Kill the PoorFollow

Fallacious arguments aside, the key to all the issues brought up here is knowledge and education. By educating those on welfare and those in jails, hopefully those "rejects of society" can learn to become more productive. If they choose not to, **** 'em.

Neither Katie or I suggested that Welfare be abolished all together. No one is suggesting that our legal system or the welfare system is perfect in any way, shape or form. But the three strike system is meant to be used at the discretion of the court. If a bad judgment is passed, thats what appeals are for. Welfare is supposed to be a form of temporary relief. It isn't meant for people to live off of their whole lives.

My only problem is with those that take advantage of the system.
Anyone on welfare for more than a year without even trying to get a job or better themselves should be shot. Welfare should not be used as a form of employment.
Anyone who has been jailed for a felony and then commits two more should be locked up, end of story. I can not believe that a 3 time felon has any chance to reform or better themselves.

Why the hell should you get a free ride to university? Who pays the profs, admin, researchers?

You guys remind me so much of us.

But the three strike system is meant to be used at the discretion of the court.

No, it's ******* not.

Christ, where are you studying law, Antigua? The sole purpose of the law is to take discretion *away* from the court by mandating life sentences for third convictions.


Anyone who has been jailed for a felony and then commits two more should be locked up, end of story. I can not believe that a 3 time felon has any chance to reform or better themselves.

Right, someone who steals three cars, gone forever. Two times of cutting the genitals off of children, though, reformable!

It'd be really strange if everything didn't fit neatly into a "two times, ok, three times, bad forever!" box, huh?

You'd better plan on practicing tax law or real estate or something.

Oh oh! Pick me!


With what, rocks?



Maybe a pound of flesh?




Edited, Nov 15th 2006 at 1:51pm PST by Elderon

So in your eyes, steal 200 cars and stay on the streets? This makes no sense.

I apologize for my misconception regarding the three strikes law as it does take discretion away from the courts but why should anyone still have the privlege of living in American society after committing 3 felonies, the highest classification of a crime in America? Shouldn't he have learned after the first one? or even the second? Why let these people pretend they won't go back to their same ways once let out again?

/rant off

Edit: oh and I am studying real estate law... XD

Edited, Nov 15th 2006 at 2:01pm PST by TheAncientCrusher

sermon on

So I just spent the last 30 minutes reading thru this thread and thought it appropriate my first post in The Asylum be in a thread like this.

First of all, a little backstory.

I was a lazy piece of **** for a good long while, to the point of being homeless because I refused to get a job. I was homeless during a winter in montana, and it regularly got to -0 at night, and the only way to stay warm was to keep moving. I had to steal to eat most of the time. Loads of fun.
I also came from a broken home filled with drug abuse and physical abuse. I also managed to ***** up college not once but twice. Sucks to be me, life goes on.

I am, however, doing very well for myself right now and have for sometime. And oddly enough, the life changing factor for me, was the conception of my beautiful 7yr old daughter. I became a completely different man when I found out I was gonna be a father. I have a great job and have a LOT of very nice toys. Despite all the previous things in my life. My kids are well taken care of, healthy, happy, and educated as well as they can be at this point in their lives.

On the one side of the arguement, if I had never become a father, I would most likely have died on the streets and/or developed a drug addiction and/or ended up in prison. I was worthless and I knew it and simply refused to do better. This may or may not be the same situation for others and I am far from the only person to have been in my situation. But this is how mine has worked out so far.

I am for helping others and I think it is completely assinine not to. But, I also grew up in a VERY poor county and over 80% of the county is on state/federal aid. These are families that are 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation welfare people. They honestly don't care that they don't have to work every day and are fine with it. They buy steak at the grocery store, have 4 dogs, 3 kids, and a fleet of broken cars on their lawn. Their kids are unruly, uneducated, unkept, and none the wiser. My neighbors growing up had 2 kids, and when they went to school their first day of kindergarten during lunch they had to be taught how to use a fork and spoon because they had never seen them before.

Guess what, these aren't sloven uneducated blacks, or mexicans, or any other minority, they are white. White trash in the simplest form. Along with the rest of the county. My point is worthless knows no color nor does it care. Some of us move on, some of us don't. There is no global fix for worthless. If they want help, they can get it, if they don't want help, they won't. As much as we would like to help everyone we can, we can't.

I could honestly go on forever about this but it is 3 oclock and I am going home to my 3 tvs, my leather couch, my 2 pc's and have a beer.

/sermon off

You're right it makes no sense but that's because your question is asinine. It's not some lightswitch where you either lock someone up for life or else set them free.

Guess I'm just of a differing opinion. To conclude:

We all agree that the legal system isn't perfect.

We all agree that Welfare is meant for temporary assistance, not to be used as a life-long career.

We all agree that crime is bad.

We all seem to disagree on what the best form of punishment for repeat offenders of crime should be, which I would think is to be expected in a nation full of opinions.



and to Jophiel, the question is not asinine. Read the entire post, Sir.

We all agree that Welfare is meant for temporary assistance, not to be used as a life-long career.

I don't.

I think there should be a base level safety net of food and housing for everyone provided by the government, independent of means testing or qualification, forever.

Oh, also health care, education, and public transportation.

Sorry.



Edited, Nov 15th 2006 at 2:35pm PST by Smasharoo

So basically you don't believe in reform or extenuating circumstances?