New Poverty Puppet on Sesame Street

[luvmy3]

In 1976 Ronald Reagan used the story of ONE woman who was cheated the system and started the entire "welfare queen" narrative. Let's note also that his example was arrested for what she did-so the system worked. She was found guilty of fraud and perjury.

From that original speech, the script was born and it has been used ever since despite the fact that the hard data completely refutes it. Moreover, since 1996, there is a law called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. There are lifetime limits on how long you can receive benefits, increased enforcement of child support and you must begin working after 2 years. As for "they just don't want to work" well, since the majority of folks receiving welfare are children..unless you want to reintroduce child labor, then yeah, they don't want to work. Another large portion are disabled, many from wounds they received fighting wars to protect people's freedom to call them lazy.

Direct assistance benefits account for about 4% of our federal budget, $50 billion. However, waste and fraud in military spending costs us an estimated $170 billion, and "gifts" to corporations are about another $170 billion and capital gains and tax loopholes cost us about $130 a year. And those figures are from before the year 2000, those costs have gone WAY up since the 2 wars and the additional tax cuts.

There are larger issues for taxpayers to be angry about than the single welfare recipient you see in Walmart buying too much milk.

And who says I'm not angry about those things either? Heck, I got a nice long list of things I'm angry about when it comes to our gov't.

You are free to feel whatever you like for whatever issues you want, as am I. Like I said previously, I knew these people, lived and worked with them and therefore base my feelings on things I myself have witnessed. You can discount it all you want with a history lesson, but it doesn't change the fact that some of us have seen it personally (and BTW there is much more to it than buying a few extra gallons of milk )

Ironically, there is alot of "just because you don't see hunger out there doesn't mean it doesn't exist". Yet its wrong to point out the same about welfare abuse? Interesting.

 

[luvmy3]

So because YOU don't know any hungry families, they don't exist? Really? So because I don't know ONE family that is taking advantage of the system, that means they don't exist, right?

If the lady on WIC has a baby that drinks milk from a bottle or even keeps a sippy cup full, they will go through a lot of milk. I used to buy several gallons and keep it in the freezer (to keep from having to drive back to the store).

As for the kids getting free lunch/breakfast at school, do you seriously resent a hungry child being fed? Cold much?

There are many hungry people out there, just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. Our college does a food drive every year in October. Our students collect cases and cases of canned and boxed items for the Salvation Army and even then the lady that collects it says you would be shocked at how fast it goes.

In dd's school there are several children that are being raised by poor grandparents. These kids come to school without clean clothes because there may be no running water or with shoes that don't fit and YES they are hungry. I don't have a clue where the parents are and IMHO, it doesn't matter. But the grandparent and one child gets very little in foodstamps and the grandparent only receives SS (which is a very small check). The foodstamps run out before the end of the month. So when they can, food banks (and food collected at the school) supplements for them, but sometimes the food bank doesn't have enough either. Its a problem and it DOES exist--you just have to open your eyes.

There really is a misconception that because someone feels there are enough programs, or they should be reformed that somehow means they don't want people to get help, or fed. Thats the problem when people think too emotionally about this subject. The pp never said anything about taking away those programs

 

[PeterPan09]

And who says I'm not angry about those things either? Heck, I got a nice long list of things I'm angry about when it comes to our gov't.

You are free to feel whatever you like for whatever issues you want, as am I. Like I said previously, I knew these people, lived and worked with them and therefore base my feelings on things I myself have witnessed. You can discount it all you want with a history lesson, but it doesn't change the fact that some of us have seen it personally (and BTW there is much more to it than buying a few extra gallons of milk )

Ironically, there is alot of "just because you don't see hunger out there doesn't mean it doesn't exist". Yet its wrong to point out the same about welfare abuse? Interesting.

Where did I say welfare abuse did not exist? What I actually said, was that the magnification of the cost of welfare abuse was a myth, the "welfare queen" was a myth and that laws have been passed that have significantly reduced the opportunity for abuse and the cost of welfare in America. It's easy to find the numbers if you want to look.

You know people who abuse the system. Have you reported them? That's fraud, and they can and should be charged for it. The people I know are people who once had good jobs and now need help because they've lost those good jobs. And yes, some of them have learned a hard lesson about judging people who were using the same benefits they need now. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard "I never thought it could happen to me" I could probably feed the hungry in my whole state.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

I think we can all agree that:

The Welfare system needs a rehaul and

Children going to bed hungry in this country is unnecessary and scary.

 

[luvmy3]

Where did I say welfare abuse did not exist? What I actually said, was that the magnification of the cost of welfare abuse was a myth, the "welfare queen" was a myth and that laws have been passed that have significantly reduced the opportunity for abuse and the cost of welfare in America. It's easy to find the numbers if you want to look.

You know people who abuse the system. Have you reported them? That's fraud, and they can and should be charged for it. The people I know are people who once had good jobs and now need help because they've lost those good jobs. And yes, some of them have learned a hard lesson about judging people who were using the same benefits they need now. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard "I never thought it could happen to me" I could probably feed the hungry in my whole state.

Not sure if the bolded statement is trying to imply something about my posts but if so lets get it straight, I'm not judging people for USING the system, I'm judging those who ABUSE it.

And yes, luvs, we can all agree on that.

Now its a beautiful fall day, I'm going out to enjoy it hope you all get to do the same.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think we can all agree that:

The Welfare system needs a rehaul and

Children going to bed hungry in this country is unnecessary and scary.

 

[PeterPan09]

Not sure if the bolded statement is trying to imply something about my posts but if so lets get it straight, I'm not judging people for USING the system, I'm judging those who ABUSE it.

