I appreciate the feed back on my blog entries. It becomes more of a dialog, an exchange of ideas. The last one that I got was excellent. It brought out some very good points. I am responding to it with an entry because I think it deserves one.

First of all, kudos to Your mother. She obviously did a great job to inspire such passion in Your response. There could have been nothing easy about raising six children alone. That would be considered a difficult task even in a two parent household. She would most definitely fall into the “highest order of vixendom” category.

I do believe that a vixen momma (one that’s worth her salt anyway) will do anything for her pups. They may not like some of the choices she makes for them. She may not like some of the choices she has to make. But, if she has her pups best interests at heart, she will do whatever it takes to raise them to be responsible adults. They may make horrible choices sooner or later, but if she has done her best, that is all anyone can ask.

I agree whole heartedly with the “slug” comment. I previously referred to them as “parasites”. A blood-sucking parasite, slug, leech, whatever label we wish to bestow on them, is still that. They do exist. We all probably know at least one. I suppose they do have their place in the vixen food chain, because if they didn’t exist, we could take the term ‘co-dependency’ out of our vernacular. All of us that fall into the “savior” mentality would have to get a new hobby. Even a slug can teach you a valuable lesson in life. You cannot save people that don’t want to be saved! When you realize you have run across one...RUN LIKE HELL!!!

I also agree that aid should be dispensed and monitored on local levels. There are already reports of parasitical beings trying to scam agencies out of funds. Wasn’t that a surprise to hear? What I don’t agree with is, if we don’t help the destitute they will rob us. I don’t believe that the looters stealing TV’s and Nike shoes were doing it to alleviate hunger in their households. I can’t think of a soul that I know that would have criticized anyone for going into the stores that were opened and taken food, water or essentials for survival until rescuers could arrive. As big an imagination as I have (and trust me, it is considerable) even I can’t envision a showcase being wheeled down the middle of the street being placed over a bar-b-que pit and served up with a couple of cartloads of stolen booze.

The people that they showed on the news carting away as much stuff as they could get their hands on seemed pretty healthy and able-bodied from where I was sitting. Most even had a merry air of glee about them. I have worked in retail almost my entire working life. It’s a very rare thief that steals food for their hungry pups at home out of desperation. Most even have enough money on them to pay for the goods that they have been caught lifting. I know people that have fallen into extreme dire straights. They wouldn’t steal anything from anyone on a bet. Those people stole because it is in their baser nature. I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that those people were thieves BEFORE the hurricane ever formed.

Our government does support big business and corporations. As well as small businesses and individuals. WE support businesses big and small. That’s what capitalism and consumerism is all about. When a big business comes into a community there are outcries that they will put the small businesses out of business. What puts a business out of commission is where the local people choose to spend their money. If the locals don’t spend their money in their own community, through their own short-sightedness they are crippling their own local economy.

There are several local businesses that I frequent even though I pay a higher price for their goods. One is a mom and pop grocery store. I have known these people all my life. They are an awesome family. I believe in spending my money locally and responsibly. Sometimes being supportive and responsible means paying the higher price to keep that business viable.

One thing people seem to over look, business is just that, business. It’s nothing personal. Economics 101: make money. A responsible company will look after it’s workforce. The most valuable asset that any company has is the people that work for them. If you don’t take care of the customer that walks through your doors, they have the right to spend their money somewhere else. It’s all about choices and personal responsibility. People have no problem swapping one partner for another, why would they think twice about where they choose to spend their money?

I am more concerned with the companies that are pulling up and moving operations to China, Mexico and Timbucktwo. The companies that are filing bankruptcy and leaving lifetime employees without insurance, benefits, a paycheck, and in some cases accounts that the employees invested their own money into. The government had better be concerned with big business because that is the base of the American economy. Without a solid economy the entire country will be hip deep in the stuff that is being shoveled out of New Orleans.

I also have a wee little problem with the way some American organizations (churches in particular) deal with foreign missions. Do I believe in helping those less blessed? Absolutely. Do I believe in taking care of local families first? Absolutely. Do I think some of the people involved do it with a smug, self-righteous attitude? Absolutely. These are probably the same kind of people that made your mother cry. They claim the Masters name, yet forget to adapt His attitude. It’s what makes them feel secure.

