Low-Income programs

KIM.......i hear your frustration,however there are people who will scam any system.I dont think that we can fault all for the faults of the few,if what you say exist and you saw this why didnt you question there qualifications for being on the program? It doesnt change unless we question.

IF YOU KNOW how the system works then you also know the system trapes people.The system is also self perpetuating.OUR poloticians SAY THEY WANT TO CHANGE IT BUT THEY DONT.IF THEY DID THEY WOULD LISTEN TO SOME OF US THAT HAVE OFFERED CLEAR CUT WAYS TO CHANGE IT.

Please dont try to tie these programs to healthcare they are to say the least, separate issues.YOU are not alone on the abuse,my kids did without.I paid for there college,I pay a lot for my grankids and yes im with you ,but i question and yes sometimes I dont like the answers and they dont like me asking ,but I DONT CARE we need to non judgementally ask the questions TAKE care

Well I'm sure there's a lot of tissues at your disposal.

Loved your thoughts, Kim! Welfare fraud isn't happening in "pockets" or by "just a few". It is an ongoing problem that is reaching epic proportions. In fact, the problem is so large that it defies measurement or quantifiable analysis!

This system does NOT trap people. It allows the lazy to suck off our system if they desire to do so. We cannot sustain these waste programs any longer.

I'm really surprized! Wow, I thought by sharing these thoughts I would be attacked up one side and down the other. Though, I still wait for the onslaught, the comments I read so far have been well-thought and honest. I appreciate it so much! Okay, let me have it others who read it and think I am a horrible unfeeling, uncompassionate person. Just remember this...I have given and given more than I could ever record here. Most deserved the help and bettered their lives. And as I stated, I have been there, needing help but I didn't stay there. The more you have to depend on others for your life, the more you begin to feel bitterness and then hatred for the very people who are helping you. It is a sad cycle that will consume you. Every person must feel that theyhave earned their way and in this case, pride is a good thing. Self-respect is another good feeling that most will miss feeling if they stay on welfare. Break the cycle!

Kim,

I agree with alot of your sentimments. Some not so much,I know a few people with legitmate issues, that are no fault of their own.

Lets take child abuse for example, what benefits do the abused children get? Was it there fault that some pervert in society abused them? Nope and it sure as hell wasn't a choice they made. I don't know of any scholarships for sexually abused children? The reality is most people hide the fact that they were abused and carry that burden on their own shoulders their whole life. How many people walk up to you and go, " Hi, Just wanted to let you know I was sexually abused by my uncle, Allright have a good day." It doesn't happen. To even try and lump kids that were sexually abused in to your group of welfare bums, is to me pretty ridiculous.

Social Security is one of the most screwed up areas out there, but to me there are numerous examples in our own town of it working like it should. Every one here has been to the Burger King at exit 90. If you go in the morning the one guy working there is Bruce. Bruce is metally challenged and recieves SSI, but He works there five days a week and does an awesome job. When I was still stateside, I would go into Chevron early every morning just to chat with Bruce before driving to Boise. His SSI is not much, added with his wages from Burger King he survives on about 1500 take home a month. He doesn't take handouts and it is hard to get him even to accept a X-Mas present, every year. Point being her the guy works his butt off in about the best quality job he can get, with his disability. He doesn't thrive in society but he makes it.

Make-A-Wish, I refused to support make a wish, due to them not granting hunting wishes. So I met a wonderful lady online, and started donating to Hunt of a Lifetime. It is like make a wish but for kids that want to go hunting. I know people cheat the system, but I also know that alot don't. The first time I donated, I paid for a kid and his dad to fly from Michigan to Montana for an elk hunt that was donated by a guide. The kid ended up shooting a spike, but his dream was realized. That boy died less than a year later, but at least he got his dream hunt. I believe that these organizations should be for kids that have lost their childhoods due to fighting a devastating disease.

Growing up, I was on the poor side of the fence, My mom and dad both worked full-time and supported all nine kids. We got food stamps, but never a welfare check. We had free lunches at school also, but every kid had a paper route and all that money was turned over to our parents, which in turn kept it, until it was time to go clothes shopping for school, and other neccesities. I never had a video game system, or any other luxury these kids have now. I also worked part time for my Grandfathers local soda buisness, I used this money to pay for my baseball uniform, and other sports equipment. My parents encouraged us to play these sports, but if we couldn't pay for them, then we couldn't play.

