Wow all I have to say is, it is people like you that are bringing this world to hell. Talk about brain washed

Oh and I'm not telling you that because of your political views, mine are kinda the same, I'm telling you this because all people like you are bringing this life to hell thanks for listening

I've commented a couple times now, and I hope I'm not one that you're accusing of calling you names. I think you're comments are respectable, however coming from my perspective they are also misguided. Also know though, that I am not a typical "republican" to which you refer.

You obviously don't think that a charity-only approach takes care of the poor for their food and healthcare. And you're right, in the real world some people will fall through the cracks if we only depend on private charity. But do tell to which perfect system you are referring to that magically takes care of ALL the needy? There of course isn't one. So we must admit that we live in an imperfect world in which private charity AND government forced charity BOTH don't completely work. So then the question comes to which one is better, more sustainable, and less prone to abuse and corruption? While I once again realize that neither is perfect, I think that when you really look at which approach is most pragmatic and has the added benefit of better promoting personal responsibility on both the giver and the receiver side--it would most certainly be a the private charity approach.

You remind us again and again of your religious affiliation which is fine, but I will certainly feel free to use this allegiance of yours to the LDS faith in my argument against your approach. The LDS church provides a great example of voluntary and private charity. So, what is it about your church's welfare system that you believe fails so badly as to NOT try to implement it on a broader scale throughout the country, but instead to replace it with a government system? Do you think the LDS Church's welfare program is not effective? Does it not encourage personal responsibility? Does it not have the intending and very admirable goal of helping people become more self-reliant? While abuse of the LDS welfare program is certainly possible, abuse of government welfare is rampant. When dealing with money stolen from its citizens in the name of charity, incentives are actually not very high to be very responsible with this money.

Your accusation that "not everyone is LDS" and therefor will not donate privately to charity is not only absurd but offensive to the many non-LDS and atheists that are very charitable...in cases even much more so than you and I. But yes, the members of the LDS church are generally charitable and certainly perform above average in this area. One great example of charitable giving would be found in John Huntsman who has built one of the world's foremost cancer research and treatment centers. He has publicly vowed that NO ONE that comes to his cancer center for treatment will be turned away because of an inability to pay. Is this funded by the government? You guessed it. Primarily private donations.

Yes, I have used the ambulance service before. You are however failing to take into account that A)Some ambulance services are actually privately owned and run much like a business and B)That after using an ambulance service you will be sent a bill--meaning that it can be operated to be revenue neutral and not cost tax-payers anything. Some people can't afford to pay or just don't, yet the service is still available to everyone and is dependent on those that can pay.

You also list the EPA, Public Ed, NASA, and the Military as programs that (sarcastically) we should do away with. You are absolutely (not sarcastically) correct and I thank you for this suggestion. :) No really though, some aspects of these programs are needed. The EPA and Public Education ought to be strictly state-run programs in order to even feign constitutional adherence, NASA I won't even get started with and I'm surprised that you wouldn't agree that the Military (especially the Military Industrial Complex) is especially bloated and ought to be cut down to size and efficiency.

As to your other issues, minimum wage laws affect mostly young/high schoolers and this is the demographic that always looses jobs whenever the minimum wage is raised. Most even unskilled immigrant labor workers are payed OVER minimum wage as wages are really determined by the markets, not government overlords. Your assumption that smaller government is going to result in more gang and mafia control is also unfounded. A quick look at size of country governments around the world in relation to mafia/gang activity shows that it is primarily a cultural/societal issue, and if anything there are more gangs/mafia in countries with more government control. Oh, and lastly your point that the government is the only thing that has eliminated slavery is superseded by the most unfortunate fact that slavery HASN'T been eliminated. There are still an estimated 27 million slaves world wide and yes, still slaves and human trafficking in the US. So yes, pat our government on the back for that one.

I usually enjoy your blog, but it's gotten a little serious, don't you think? It took me my entire lunch hour to read your posts and everyone's responses...which by the way, you all are arguing in circles, no one is listening to one another.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the time that everyone wasted quoting this and that and going back and forth, don't you think that energy could be used to oh, I don't know, volunter at a local free clinic or ask them if there is any way you could help with getting more donations. Or you could write your senators, and representatives regarding your concerns. Or, if you are dissatisfied that much with our government you could always look into running for your local government and moving forward from there.

I have to wonder out loud Gabrielle (again, please don't think I'm being mean, or putting you down) if you would be so worked up over this subject if you hadn't had the misfortune of your own regarding your health care bills. Also, you seem to be a slight hypocondriac from things you've said in previous blogs. I had to throw that in, and I say it with the sincerest concerns.