Here’s the part that will get me into the most hot water. “I think you are wrong in assuming that most people on state aid just want to be on state aid.” I re-read my posting and nowhere did I make that statement. Let me clarify by making this one: I don’t assume that most people on state aid want to be on state aid. I do know for a fact SOME do want to be on it. They are few and far between, but they are there. I know people that have gone in and applied for aid and they were told to quit their jobs. They could receive greater assistance if they were unemployed. I know a few that went to great lengths to get assistance claiming disability. It’s amazing the activities they could participate in after they got their disability through. But that isn’t everyone. Most are legitimately disabled and in need of assistance. Unfortunately, a few give the majority a bad reputation.

I have worked with people and support organizations for YEARS. I know people that were turned down for aid that they desperately needed because medical bills were eating them alive but they made too much money in a years time to receive assistance and they weren‘t allowed to subtract their medical expenses. Maybe they had a few bucks in a savings account or owned property that disqualified them. All the agency was interested in was the cash flow in, not the cash flow numbers out and the reasons behind them. There is a serious flaw in the system. At no point did I say that everyone is out to work and/or cheat the system. I didn’t even say most. But yes, whether we want to believe it or not, this is not a perfect world, not everyone is decent, honest and hard working. It’s one of the saddest facts of life.

I am about to leave the domain of bad and go straight into the realm of worse. I am very well aware of the fact that most people on government assistance are working single mothers. You didn’t mention Your Father when speaking about Your mothers plight. A widowed vixen with six young pups would unarguably have a nightmare of a time making ends meet. The churches were given specific instructions to take care of widows and orphans. (I reckon if they live in a third world tropical country, they would probably get it). Maybe some of the righteous right got confused and thought separation of church and state meant that they could split the responsibilities for the flock with the state and they got to pick first at what they did and didn’t want to do.

Unfortunately widowhood isn’t the economic predicament for the vixens of the world (and yes, some Foxes and hounds as well). As in the below noted reference, the major contributing factor to poverty in a single mother household is, obviously, the absence of a father or a second adult in the home willing to help pay the bills. There are the flat out dead beat dads and moms. There are the ones that get by with minimal support payments. Lack of support or lack of adequate support is not the fault of the parent left to raise the kids.

See if there is logic in this reasoning. Say a woman (or man) is raising three kids alone. That parent is one of four people in the household. Three other people also have need of shelter, use the utilities, use all goods in the house (shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, ect.) Factor in clothes, school lunches, book rental, all the little extras that are needed in the classroom that come up during the school year. Even if a doctors visit isn’t made sometimes there is still the unexpected cost of over the counter medications. We won’t even go into things like childcare or a few extra bucks for entertainment or money for social functions (for the kids) of any type. It is all the hidden out-of-pocket costs that places stress on a single parents finances. Add to that, statistically women have less earning power than men. And heaven forbid your child get sick and you have to miss work. The custodial parent is usually the one that takes that hit. Loss of income for any reason is not reimbursed.

There is a plethora of fine men and women that take full responsibility for the cost of raising their children financially (whether together or apart). Unless a death has occurred, more than likely, if a single parent is struggling, the root cause can probably be traced back to an unequal sharing of the financial responsibilities for the children. Please note, I did not say always. Factor in a man that has children with more than one woman and logically the ratio that He is able to contribute to his children declines.

We have come full circle in this discourse. There are choices to be made and personal responsibility for those choices. Some, not ALL, make poor choices that place burdens on those that they should be accountable for. When this happens, they have to look somewhere. The deity with the seemingly bottomless wallet appears to be Uncle Sam. He isn’t allowed to ask any questions. Just hand over the hard cold cash. It makes it easier for irresponsible people to remain neglectful of their duties. It also places a stigma on those that truly do need aid and support through no fault of their own.

Give and give generously, seeking no reward but the satisfaction of giving. Take only when necessary and only the essentials. If both groups take this approach, all other arguments become null and void.

Til next time...Love, sassy v

© sassy vixen1 2005

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1713es.c