Makes me crazy!!

[drcmk]

Nope, these were healthy young men in their 20's.

You are quite the medical expert if you were able to determine that these people were healthy based on your two minutes of observation in a fast food restaurant. I'm grateful that my own doctors use more precise methods of measuring my health.

 

[drcmk]

Nah, I'm gonna go with the dollar. With the "efficiency" at which our gov't operates, it's probably $40-50 in "tax dollars" to feed one person at McDonalds.

I guess if you "make up" your facts, your opinions will always be right.

 

[drcmk]

This isn't going to be popular but yes I do believe we have a right to question government assistance.

Absolutely. It IS our money. But questioning government assistance, by reviewing the rules and the facts about how assistance is used, is not the same as making judgments about one particular person based on eavesdropping on them for two minutes in a fast food restaurant.

 

[drcmk]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- One in six Americans is receiving help from the government.
That was in April of 2011. From CNN. Think the number is going down? Hardly. And one in six is an atrocious amount.

One in six is 16%. Currently 12% of our population is older than age 65. So a tremendous proportion of the people who receive "help" from the government are elderly people who receive Medicare or Social Security income. That number is only likely to increase as more "baby boomers" reach retirement age.

 

[torinsmom]

I really try to live and let live, but as a teacher, it drives me crazy seeing the kids who are getting free breakfast and lunch come in in better clothes than I could ever afford for myself. They have moms who do not work, and most have no dad in the picture or the parents are unmarried, so I can only assume they get welfare as well. I am talking 3-4 different pairs of Nikes, name brand clothes, etc. They talk about their Wiis and Xbox 360s and I see their parents driving nice cars with fancy rims, etc. I'm not saying anyone should be punished for coming on hard times, but welfare benefits should be temporary and distributed in such a way that recipients are encouraged to get to work.

I did receive Medicaid and WIC when I was unmarried and pregnant, but that was only for a year. I worked hard during that year to make sure I would be able to provide for myself and my son and I have never looked back.

 

[Marionnette]

One in six is 16%. Currently 12% of our population is older than age 65. So a tremendous proportion of the people who receive "help" from the government are elderly people who receive Medicare or Social Security income. That number is only likely to increase as more "baby boomers" reach retirement age.

You need to clarify what qualifies as "government assistance". Take a look at a more recent article from CNN Money, http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/07/news/economy/government_assistance/index.htm , which shows that more than 26% of Americans live in households that receive Medicaid benefits. This has nothing to do with Social Security retirement benefits, Medicare, or military benefits. More than one out of 4 Americans is having their health insurance paid for by taxpayers.

The article also shows that 15% of Americans live in households that receive Food Stamps. That's 3 out of every 20 people.

No, the numbers are not additive. I'm sure that many of the Food Stamp household also fall under that Medicaid umbrella. But it does show that your argument does not hold water.

Chew on that for a while.

 

[MomTo5MickeyLovers]

I agree with the OP. The system is USED AND ABUSED. You can disagree and keep on putting your heads in the sand, but it's the sad truth. Maybe if you have lived around people who do it you'd understand why we get frustrated. I love watching the people in our local Wal-mart pay for things with WIC and food stamps, and I see their 8 kids in Nikes and brand name clothing, then see them in the parking lot get into their Cadillac Esclades!!! They will tell you straight out, they have no remorse, they will keep having kids to get the extra cash and will use the system. Hey, at least they don't lie! Yes some people DO need assistance. It was made as a TEMPORARY relief for a person out of work. Sadly, it's become a lifestyle in this country. Other countries laugh at us, they call us lazy, and they're right, the half living off the gov't are lazy plain and simple. It's selfish of THEM. I lived in PA for a while, there are whole communities that live off the system and actually joke about it. So yes, I will get annoyed, and I have every damn right to, because it's a crying shame. It's not about judging, it's about opening your eyes and seeing the problems with this country. I doubt Jefferson wanted this. Sorry, my opinion.

