tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post106860440001966439..comments2023-10-26T08:37:12.232-04:00Comments on Heleni Smith: Cutting funds from FARC budgetAthena Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483906167304901085noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-77470723320508102272008-10-28T18:10:00.000-04:002008-10-28T18:10:00.000-04:00Cutting the funds of the FARC would be pointless, ...Cutting the funds of the FARC would be pointless, and would harm alot of peoples lives.Children with disabilities need more attention and that could mean the parents not being able to work as much as they have to do to afford the costs of medications and everything else. I personally know a few familys with retarded children and they need attention all throught the day and only one parent has the time to work, because the other one never leaves the kids side. If he didnt have a good paying job they would be in debt and if they cut the FARC then they would be more in debt. I think the money is going to a good cause because we waste so much money on stupid things and they should never cut this.JKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00811099658631687693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-87392842311344798732008-10-28T15:13:00.000-04:002008-10-28T15:13:00.000-04:00How can the government get away with this? Well tr...How can the government get away with this? Well true the events happening are terrible, but in the long run the cries of the minority are unheard through the arguments of the vast majority. In the end most really don't care unless if it's literally involving them or their families most of the common people do not care enough to outcry this problem. The one chance for a semi-normal life for a person with disabilities otherwise inhibiting normal life scenereos is no losing that also due to some unknown government funding being reduced. All in all I guess you can only justify this with little morality, saying the "ends justify the means" hopefully the money is being used for something good, due to it's purpose already being destroyed.kirby <(^_^)>https://www.blogger.com/profile/13499623322779440185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-27241241525789729202008-10-28T00:45:00.000-04:002008-10-28T00:45:00.000-04:00Plain and simple, the cuts to FARC are terrible. ...Plain and simple, the cuts to FARC are terrible. As the children age their needs will change placing them in higher tiers. Also, families that needed the money in order to support their children can no longer do so in the level they were accustom to. This will cause a financial hardship within the family leading to stress, and other factors, which the family may not be ready for. Some mentally challenged children may not be able to develop new skills and thus cause more difficulty for the family in the unforeseeable future.Froggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01401471994618464794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-88916185032065192442008-10-27T23:14:00.000-04:002008-10-27T23:14:00.000-04:00I do not beleive that the legislator should cut th...I do not beleive that the legislator should cut the funds from the FARC budget, I think that it is wrong to take something away from someone that they have been dependant on for a long time. Having children is already a big expense, when I need to go to the doctor, the visit is usually very pricey, I can only imagine how much the medical bill is with a family raising a disabled child, so many families need the extra help, I do not like paying taxes, but since I have to pay I would prefer my tax money to go to an organization like the FARC.almostmarriedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783110484869161937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-84308897108121351432008-10-27T23:05:00.000-04:002008-10-27T23:05:00.000-04:00Severing the funds from the FARC budget, not only ...Severing the funds from the FARC budget, not only cripples the financial conditions of the family dependent, but lessens the chances of the disabled children of becoming an equal part of society. Just Because that child is born with limited capabilities than others doesn't mean they should be rejected from the rest of society, thus making that child and their family's lives much harder to sustain. It's also sad how government focuses their attention on more "serious matters," such as legalizing marijuana, changing the voting limit, while there are people who aren't able to stand alongside others in today's society.Sparkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16547066716465853497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-2268704423051104522008-10-27T17:27:00.000-04:002008-10-27T17:27:00.000-04:00I believe that cutting these funds would not do an...I believe that cutting these funds would not do any good. These children with disabilities need that money so their parents do not go bankrupt. If the parent had to put the child in a home that would do a lot of harm to both the parent and the child. The parent would have to suffer with not being able to care or see their child every day and the child would most likely loose all the progress they had made in their training in the "one step closer to independence". And also to make the tax payers pay more because they decided to cut funds is unfair. We pay