Staying single to collect welfare benefits

[torinsmom]

The only way the career welfare people will be taken off the roles is to do away totally with WIC coupons, medicaid and welfare checks for single mothers. I understand the progressive point to look out for the helpless in our society - but we have been warned since Daniel Patrick Monihan began speaking out in the 1960's. Churches and private social agencies will need to pick up the slack. The only thing wrong with our public schools are the career free lunch families that have kids that are dumber than a box of rocks, disrespectful and disfunctional. They actually now have a special ed "diagnosis" of "oppositional defiant disorder". This is code for you are a little jerk that has never been taught manners. Look, you can't imagine what the average teacher has to put up with today. To those who say my proposals would "cause kids to suffer" - they are suffering now. This is the only way things would change one iota. The only people charities I give to are Boys Town (the kids have been taken away from their idiot parents) and the Salvation Army because they expect clients to work for the services they receive.

I agree that there are kids who are being raised to be disrespectful; as a teacher, I deal with my fair share. However, oppositional defiant disorder is a real diagnosis. I have only taught one child diagnosed with this, and he was from a home with very involved parents who reinforced everything we did at school and more. It was not unusual for this child to miss out on dessert or to have to fold his siblings laundry because he had been defiant at school or home. He was not taught to be this way; something in his brain was wired to react to things this way. None of the kids I have dealt with who have been brats have been diagnosed with this, and actually many of the ones who are just brats come from middle class and affluent homes, where the parents are raising the kids to be their friends, not from the welfare homes.

 

[Piecey]

I haven't read the rest of these, but in Minnesota, once the baby is born, if you are living with the father of the baby his income counts. If you don't report him as being in the household or his income, you are commiting fraud. Plain and simple. If they are not living together, than to get public assistance they WILL persue him for child support. If she doesn't cooperate with them persuing child support her benefits will end. I have no idea what happens in other states, but that's not what the system was meant for!

I'm not positive what it is here but I know it's something related.
My old manager was telling me that about 8 years ago her husband's ex-girlfriend took him to court and said that her 2 sons were his. He had no idea. Apparently, the DNA tests confirmed they were his and since the woman had the babies on the medical card and he was working at the time, the state sent him a bill. He had to take out a second mortgage on the home he lived in with my manager to pay the back child-support and maternity costs that the state paid out for the birth of the babies.

 

[luvsJack]

The only way the career welfare people will be taken off the roles is to do away totally with WIC coupons, medicaid and welfare checks for single mothers. I understand the progressive point to look out for the helpless in our society - but we have been warned since Daniel Patrick Monihan began speaking out in the 1960's. Churches and private social agencies will need to pick up the slack. The only thing wrong with our public schools are the career free lunch families that have kids that are dumber than a box of rocks, disrespectful and disfunctional. They actually now have a special ed "diagnosis" of "oppositional defiant disorder". This is code for you are a little jerk that has never been taught manners. Look, you can't imagine what the average teacher has to put up with today. To those who say my proposals would "cause kids to suffer" - they are suffering now. This is the only way things would change one iota. The only people charities I give to are Boys Town (the kids have been taken away from their idiot parents) and the Salvation Army because they expect clients to work for the services they receive.

You have absolutely no clue what you are talking about.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Wait a minute, I thought the Democratic agenda to raise minimum wage was going to solve all these problems...

 

[frtchr]

 

[HHSTigerFan]

I find it sadly amusing that everyone seems to think that these folks on assistance are living so high on the hog. I can assure you that given an equal choice MOST (not all, but most) would not choose to continue living in the manner that government assistance allow them to.

As for the unemployement and continuing to receive it, have you ever tried to support a family for what you can make at McDonald's?? Full time is not even 40 hours a week. There is no way to support a family on that kind of pay. If I was getting unemployment and my only choice was that or McDonald's, I would choose whichever meant more money which is usually going to be unemployment. When you are in a week to week surival situation it is not about what is or is not beneath you but about having enough money coming in to survive on.

Plenty of times I see people using food stamps at the store to buy brand names while I have generic brands in my cart..

If a person can't support his family by working 40 hours at Mcdonalds, then he needs to work more hours..

 

[luvsJack]

Plenty of times I see people using food stamps at the store to buy brand names while I have generic brands in my cart..

If a person can't support his family by working 40 hours at Mcdonalds, then he needs to work more hours..

So what is he going to do? Force them to give him more hours? Full time in fast food is generally 35 hours, that gives them a bit of leeway before overtime kicks in. Most places don't want to pay overtime and will not let you work more than those hours.

I fed my kids on food stamps. I can assure you that you cannot spread those stamps over the month and eat the foods everyone claims to see others buying.

