serious question here. My children don't have any kind of contact with drugs other than medication at home. But let's say your kindergarten age child is at school, and one of his older friends comes up to him on a day that the child is sad or feeling left out, then tells them, "here, try this it will make you feel better".
The child in question has had no contact concerning drugs or alcohol, and thus has no reason to worry or be concerned, because it is their friend who is suggesting it.

I am not saying that a 5 year old needs in depth lessons concerning this topic, but they do need something; and sadly too many parents do not talk with them other than to maybe say, "Don't do drugs; don't drink beer". A good suggestion was made to do so with an age appropriate book, and discussion about it afterwards. I think a signed agreement would be too much as well, although maybe a verbal agreement would be all right.

To answer Mo's first question, what I do to better the community right now, is volunteer at my church and around town helping people who need physical labor done and can not do it themselves. I am helping to renovate my church's fellowship hall, to bring it back up to the glory it should already be in.

Other than that, and anything else people need done, I am looking continually for an employer who will hire me knowing that I can only work Monday through Friday from 8am until 2:30pm, and have to be able to leave unexpectedly during those hours if my sons school calls, for an indefinite period of time, due to his health. he can not be put in any type of day care situation as he can not cope with it. He does have problems in school as well, which is why I need to be able to leave unexpectedly, and can not guaruntee when I come back.

As far as doing what I can to get out of this pit, I am working at getting enrolled in the local college next year, during school hours, probably half time to begin with, and working towards a counseling degree, and a ministry degree. This way when I am done, if I have to pick my son up from school, I will normally be able to take him right with me to work (no I would not be working out of a doctors office). I am also trying to start a radio station going on the internet, so as to bring in minimal income from sponsors, so I can hopefully get off of the assistance in the somewhat near future.

As you can see, I do not sit around telling people they should do this this this and that, and then do nothing myself. Although there are way too many people out there that do this. And before you ask, yes if I could get back in the military I would in a heartbeat.

And to risk sounding confrontational, though I don't mean to be, to "force randomized drug testing for welfare recipients" can be seen as a form of discrimination. Now don't get me wrong. I agree with you completely, that it should be done, and I would be first in line every day to pee in a cup, while I am receiving assistance. I am just trying to point out that no matter the reasoning behind it, ANYTHING can be taken as removal of freedom of choice, discrimination, etc. That is why I say that as a society we need to step up to the plate and determine what our standards are going to be, and actually enforce them. If my ideas are not part of the final decision, so be it, that's democracy in action by everyone voting on it. But something needs to be done, and something needs to be done about those who do abuse the system.

I understand what you are getting at here Suze, I really do. BUT, there comes a point when somebody (normally government yes) does have to step in and say, these are the choices you have. This is because we live in a community, and due to this, we are responsible to a certain degree in providing FOR the community. That is why people live in communities rather than off by themselves, because of the mutual benefits.

However, when so many people start living in the community, drawing off the community resources (welfare in this case), and not providing something in return for the services, whether it be cash, or labor, or goods, whatever, then the community fails, and everyone suffers.

We are seeing this now, for several reasons, and not just from people refusing to work (and for the record I am sure there are more people who ARE willing to work than are not).

When this happens, people need to have a wake up call so to speak, and to be given a set choice of what to do in order to better their lives and their community. And you can only give so many choices,and when they are all refused, what do you have left? Continue letting the person receive from the community and return nothing, or make them do something productive? In the very end it comes down to giving them the choice: Live by the community standards, and be productive, or leave the community.

What we need to start doing is figure out what our standards as a community are going to be, and start enforcing them, whether it is with my idea of bringing more emphases on the military choice, or something else.

But in the end, people need to start being more productive, and contributing to society or we are ALL going to lose everything.






I am not necessarily disagreeing with some of the above. But, my problem is forcing EVERYONE to certain standards based on the actions of a few? Ok, yes, giving the relative few who may be abusing the system some "poop or get off the pot" scenario might be the right thing to do. But, then again, who and by what standards decides how the system is being abused? I'm going to use you as an example (please don't be offended, it's not my intent at all). I believe you are on disability, correct? So, let's say the "government" decides you are not truly disabled? (which btw, is not an unlikely scenario). You know you cannot work and I believe that despite your contentiousness, you are an honorable person. But, still, someone else (like now) has control of that arbitrary line. And because your neighbor decided to fake a back injury, they decide one day, because they have the power to do so, to move that line back. And you lose your benefits. Then what?

There is always going to be welfare in any society, it is the duty (I believe) for people in a community to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. Better policing probably needs to be done to root out the abusers. A good well-run society understands that and provides for it. But I don't think that limiting choices for ALL based on the actions of a few is a practical OR desirable scenario.

I understand what you are getting at here Suze, I really do. BUT, there comes a point when somebody (normally government yes) does have to step in and say, these are the choices you have. This is because we live in a community, and due to this, we are responsible to a certain degree in providing FOR the community. That is why people live in communities rather than off by themselves, because of the mutual benefits.