enough taxes as is.x3tink0x3https://www.blogger.com/profile/03716650899440404625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-21684497182050700162008-10-27T17:05:00.000-04:002008-10-27T17:05:00.000-04:00I think that cutting funds from the Florida Associ...I think that cutting funds from the Florida Association for Retarded Citizens is a terrible thing. I had a cousin who was mentally retarded and i saw how expensive it was to care for her. It literally cost my aunt thousands of dollars every month between the nurses, medical equipment and medications. It was a full time job to look after her even with the nurses there. If they cut these funds it's going to be devastating for many families. I know the economy is in bad shape right now, but i hope that it's not going to get so bad that they are going to start cutting these particular funds. I feel sympathy for these families as it's a hard situation to live with. I hope that the funds aren't cut.Lady HCChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15636717046578007252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-79549818498125590302008-10-27T16:36:00.000-04:002008-10-27T16:36:00.000-04:00Its a shame that anyone would cut the funds for FA...Its a shame that anyone would cut the funds for FARC. Its not these people fault that they were born with a disability(s), and depend on people. How cold hearted and money hungry have the government become to cut help to the ones that need it the most. Also to split families apart just because they cannot afford to take care of their children without assistance. I work in a group home and I know that these kids rather be home with their families because it can cause them to have behaviors and lash out. See its not only about cutting funding, but what about their FEELINGS. Plus also these mentally retarded , disabled or the "People we serve", as our company calls them, regress instead of progressing, because now you have staff doing the work for them, just because the greedy government decided to cut funds affected their independent programming that teaches them to help do things for themselves. <BR/>Its bad enough also that staffing is not getting paid enough so people come a dime a dozen then leave. This also caused more behavior from mentally disabled, because it takes time to get use to a new staff, but then that staff quit with in a few months or less. People get hired like clock <BR/>work and the mentally disable cannot take so much change all the time, so they act out. On top of that staffing hours have been cut and staffing also, so you have one staff taken care of three, four, five and six mentally diabled person on their own, which is very dangerous. Suppose something happens and that one staff cannot be in two places at once, then they get in trouble because they have no other help. Even the companies are forced to cut back, which in my opinion will lead to a disaster eventually.<BR/>Mentally retarded, or disabled people, are people with feelings just like you or I. Just because some of them cannot communicate or function like we do, what give anyone the right to hurt them and their families by cutting funding. How would people in the govermnent like it if more of their children were born mentally retarded, only then might they undersdtand. Well, then again maybe not, I think they love money too much to care about anythingelse. The love of money is the root of all evil.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15801041169807436075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-41278891400850852232008-10-27T16:15:00.000-04:002008-10-27T16:15:00.000-04:00I do not believe it would be right to cut funds fr...I do not believe it would be right to cut funds from FARC budget. As hard as it is to raise a disabled person the caretakers need all the help they can get. Depending on the disibility it can cost hundreds of thousands to care for the disabled. Majority of the time it is a full time job to care for them. When I say full time i'm not saying 8 hours a day 40 hours a week job i'm saying 24/7 care which leaves no time for the caretaker to be employed elswhereNathan Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13653671057212671384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-394166504361327172008-10-27T15:30:00.000-04:002008-10-27T15:30:00.000-04:00This seems ridiculous, if the current system creat...This seems ridiculous, if the current system creates more positive outcomes in the lives of the disabled people and those involved, why change. Helping the handicapped assimilate into society is outstanding, instead of alienating them from family members or helpful programs because of limiting funds by the severity of their illness. I would think that the direct involvement of family in their everyday lives would be more beneficial than in a home of some sort. Although I'm sure qualified and caring people are employed in group homes, isn't there a point when they would become a number and neglected just like we have in retirement homes? It seems like the families had no say in the change. Hopefully some change can be seen when the reality of these cutbacks opens the eyes of the legislators responsible for the change. I thought it wasn't politically correct to use the term "Retarded" anymore. Then again, what is "politically correct" today anyway?