Food "stamps" come in the form of an EBT card, used just like a debit or credit card. How do you know how they are paying?



Oh, and ds just reminded me that in this state if the mother refuses to go after her child's father for child support she cannot receive assistance of any kind (the child can stay on medicaid and WIC but nothing else can be received by the household). And if she claims to not know who the father is, they will ask for a list of most likely candidates and will require DNA testing. (if a guy is the father, he pays for the test; if not, the state does.)

 

[HHSTigerFan]

So what is he going to do? Force them to give him more hours? Full time in fast food is generally 35 hours, that gives them a bit of leeway before overtime kicks in. Most places don't want to pay overtime and will not let you work more than those hours.

Go work some place else, this making excuses for these people is getting old.. no wonder the country is in the crapper.

 

[bunny]

Quit having kids! Or if you get pregnant and can't afford the baby, think about giving it up for adoption. It is almost impossible for people to adopt a baby anymore.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

I fed my kids on food stamps. I can assure you that you cannot spread those stamps over the month and eat the foods everyone claims to see others buying.

Food "stamps" come in the form of an EBT card, used just like a debit or credit card. How do you know how they are paying?

Because I can see the card they are using..

In Illinois a family of 4 with no income gets a food stamp benefit of $668, which is at least $200 a month more than we normally spend..

 

[Muushka]

Quit having kids! Or if you get pregnant and can't afford the baby, think about giving it up for adoption. It is almost impossible for people to adopt a baby anymore.

I think people think that others enjoy paying for their children.

News flash..I do not !!!

 

[luvsJack]

Go work some place else, this making excuses for these people is getting old.. no wonder the country is in the crapper.

I have never said that people should stay on welfare. I have never said that the system does not need fixing. It does.

I am simply saying that the system is a circle for some of these people. If a minimum wage job will not pay you enough to pay for whatever benefits you are losing, what good is it?

This assuming that everyone on assistance is lazy and worthless is old too. The same urban legends about buying filet mignon and lobsters continues to go around and around. Its just not possible only having what the system will provide.

I see the people that come in here everyday trying to get into school and make a better life for themselves. I see how many are trying to go to school full time, work full time and raise a family and then to have their benefits sucked out from under them and they can't pay their rent. So they only have one choice, quit the job so they can keep their place to live. Many of them start thinking they should just give up trying to make things better.

 

[luvsJack]

Quit having kids! Or if you get pregnant and can't afford the baby, think about giving it up for adoption. It is almost impossible for people to adopt a baby anymore.

That's not a bad theory but I sincerly would hate to live somewhere that forced someone to give their chidl up for adoption.

 

[JamesMom]

Plenty of times I see people using food stamps at the store to buy brand names while I have generic brands in my cart..

If a person can't support his family by working 40 hours at Mcdonalds, then he needs to work more hours..

Unless this person is working in management, nobody with a family should be working at McDonalds as their main support. It's an entry level position for younger workers or those needing a part time income. A person should have the skills to get a family supporting job before they get a family...
Again, this is not a one-size fits all rule, but common sense should suggest that this is fair advice.

 

[katlas&kids]

I see this happen a lot in the community of families with disabled children... as a Physician/Patient Liasion I not only condone it.... I highly encourage it.

I have even seen parents DIVORCE... yes... they've actually divorced... so that the mother can file for SSI benefits for their disabled child.

Now keep in mind I live in Texas and I'm talking about families that have severely disabled children. In MANY situations the mother stays home to be the full time provider.... and dad makes too much to qualify for government assistance. Insurance NEVER pays enough... and you can't shop around for insurance because of the preexisting condition.

So..... the parents feel their only option is to lie, cheat and steal to ensure their child has the medical coverage it needs.

I have a disabled child and went bankrupt in the first 8 years of his life... then our name finally came up in the medicaid waiver program. (Count the child's income to qualify... not the parents) I can't tell you the financial burden this released from us.

So... in some situations... I see why people NEED to do this and as irritating as it can be.... I try not to cast judgement until I know the whole situation.

So there with you. My oldest has a permanant disability. He can walk & drive, but has such restrictions for how long, how much he can carry, etc that no one will hire him. Also, I have overheard people who are interviewing say that anyone would be out of their mind to hire him due to their business insurance, let alone employee benfits costing them. They didn't know I was the mom, waiting on him.

It is hard and you do what you can to keep the SSI & benifits coming. Said son has brittle bone disease. One surgery to repair a break cost $36,000 and then when the remove the cast/braces, an internal rod had popped out & they had to go back in & repair/replace it. Add wheelchairs, braces walkers, shoe adapters.... and all the lost time from work...it does add up.

