• 0 Posts
  • 352 Comments
Joined 2 years ago
Cake day: September 14th, 2023
  • Fermion@mander.xyztoNot The Onion•A new ‘solution’ to student homelessness: a parking lot where students can sleep safely in their carsEnglish
    58·
    7 days ago

    One of the most humane solutions is also the most economically efficient. Early intervention programs like rent/utility assistance are significantly cheaper in the long run than trying to rehabilitate people who have already lost everything and have a litany of health issues because of it. If conservatives really want to save money, they should be embracing “an ounce of prevention saves a pound of cure.” Instead, they’re stuck in wanting to SEE the desperation before even considering helping. Safety nets are major economic stimulus in the long run because it’s much easier to attempt entrepeneurship if you aren’t making a life and death gamble. But something tells me the currently wealthy know this and don’t want competition popping up.

    Then of course we also need to fix affordability issues, because unaffordable necessities put everyone at risk.

    My point is that even if you mostly just care about efficient government and economic growth, you should still come to similar conclusions as “bleeding heart liberals.” Conservatives don’t come to those conclusions not by economic arguments, but because they fail to see the merit of collective problem solving. They want to have their own little castle with all their stuff that they can defend under penalty of death. We pretend the argument is about feasability and cost effectiveness, but the real issue is that they don’t think that any proposal that would take anything from them or require giving is an option. That’s why you see the economically destitute and ultra wealthy in an unholy alliance. Both of those groups are prone to wanting to circle the wagons and consider only the wellbeing of people in their little circle – the poor out of desperation, and the wealthy out of possessiveness. Everyone not in their little circle is someone else’s problem.

  • Fermion@mander.xyztoPersonal Finance@lemmy.ml•Savings Account for BabyEnglish
    3·
    12 days ago

    There’s also 529 accounts for education/vocational training programs. Each state runs their own program. Some will exempt contributions from state income tax. I think the big brokerages all use Nevada for their 529 accounts. Gains are tax free if used for qualifying educational expenses. Non-qualifying withdrawals incur something like a 15% penalty and are taxable. The definition of qualifying expenses is fairly liberal though, things like rent and laptop purchases qualify if attending school full time. Unused funds can be transferred to just about any relative.

  • Fermion@mander.xyztoNiceMemes@sopuli.xyz•It's 100% trueEnglish
    5·
    21 days ago

    The messaging on this note could use some refinements.

    How can something that is very much a burden to you not be a burden for the people around you? Are they somehow that much stronger than you? There’s a hint of cognitive dissonance to accept the message as written.

    I prefer the mentality of acknowledging that people who care will eagerly help carry the burdens of others if the relationship is treated with love, respect, and reciprosity.

    You might have problems that feel very bursensome to yourself, but to others it is an opportunity to show their support. A hard situation can strengthen relationships instead of being isolating. So having burdens doesn’t make you undesirable, it just means you need good collaborators to help carry and maybe eventually resolve them with you.