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-17297515882277979372008-10-27T15:24:00.000-04:002008-10-27T15:24:00.000-04:00I personally think that its ridiculous. Out of all...I personally think that its ridiculous. Out of all the government spending, this shud not be an area recieving a cut. The government does so much unnecessary spending that they shouldnt cut back on what is necessary, like the FARC budget. Families with mentally challenged members go through enough as it is, putting up with all the challenges of their day to day lives. This budget takes a little of the burden off of them and should not be cut.Amanda Rushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12762477452387874957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-44002447141670411972008-10-27T13:42:00.000-04:002008-10-27T13:42:00.000-04:00The student with the display name "Blogger59" sent...The student with the display name "Blogger59" sent this comment:<BR/><BR/>Hi Athena, I sent this over on blackboard this morning, but don't see it posted, so I am resending it this way.<BR/>I am not surprised that the 2007 political party cut the funding for FARC. Only this group could actually suggest that we go back to the old fashion “State Run System”, The state is unable to create some organized way to they’re Privatized but yet state funded and state regulated organizations. I am infuriated that our society just closes their eyes on this type of “switch a roo”. In the mid to late 1980’s the states closed some of the larger older State Mental Institutions and dumped all these handicapped people into the public communities. Some of these patients knew no other life, they were institutionalized when they were very young, their transitions was enough to drive a sane person crazy; those who grew up in the state system had some sense of certainty at 70 years old they were familiar with their surroundings. I worked with a “Non-Profit” group who won the bid on a State Privatized Contract; which then housed these mentally Ill people. In our facilities group homes, the youngest was 58 yrs old, the oldest for this group was 78, and most of them had lived in the state institution for most of their lives. I remember one man was institutionalized when he was 9 because he was handicapped and his family of 8 children could not afford to feed him or keep a non productive person in the family, so the choice was to institutionalize him for life. It is unbelievable how our States can just dump their financial burdens on the tax payers. Now they suggest we create a similar dysfunctional system at the tax payers’ dollars. I hope the families affected by this event will work harder to petition for more justice. Giving this back to the state is just creating another big pocket for the state. The monies proposed to create this “new improved system”, should be allocated to community services to help the families on a local level and to help keep the families together, and not promote segregating the handicap once again... "Athena Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483906167304901085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-84616260510020740562008-10-27T12:00:00.000-04:002008-10-27T12:00:00.000-04:00Cutting funds for these people is absolutely horri...Cutting funds for these people is absolutely horrid! i seriously hate government officials, they dont look at the big picture and seriously do anything to save a buck even if it involves ruining a couple thousand lives! The government officials are all thieves who get away with murder on a daily basis and we do nothing to these people. I hope sometime soon we get someone into office who will take care of things like this for the middle class people..hint hint OBAMA! I know that if i had a mentally disabled child in my family and we were relying on the government for funds i would be going crazy right now. Hospitals, treatment centers and rehabilitaion centers are not cheap.Mirandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04017072809326926289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-91730541551978048532008-10-27T10:40:00.000-04:002008-10-27T10:40:00.000-04:00I feel that this legislation is terrible. I have 2...I feel that this legislation is terrible. I have 2 sibling is my family that are classified as retarded and it would be a great social injustice to cut off the funds that allow these people to survive. It is incredibly stressful raising a child with disabilities and now with this bill there would be less money for these families to support their children...one more thing to worry about. It is not the parent or the child's fault that they have a mental disability and I feel that this bill only serves as a punishment to the parents. <BR/><BR/>I like the program in Pinellas that helps people with mental disabilities get jobs. Many of these children can get jobs and become productive in society and we need more programs like the one in Pinellas. Unfortunately this would cost money as does everything so i am not sure it is financially feasible with out private funding.crguy73https://www.blogger.com/profile/16652129652787341515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-2661032262688248602008-10-27T00:48:00.000-04:002008-10-27T00:48:00.000-04:00For the thought of cutting the budget for the ment...For the thought of cutting the budget for the mentally challenge breaks my heart. These individuals need the