The need for Attitude Adjustment

[Guest]

I'm watching last week's episode of "Hoarders" on A&E.

In short, "Dale", in Boston, has to clean out his apartment or lose his federal subsidy and the apartment.

During the cours of the show, we learn that the apartment could go on the open market for $3000/mo. Also, we hear Dale saying how it's HIS home and he should be able to live the way he wants.

Sorry, mister, but unless you own the property, it ain't YOUR castle - and the roaches that are infesting other people's apartments are YOUR fault.

Why the hell are we paying for a subsidy on a place like this? ...and the exterior shots show it to be a REALLY nice place - I think I know where it is, most likely in the Fenway section of Boston.

You have a right to privacy - the Constitution says that - but when you're impacting your neighbors who, by the way, are paying their rent ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT TAXPAYER HANDOUTS, your privacy starts to go away.

That's part of the Entitlement Attitude that really irks me. It's one thing for a person to complain about Unemployment or Social Security - when they've paid into the programs. But this? ARGH!

[Guest]

I'm watching last week's episode of "Hoarders" on A&E.

In short, "Dale", in Boston, has to clean out his apartment or lose his federal subsidy and the apartment.

During the cours of the show, we learn that the apartment could go on the open market for $3000/mo. Also, we hear Dale saying how it's HIS home and he should be able to live the way he wants.

Sorry, mister, but unless you own the property, it ain't YOUR castle - and the roaches that are infesting other people's apartments are YOUR fault.

Why the hell are we paying for a subsidy on a place like this? ...and the exterior shots show it to be a REALLY nice place - I think I know where it is, most likely in the Fenway section of Boston.

You have a right to privacy - the Constitution says that - but when you're impacting your neighbors who, by the way, are paying their rent ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT TAXPAYER HANDOUTS, your privacy starts to go away.

That's part of the Entitlement Attitude that really irks me. It's one thing for a person to complain about Unemployment or Social Security - when they've paid into the programs. But this? ARGH!


The attitude that you describe is what turned me right in my political thinking a number of years ago. It is so idealistic to TALK, but the reality is what you describe and the children of those folks will expect even more what they call "RIGHTS"

PS: The word RIGHT in my post refers to a direction and not a correctness !!!

[Guest]

The turning point, for me, was in 1980 when an older colleague of mine responded to my complaining about some trouble I was having in getting the last 1 or 2 unemployment checks that I was supposed to have gotten before starting this new job.

He said "What makes you think the government owes you a living?"

Now, granted that's not 100% applicable in the case of unemployment insurance, but the gist of the message hit me like a ton of bricks.