However, when so many people start living in the community, drawing off the community resources (welfare in this case), and not providing something in return for the services, whether it be cash, or labor, or goods, whatever, then the community fails, and everyone suffers.

We are seeing this now, for several reasons, and not just from people refusing to work (and for the record I am sure there are more people who ARE willing to work than are not).

When this happens, people need to have a wake up call so to speak, and to be given a set choice of what to do in order to better their lives and their community. And you can only give so many choices,and when they are all refused, what do you have left? Continue letting the person receive from the community and return nothing, or make them do something productive? In the very end it comes down to giving them the choice: Live by the community standards, and be productive, or leave the community.

What we need to start doing is figure out what our standards as a community are going to be, and start enforcing them, whether it is with my idea of bringing more emphases on the military choice, or something else.

But in the end, people need to start being more productive, and contributing to society or we are ALL going to lose everything.

I think it depends on what enviorment you live in.. While waiting for dare might be apropriate for a suburbanite. In the city and especially the inner city unfortunatly some sort of exposure to drug selling and usage will be more prominant. Better to give children the info early and give them a chance to be empowered by knowledge than be put into a bad situation with no foundation to resist the temptation

I agree with him. The majority of us are LAZY. I dunno about stupid. It depends what he actually defines as being stupid. Although definitely not worldly by any means. Americans live in a bubble and have no awareness of what goes on in the rest of the world. (for the most part).

I'm trying to remember what my child did then. I'm thinking that it wasn't much. I remember one of those rubber type bracelets (red) and a red ribbon to put on their shirt. I think that my child just heard that drugs, drinking and smoking were bad. The school had a big red cloth draped over the door saying, "Red Ribbon Week". I think there was a school assembly but my child's school had the little kids in a different building then the big kids.

I found this: http://www.imdrugfree.com/index.html

Do you have time to ask the teacher about the itinerary for the week? I've always been able to call the teachers at home if I need to talk to them.

That isnt historically accurate There were homeless and jobless people in the Colonies.

I don't smoke and my ex didn't
So I brought up the kids with the notion
"You smoke you die." period
They are in the third grade now

when they were K my Ex brother in law ( A good for nothing soul) was smoking and kids were in horror and said "Uncle Ed you smoke you die"
He was quite put out but who cares the kids learnt a lesson which was intended. The same goes for drinks and weed and so on

This is LA the rap music is full of it, the streets are full of it the whole place needs a clean up and we are trying to bring up upright kids in this crappy place

Sadly, there are many 5-year-olds that have seen drugs and alcohol in their families' lives.

I think it's good to start teaching children that drugs, etc., are bad at an early age. I do think that 5 is young though. I'm wondering if they're doing it because the rest of the school is doing it - like a school spirit week. That's how I saw it at my child's school. They also make the information age appropriate.

As far as the school not being free, this would replace the current GI Bill that so many soldiers end up losing out on being able to use when they get out of service. No longer would they get a gi bill to use towards education, they get the education while they are in service.

Oh you are referring to colleges and universities, I'm sorry. I was just getting ready to head to bed lol when I saw people started responding finally. But to answer that issue, no they are not free and they are not cheap. Neither is education through the military. With civilian education, you have access to plenty of grants and scholarships and even student loans in order to go to college (assuming that your parents or family can not help). You earn these services by studying hard, and passing your classes in order to get a job and benefit the community afterwards. With the military avenue, you pay for your education with your service in the military. So no, in the end neither one is free, OR cheap.

As far as there being no jobs for graduates right now, if this were implemented, then there would be a lot more jobs available (using our current market) for the graduate, because so many people would be in the military. And the military is also a "job" so to speak, though I hate to term it as such.

As I have tried to say before and you so passionately refuse to listen, with this suggestion, you are not FORCED TO GO INTO THE MILITARY AGAINST YOUR WILL. You have a choice. The military is just one of those choices, and if you refuse to be a productive member of society then you need to leave the country. I do NOT believe in handouts for nothing, and I do not believe in letting people stand there and say "well its not right that I have to do this just because I didn't do this".
Life is all about choices. Make one.

They aren't scamming anyone. They are regulated and monitored. That's just leftist talking points. They don't currently compete, that's the major problem right now.



They don't exist, yet. At least to my knowledge.



What better reason could there be to NOT be on a government plan! If a company reduces coverage, you can choose a different company. If you depend on the government for your health care, they can change the plan and you can't do a damn thing about it. And they will still get elected. They can cut medicare / medicaid / social security anytime they want...as long as it's not an election year and nobody will remember. Obama recently cut Social Security benefits for 30% of recipients. You should always be able to depend on yourself for these things, because you are the only person you can depend on in the end.

ok folks, I promised a couple different times now that I would repost my opinion on some of the more major changes I believe should be implemented, at least in partiality, as a whole. They all inter-relate so this may be a tad long. I do ask,if you are going to respond, please read all the way through, so that you can SEE how they all inter-relate and not go on with a bashing feast because you don't like one part.