support to live and enjoy the privileges of an American. The amount of money it would cost for a family to raise a mental child without help would be financially impossible. Medical bills are absolutely outrageous for a healthy human to get a check up, imagine what it would cost to have a doctor everyday of the week. I would rather have my money go to help a family with this situation than to the lazy welfare people who don't want to work......CandaceRenee07https://www.blogger.com/profile/07267810722232975089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-34412096898077092872008-10-26T23:51:00.000-04:002008-10-26T23:51:00.000-04:00I do not care either way at all, but lean to cutti...I do not care either way at all, but lean to cutting the budget. There parents and family should be taking care of them and the government my tax dollars can help a little but 10-50 thousand is way to much. I can see sending everyone the lowest amount that seems ok but the high amount of 50k is more then other people make in a year and more then enough for them. Although I think the government mis spends so much money that could be used in other areas like this. I know a family that gets the upper end payout and there kid is not that bad he could work if he wanted to but instead the family and him spend money on cigarettes and alcohol and only the dad works part time maybe 20 hours a week, the whole family misspends and rely on this its bullshit the parents should work and they would be fine without any money. Now I know this is not everybody so I think funds need to meet stricter guidelines.pyrobeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14908777183475722526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-49553613870046395712008-10-26T23:11:00.000-04:002008-10-26T23:11:00.000-04:00FARC's former system for the distribution of benef...FARC's former system for the distribution of benefits was much better than the current capped system. <BR/><BR/>It makes no sense, to change the system that had been working. If the individuals were assessed and given assistance based on need, the money alloted to the child was put to use efficiently. Now, some of these children are being deprived of their benefits, and their families are left to come up with the difference. <BR/><BR/>Cutting FARC's budget is an outrage. They are taking money from those who ligitimately can not support themselves, while the welfare program is still providing for those who sometimes could and chose not to take care of themselves. <BR/><BR/>The reprocussions of this extend to the quality of life of those children. Being forced out of their homes because of an inability to pay, and taken to a state facility is not good. The environment is not as positive, and they do not recieve the same encouragement and tools to grow and possibly become more independent.<BR/><BR/>The need to reassess this decision and make sure the money is going where it needs to go to benefit those who truly need it most.sylviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09617613707188786677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-31715479145112097382008-10-26T21:48:00.000-04:002008-10-26T21:48:00.000-04:00If someone needs something in order to live then t...If someone needs something in order to live then thats what they need. If it is costing them $60,000 a year to live then how can you had them $30,000 and tell them sorry but thats going to have to do. This is the last place that funds need to be cut from. Also, if the are getting help from the other organization that is cheaper and is actually showing them how to survive on their own why would you put them in a "group home" where they are no longer able to attend this org?Ninahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11453097216694654737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-28654037396369336982008-10-26T21:18:00.000-04:002008-10-26T21:18:00.000-04:00I personally don’t know of anyone in this situatio...I personally don’t know of anyone in this situation so it’s kind of hard for me to relate to this article. The way that I have to look at this situation is that, it takes a lot of money to raise a child and then to have a child mentally disable can only bring on more bills which means more money that is needed. The funding for the children should not be cut in half. These families need those funding to take care of their child and to maintain a health lifestyle. These parents were told to give their child up to a group home which could make the child condition even worst. I think that state legislators are being ridiculous to tell parents to give up their child. Those children need family and friends around them to help them just like any other child do. Family is very important in anyone’s life and just because they are mentally disable doesn’t mean that they want feel or understand the hurt of not having a family support system.wrtmillionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09854676395872989111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-40603683879353408962008-10-26T21:17:00.000-04:002008-10-26T21:17:00.000-04:00To cut the budget on this association is rediculou...To cut the budget on this association is rediculous.This association is helping families that need it the most.These families are struggling everyday and they need associations like this to help them out.The