As for your Christmas example, I had a similar one last year, the 4x4 club I belong to adopted a family though the El-Wyhee council, When we brought the gifts and food to the "single" mother and her four kids, her boyfriend was there in a decked out camero, nicer than any vehicle I have ever owned. Our whole club was discouraged enough, that this year we simply collected donations and turned them in the Vetrans section of the Boise Rescue Mission.

The reason I donate to charity is because it makes ME feel good. Just because of some scam artists and the plights on society, I won't stop.

I know there are good hard working people out there that just need a helping hand to get back on their feet. These are the ones that don't want the help, but you know they need it. It is like the old man on the side of the road trying to change his tire. He says he doesn't need your help, and he is right. If you let him be and drive away, it will take him 30 minutes, along side the freeway. During that time, he might get hit or might not. If you insit on helping him, and you change the tire for him it will only take 5 minutes and he will be on his way much faster and hopefully safer.

Again I love reading your blog. Keep it up.

Link for the best charity I know of.

http://www.huntofalifetime.org/

I too agree with you Kim. If you WANT to give, please do. Here is my favorite charity: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ The individuals supported by this organization are the true heros of this country.

Kim:

Having been on both sides of the fence with being poor and needing a hand-up. I can express some agreement with your blog.

However, Greed is Greed no matter what income level that you are at. And we are experiencing this every day from all sides.

My daughter is mentally ill. She has tried employment and going back to school. Unfortunately,due to the two types of illness that she has, it is very difficult for her to work and try to raise her two children. Stress makes her suicidal.

So we are now presently committed to helping her raise two small children. Do we expect a hand-out? No, but she is in need of every program available to her at this time.

We all need to give where we feel that our dollars will do the most good.

20 some odd years ago, I had to wait in those food lines, get food stamps and for a few months be on welfare. I didn't want to be there, and I had to work pretty hard to find my way out of that mire.

when you see 2nd and 3rd generations expecting the government to take care of them, you have to realize that is all that they have ever known. That is a shameful legacy that Social Justice has handed to our country.

As conservative as I am, I try to keep in mind just how many people's real stories are never told, we only see the rotten apples that spoil the good intentions of all of our efforts.

You continue to challenge us all with your blog. Thank you.

Kim is this really true?... I don't have a clue about this These are scholarships that our Government provides Right?

"There are even plenty of scholarships to college if you can show that you are an unwed mother, recovering alcoholic/drug addict, pregnant, suffering with sexual identity issues (survivor of sex abuse, a homosexual or lesbian,trans-gender) and any number of other "negative" issues."

Way to go Kim, to many times I go into Albertsons to see people buying steaks and luxury items with their food stamp "credit card" then pay cash for their beer and cigarettes. More often than not they get into a newer and nicer vehicle than mine. I have seen abuses of the system from a generation of ME ME ME. I get people on a weekly basis come into my business asking me to sign their job search paperwork so they can continue to get up to 3 years of unemployment (and not one of them wants a job). They would rather work for cash under the table to continue collecting unemployment and keeping their taxes down since they have no income officially anyway. I have almost all of them saying they will get a job when the benefits wear out. I have tried to help relatives and strangers, but I have started to refuse helping those that won't help themselves. I have no problem reporting someone for fraud and have done so recently, although I don't think anything ever gets done. I liked "conservative's" comments and until people get a backbone and start calling out these scammer and highlighting these fraud cases it will continue. The government doesn't care as they like to make you dependant on them so they can control you, kind of like a drug dealer. You will do whatever they want or they will cut you off. I was brought up middle class but taught a strong work ethic. I would be embarrassed to accept anything while I was able to walk and work. I have kept two jobs most of my life to make ends meet and now have a comfortable living, but I got it by working and not taking handouts. I bet if people on welfare and unemployment had to show up 8 hours a day to pick up trash on the freeway or mow the parks they would find a job and quick, they would do anything to find something that paid more with easier work conditions. But getting paid to watch TV or go fishing is a pretty good job in their eyes. I have a full time job and a part time job and I'm almost 50. I also know a lot of people my age that work just as hard and not many getting assistance even though some have severe medical conditions.

Man i get that, I am on food stamps now and my wife and I both hate that fact. I fear the same thing about my job that if I lose it I will lose my benefits, it is a struggle to even get the full time hours that I need. But I will fight for aslong as I need to so I dont have to have help from our carpy government. Yes I know i said carp.