And yes, luvs, we can all agree on that.

Now its a beautiful fall day, I'm going out to enjoy it hope you all get to do the same.

Just speaking from the experience-that's all. And again, if you know of those who are abusing it, there are ways to report them and you should.

Raining here in FL today...but that's ok since it's a workday for me!

 

[luvsJack]

There really is a misconception that because someone feels there are enough programs, or they should be reformed that somehow means they don't want people to get help, or fed. Thats the problem when people think too emotionally about this subject. The pp never said anything about taking away those programs

If she didn't harbor some resentment of the free meals and free snacks, why mention it?

And when you see kids that may be hungry, it IS an emotional subject.

I fully agree that there are people who abuse the system. I don't know them, haven't seen them, but I do know they are there. The pp should be the same about hungry families--they do exist.

Food banks are not able to supply all of them. Not enough people are ABLE to give enough anymore. So what do we do? Just say "so sorry, too bad?" If kids are hungry, they need to be fed; if it comes from tax dollars then so be it.

There needs to be a rehaul of the system, but I don't think there will be as many people taking advantage as everyone likes to believe.

 

[cornflake]

There really is a misconception that because someone feels there are enough programs, or they should be reformed that somehow means they don't want people to get help, or fed. Thats the problem when people think too emotionally about this subject. The pp never said anything about taking away those programs

Seems like they did.

There are plenty of programs out there. If you want to give your own money or your own canned goods, fine. Not one more dime of taxpayer money needs to go toward feeding people.

That's the spirit! Let them kids starve, it's their own fault!

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

Just a little slice of life, when I was a single mom waaaay back in the day, I was turned down for food stamps and/or any other assistance because I owned my car. That's right, if I had a brand new Audi I was making payments on, I would have qualified. But since I'd paid off my car, no help for me.

 

[luvmy3]

Just speaking from the experience-that's all. And again, if you know of those who are abusing it, there are ways to report them and you should.

Raining here in FL today...but that's ok since it's a workday for me!

Yes, I know there are ways to report them and if they didn't have kids that needed the help I would. See, I have a heart I did once report someone for abusing his workman's comp. I never knew what happened but always waited for some undercover news agency to come knocking on my door for an interview, never did happen

Sorry about your rain, we've had a couple weeks of it up here in NY. This weekend is going to be in the 80's, we won't have weather like this for another 9 months.

Seems like they did.


That's the spirit! Let them kids starve, it's their own fault!

Maybe, but I took that as they don't think there should be more tax payer programs instituted, not that we should stop funding those already in place.

 

[C.Ann]

So predictable.. I was wondering how long it would take for the "Welfare Queen" accusations and the screaming about "my tax dollars" would take before it showed up on this thread..

I guess the target audience being children is the right way to go - since so many adults have zero empathy for families that have to deal with food insecurity..

 

[rchristiansen]

Here's an excerpt from the show: http://youtu.be/vhJ6hfbn4x8

 

[C.Ann]

Here's an excerpt from the show: http://youtu.be/vhJ6hfbn4x8

Thanks for sharing.. That's and at the same time..

 

[PeterPan09]

So predictable.. I was wondering how long it would take for the "Welfare Queen" accusations and the screaming about "my tax dollars" would take before it showed up on this thread..

I guess the target audience being children is the right way to go - since so many adults have zero empathy for families that have to deal with food insecurity..

I think it's really about fear. If you convince yourself that everyone in this country who is struggling is lazy, stupid or abusing the system, then you can convince yourself that it will never happen to you. After all, you work hard and you don't cheat so you'll never lose a job or be in a situation where you need help.

 

[luvsJack]

I think it's really about fear. If you convince yourself that everyone in this country who is struggling is lazy, stupid or abusing the system, then you can convince yourself that it will never happen to you. After all, you work hard and you don't cheat so you'll never lose a job or be in a situation where you need help.

I agree. Sadly that is just not the case. Hard times can happen to anyone at anytime and many people in the country are only a few paychecks away from it.

 

[JenM]

I think it's really about fear. If you convince yourself that everyone in this country who is struggling is lazy, stupid or abusing the system, then you can convince yourself that it will never happen to you. After all, you work hard and you don't cheat so you'll never lose a job or be in a situation where you need help.

True. And I also think that there's a big problem with demonizing groups over the actions of others. Some people abusing the welfare system doesn't mean everyone is abusing it. A story I saw on TV claimed that people considered under the poverty line have TVs and refrigerators, so that must mean they're really not that poor. It's crazy, it's this attitude like we can pretend it's not there or accusing them all of abusing a system and that will make problem will go away...except that it won't.

 

[Planogirl]

Some people seem to only be able to see what exists in their world. They can't conceive that circumstances and reality itself can be way different for others.

I do agree that the system is broken though. I think that it should be fixed not done away with.

 

[sweetdana]

I think we can all agree that:

The Welfare system needs a rehaul and

Children going to bed hungry in this country is unnecessary and scary.

That is the point, in the US it shouldn't ever happen.

 

[sparklynails23]

I think it's really about fear. If you convince yourself that everyone in this country who is struggling is lazy, stupid or abusing the system, then you can convince yourself that it will never happen to you. After all, you work hard and you don't cheat so you'll never lose a job or be in a situation where you need help.

No, it's about facts. As mentioned on Sesame Street, there are programs out there. Ironically, none of the parents on Sesame Street looked like they were hurting for a meal, did they? And why did the "dad" say his kids were hungry at school when schools offer free and subsidized lunches?

Here's a link to federal food programs:

http://frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/

You have to click on the various links to see the whole list, because they don't fit on one page. These are just the federal programs. There are more state and local programs, of course.