government needs to stop spending on useless things and needs to make helping families that face these problems a priority.This is defiantly not an area where our government should skim money.These parents need as much help as they can get,and worrying about money shouldn't be somthing they should have to deal with.DannyBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01713834297816516110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-20211622363682039792008-10-26T21:12:00.000-04:002008-10-26T21:12:00.000-04:00cutting funding for the FARC is more devastating t...cutting funding for the FARC is more devastating to families then I think some people realize. last summer my mom received a similar notice letting her know that my adopted bothesr funding was being cut. My brother was born with some mental limitation he is 29years old but functions as a young child. He was in a program like one step. twice weekly he had the opportunity to go out on the town with an assigned conpaion. The job of his companion was to take my brother out and help teach him basic tasks like ordering food for himself or going to the library to check out books. Although these tasks were short and simple they meant the world to my brother it gave him a stronger sense of independence and made him happy. The improvements that my brother made through the program was amazing. Unfortunately the funding for the program was cut all together which has been a very unpleasant experience for our family. so in the attempt to answer the question more fully cutting funding for any such programs in the past or the future dose more harm then good. It just should not be don!!Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16914953201759488883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-27644187365297172682008-10-26T21:10:00.000-04:002008-10-26T21:10:00.000-04:00Cutting the funds for the children that aren't in ...Cutting the funds for the children that aren't in certain" groups" is ridiculous for it gives the ones that aren't in the "correct" group the shorter end of the stick and doesn't give them a fair opportunity to succeed as well as others Not only this but cutting the funds for those families who have a low income that is already barely helping the family to get by will place them in even more of a detrimental situation than they already are in. I believe they should really re-consider these options. for why should bidgets be cut for these kids and we're spenging so much money on other thingts that are so useless and pointless such as huge skyscrrapers and new "trump" towers and such. Im baffled at the fact that they would do harm onto children that cant help how they are or how they were born, and who ARE in need of help because without it they cant survive.SBellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09610048052916347921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-37402328180641739462008-10-26T21:04:00.000-04:002008-10-26T21:04:00.000-04:00I think that cutting funds from FARC is a terrible...I think that cutting funds from FARC is a terrible idea because this program helps people that are mentally disabled, and if this is taken away then it could ruin their lives. This program is especially made for people with disabilities, and it is helping them cope with their everyday lives and if the state decides to cut funds from it then the people in need will feel like they have nothing and no one supporting them. I think that there is no reason for them to cut funds from FARC because there are so many people in need that depend on this money.mp88https://www.blogger.com/profile/07225830004240715942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-15067089999644626922008-10-26T20:58:00.000-04:002008-10-26T20:58:00.000-04:00Cutting the budgets of FARC, has two sides... just...Cutting the budgets of FARC, has two sides... just like anything in this world.. um..i think that its pretty messed up that the legislator is taking the money that these families need to raise their mentally handicapped child..i hate the word retarded, to classify them. But like i was saying... but on the other side of the belt maybe the legislators think some are using the system as way to get extra money. for example.. welfare..why work if you can get the free money anyways.. its sad to believe that their are people who put themselves in front of their childs needs but it happens. and maybe the system is being abused...i understand that its hard to make ends meet and it really sucks to be punished for everyone elses actions if that be the case..but you have to sacrifice and make it work.. its really sad in my opinionJ3NNii3 BABii3https://www.blogger.com/profile/06917933958064922180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1951811281604727291.post-10001396224058092162008-10-26T20:44:00.000-04:002008-10-26T20:44:00.000-04:00I think this is very sad. I have three step bother...I think this is very sad. I have three step bothers and sisters that are mentally disabaled and they receive money from the government but I can relate that if they didn't get that money they would not have any quality of life. They cannot work and cannot live by themselves so yes if they cut the FARC funds this will change these peoples lives greatly.It's not a very good thing.tonydrdeeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17289485803713002727noreply@blogger.com