 

[Colleen27]

I really try to live and let live, but as a teacher, it drives me crazy seeing the kids who are getting free breakfast and lunch come in in better clothes than I could ever afford for myself. They have moms who do not work, and most have no dad in the picture or the parents are unmarried, so I can only assume they get welfare as well. I am talking 3-4 different pairs of Nikes, name brand clothes, etc. They talk about their Wiis and Xbox 360s and I see their parents driving nice cars with fancy rims, etc. I'm not saying anyone should be punished for coming on hard times, but welfare benefits should be temporary and distributed in such a way that recipients are encouraged to get to work.

I did receive Medicaid and WIC when I was unmarried and pregnant, but that was only for a year. I worked hard during that year to make sure I would be able to provide for myself and my son and I have never looked back.

They are. I know on the Budget Board this is extravagant but food stamps provide about $1.50 per person, per meal, and that's for those with no other income who receive the maximum. I spend more than that, on average, to feed my family healthy, basic meals even though I grow my own veggies in the summer and cook most everything from scratch. Cash assistance is a few hundred dollars a month with a lifetime cap of 60 months, less in some states. And both programs have work requirements, though those are very hard to enforce in times when applicants outnumber jobs by a ratio of hundreds to one.

 

[Colleen27]

You need to clarify what qualifies as "government assistance". Take a look at a more recent article from CNN Money, http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/07/news/economy/government_assistance/index.htm , which shows that more than 26% of Americans live in households that receive Medicaid benefits. This has nothing to do with Social Security retirement benefits, Medicare, or military benefits. More than one out of 4 Americans is having their health insurance paid for by taxpayers.

The article also shows that 15% of Americans live in households that receive Food Stamps. That's 3 out of every 20 people.

No, the numbers are not additive. I'm sure that many of the Food Stamp household also fall under that Medicaid umbrella. But it does show that your argument does not hold water.

Chew on that for a while.

A large share of the medicaid caseload is elderly, though. For the generation that counted on pensions and social security, further assistance is frequently needed to cover the gap between what medicare covers and what they can afford out of pocket. And many of the elderly receive food stamps as well.

The problem I see with complaining about the system is that no one is looking at WHY more people are using it than in the past. Fewer jobs offer health insurance, wages have been stagnant or falling for large swaths of our working population not just in this recession but for a generation, and our govt continually pretties up the inflation numbers by excluding the two expenses most essential to running a household (energy and food). We collectively embraced a service economy that produces nothing of value and offers a dwindling number of middle class jobs, and then we want to complain about the logical consequences of that lack of opportunity.

 

[njmom47]

My dd has friends who have had babies very young. They are eligible for all types of government aid. I asked a social worker that I know "How does this encourage young moms to get a job and become a responsible member of society?" and her reply was "It doesn't." I also agree with PP about customers coming in to the grocery store where I used to work (which was surrounded by Abbott Disctrict towns) and they would come to the store in their fur coats, nails done, tons of gold jewelry, buy lobsters and king crab legs and prime rib using their paper foodstamps and get into their high end cars (we had a huge picture windown so we could see). SOOO frustrating to see! Especially when dh could actually qualify for permanent disability but works 2 jobs instead. Sigh. There's got to be an answer but I don't know what it is.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I don't understand the US system at all, but here in Canada, in my province, the maximum amount for a single person on welfare is $573 a month. I simply can't see how someone is buying flashy cars, etc., on that amount. Frankly, I have no idea how people survive on that.

Teresa

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I work for my state's vocational rehabilitation department. I help people with disabilities find and maintain employment.

It is incredibly difficult to get SSI and SSDI. People are denied on average 3 times. You cannot work while applying for it because they think you can work. However, after you are approved, you can find work. Just because someone looks "healthy" does not mean they are. You never know what is going on in a person's life. Even with programs like ours, it is incredibly difficult to get a job, especially in this economy. I have clients who have been looking for years and are willing to do anything yet no one will give them a chance. It's not so easy to just go "get a job".

And really, our tax money funds these programs but we have no say so in any of it. Why are people only up in arms about benefit programs? Tax dollars go to so many things that I don't want or possibly think are wasteful.

 

[Lovin' Disney]

I think that we can all agree that welfare recipients generally fall into 2 categories...

1. Those who need it, including the elderly, the truly disabled, those with special needs, etc.

2. Those who feel entitled to it.

Somehow we need to find a way to take care of those that fall under #1, while putting some sort of time limit, restrictions, etc. on those who fall under #2.