Regarding the "evil" republicans, look...I'm a republican. I'm not evil, I donate to charities, and there was a time in my life that I didn't have healthcare. During that time, I had a small medical emergancy, and I went to a clinic. Actually I went to planned parenthood (which I also donate too.) Some people don't realize that most of them are also health clinics as well. Yes, I made too much money and had to pay about $100 for their help, and I was in a room full of pregnant teenagers and screaming babies, but the point is I got the help I needed. Maybe it wasn't the most pleasent experience, but I was treated. As a republican, I do care about other people, but I am tired of people abusing the system and getting free everything while they sit on their butts and do nothing. I am tired of paying taxes and seeing no benefits for myself or my family. I am a single white female, and I am childless, which means I get no tax breaks. I still have bills and rent and groceries to pay for, but I get no government help. Sometimes it's hard, but I do it. "The only people who should get taxed are people who make over $250,000 a year" is what I heard the entire election from Obama supporters. Hi, my father makes that. My father also grew up dirt poor, and was raised by a single mother who worked hard to provide the little she could for him. She never had government assistance once. She needed an operation when my dad was 18, so he joined the airforce so she could get it. Let me repeat myself, my dad joined the military DURING VIETNAM so his mother could get the medical help she needed. He spent two years of his life doing nothing he wanted. My father worked his way up from nothing into something. He needed a job when I was a baby. No one was hiring. He told people he would work for free for two weeks, if they didn't like him afterwards he would cut his losses and leave. Guess what, he got a job. I am tired of liberals blamming everyone else for their problems instead of going out and trying to find solutions to help themselves. I have no empathy for people who complain without taking action. I wish all of the energy that is going towards this universal healthcare crap could shift towards fixing the social security problem. The fact that I pay into SSI and will never see a penny of it really pisses me off. That people can come to this country and work a few years and then receive money that people have been putting into the pot for years urks my very core. Hey, here's an idea, why don't we get rid of SSI and then the money we save every month could go towards paying for health insurance. Wait, but then some people might not be responsible and use the money towards what they really need and then come running to the Liberals to "help them" It's like the story of the ant and the grasshopper. The ant worked hard to make sure he had food for the winter while the grasshopper played. When the cold winter came the grasshopper expected the ant to take charity on him and share his food. I guess you could say conservatives are like the ant in this story, and liberals are like the grasshopper. We ants are tired of working hard and then having to share our food. That's all there is to it. We aren't cold hearted, we aren't mean, we're just tired of working hard and then having to give half of what we earned away.

I'm sorry, but I have to touch on one more thing Gabrielle. I don't know what you're deal is with the whole gay marriage thing, but I want you to think about what you are saying to the world on your blog. I live in California, so I was able to vote for or against gay marriage last november. Prop 8 was a very sensitive subject. I have gay friends, and I want them to have a nice life, but the fact of the matter is, when all is said and done, I voted yes on 8. First, because I feel you are free to love whoever you would like, that doesn't mean you get to marry them. Marriage has nothing to do with love sometimes, but the most important reason I voted yes on 8 is because the prophet told us we should. We are blessed to have a prophet that leads us in the direction that the Lord wants us to follow. When you follow the words of the prophet you are following the words of the Lord. We are taught to love our gay brothers and sisters, to treat them with all the kindness in the world. But we are also taught that marriage is a sacred covenant between a man and a woman. This is a huge part of our faith. I am not questioning your testimony, but I needed to remind you of this. Everything in life is not always black and white, and sometimes when there are things I don't understand I put my trust in the Lord and know that he will give me my answers in due time. You seem like such a talented person, remember that you could do great things with these talents. Don't be offended by people opinions, when you put your thoughts for the world to see, you're not always going to like the responses you receive. For the few mean comments I did see from people, shame on you, there is no need to get nasty.

As I've spent several months under the radar this year, the healthcare reform stuff has fallen below the Nicole radar. I know it's important, and it kind of suprises me that I've avoided it, as my career is in healthcare administration. I agree that quality care should be available to all people, regardless of their ability to pay.

Anyway, my comment right now is a rant against the IHC Provo Instacare and Utah Valley Regional Center Emergency Room right now. Rosie's been sick with kidney issues this week, and they have been horrible about me paying my copays. I advised registrars at both facilities that I had submitted a financial assistance application a few weeks prior, and was unable to pay a copay. The Instacare flat out refused to see her without a copay...so I ran out to the car, grabbed a Christmas card, and paid her copay with the Christmas cash I got from my grandma. And what happened then? They took her blood, and then said go straight to the ER. If they were going to send her to the ER, why did they take my gift money to pay a copay for a "visit" that didn't really end up being a VISIT? They didn't even take her urine, and it took 4 hours in the ER for them to tell me that she had cystitis. If the Instacare would have taken 5 extra minutes to take her urine, she could have gotten on antibiotics and saved us an ER visit.

