welfare and the goverment

[HKUSP45C]

I have personaly seen people come into my dads meat market and buy 70 or 80 dollars worth of bar-b-que,cokes,potato salad,chips and pay with food stamps,when they could have bought round steak,hamburger meat,things like that,not once in a while but every week end.I have known families that were on welfare and their grown children also.There is at least 2 generations,so don't tell me it can't or doesn't happen.

I never said it can't or doesn't happen. What I said was:

So, it would seem that there is waste and abuse (in a government program *GASP*) but that it's a very small portion of the entire population who recieve benefits at all (about 2.2million in '07) and of those people the majority (about 53 percent, like clock work) are off of the system in 2 years or less. and those left only a small portion MIGHT be able to argue for the time limit exemption. Finally, under the new TANF regulations the recipients still have to fullful work requirements to the state including communinty service if they are still unemployed after the first 4 weeks on the program.

There just isnt a whole lot of room to cheat the system and even if you do, successfully, without getting caught, the amount of money you're sucking up, in the grand scheme of things is statistically insignificant.

So, are people cheating, some are, certainly. Some people are getting income from other sources (both legal and illicit) and not reporting (this may explain the anomolous "shrimp queen") it. Some are continuing to lead a life of irresponsibility and squallor, on purpose. Some are just unable to recover from what ever circumstance put them in a position to request assistance in the first place.

I'll even add that some are just plain greedy bastages who should be summarily shot for cheating their neighbors.

And what I meant by that is that even with all of the waste, bloat and abuse we're footing a VERY small bill, as a state, compared to what Texas spends (or plans to) on say ... I dunno ... the failed public school system, the Trans Texas Corridor, imprisoning illegal aliens that ICE just doesn't want to bother deporting, fighting the failed war on people using certain drugs ... to name just a few pet peeves of mine.

No, I don't condone fraud and theft. I just don't think the majority of people on assistance are comitting fraud and theft. I think it's a minority and I know for a fact that they can't do it forever in the vast maority of cases.

I've pushed Lone Star purchases out to $35,000 Yukons and Suburbans, Lexus's, and once even to a freaking modern Mercedes E-Class. These people are what everyone abhors and give the system a bad name.

What do you mean you "pushed Lone Star purchases" ... are these sales you making\approving where people were using their LS cards to buy cars?

 

[Jason]

How does one apply for this card?

 

[Jason]

Actually I just looked it up, I do not qualify... I'm white and own stuff

 

[boycan]

Actually I just looked it up, I do not qualify... I'm white and own stuff

I am red man can I get one of these magic cards?

 

[M. Sage]

The point is that you are aware of your treatment of others in retrospect to how you'd like to be treated. Alot of people aren't, and will do or say anything to get their way.

This is true. It's called "investing in the future". If I can share the load with others to make my own life better, and we can work to true mutual benefit, then it's all good.

People that don't carry their weight and expect to reap the rewards, though...

Can you tell I've never worked in a union shop?

 

[Texas1911]

What do you mean you "pushed Lone Star purchases" ... are these sales you making\approving where people were using their LS cards to buy cars?

Carried out groceries they bought with Lone Star cards.

 

[texas_teacher]

Actually I just looked it up, I do not qualify... I'm white and own stuff

Shit that disqualifies me and five other teachers at school... damn what is this state and this nation coming too...

 

[HKUSP45C]

Actually I just looked it up, I do not qualify... I'm white and own stuff

This is probably one of thinnest veiled racist statements I've seen in a long time on board that wasn't Stormfront or one of their ilk.

It also bespeaks a tremendous amount of ignorance toward the subject of assistance recipients and their demographics.

The majority of people on public assistance are white. Let me offer you some edification:

United States Number White 22,631,070 Black 11,676,830 Hispanic 13,053,740 Other 3,847,620

Those are the people below the poverty line in the US ... notice whites account for numbers almost as large as blacks and hispanics combined?

This argument makes perfect sense of course, there are more whites in the US than other demographics.

I have as much of a "funny bone" as the next guy but gun owners, in general, already have a nasty reputation for being ignorant, racist, red-neck, xenophobic a-holes. Let's try not to prove everyone else right all at the same time, shall we?

 

[DCortez]

I'm not going to go into the whole pot meet kettle debate, but I will say this ... I love ignore.

 

[TxPhantom]

gun owners, in general, already have a nasty reputation for being ignorant, racist, red-neck, xenophobic a-holes.

Not where I live or with anyone I associate with.

 

[Gutshot]

Not that this is relevant but when I was in San Francisco years ago, dope dealers in Oakland where taking food stamps. They would be lined up at the first of the month.

Gutshot

 

[sjones]

QUIT FEEDING THE TROLL.HE JUST WANTS TO IRRITATE PEOPLE.YES I KNOW ITS ALL IN CAPS.

You can't argue with idiots,he'll pull you down to his level and beat you with experience.

 

[DCortez]

Not where I live or with anyone I associate with.

My wife is white. Years ago, she was under the impression that more blacks were on welfare than whites. I politely informed her, since I planned on staying happily married and on speaking terms, that she was wrong and that she might want to stop watching network news.

 

[Bullseye Shooter]

Just thought I'd add a couple comments since I actually worked for a Health and Welfare Department in another life. I was a Medical Services Supervisor and when Clinton signed the Welfare Reform bill, I took over as the county's Welfare Reform coordinator for a couple years.

In general, most people on welfare are on the program an average of two years and then get off. That was the case before the welfare reform bill and even more so afterwards, since they are limited on how long they can get benefits. The county I worked for had started early on their jobs program, so we had quite a few individuals get jobs and get off AFDC rather quickly.

There are those cases of families who have been on for more than two generations, but that is the exception, not the rule.

There are times when welfare programs help rather than hinder an individuals ability to get out and become self-sufficient again. And there are those programs such as Medicaid that assist in ensuring children get their check-ups and shots, assist people who can't afford or obtain regular health insurance to take care of a needed medical procedure or assist with long term care in a nursing home.

And yes, there is fraud in the system and I am happy to say, one of my jobs was to help track down people defrauding the system and help put them in jail. And when that happens, they also have to pay back the money they received.

A bigger problem are the doctors and other providers who defraud the system for both Medicaid and Medicare funds. They make welfare cheats look like rank amateurs.

One of the best things that happened after Clinton signed the WR bill, we were able to say those magic words to our recipients; "get a job".

 

[Texas1911]

It also bespeaks a tremendous amount of ignorance toward the subject of assistance recipients and their demographics.

The majority of people on public assistance are white.

I think you'll find that there is a larger discrepancy between national and state demographics. In Texas, I'd be willing to bet that there is a higher number of hispanic welfare recipients than white, but in places like Detroit, Cleveland, etc. I'd be willing to bet it's far more whites. In the end, it doesn't really matter what color they are.

I think we can all agree that those that abuse the system all leave a bad taste for it. I've seen whites, blacks, and browns all abuse the system.

You and Bulls-eye have brought up some good info. I'm happy that there are tighter restraints on welfare, but I think we could improve it further.

 

[M. Sage]

In Texas, I'd be willing to bet that there is a higher number of hispanic welfare recipients than white, but in places like Detroit, Cleveland, etc.

I'd be shocked if that's the case in Detroit, thinking about the last time I was there.