Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What system are you people all clued into that promotes welfare over work? I've worked as a WTP worker for years, and most of my displaced workers not only WANT to return to work - many of them have to choose between feeding their children, or keeping the electricity bill paid.
Welfare is not an easy life, no matter what "isolated exception" you bring to my doorstep. You people are all spewing rhetoric about human beings who are just trying not to die according to the alarm you set on your Rolex.
I have worked in social services for about a quarter century. In all that time I have helped people access different services and social programs, and recently for a good long while I worked specifically determining eligibility for such things as SNAP (food stamps), TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families), day care assistance, and I've done some work with Section 8 (housing assistance.) Even my current job entails putting people together with community resources and accessing various kinds of assistance.
Allow me to clear up a few misconceptions.
First off, YES, there are people who play the system and cheat the system. YES there are some people who could work, but won't for whatever reason.
The second important thing to remember is that tax loopholes and other entitlements for the very wealthy and "corpoate welfare" are a FAR greater drain on our economy, and a far larger percentage of government spending than are programs designed to help the poor.
I heard a stat a year or so back when all the fracas about Romney releasing tax documents was in the news that indicated that all the tax incentives and loopholes Romney took advantage of for just one year as shown on his returns equalled enough for him to have kept his family on food stamps until the year 4000 and something.
Now. The vast majority of people receiving gov't assistance are on food stamps, which averages out to $1.42 per meal per person.
TANF is very rare compared to food stamps, and it IS temporary. TANF is usually given in the form of vouchers for rent and utility assistance, etc. It is very difficult to get TANF, and it does not last very long (hence "Temporary.") Those receiving it must either work, be in job training or other employment programs, or be able to prove they are seeking work by applying for a certain number of jobs each week. (It varies a bit from state to state.) This is somewhat similar to applying for and receiving unemployment in most states.
Day care assistance is another benefit some people receive, but those people MUST either be working or going to school in order to receive it (and they must be able to prove this), and they typically still have a co-pay.
In short, people aren't really receiving cash money handouts from the government, although you can certainly view getting assistance with food, rent, utilities, etc. as a form of payment or subsidy.
In case anyone is curious, yes we DO have ways of verifying pay and employment. I can look up anyone's social security number on a certain database and see precisely, by quarter, if a person is on anyone's payroll and precisely what they were paid each quarter.
Now, there ARE people who make money other ways and claim they don't earn anything, although they have to state this in an "under oath" sort of situation. If it is proven that they have misrepresented any self-employment earnings, they are beholden to repay what they received from the government.
Nevertheless, there are people who do lawn care, work under the table for someone, or even sell drugs or prostitute themselves and claim they earn no money.
But these situations are the exception to the rule.
The idea that people on assistance are "lazy, worthless good-for-nothings who just don't want to work so I the taxpayer have to pick up the tab to support their junky butts" is really misleading and not typical at all.
Very large numbers of people on assistance DO work--often more than one job, or an adult couple where both work; they simply don't earn enough to put them over income to be ineligible for benefits.
Another large group who receive benefits are the temporarily unemployed or underemployed--folks who lost their job for one reason or another, go on assistance for a time, then obtain gainful employment again, and go off assistance.
Moreover, very large numbers of people on assistance are physically or mentally disabled, or are elderly, etc.
The number of people who actually just "play the system" and are able-bodied and sound of mind but just refuse to work and instead sit back and get their $1.42 per meal in food assistance or live in subsidized housing is, in reality, pretty small.
But I don't mean to let reality stop the OP from tossing out tired old dishonest baseless "Welfare Queen" stereotypes as they try to foment resentment towards people who are less fortunate by inventing boogeymen.
I have worked in social services for about a quarter century. In all that time I have helped people access different services and social programs, and recently for a good long while I worked specifically determining eligibility for such things as SNAP (food stamps), TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families), day care assistance, and I've done some work with Section 8 (housing assistance.) Even my current job entails putting people together with community resources and accessing various kinds of assistance.
Allow me to clear up a few misconceptions.
First off, YES, there are people who play the system and cheat the system. YES there are some people who could work, but won't for whatever reason.
The second important thing to remember is that tax loopholes and other entitlements for the very wealthy and "corpoate welfare" are a FAR greater drain on our economy, and a far larger percentage of government spending than are programs designed to help the poor.
I heard a stat a year or so back when all the fracas about Romney releasing tax documents was in the news that indicated that all the tax incentives and loopholes Romney took advantage of for just one year as shown on his returns equalled enough for him to have kept his family on food stamps until the year 4000 and something.
Now. The vast majority of people receiving gov't assistance are on food stamps, which averages out to $1.42 per meal per person.
TANF is very rare compared to food stamps, and it IS temporary. TANF is usually given in the form of vouchers for rent and utility assistance, etc. It is very difficult to get TANF, and it does not last very long (hence "Temporary.") Those receiving it must either work, be in job training or other employment programs, or be able to prove they are seeking work by applying for a certain number of jobs each week. (It varies a bit from state to state.) This is somewhat similar to applying for and receiving unemployment in most states.
Day care assistance is another benefit some people receive, but those people MUST either be working or going to school in order to receive it (and they must be able to prove this), and they typically still have a co-pay.
In short, people aren't really receiving cash money handouts from the government, although you can certainly view getting assistance with food, rent, utilities, etc. as a form of payment or subsidy.
In case anyone is curious, yes we DO have ways of verifying pay and employment. I can look up anyone's social security number on a certain database and see precisely, by quarter, if a person is on anyone's payroll and precisely what they were paid each quarter.
Now, there ARE people who make money other ways and claim they don't earn anything, although they have to state this in an "under oath" sort of situation. If it is proven that they have misrepresented any self-employment earnings, they are beholden to repay what they received from the government.