The ER was a little nicer, especially when I brought a copy of the financial assistance application along with me on my second ER visit. Luckily these visits happened before the end of the year, because we'd already met our deductible. Had this happened a week later, we would have been slammed with deductible fees.

*sigh*
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCulture-lovingPilotWife/~3/G3zqs00Jkts/not-pain-in-neck-more-like-pain-in-butt.html" rel="nofollow">Not a pain in the neck, more like a pain in the butt! =-.

LC,
I respect your opinions here. While you make good moral points, the people making arguments about legal quality for themselves seem to NOT be thinking about equality in terms of others, like gay people, then. They are only thinking of their equality as per the constitution.
We may speak of it in a moral sense, yes, but there is also a legal and political sense to address in this world of millions who are mingled of many different religious views and opinions; as per our constitution & nations founding documents whereby they WERE inspired of God AND therefore: "All men are created equal".
So, yes, shame on me for:
A) having an opinion
B) speaking it
C) defending myself when people (self-proclaimed Christians, no less) slammed me in extremely nasty ways - both on my blog AND ON SEVERAL OTHERS AND ON FACEBOOK, EMAIL AND IN PERSON - (you don't know the whole story, perhaps?) and who put down the very character of such people "lower" than themselves like illegal aliens, the poor on welfare, gays and lesbians, and old people. In speaking so fiercely about their rights and their "enslavement" that would perhaps occur should a health care bill pass, these people forget about being TRULY, unhypocritically kind to others.
D) Just because I believe in equality for all men does not mean I have not read or believe in the Book of Mormon, though I find it funny I am judged instantly as being a "heathen", gone astray for simply speaking of equality. I know you were not blasting my testimony, but I make a valid point, here.
E) I could show you specific comment threads on many blogs I've participated in during the last three weeks which show time and time again the closed mindedness and firm hypocrisy many Christians show in these situations but I agree, it would be a waste of time.
F) While I usually keep this blog lighthearted, I believe there are enough people being pushed away from Christianity (LDS churches and others) due to this sort of hypocrisy, that it is very important to address it.
F) I am a hypochondriac. This does not in any way mean I and millions of others should not have access to affordable, fair health care.
G) I completely agreed with your points until I read this: "but I am tired of people abusing the system and getting free everything while they sit on their butts and do nothing". HOW QUICKLY YOU JUDGE THAT EVERYONE IS DOING SUCH. Do you know how embarrassing it is to go to the store and use an EBT card? Or WIC checks? It's embarrassing. People stare, the cards don't work often due to glitches in the system. If you have NEVER been on welfare (as many who commented HAVE NOT BEEN as they so fiercely pointed out they would NEVER go on welfare), then you should know it's not all fun and games and sitting around doing nothing. Yet how quickly you judge others who are on welfare as being wrong or bad. Most people, like I, WOULD LOVE to be off welfare. People ARE trying to find work and can't. The "welfare" class now engulfs both lower AND middle class. These are good, hard working people who have lost homes and jobs.
I don't think you are being nasty via your opinion, however, the point remains that unless you and other dear blog readers have literally been in a situation where you absolutely need help and accept it (thus fully understanding what it feels like to be judged that way by others who THINK you are lazy and no good) then you cannot judge others who are on welfare as lazy, no good people.

Look, I'm glad that you are very passionate about your opinions, that is wonderful. I really think you should become a pillar in your community, no joke. Run for office or something...and I'm saying this because I respect everyone who stands up for what they feel is the right thing, no matter if I agree or not.

I did not say nasty things to you, but as your "sister" in stating my opinions you have to remember that not everyone is going to agree with you always. I recommend to always take the high road in these situations, but when you make your opinion public, you are going to get some feedback, negative and positive.

I wasn't suggesting that you do not believe in the book of mormon, I just felt compelled to remind you that we are commanded to follow the teachings of the prophet. Our church usually stays out of political dealings, so for the first presidency to address us and ask for our support in keeping marriage between a man and a woman must have been very important. I believe that the gay and lesbian community can have the same rights as straight people, but I believe that if you decide to lead a homosexual life you will not be able to have a legal marriage. I'm all for civil unions, which give the same rights as marriage. When people say I am being unfair I remind them that life is not fair.

The constitution was drafted by man, it is not divine.

No, I have not been on welfare, and I am sorry if it is embarressing. Unfortunatly I live in an area that is full of people who abuse government assistance. I see it every day in my line of work, and these people are quick to blame every joe shmoe in sight for any little things that happen to them. I do not have a problem with government assistance, I just think that it needs to have less loop holes for people to stay on it for ten plus years.

Life is hard, we are here to be tested. I think sometimes people forget that. We are blessed to live in a country that allows us to be as successful or unsuccessful as we possibly can. I am thankful for that.

