Which comment can be interpreted as; "If they do not have a job it is not their fault"
Not sure if we have wires crossed here. You and steelish seem to be implying that it is the fault of the lazy able bodied man that he has no work. I do not disagree he carries blame but I ask why does this man have such low morale and self esteem having been through the education system. I think we need to address the problem of what made him that way as well as what to do with him now he is that way.

Your assumption is predicated on a total lack of charity. Something you have espoused in earlier posts.
Correct. I do not believe in reliance on charity. Government should take care of those in need and charity should provide extra (not minimal) help. I would not want the street full of beggars harrassing people because government does not take care of them. That's what Victorian England was like.

This is a culture difference. Americans pay low wages to service staff such that a tip is not an extra, it is a necessity. I hate American tipping culture. America talks about how much foreign aid it gives. If you look at the stats. America is way down in government aid. BUT the stats are skewed because in other countries it is the governments who give aid whereas in America is mostly through private aid organisation.

Anyhow - as I see it. We cut off the man's welfare to save taxpayer expense. The man is reduced to sending his kids onto the streets to beg to feed his family. The taxpayer can then walk past the starving kid or the man with "will work for food" sign and drop his tax dollar savings into the tin cup.

In any other combination those with less will either be considered poor, or consider themselves poor
I disagree and dont think in a world of millionaires the man with one mercedes when all else have two would meet any definition of poverty. I am talking about the basic necessities to support life. Food, health, shelter. I have said this many times now but for some reason you dont grasp it. Poverty can be defined well enough.

If it comes up as part of the discussion it becomes part of the discussion. You trivialize it by refusing to consider it.
From my side I did not trivialise it - it was trivial before I got to it. If I talk about red herrings do red herrings become part of the discussion or would they be considered off topic.

My views showed that I could earn a way into college.
Yes you could but there are many who could not. I think we should be working to a system where you should not have to. Our views are different.

And that is supposed to prove what?
That kids can learn ethics from school as well as from sweeping floors at home.

I note you left the unions out completely!!
Correct. The topic is equality, equal opportunity and the importance of education in making opportunity more equal. If you want to start a new thread about unions I will be happy to contribute in that thread.

Again the assumption that a single person requires all the knowledge to accomplish the task at hand.
No of course that is impossible. I am not suggesting the CEO does all. I was told when I was at uni that uni teaches you just one thing - how to think. UK and USA are different. In USA college is like job training. You study what you what to do for career and employers hire the people with matching degrees. In the UK the college degree means the person can think and can be taught. It's like officer training and covers principles and methods used in all areas of business and industry. When I hire somebody - I look for degree because I know I can train them. If they do not have the degree I am taking more chance I will be wasting my time. The degree just reduces risk and time for me. Maybe I am wrong - but many others think the same. Ask somebody with HR experience in major corporations.

So basically what you are saying here is that it is the responsibility of the Government to GIVE you;
Shelter (can be shared), food, soap, shampoo yes. Haircut maybe. (you can have a free government hair salon and employ a jobless barber). Manicure and pedicure no but nail clippers yes. Soap,shampoo, toilet paper etc are hygene products. If you dont provide the basics because you want to save taxpayers money you wont when my kids get lice in their hair and end up at the doctors using healthcare tax dollars or your kids come home with my kids lice in their hair.

( the problem is you have to provide me with shampoo not give me cash else I spend the cash on beer and my kids get lice)

She already told you such would not be the case!
It does not matter what she told me. The topic is equality not steelish childhood.

You felt slighted by what I said? I was complimenting you!
Actually I smiled because you clearly missed the famous "our tommorow for your today" quote and principle. As a result you ended up with a wrong assumption and conclusion. This is an example of why you do not see my point. I do not expect you to share my view but I do hope you understand it.