We need some public discussion about the use of the word "entitlement"

[iemitsu]

The press and the Republicans throw the word around like it means something nasty, like those entitled to something are leaches or uppity or somehow undeserving or un-entitled. Actually we are entitled to Social Security and Medicare. We paid for them. In fact, we (workers) pay for everything that America sponsors.

We support billionaires, corporations, and countries to the tune of billions each week. These groups and individuals are entitled to none of that money. It is given to them as a result of policy decisions (usually without the consent of taxpayers), and it comes straight from our pockets.

Every time a Republican accuses any workers of feeling entitled as if it were something we didn't earn, I want to slap him/her. We are entitled.

They are not entitled to take our money to educate or provide health care to the citizens of foreign states, especially if it means we can't afford to educate or care for our own children.

Government employees (elected officials) are not entitled to spend our money on anything, except us, until our needs have been met.
That is entitlement. One is entitled to something they have earned or to something recognized as a necessity (food, housing, education, medical care) by society.

The rich are not entitled to spend our money on foreign adventures to enrich themselves and their friends.
They are not entitled to a free ride in America.
They are not that valuable. They do not do any of the work that generates wealth. They skim off the top of our labor and hate us for wanting enough to survive. They are not entitled to that.
Next time that term is thrown at Democrats the speaker needs to be taken by the neck and shaken.
That term needs clarification.
Who is really entitled to the wealth of America?

[Generic Other]

1. This is the speech we the people need to make to our leaders

When we begin to lead, perhaps we can force them to follow. This is the lesson I take from the current state of politics in this country. Thanks Mitsu for posting this!!

+100

[iemitsu]

12. you are welcome generic.

elected officials need to be reminded that we are the boss. that their jobs and power wouldn't exist without us.
and, like several down-thread have mentioned, that we are not broke. that the money they spend is ours and that they control it with our grace.
instead of them scaring us to establish control let's scare them for a change.

[MichiganVote]

2. As far as I'm concerned SS and Medicare are my assets. I've paid for them.

[rogrot]

3. I like this a lot, one of my pet peeves!

Our parents and our churches have ridden us with guilt, so much so, that we are brainwashed (and the Right exploits that) into thinking that after working many decades to help make this country be great and the richest in the world by 3X, that we don't deserve a handsome, secure retirement. BS!

We, the workers, built this effing country!

The right buys into the brainwashing. I don't. Not one tiny bit! I'm 70 and still working. I intend to vote my status as a worker and as an entitled worker every chance I get. And, I will look out for the interests of all those who wish they were as lucky as I am--70 and still working--but for one of many, many valid reasons, can't. There are few real slackers in this country. Virtually everyone understands the personal satisfaction of being a contributor and of helping the unfortunate.
This country is not about bitching about some poor person getting a government handout--especially when banks, AIG, businesses, farms, the auto industry, the MIC, our congress people, etc., etc. are so well taken care of by our government, not to mention the despicable waste of gargantuan sums of money and lives on immoral, trumped up wars.

Then there's Obamacare. Every person in this country, if our government did what just about every other industrialized country does, would receive total government run health care as a vital investment in our economy and future. You can either do that or you can watch your country be devoured by a continually and exponentially deteriorating condition of its collective health and its economy. Obama knows that.

I don't know how you came to these conclusions lemitsu, but in my book, you're 100% spot on!

When is the Right going to get it???

[iemitsu]

13. I agree with you 100%.

I did not intend to suggest that I or we should be concerned only about ourselves.
I believe we need to invest in the community, help those in need, and care for the sick and elderly.
The American worker generated enough wealth in the last century to cover these needs for many years to come.
That wealth was invested in infrastructure, education, space exploration, science, the arts, and in our people. We had good jobs and promising futures. People looked forward to retirement rather than dreading they day they could no longer work.
Today that wealth is in the hands of a few families, America's uber-rich. They felt entitled to it and they took it.
This happened as the result of bad public policy not the result of the "laws of the market place", or social darwinism, or nature, or the entitlement of the uber-rich.
While some social stratification is the natural result of community living it is not natural to abandon the sick, the injured, or the elderly.
We know this from the fossil record.
Social Security and Medicare are a couple of the ways in which we provide care in our community. the money is deducted from our pay in order to insure that some resources will be there later, when we need them.
If the government thinks it can arbitrarily break its Social Security and Medicare contracts with me, or other Americans, then it better be prepared to pay us back every dime they deducted from our checks + interest. They took that money from us with the promise to pay us back in our old age. I, for one, will depend on those resources to survive.

