Have you ever received any government handouts?

[tom&tata 2]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

If you pay for it & your pay out is less than what you paid in, is it still hand out?

[Jenn! 918]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

If you pay for it & your pay out is less than what you paid in, is it still hand out?

If that's your definition, then you can't broadly classify any of the choices as a handout as it will vary by the individual.

To use your previous example, if you pay premiums towards an insurance policy and you have a claim that exceeds your premium contributions, is that a hand out from the insurance company?

ETA: sorry, not your example with the insurance, but someone mentioned it

Edited October 3, 2008 by Jenn!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

If you pay for it & your pay out is less than what you paid in, is it still hand out?

By that definition, so is most private insurance. The only difference is government run vs. private....if one is considered a handout then so is the other kind. How many people refused insurance 'hand-outs' when the amount exceeded what they paid into it?

[Jenn! 918]

Hmmm, didn't I just say that?

[tom&tata 2]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

If you pay for it & your pay out is less than what you paid in, is it still hand out?

By that definition, so is most private insurance. The only difference is government run vs. private....if one is considered a handout then so is the other kind. How many people refused insurance 'hand-outs' when the amount exceeded what they paid into it?

Not one but as a group. The hand out for me does not require paying into the system to be qualified, no?

[Jenn! 918]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

If you pay for it & your pay out is less than what you paid in, is it still hand out?

By that definition, so is most private insurance. The only difference is government run vs. private....if one is considered a handout then so is the other kind. How many people refused insurance 'hand-outs' when the amount exceeded what they paid into it?

Not one but as a group. The hand out for me does not require paying into the system to be qualified, no?

So now you're changing your criterion from pay-in less than payout to no pay-in at all?

Edited October 3, 2008 by Jenn!

[IAMX 3,055]

Can't answer the poll since I'm not a Democrat nor Republican.

I received Social Security from my dad's death (he was a Marine, although he didn't die in combat), some food stamps for a short time while my mom got her #### together (was like 6, and shortly after she started her career and jumped to ~ $70,000/yr), and some financial aid from FAFSA/pell grant/work study for school which is why I am in no debt.

[Yaads 0]

Never received any "handouts" and wasn't really sure what I thought about the second part of the question. Gotta think about that for a bit.

[bhajishah 4]

Well 3/4 of medical students @my university were parents with student loans , welfare, medicaid and food stamps.. both republican and democratic. not all of us were born with silver spoon in our ...... with life planned out eh.. what fun would be in that????

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hmmm, didn't I just say that?

Sorry...I didn't read the thread any further and wanted to reply to what was said.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

If you pay for it & your pay out is less than what you paid in, is it still hand out?

By that definition, so is most private insurance. The only difference is government run vs. private....if one is considered a handout then so is the other kind. How many people refused insurance 'hand-outs' when the amount exceeded what they paid into it?

Not one but as a group. The hand out for me does not require paying into the system to be qualified, no?

So now you're changing your criterion from pay-in less than payout to no pay-in at all?

Good point. Also, everyone does pay taxes - property tax, sales tax, income tax, etc. Government programs like Medicaid, Social Security and Food Stamps serve a purpose...and their vitality (just like private insurance) depends on more people paying into than what everyone contributed. If people really take issue with having to bear the financial weight of others in their time of need, then they should opt out of all private insurance because it works the same exact way. Some will use it more than others....period.

[Ban Hammer 13,637]

voted I am a Republican and have resided in government-subsidized housing - as i have lived in on base military housing, so i guess that would count.

none of the above on the second choice.

[Caladan 19]

Democrat, have never taken any form of 'handout', unless you count subsidized student loan interest. (I assumed above the question meant Pell grants, which I think only the insane would refer to as a handout, but I didn't have any of those.)

[Caladan 19]

I don't see the distinction between the first set and second set. Funded by taxpayers = government handout, no? Is the objection to calling unemployment a government handout because of the negative connotation associated with it?

Come on . Calling something 'a government handout' is always more rhetoric than fact. (The reasoning usually seems to be: if it's for people I like, it's just the government doing its job; if it's for people I don't like or don't feel like they deserve it, it's a handout.)

[daboyz 36]

I lived in SE Asia for 3 years and paid my taxes the entire time. I didn't use any US services at all. When I did try to call the embassy once, there was no answer. Now I come back, and they want me to basically shell out $4kUSD to bail out banks? What is this? This government is a joke. I should have just burned my passport and applied for political asylum.

Also, I came back with $20 in my pocket. There was no government bailout to help me with finding a job and a car. Ijust keep giving them more money with nothing in return.

Where was my "bailout?"