Pat Buchanan is the fucking man.

[seremtan]

I'm really having a hard time articulating why I think that Buchanan's comments are valid, but I'm also finding myself asking a lot of questions about the issue in general.

i'm guessing, but maybe it's because buchanan is making *one* valid point, which is that change (any kind of change) starts with people rather than with institutions (like government). of course, this is just the beginning of the argument, but it's a good enough point

[shadd_]

@nightshade. i agreee with alot of what you say here. unfortunately it's not limited to the usa. you can see the same thing in canada.

[Hannibal]

If many people do get off of welfare after a relatively short period, why is the number of families in poverty increasing every year? Why did all those folks in N.O. loot and rape as they did? Why did the Superdome turn into a scene of complete barbarism in such a short time?

Benefits run out or are denied, increase in the rate of the elderly and children under the poverty line, etc....welfare rolls have generally been shrinking over the last 10 years, but there is no compensating increase in the number of jobs (that these folks can get) that provide a living wage.

The main problem I have with welfare programs is that the majority of programs are focused solely on survival and not skill acquisition or more proactive forms of assistance. This would require more moola of course...it's a question of priorities and our moral compass.