The best place to start is with high school graduation / dropouts. It is my firm belief that when you graduate high school, you should have to make the very simple choice of continuing on with school through at least your associates degree, or going into the military (and yes this includes females as well).

I believe this should be a mandatory choice for many reasons. First, this will almost eliminate all the politicians from keeping their own children out of the military, thus they may well start thinking harder and longer before agreeing to action overseas. Second, it will help decrease the unemployment rate, and give everybody a chance to be a productive member of society, to the best of their extent. There are many more reasons as you will see upon reading further.

I believe also, that high school drop outs should be given one chance to return to high school and finish and go on, or be drafted into the military. Yes some drop outs continue on to start their own business, and are very succesfull., however most of them do not do this. They end up in dead end jobs (if they are lucky enough to find someone to hire them and keep them on), or on welfare; sometimes they end up doing both.

Now if you continue on with school instead of going into the military, you will need to keep a certain grade point average or you will end up in the military. Those of you who have read this far will see immediately the one flaw with this idea, which is the same flaw they had back in the 60's and 70's; Highly known persons will simply pay to have their children make the grade. All I can say to this is it comes downt o the schools making sure they police themselves, and keep the highest morals and standards among their staff.

Ok, now with that being said, we move on to what happens when you go into the military. If you note, I have so far referred to it as the military, and not the Army, or the Marines, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. This is because I don't feel we should have the "separate branches" per say. The separate specialties yes. We need every single specialty that each branch currently brings into service; but it should all be under one umbrella so to speak. One military, with one ranking system. There is no longer a reserves, or national guard either; or rather not as they are today.

Now, when you go in, it doesn't matter why you went in (unless you already have an associates degree, then you skip this first part), you are now in the "National Guard" part of the service. You do not train one weekend per month and one month out of the year any more. You now train every single weekend and two months, one in the summer and one in the winter, and during the week you go to school. yes that's right, you did not find a way out of continuing your education. You simply do it through the military now.

This continues for two years, during which time you actively train in your job specialty, and do not deploy under any circumstances, except inside your state in the case of a declared state emergency. Once you have finished these tow years of military service one of two things will happen; one, you will go active duty for two years, and after that you can choose to leave if you want. Or two, if your grades were high enough during the first two years, you have the choice to do two more years of schooling through the military, and thus get your bachelors degree. The only difference now is that during your third and forth year you are in what is currently known as the reserves. You still continue training every weekend and two months out of the year. BUT, if something truly horrendous happens overseas, you CAN be brought out of school long enough to respond to this threat; then you come back home and continue on with your education until you ahve your third and fourth years completed.

Once you have finished your bachelors you now get the same choice everyone else got after their associates, except you now have four years active duty to serve, instead of two (one year of active for each year of schooling you receive); And those select few whose grades are high enough will then be offered Officer Candidate school. You do four more years of service, completing your masters degree in your chosen field, along with all the rigorous training of officer school. Finally after you are done with this, you have 8 years of active service to perform, as an officer, before you can get out.

By doing all of this, you give every single person going into the military basic education through an associates degree, which if nothing else will help them figure out what they want to do in life. Those that continue on through the military schooling will of course get further education benefits. Also anybody who has served in the military can tell you there is nothing worse than an officer who has no field experience whatsoever; by using this process, every single officer will have field experience by the time they take command.



There are many other changes I want to see be enacted, but for now I will stop here, cause I am sure I have angered a lot of people (I can think of several right now lol), who will say it is not right to take a persons choice of going into the military away from them. However, the only thing I am going to say to that statement is nothing is being taken away, except the right to be a lazy, unproductive citizen who does nothing except live off the system. We live in the best country in the world (forgive me please, those of you who are in a different country but I AM a tad biased here lol), and we need to start growing up as a Nation, and acting like we are the best. We need to get all the criminals off our streets, and all the people who are in prison and shouldn't be, out of prison. We need to start providing for our family and friends, neighbors and elders; we need to be ABLE to provide for ourselves.

By enforcing people to make this decision, we will clean up our streets. We will get those who shouldn't be in prison, out of prison. And best of all we WILL be able to start providing for ourselves again.

If you, as a citizen, do not want to serve in the military, then simply continue on with your education for two more years, and then go out into the workforce prepared and ready to be a proud member of society.

I'd like to know what they are telling them. Mo, you should be able to opt your child out if ya feel strongly about it. I think it's even easier to do that here in our state. I have done that with my boys here..much easier than when I was back east..

I think it could be possible to do drug/alcohol education to grade K. However, signing an agreement, in my opinion, is a little beyond their scope and understanding. A simple book read at story time about it would have been effective, followed up by a discussion of healthy behavior such as eating right and exercising.

My son at least has a general sense that drugs and alcohol are bad! And he is in 1st grade. Because this has been discussed with him at home.

ya know Mirror..there is probably a fair amount of truth in that...