More moral issues ? The Big Questions

lexia

I had just posted on Liz's question about morals thread and turned on the tv to this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007zpll

On now : "Is it immoral to cut help to the poor ? "

Discuss !

SilverLinings

Would cutting help to the destitute, power them to do more?
Just think of the state savings...
Just think.
In a world where looks are more important than talent? It's not what you know it's who?

I mean who needs access to a computer to find a job, write a cv? They can get that at all the (closing) libraries right?
We all know how to format a CV don't we.

Wait a minute. What about those that are for what ever reason kicked out of their home.
I haven't got a spare room can't help. Sorry.
Can't afford a solicitor to defend them in court. Transport to get to hospital.
Admitted into hospital - Let's not forget the NHS is a health service for the poor.

- And I haven't even got out of my little market town yet.

Neph

I think it depends on

a) what do you call poor?
b) what are you cutting?

I found out recently that if you are an alocholic on benefits you get extra money every day to help you with your addiction, surely it would make more sense to put the money into getting them off alcohol?

I have seen so many families supposedly on benefits who have huge plasma TV's, go out all the time, smoke, and have no intention of getting a job. These are the people who should be penalized, not those who are genuinely struggling.

It has to be done on an individual case basis, I don't think you can do a blanket cut off.

snailmale

[quote=Neph]I have seen so many families supposedly on benefits who have huge plasma TV's, go out all the time, smoke, and have no intention of getting a job. These are the people who should be penalized, not those who are genuinely struggling.
[/quote]

Oh dear me yes! My neighbour, allegedly disabled, but well able to do quite heavy work in his garden, has not worked for over 20 years. His mortgage is paid off, he smokes, and recently his brand new car was delivered on the mobility scheme. he gets one every three years. His younger daughter was at a 'special' school for a while, across the city, but he didn't take her in his freebee car. She was collected by taxi every morning and chaperoned by a female 'escort' who brought her back at night... GRRRRRRRRRRRR !

Rant over.

[quote=Neph]I found out recently that if you are an alocholic on benefits you get extra money every day to help you with your addiction, surely it would make more sense to put the money into getting them off alcohol?[/quote]

Sadly, found out recently that someone very close to me has come up with this problem. The NHS provide a ''detox', but the gap between the detox and commencing proper rehab is such that the addict is back on the pop before help arrives.
In this case, the addict isn't destitute, has a supportive partner and family, and is four weeks in to a detox and rehab course, run by former addicts, which seems to have a chance of doing the job. The downside is that the cost of this is £1000 per week, which to him, is affordable, Courses like this would probably be beneficial and be far more cost-effective than endless benefit pay-outs.

Phots Moll

[quote=Neph]I think it depends[/quote] Me too.

Paying benefits might not be the best way to help people. If the money saved was spent on creating jobs, offering training, better healthcare and housing etc then cuts would be justified. Sadly that's probably not what will happen.