I work at Walmart and I see abuse of the bridge card (Michigan's food stamp/cash assistance card) EVERY DAY . Off the top of my head, I can think of about 10 families with 2 parents (unmarried & stay that way to maximize the benefits) and 2-3 children, who receive about $1800 a month in food assistance (I know this because the total prints on the receipt). Really??? I spend about $400 a month on groceries for my family of 4, and they're spending more than 4x that EACH MONTH. Am I jealous? You bet. I wish I could buy crab legs, lobster, multiple packages of steaks, etc. every month. Here these people are filling up 3-4 carts at a time and my family gets by on one cart every 2 weeks. They are not even buying meal items. Last week I had a family of 5 (Mom, Dad, 6th grader, toddler, and brand new baby) use all $1800 IN ONE DAY! They went through my register 4 different times with 12 carts total. They were buying so many 20 packs of full size candy bars that I was seriously wondering if they were opening a store.

Could you imagine if we went back to old way of food stamps where families received a booklet of "cash" looking stamps and paid for their groceries with that? There's no way in hell some of those who fall under #2 would be using those. But with the invention of the debit card for these services, they look like everyone who else goes shopping and there is no shame to be had.

What I would like to see is the food stamp program set up similarly to the WIC program, with a certain amount alloted for fruits, vegetables, grains, meat/fish, etc. I think this would ensure that families eat healthier things than the sugary/salty items the typical #2 family purchases (candy bars, potato chips, soda, etc.), thus reducing the medicaid costs in the long run. Those who fall under #1 should have no problem doing this...I'm willing to bet that most who fall under this category are already eating a varied diet.

I would also like to see some sort of accountability for cash assistance. Mothers receive this to use for their living expenses, baby needs, etc. However, I see ladies getting cash out at the register and handing it to their boyfriend to buy his beer and cigarettes. If we could make them have to hand in some sort of record/receipts showing what the money is spent on, I think the amount of abuse would decrease.

It's just crazy when you see people who have been on food stamps for decades (it's a small town and everyone knows everyone's business) and then their children continue the same pattern. This country can never improve if we can't break the cycle.

 

[Marionnette]

A large share of the medicaid caseload is elderly, though. For the generation that counted on pensions and social security, further assistance is frequently needed to cover the gap between what medicare covers and what they can afford out of pocket. And many of the elderly receive food stamps as well.

The problem I see with complaining about the system is that no one is looking at WHY more people are using it than in the past. Fewer jobs offer health insurance, wages have been stagnant or falling for large swaths of our working population not just in this recession but for a generation, and our govt continually pretties up the inflation numbers by excluding the two expenses most essential to running a household (energy and food). We collectively embraced a service economy that produces nothing of value and offers a dwindling number of middle class jobs, and then we want to complain about the logical consequences of that lack of opportunity.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of "dual enrollment" patients (those who were enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid) represented only 15% of all Medicaid beneficiaries in 2007 (their latest data).
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=305&cat=6

This number includes not just elderly patients, but also the disabled under 65 who are Medicare-eligible. While it is indeed a substantial number, it also means that the vast majority (>85%) of Medicaid recipients are not the poor, elderly people that your statement would lead one to believe.

 

[torinsmom]

They are. I know on the Budget Board this is extravagant but food stamps provide about $1.50 per person, per meal, and that's for those with no other income who receive the maximum. I spend more than that, on average, to feed my family healthy, basic meals even though I grow my own veggies in the summer and cook most everything from scratch. Cash assistance is a few hundred dollars a month with a lifetime cap of 60 months, less in some states. And both programs have work requirements, though those are very hard to enforce in times when applicants outnumber jobs by a ratio of hundreds to one.

Maybe on the record, welfare benefits are temporary, but I know several people who have lived off the gov't for years, free housing, free daycare, mediacid, food stamps and AFDC check every month. I don't know how some do it, but they do. At least one of these women has had her boyfriend living with her as well. I also know food stamp recipients who have enough food stamps to take a friend shopping and then the friend gives them cash 80 cents on the dollar, so they can buy things food stamps won't pay for.

