Polish government punishes charitable givers

Warsaw, Poland October 7, 2006.
The Polish Government discourages charity. Furthermore, the Polish Government punishes those who try to feed the poor.

By way of example, if you own a bakery in Poland and at the end of each day you have excess production, the Polish Government expects that you destroy that production and not give it to Poland's poor people or an organization such as a church charity.

You are expected to fill out a form that shows that you destroyed the excess production. If you do not destroy the excess production, you must pay the value added tax on that excess production.

bhppc.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_bhppc_archive.html

If in fact this is true, does this really cause people not to feed thpoor? I can't imagine how they can keep track of everything.

:)

Meaning you agree with the government?

Yes, I agree.

The government’s approach will make the people less dependent on handouts and will motivate them to do something about their lives.
You have Eastern Europeans coming to Poland looking for work. ?????????

I know that I will piss off many of you.

Poor people should just die so there would be no problems witch them.
Most of them are like cancern do nothink and want the goverment to pay them from MY money!!!

Yeah ok that was an intellegent statement. Thanks.

Opts, being in the US you know that we have many disabled veterans that don't get enough gov't support and have ro resort to handouts. How else would some of these people survive? I can understand what you're saying and I know that a lot of abled people are out there getting these handouts when infact they can work, but not everyone can.

You are correct FISZ.
People, who can work, should work.
People, who cannot work, should be offered assistance.

I have worked with the homeless in London. Once they learn the ropes it becomes easy for them. Free food, blankets, doctors, social workers, a place to go for a shower and more. There is little incentive to work. Even when placed in a flat or house and given the chance of work a small number still go for handouts. And then move back onto the streets because it's easier.

There was one time when a group of homeless were lining up for food and three different organizations were trying to feed them at the same time: hot soup and salmon sarnies.

I could go on.
opts is right on this.

This is very true. I see it every day in NYC. These people should be round up and put to work for the state/govt for low wages so they don't have to sit around and get used to it. Why overpay a state worker to paint lines on the streets, pick up garbage..general labor.

I work in the social services area, not with homeless or destitute.
I have observed that some people do abuse social welfare system;
the more services they are offered, the more they abuse the system.

Disable people should be assisted.

Yeah, here people who get welfare have a second child to receive more $$ from the govt even though they can't even afford to eat themselves. Greedy bastards.

I think we agree, if you are fit for work then don't burden society.
If you are in genuine need of support then you should get it.

Do people in America get booze money as a aditional allowance from the social security?.
Here in britian they are given £16 per day if they are alcahol dependant.

People in US do not get booze money. They sell their food stamps/food vouchers and buy booze or drugs.

Well if you want it real easy, come to Britain. I'm willing to put a fair wedge of my hard earned cash towards anyone but those who really need it. Just ask Tony Blair.

I'm not implying Poles in particular here. When I say anybody. I mean anybody who's life plan is to live off the backs of others....

Maybe in Britain, our government should look closely at the benefits system we have.

poland does not sound like a good place to emigrate to now

Yeah lets form a police state and round up these people.. bring back stalin and hitler hmmmmmmmm.

Lets show some kindness and understanding to these people, lets be real, these people are down and outs, because they are down and out, otherwise they would be jumping at the chance to find work etc....keep in mind a lot suffer from drug abuse and are not employable?

It is more cheaper to pay people benefits than cause trouble in the workforce>>> think about it...?

Not exactly what I had in mind. It would be for those who have been discouraged with finding a job and it would give them something to do. I talked with many homeless in NYC and 80% of them have told me the same story about constantly being turned down for work and they ed up giving up. So, with an opportunity to be given work every day for wages..and no not against will, can get them into a working habit again and boot their moral.

Maybe then we can rid our country of illegal Mexicans who use our health care.

I find it hard to believe. ... I met illigal Mexican guy same years ago who crossed into US without a penny and for two months was living in homless shelters on West Coast and he used free food kitchens etc. He told me that US "back up" system was fairly good to him and those who would like to get out from shelters, get job and change way of life could do it. He said he was given phone cards, phone number were possible imployees could call him back (very important), CV help, refrences help, support in finding housing, etc. All the social workers he claimed were willing to help him and did help him. He said there were very few people in shelter willing to get out and it was him and just few other who wanted the change and help. Majority were able to complain but not able to use available resources.

When I was talking to him he was happily employed as bike mechanic in bike shop working on fake pappers. My point is: if you want to leave the street you get help! 80 % are NOT turned down for jobs constantly, they hardly want to change their situation.

The problem the homeless have when applying for work is that they need an address.
Although it must be said that you can lie and make one up.
Another problem is that the longer someone lives on the streets the more chance he becomes alcohol or drug dependent. Not the best job qualifications.

lef. I have no problem with showing kindness. It's just that [in London] it's kindness from people who don't understand the homeless situation. There are too many hand-outs, which make it easy for the homeless to do nothing. They just sit and wait for everything to come to them. And it does.

Also, there are numbers of homeless who do casual labour, washing dishes in hotels etc. They earn a little cash, remain on the streets and convince themselves that they are happy.

Understanding who is living on the streets and why they are there is most important.

For everyone. Here is a true story.
A London business man lost his wallet and couldn't get home to his house in the suburbs.
He went up to some homeless beggars at Victoria train station and asked them for the fare home. They laughed at him then lent him the money, which he paid back the following day.

The point here is that you don't need to work if people are stupid enough to give you money. I've heard about young homeless making 20, 30 even fifty pounds a day.

As I said in post #8 I've worked with these people. I knew the people who lent the business man the money.

Well if you want it real easy, come to Britain. I'm willing to put a fair wedge of my hard earned cash towards anyone but those who really need it. Just ask Tony Blair.

I'm not implying Poles in particular here. When I say anybody. I mean anybody who's life plan is to live off the backs of others....

I completely agree.....

Lets show some kindness and understanding to these people,

I don't have much understanding. I can understand if someone is ill, disabled, ....

But they are just lazy- if they want be lazy ok but they want food, cigarettes, booze ....from taxes paid by other people. It is immoral and disgusting for me.

Yes, that's ok. There are many leeches here in Britain that claim disability allowance but are fit enough to work :)

There have been many times when I could have thought "what the hell, join the lazy scroungers" but still, I plough on paying my bills...

I meant truly ill, unable to work. But it is the same in Poland you can find quite a few of them doing the same. One of my neighbour's was claimimng disability allowance for ...I dont know his back....he was a carpenter and at the same time he went to Germany to work.:(

Well, come to NYC and ask for yourself. Wroclaw is correct by saying that they need a place to live in order to be employed. Also, many jobs here in the US require you to have good credit.

The question is how it happened that they got homeless in the first place? if they really want to work are there any organisation to help them?