He is independent now, but hubby had a mental/emotional breakdown and hasn't worked. He just qualified for Medicare after a 2 year wait. The younger kids & I have nothing, since he gets disability, the kids do to. We are over that amount a month to get any help. And I don't want the "new" heath care help as we can see how effective it is being in the system now.

 

[Purseval]

It depends on the circumstances. DW and I are currently in the process of setting up a special needs trust for DD, who has Down syndrome. The whole point of the special needs trust is to protect any assets that we may leave to her. Does that mean that we are trying to "cheat the system" by making sure that the state does not take away any assets that we may leave her?

All sorts of families have trust funds. As you said, it depends on the circumstances. If you intend to set it up in a way that leaves you as a ward of the state while DD has all the comforts that you would have had if you had not transferred everything to her then what would you call it?

 

[HHSTigerFan]

The same urban legends about buying filet mignon and lobsters continues to go around and around. Its just not possible only having what the system will provide.

Its not??? If a family is getting $668/month they are doing better than just ok.. We put $200 into an envelope every payday (every 2 weeks), most of the time that lasts us the entire 2 weeks, we NEVER spend $332 in a 2 week period, never even close..

 

[princessmom29]

I agree that the system is broken. It was meant to help and it seriously hinders many that want to get out of it but do not see a way. There needs to be job training and education available and mandatory for the recipients. But, again, if their take home pay is less than the benefits they receive, they remain stuck.

I see how it works every day too and have lived within it myself. Believe me the 14 year old you mention is not "set" by any stretch of the imagination. Where exactly do you expect a 14 year old to get a job and support herself and her child? She is just a child herself and without someone to mentor her and help her understand what she needs to do to get out of the system, its not going to happen When she does reach adult age, will she have any kind of training or education to get a job? And, as I have already said, if the total amount she can make working is substantially less than what she is recieving what choice does she have?

Thed 14 year old i am talking about is not set, but she thinks she is. She still lives with mom, who also milks the system, and has been taught that she doesn't need an education or job skills, so any attempt by me to provide her with those things is met with resistance and "attitude". Believe me I try to convince then that it is no way to live, but when they are being raised in a household that doesn't value education or hard work it is almost impossible for me to change their mind. I have succeeded with a few, but it is HARD! If parents would place value on education and job skills these kids COULD get real jobs and support themselves as adults. Because mom and dad milk the system and encourage them to continue to do so, any effort I make to convince them that they are capable of more is severly hindered.

So what is he going to do? Force them to give him more hours? Full time in fast food is generally 35 hours, that gives them a bit of leeway before overtime kicks in. Most places don't want to pay overtime and will not let you work more than those hours.

I fed my kids on food stamps. I can assure you that you cannot spread those stamps over the month and eat the foods everyone claims to see others buying.

Food "stamps" come in the form of an EBT card, used just like a debit or credit card. How do you know how they are paying?



Oh, and ds just reminded me that in this state if the mother refuses to go after her child's father for child support she cannot receive assistance of any kind (the child can stay on medicaid and WIC but nothing else can be received by the household). And if she claims to not know who the father is, they will ask for a list of most likely candidates and will require DNA testing. (if a guy is the father, he pays for the test; if not, the state does.)

A fmily of 4 can recieve a maximum benefit to the tune of $600+ a month. I NEVER spend that much and I do occasionally buy a steak or a nice piece of fish.

That rule is on the books a lot of places, but rarely is it enforced. I know there is an average DNA backlog of 4 months at the ABI for criminal DNA (courtesy of our forensics course at school). Civil matters would take a backseat to that, not to mention it would be prohibitively expensive to go after every possible father of every welfare baby. DNA tsting is NOT a cheap or easy porcess. They are just not going to invest those kinds of resources.

 

[Hannathy]

Quit having kids! Or if you get pregnant and can't afford the baby, think about giving it up for adoption. It is almost impossible for people to adopt a baby anymore.

I agree!

And to the poster who said they wouldn't want to live where this could be forced on someone (how many kids ) I agree BUT if we quit supporting these people they would come to this conclusion themselves.

It used to be common if a young single girl got pregnant they put the child up for adoption, because they knew they couldn't support themselves and a child, but now they know they will be paid,feed,housed, and educated, while the same is done for the baby so they have no sense of responsibility or accountability.

 

[ssawka]

All sorts of families have trust funds. As you said, it depends on the circumstances. If you intend to set it up in a way that leaves you as a ward of the state while DD has all the comforts that you would have had if you had not transferred everything to her then what would you call it?

No, it's actually just the opposite. It is setup so that if she has to become a ward of the state, then the state won't be able to touch it and she can enjoy all the comforts she enjoys now.