I don't understand the US system at all, but here in Canada, in my province, the maximum amount for a single person on welfare is $573 a month. I simply can't see how someone is buying flashy cars, etc., on that amount. Frankly, I have no idea how people survive on that.

Teresa

It isn't necessarily only food stamps. Many who get food stamps also get a check from Aid For Dependent Children(AFDC), as well as Medicaid, free housing and free daycare. Because many have a live in boyfriend that works, they can use all his money for what they want. They don't have rent or mortgage payment or a daycare bill or an insurance bill or a grocery bill, and I believe they get help with utilities as well. I think that's why it's common to see the nice cars and clothes.

 

[DMRick]

Other countries laugh at us, they call us lazy, and they're right, the half living off the gov't are lazy plain and simple. It's selfish of THEM. I lived in PA for a while, there are whole communities that live off the system and actually joke about it..

What countries laugh at us? In Ireland, the government gives you a stipend (about 120 euro for each child) no matter your income, to help you out. Everyone gets it, each month, for 18 years. They aren't laughing at us. Many countries (not counting third world) have different programs, not much different from us. You get help with childcare and many other programs.

 

[leahjade]

It's so misguided to think you are helping these people live their entire lives on welfare. Now young women no longer need a husband or father for their children since they have the government, and everyone knows that the #! factor in determining who lives in poverty is a single mother household. You've taken away the families and churches who used to help people in need and replaced them with public assistance. You've taken away the self-esteem and pride that comes from working a job and providing for your family.

 

[DMRick]

Who is 'you'?

No one wants to see people live their lifes on welfare. No one is saying it's right to use your welfare money on cars instead of kids. No one is saying that foodstamps should be misused. Almost everyone is saying, no one should be judged on a one minute over-heard conversation in McDonalds. A conversation that a person shouldn't have been paying attention to anyway and has no way of knowing just what the person was talking about. Add to that that most of the judgement is because a benefits card was used to buy a meal in McDonalds without any of us knowing what the money on the card was from, and you have the reason people are saying what they are saying, that the OP has no idea what was going on and judging. The OP ends up judged for being judgemental without any facts.
At least some of the other people have facts to base how they feel on, and even then, until you have walked a mile in another's shoes, you still can't be sure of what you see.

It's so misguided to think you are helping these people live their entire lives on welfare. Now young women no longer need a husband or father for their children since they have the government, and everyone knows that the #! factor in determining who lives in poverty is a single mother household. You've taken away the families and churches who used to help people in need and replaced them with public assistance. You've taken away the self-esteem and pride that comes from working a job and providing for your family.

 

[Jewel1310]

Living in poverty is not a walk in the park. It isn't a life style that anyone really wants. Welfare reform drastically reduced the number of people who receive cash assistance. Most of the money spent by Medicaid is for health coverage for the severely disabled or catastrophically ill and institutionalized senior citizens.

When we classify a whole group of people as lazy etc because they receive some level of government funds for reasons that an observer can't know for sure is a statement on the person making the assumption.

People who are poor have the same dreams and hopes that middle class people have. They want better for their children then they have in themselves.

My kids go/went to a state college which was subsidized by the state of PA. While they got decent grades and passed their classes sometimes they skipped class or didn't pay attention. That was a waste of tax payer funds. At our local casino there are tons of senior citizens who are spending social security money that could be spent on more important things. Some of them payed into the system, some of them are receiving benefits because a spouse worked as they never did. Those are government funds and I won't judge them. Corporations receive lots of entitlements. We tend to single out the poor but entitlements are all around us.

I have made mistakes and spent money that could have been better spent elsewhere, but I was fortunate that no one was looking over my shoulder. I am grateful every day that I don't have to consider McDonalds a place to go celebrate or consider the special outing for the month.

 

[leahjade]

Nearly half of American tax filers will (some 76 million tax filers, or 46.4 percent of the total) pay no federal income taxes this year, according to data released by the Tax Policy Center.

So just wondering with more and more people on living off the government and less and less paying taxes, who will be paying for all these entitlement programs?
In our city, we actually have ads on the public bus system recruiting people for the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) plan. Because if the welfare rolls go down, the funding goes down as well which would mean less government jobs and less bureaucrats. It is a dependency cycle and I am very afraid for the future of our children.