I completely agree you are not nasty and I know you are allowed to disagree. I'm just so frustrated with those who are so one way about everything, without any bending. As a liberal in the church, I have to find a way to hold true to my beliefs and the truth of the church while being put down time and time again by my "brothers and sisters" in zion. Does this make sense. This is going on 6 years now. 6 years of put downs and rude comments. I feel in putting down those who need help they miss huge gospel principles. Charity is good. We are not to judge who receives it. A lot of my posts were in response to things going on outside my blog.
And, I would like to mention that the church has added as a new purpose to its three-fold mission: 1) Proclaim the Gospel, 2) Perfect the Saints, 3) Redeem the Dead. The fouth is: to help the poor and needy.
The church has felt this important enough to mention and officially add to their mission as a church organization. I realize they have also mentioned that self-reliance is a good thing, too. I suppose my point here again, is that it's not all one way or another. We can't have NO taxes because we need taxes as a nation. Taxes help people. Sure, there are lots of programs which need serious overhauls and fixes, but still the concept is good. It's not always so evil and bad like many make it out to be (Glenn Beck & co).
I know people DO abuse the system at times and the government abuses us at times. I cannot run for congress. However, I mentioned this very thing to others on a blog that was VERY VERY VERY anti-government (it's BAD, it's going to GET US! AHHHHH!!!!!) and say all health care is bad and people on charity are bad, etc. Sigh. Well, if they would like to go run for congress and REALLY TRULY get things done, then I might back down here on my point that they cannot put down others and decry government programs until they've been in those situations or until they can go fix the system and truly make it a fair, charity system as so many say we should have.
It's so frustrating to read this things and be told these things over and over and over and know in my heart IT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO BE and in the same sentence have them speak of Christ and truth and righteousness. HUH? They miss huge gospel principles right there. Yet, I'm almost always judged for being more liberal than they. (6 years worth of frustration, here).
And, as Natasha said, we are mothers. I don't have the time or money to go be a congressperson. But these people who continue to beat ME down (again, more going on than just my blog posts which were in response to these people doing so) should then go start their own new community without government like the Amish or go be congress people, as you say. I mentioned it to several. If there were people like this who would truly do the right thing upon running for congress - I'd vote for them, despite being a liberal. But I have seen none yet who can make it happen.
I agree, life is hard. It can't be all one way or the other. I agree. Maybe some people need government assistance because they wouldn't get helped via charity because they "look funny" or other such nonsense (but that's how we as people think). A pure charity system will only work if all humans are not greedy. But there will always be too many greedy people. I don't see then how people can get down about government programs which help those who are missed by such charity. Should we let those people die, when the resources exist? Under gospel principles, and now the new fourth mission of the church to "help those who are poor and needy", no.
Anyway, I don't completely disagree with you on your points in either comment, there were just many larger points I was trying to make as a whole to those who seem so firmly Christian (mormon) and yet refuse to acknowledge that help, in many forms, is perhaps a good thing and that we shouldn't put down others for needing it. I do hope you had a fun evening last night and Happy 2010.

Gabrielle,

You have a big heart. Continue to speak up when you think things need to change. In the meantime, you should talk to your relief society president and maybe figure out a way to help out your community clinics. I know it isn't much, but think of it as baby steps. Don't let other members frustrate you, just lead by example. I think you will be suprised how much you can accomplish yourself, even though you are a mother. I look forward to reading your blog and seeing what you can do.

Thanks, LC. It was a bigger, "it's not ALL just one way" type of point I was trying to make here. See how frustrated everyone now is when I say they DO have choices but now THEY don't like the choices I list for them? It's the same with Liberals not liking the choices conservatives list for us. Well who is wrong? The Conservatives or the Liberals? I'm trying to say it's not the Conservatives job to judge the liberals and vice versa. It's really a case by case basis.
Thanks. I will do something - we were talking today about some sort of non-profit we could do from home, even one that would help people in our own neighborhood (the ghetto). =)
Love Gabby

I've been looking all over for this!

Thanks.

I know for certain that many people replying to your blog have passed through similar situations to yours: lost their home, lost employment, required serious medical attention, etc.. Possibly not the *exact* combination of your circumstances, but sufficient to have empathy of your situation and want to weep with you for the heartache.

Have you read this?

http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html

Those that abide by it's teachings can live together regardless of their atheist, Christian, Muslim or other views. It addresses timeless political practices that avoid the issue-based politics that are constantly waged in battle.

Really, have you read it? What are your views? What do those concepts mean to your life? Certainly you pursue some of those same values by homeschooling your children rather than involving them in the public school system - the values of personal responsibility.

I definitely enjoyed reading your blog and bring adjacent to it both illuminating and interesting. I purposefulness be ordained to bookmark it and conclude in it as for the most faction as I can.

Thanks

Bernice Franklin

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