Again, I state how wonderful these comments are! I am proud of every one of you! Yes, there are real needs for these programs and I am an example as many of you have shared, of how we were in need in the past. Though we hated it, we took the help for a short time until we were able to continue on our own two feet. I am all for that! I have a son who is disabled and will have to have services and SSI to survive. He is an example of who should benefit from these programs. Why must the government mess with these programs in order to start a whole new nationalized healthcare program? They will cut medicaid and medicare to do it! Root out the abusers, quit giving money for stupid causes and filter this money back into Medicaid and care! We wouldn't have problems with Social Security if it were maitained correctly. Stop the funding of things that don't really help people and use the money wisely. It is that simple yet so difficult to achieve. Thanks so much for the wonderful sharing. Keep it up and I will keep writing.

August 1999, I moved to Salt Lake City. A good friend and I were going to move furniture. The job would be high paying and daily pay so warranting the poor planning. Within days of arriving, my friend had a job moving people cross-country. On the other hand, I ended up homeless and with no options.

The silver lining was that a large group of his friends acted as my security blanket. I admit to being very naive. What I discovered was that while they were drug addicts, they knew how to play the system. Whether it was food stamps, the LDS church, or just begging. This group of homeless were very savvy in their pursuit of free food, clothing, etc.

While I struggled and was able to get off the street. These types had the same opportunity as I and chose not to. Why? Uncertainty. Why work your ___ off and have no certainty that the job will last? My pride would not allow it.

The point is that when the government opens the door, there are those who take all that they can get. Opportunity is always going to be taken. What would happen if the door was closed. They would have to beg even more. They would have to milk churches and private charities even more. Necessity makes these things happen. It all comes down to politicians trying to make themselves look like good human beings. Are these social insurance programs necessary. Mostly no.

I exclude the elderly, mentally ill, and the handicapped from judgment. My posts are about the homeless.

During my month on the street, I hung out with 30 or so homeless people that knew my best friend. These 30 or so people were my security blanket. I had never left Boise and had led a relatively sheltered existence. Being on the street was rough. I came into it thinking that most homeless people were victims of misfortune. 28 of the 30 had no intentions of leaving the streets.

We made a trip to a shopping mall in South SLC once. Most of them proceeded to deliberately tear up their clothes, make themselves dirty by way of rolling in a dumpster or in dirt, etc. They were going to beg for change. They knew that they had to look a certain way. This was very rational of them. Their payoff for the day. About $90 apiece for three hours.

The point is that they adjusted to new constraints. When the mormon hand-out station was closed, they made due. I call it that because I can't remember the acronym that was used. When their food stamps ran out, again they made due. People will do what it takes to survive.

Last part of the story,

Two scenarios.

The first one: You are without a car. You live day by day. Food is not a given. Luxuries such as a cup of coffee, a soda, food other than dry Top Ramen, etc. are hard to come by. To work a temp job or normal job means that one has to walk to a job site that may be miles away. Or one could try to scrounge up change for a bus. So, lets recap. One has to walk for miles to get to work, work the 6 to 8 hours, and find a way home. A temp job could last one day, one week, one year. you get the point. Getting paid by the day does not lend itself to living a typical life.

I know that after having eaten dry Top Ramen like a cracker for two weeks, i was dreaming of hamburgers and pizza. When I started working temp jobs, the first thing I did was gorge myself. Try practically starving for two weeks and then judge for yourself. My mind was not on saving money for a place or anything practical like that.

Scenario two.

One can go to a shelter and have basic amenities provided for. One can make the one or two journeys to health and welfare to apply for food stamps or other forms of assistance. These forms of assistance have strings attached but at least they are dependable and last more than a day or a week. Expending minimum effort to get something that makes life somewhat livable. not a bad gig. Also, there is the food bank, salvation army, and so on. As long as one does not have that bug called pride, one can do alright in this situation.

One can't blame those who get stuck behind the 8 ball for taking the handout when its there. Would they die if not for this assistance? Probably not. They would find a way. This may not be what people want to hear but that's alright.

...........and every one relying continuously on the system should have mandatory drug testing prior to receiving more benefits!! It's a big market out there.

fairytaleforme: Drug testing, huh? Might not be a bad idea. Could weed out a few people, I think. Thanks for the comment.