Nevertheless, there are people who do lawn care, work under the table for someone, or even sell drugs or prostitute themselves and claim they earn no money.
But these situations are the exception to the rule.
The idea that people on assistance are "lazy, worthless good-for-nothings who just don't want to work so I the taxpayer have to pick up the tab to support their junky butts" is really misleading and not typical at all.
Very large numbers of people on assistance DO work--often more than one job, or an adult couple where both work; they simply don't earn enough to put them over income to be ineligible for benefits.
Another large group who receive benefits are the temporarily unemployed or underemployed--folks who lost their job for one reason or another, go on assistance for a time, then obtain gainful employment again, and go off assistance.
Moreover, very large numbers of people on assistance are physically or mentally disabled, or are elderly, etc.
The number of people who actually just "play the system" and are able-bodied and sound of mind but just refuse to work and instead sit back and get their $1.42 per meal in food assistance or live in subsidized housing is, in reality, pretty small.
But I don't mean to let reality stop the OP from tossing out tired old dishonest baseless "Welfare Queen" stereotypes as they try to foment resentment towards people who are less fortunate by inventing boogeymen.
STOP IT! Stop right now! Please do not ever ever let the facts get in the way of a good Wing Rant!
What is sad is that probably close to 50% of the country really does believe in the "Welfare Queen" myth.
People on welfare make about 57K with all the freebies they get. That is more than the working class poor. Obama how is that fair. How is it fair that someone who goes to work 5 days a week, is away from their families makes less than someone who is collecting food stamps, medicare, section 8 subsidized low income housing, national school lunch
Someone on welfare gets more take home pay income on public assistance than someone working and making 57K. The system is rewarding someone who leeches on the system than an honest man or woman that works. HOW IS THAT FAIR OBAMA?
Since you talk about fairness Obama what do you plan on making it more fair for the working class? Working class Americans also help people who live a better standard of people than they do.
How is 109 million people supposed to support 69 million people. Obama is more interested in raising taxes and supporting dependance on government than he is in reducing the national debt.
No they don't, and only an idiot would believe such bullcrap
I was going to read your post because you have alot of experience in your job. Then you started flappin you gums about things you have no idea about and went all political so I stopped reading
Quote:
Originally Posted by Griffis
I have worked in social services for about a quarter century. In all that time I have helped people access different services and social programs, and recently for a good long while I worked specifically determining eligibility for such things as SNAP (food stamps), TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families), day care assistance, and I've done some work with Section 8 (housing assistance.) Even my current job entails putting people together with community resources and accessing various kinds of assistance.
Allow me to clear up a few misconceptions.
First off, YES, there are people who play the system and cheat the system. YES there are some people who could work, but won't for whatever reason.
The second important thing to remember is that tax loopholes and other entitlements for the very wealthy and "corpoate welfare" are a FAR greater drain on our economy, and a far larger percentage of government spending than are programs designed to help the poor.
I heard a stat a year or so back when all the fracas about Romney releasing tax documents was in the news that indicated that all the tax incentives and loopholes Romney took advantage of for just one year as shown on his returns equalled enough for him to have kept his family on food stamps until the year 4000 and something.
Now. The vast majority of people receiving gov't assistance are on food stamps, which averages out to $1.42 per meal per person.
TANF is very rare compared to food stamps, and it IS temporary. TANF is usually given in the form of vouchers for rent and utility assistance, etc. It is very difficult to get TANF, and it does not last very long (hence "Temporary.") Those receiving it must either work, be in job training or other employment programs, or be able to prove they are seeking work by applying for a certain number of jobs each week. (It varies a bit from state to state.) This is somewhat similar to applying for and receiving unemployment in most states.
Day care assistance is another benefit some people receive, but those people MUST either be working or going to school in order to receive it (and they must be able to prove this), and they typically still have a co-pay.
In short, people aren't really receiving cash money handouts from the government, although you can certainly view getting assistance with food, rent, utilities, etc. as a form of payment or subsidy.
In case anyone is curious, yes we DO have ways of verifying pay and employment. I can look up anyone's social security number on a certain database and see precisely, by quarter, if a person is on anyone's payroll and precisely what they were paid each quarter.
Now, there ARE people who make money other ways and claim they don't earn anything, although they have to state this in an "under oath" sort of situation. If it is proven that they have misrepresented any self-employment earnings, they are beholden to repay what they received from the government.
Nevertheless, there are people who do lawn care, work under the table for someone, or even sell drugs or prostitute themselves and claim they earn no money.
But these situations are the exception to the rule.
The idea that people on assistance are "lazy, worthless good-for-nothings who just don't want to work so I the taxpayer have to pick up the tab to support their junky butts" is really misleading and not typical at all.
Very large numbers of people on assistance DO work--often more than one job, or an adult couple where both work; they simply don't earn enough to put them over income to be ineligible for benefits.
Another large group who receive benefits are the temporarily unemployed or underemployed--folks who lost their job for one reason or another, go on assistance for a time, then obtain gainful employment again, and go off assistance.
Moreover, very large numbers of people on assistance are physically or mentally disabled, or are elderly, etc.
The number of people who actually just "play the system" and are able-bodied and sound of mind but just refuse to work and instead sit back and get their $1.42 per meal in food assistance or live in subsidized housing is, in reality, pretty small.
But I don't mean to let reality stop the OP from tossing out tired old dishonest baseless "Welfare Queen" stereotypes as they try to foment resentment towards people who are less fortunate by inventing boogeymen.
you do realize that alot of the working poor are on welfare right ?
Only if they have kids. The dole is rather sparse for childless adults.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
