 so 60 must be torture.

The lady talked about understands, it is intended to be a sob piece.

I also walked uphill to school BOTH ways.

 

[EagleKeeper]

I also walked uphill to school BOTH ways.

they do not have hills in Wisconsin - just bumps:whiste:

 

[PingSpike]

What did poor people do for the last 32,000 years (the length of time people inhabited the East Coast of upper North America)?

They died. Well before they were 92 anyway.

 

[zsdersw]

they do not have hills in Wisconsin - just bumps:whiste:

That's true when compared to, say, the mountain states... but not at all true when compared to the plains and everything east of the Mississippi River.

 

[Doppel]

60F is freezing to death? OP is fvcking retarded, as usual.

 

[sm625]

You have a wood stove and a child or grand child chop wood for you. If you arent allowed to have a wood stove then you move someplace where you can have one, it will be cheaper anyway. If you have no children or grandchildren then you buy the wood and have it delivered. Small town churches do that kind of stuff all day long. Witha little luck you can get free wood all winter long.