[ananda]

4. "Entitlement" is a racist codeword..

.. used on the part of people who don't
think minorities deserve government aid
or programs.

Of course, during the Great Depression
and even after WWII, these same white
people or their close ancestors took
everything the government had to offer..
and would do so again.

Look at Paul Ryan having taken "entitlements"
himself and asking the Obama admin for
stimulus money for Wisconsin.

Look at ALL the white governors of red states
begging for money when a natural disaster strikes
or funding is needed for a pet project.

Look at ALL the white racists who take SS and
Medicare benefits, who expect FEMA to be well
funded when a disaster affects them, and so on.

Yet they will vote Reep and lose all these benefits
or expectations just to keep minorities from
getting "entitlements."

It's totally insane, but there it is.

[Populist_Prole]

5. It seems like the word itself is all the justification they need to bash whoever about whatever.

Funny I should run across this thread: I was just talking to somebody at work ( and a fellow union blue collar employee BTW ) who was complaining about how entitlements made taxes too high. He was railing about police, firemen, sanitation workers etc and about how their health care and pensions add to the cost. I checked my initial instinct to go ballistic and took a calmer tone and sounded like I could see his point but it just didn't add up and confused me. I just said, "Well they ARE employees doing an important job and they deserve health insurance and some kind of retiree compensation just like us here". He got slightly defensive and had to agree. "Yeah yeah I guess you're right, but still......". All the bluster was gone after depriving the use of the word "entitlement" from him as some ultimate death ray weapon.

In any case, we all know that word was just hung on to every discussion by the corporate media and its pundits to gin up a bullshit meme to gin up resentment. I could tell here as well as several people started throwing that term around a lot suddenly. It was obvious they were aping the same talking heads they saw or heard.

[Beearewhyain]

6. Earned Benefits is the preferred term

Every time I speak with someone and they use the "entitlements" label I always refer back to what they said with "earned benefits". At least it may change the terminology and at best, if they ask, I have an opportunity to explain why every American has an investment in these programs and should realize a progressive based return on the same.

[mick063]

7. I believe in the word.

I believe in it philosophically.

There must be a threshold for the definition though.

People should not be entitled to anything more than what they need to survive.

Now one must define what is needed to survive.

Food, medical care, a place to sleep, and freedom from excessive abuse.

Gainful employment is the best and most desired means to solve this. For that reason, it is reasonable to include education as something needed to survive.

Which bring us to the "working poor", disabled poor, and elderly poor. There should not be such a thing. Especially when there are many, many individuals who possess vast amounts of wealth.

In such circumstances, redistribution is not a dirty word. It is a kind word that has been twisted and distorted in to something evil.

[Raven]

8. I've "contributed" to SS and Medicare for

almost 50 years. Actually, it wasn't a contribution, I was required to pay into those programs. I am entitled to a return on my investment because I have earned it. As far as I am concerned, my receiving SS and Medicare is not charity, it is the result of the business deal I have with the Federal Government. The fact that SS and Medicare might be in trouble is not my fault, it is the fault of politicians who, for decades, have not been good stewards.

[DarleenMB]

10. SSI and Medicare

are NOT in financial trouble. That's another right wing lie.

[Raven]

11. You're right but the point I was

trying to make (inartfully) is that even if they were, it is not right to blame the recipients.

[iemitsu]

14. And if the government is anticipating having trouble meeting its obligations to its citizens

then it needs to curb its spending on wars, corporate subsidies, and tax breaks for the rich, not on us. We generate the wealth they spend.
The government has no business telling us to sacrifice our meager existence so that they, and those who have purchased their loyalty, can continue to grow fat.
We need to get our pitchforks out of the barn, put on our walking shoes, and head for Washington DC to make sure that the government (those in office) remembers that we are the reason for its existence. We come first.

[DarleenMB]

9. They are actually called

PAID BENEFITS

You and I and everyone we all know PAID for these. Now we are entitled to draw on them.