[Margaret Pilkington]

I am glad you clarified your meaning.

These people who have no power...they have the same power as you or I.
You worked to pay into the system. You have the power of a vote....they too have the same power...now how they exercise this power is up to them.

I have no gripe at all with those who find themselves on hard times, through no fault of their own......illness, unemployment, disability. Benefits were formulated to help them through the tough times.

I begrudge paying taxes to keep those who are unwilling to get off their sofa's and get work of some description....and don't, please don't tell me that these are in a minority. There are whole estates(one in Rochdale that I know of - I have friend who is a health visitor there) where no-one works......where no-one wants to work....it is much easier to draw benefits. They don't pay anything into the system......(from what my friend tells me) they seem to have cigarettes and booze.....and that's alright is it?

they have the power to get educated, to get trained, they have the power to get up each day and go out and find something to do...even if it is only in a volunteer capacity...it would be work that could be put on their CV, so that a future employer could see that they actually are reliable and want to work.

Powerlessness is a form of victimhood......it doesn't give absolution from responsibility.