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It's what I've been saying for years.
All these people scream about the poor getting poorer and so forth. It's nonsense. The poor have never been as well off as they are now.
Hey anyone of you can join Dave if he has it so good. Just give away your assets and go get all the free stuff you are so envious about.
Thanks but no thanks.
It has taken me a very long time to feel content. For a long time I was not and that is a very uncomfortable feeling. Always thinking I needed to go somewhere, do something, be somebody (else). I was fairly exhausted for a long time. Trying to figure it all out.
But a "gift" settled on me recently and it feels really nice. The gift is realizing all that I have and knowing it is "enough", that I am "enough." That changes do not have to be forced just to have change in my life.
Peace of mind and acceptance are two wonderful things to have.
I'd rather his benefits get cut and Dave have the opportunity to live with the fruits of his decisions. Since that won't happen, the best I can hope for is that people like that don't live particularly long lives.
I pray that someday you will reap the compassion you sow.
"Dave" does make a convenient straw man--one that's easy to knock down and condemn and to judge and then apply that judgment to all the poor. Oddly enough the same judgment is not applied to corporate welfare. Where Is The Outrage Over Corporate Welfare?
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The largest, wealthiest, most powerful organizations in the world are on the public dole. Where is the outrage? Back when I was young, people went into a frenzy at the thought of some unemployed person using food stamps to buy liquor or cigarettes. Ronald Reagan famously campaigned against welfare queens. The right has always been obsessed with moochers. But Boeing receives $13 billion in government handouts and everyone yawns, when conservatives should be grabbing their pitchforks.
An individual or a business or a corporation gets "entitlements" if they qualify to receive them no matter whether they are tax breaks, tax deductions, or just food stamps. Every individual searches for every tax deduction they are entitled to receive and corporations and the rich have accountants to make sure they pay as little in taxes as they are entitled to pay. Does it bother any of us that when we take whatever legitimate tax breaks we are entitled to and avoid paying that amount of taxes that someone else will have to pay more? When the rich and corporations look out for their own best interests they receive applause but when the poor do this they are condemned, even if they are senior citizens and have worked and paid taxes into the system for decades.
Yes, it's easy to hold up the Daves who game the system and have them represent all poor and any low income who receive "entitlements" because it allows us to feel self righteous. There is no perfect system that exists and even the best we have will have someone taking advantage of it. But until you are ready to call out the rich and corporations who look out for their own best interests first and foremost and have no qualms about taking every entitlement that is legitimately available then you have no right to sit in judgment on the poor or low income who do the same.
There are subsidized senior apts in my community for those with an income between $30,000 to $40,000. Rent is usually 30% of income. Thus, those earning close to $40,000 are going to pay $900-1000/month. Because this includes heating and air conditioning, the rent is a bargain for my locality. There does not appear to be an assets test. Although most of these apartments are not as nice as Dave's (800 SF is unheard of around here) they're probably o.k. for someone like me.
I suppose if I have the money to maintain a car (insurance, repairs, fees, etc.) and the senior apt has a parking lot, I could be more independent than if I had to rely on senior transit.
Maybe I'll be ready to place my name on a waiting list after one more winter of shoveling snow.
OP, Dave sounds like a good man with simple needs. One huge difference between the poor and the "not poor" is having choices. I prefer having choices, don't you?
There are subsidized senior apts in my community for those with an income between $30,000 to $40,000. Rent is usually 30% of income. Thus, those earning close to $40,000 are going to pay $900-1000/month. Because this includes heating and air conditioning, the rent is a bargain for my locality. There does not appear to be an assets test. Although most of these apartments are not as nice as Dave's (800 SF is unheard of around here) they're probably o.k. for someone like me.
I suppose if I have the money to maintain a car (insurance, repairs, fees, etc.) and the senior apt has a parking lot, I could be more independent than if I had to rely on senior transit.
Maybe I'll be ready to place my name on a waiting list after one more winter of shoveling snow.
OP, Dave sounds like a good man with simple needs. One huge difference between the poor and the "not poor" is having choices. I prefer having choices, don't you?
I know two women in my senior complex who do not have a car. They have mastered the schedules of the public transportation and there is no way I would call them "dependent."
And for me, the difference between being poor and being not poor has a lot to do with attitude. Now that I sit here re-reading what I wrote, I also think a good imagination is a good thing too. Finding ways to overcome hurdles/problems can inspire self confidence and self pride. Don't be afraid to open up your mind.
Basically I've been researching all of these types of government programs for my grandmother, who has basically ran out of money as she has lived much longer than she expected. "Dave" is pretty lucky since he is skating by his chin on his qualifications. My grandmother makes a total of $1,129 per month between social security and a small pension ($75/month) and she doesn't qualify for all of these programs.
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Originally Posted by yellowsnow
1) Housing. He got a 1br brand new apartment in a nice safe area of town. About 800SF. It's senior subsidized housing and his rent should not go up. He pays $495 per month and that includes utilities! He can keep that apartment at 70 degrees all summer long. He pays $35 per month for cable. His landline is free because he has some hearing loss. His cell phone is free because he gets SNAP(foodstamps). The apartment complex provides transportation to shopping every week. Every day they provide coffee/drinks and snacks for anyone who wants them. Dave was on a waiting list for the apartment for about 3 months.
Can't argue with this one, this housing program is a very lucrative program, especially including utilities in Las Vegas. I can't see how this will last long term.
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Originally Posted by yellowsnow
2) Transportation. He can get a reduced fare bus pass for $30 per month. He prefers to get the $2 24 hour unlimited ride passes because he doesn't go out every day. He figures it is less expensive to buy the day pass. If he needs to go to medical appointments, his healthcare provider sends a car to pick him up for free.
I'd love more info on these healthcare providers which send cars to pick their patients up. I've never heard of such a program. Currently myself and family members are transporting my grandmother around.
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Originally Posted by yellowsnow
3) Medical. His healthcare plan is Senior Dimensions and he pays no co-pays or premiums. His prescriptions are free too. Medicaid is his secondary, part D, and again no premiums. Everything is covered and it's all free. He has better medical than most seniors. No deductibles either.
If a person's income is under the federal poverty line ($1,001/mo in 2015) then they qualify for Medicare QMB which as you describe covers basically everything. If you make $1,002/mo then you don't qualify for QMB.
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Originally Posted by yellowsnow
4) Food. He gets $159.00 per month in SNAP(foodstamps). He has a local food pantry he can go to for free twice a month. 3 Squares brings him food once a month to his apartment complex. He can go to the USDA foodbank once a month. He has to spend very little of his own money for food. He probably spends $20 per month on incidentals. Shampoo, soap, deodorant, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.
I'm not sure how he is qualifying for SNAP, he shouldn't, my grandmother didn't.
The math works like this:
$1,000 income (based on your numbers)
-$155 standard deduction for household of 1-3 members.
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$845 net income
if you're housing costs exceed 50% of your net income, you can deduct the portion over 50%. Assuming he pays $495 that gives him an additional deduction of $72.50. He has no earned income so no deduction there. No medical expenses so no deduction there. That sets his adjusted net income at $772.50.
He is expected to spend 30% of his adjusted net income on food. His maximum SNAP benefit would be $194 based on a single person household. Taking $772.50 x 30% = $231.75. Since that amount is greater than $194, he should get nothing.
You really need to be dirt poor to be in a single person household and receive food stamps.
It's what I've been saying for years.
All these people scream about the poor getting poorer and so forth. It's nonsense. The poor have never been as well off as they are now.
I don't know whether that is totally true by the numbers, but it sure feels that way sometimes.
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Rich Man, Poor Man.
