Things I learned today that pissed me off.

Published on March 15, 2004 By dharmagrl In Misc

Today I learned some things that I didn't know before...things that really pissed me off.

I learned that in this state (SD) a family of 4 is eligible for $465 a month in food stamps. I don't (can't afford to) spend that much and there's 5 of us!!! Bear in mind that food stapms don't buy soap, paper goods, personal toiletries etc...so the whole amount is going on edible food!

I also learned that women with kids who are under the age of 6, who can show that they have no adequate childcare can use TANF for more than the current 60 month limit. So, they'll just keep on having kids to secure their income, huh?

I learned that people who lived on "Indian land" where there is an unemployment rate of 50% or more are also exempt from the 60 month limit. Way to encourage people to get off the reservations...

Today I learned a lot about disability. Did you know that substance addiction disorder can qualify you for disability? So, we're paying for crack heads and alcoholics to feed their addictions. Depression is also a disability, I didn't know that. If I had known I could have gotten paid for staying home and being depressed I wouldn't have gone and sought help! (I'm kidding) Obesity, that'll get you SSD payments too. People are getting paid for being fat.

I'm sorry if I sound bitter..scratch that, I'm not sorry. Right now I am feeling bitter, and to be honest a little 'ripped off'. I don't mind my tax dollar (yes, I pay taxes, just because I'm not a citizen doesn't mean they won't tax me) going to help someone who really needs it, but this....this is just ridiculous. My husband busts his ass, and we can't afford to spend as much on food a month as some people get in food stamps...and they have fewer people in their family! It just makes me sick that someone who decides to play the system gets as much, if not more, than the honest joe who works a 40+ hour week and looks after his own.

I know this article is going to piss some people off. I don't care. I stopped caring when I read that alcoholism is a disability, when I saw how much some people get to spend a month on food.

There, I said it.

BTW, all the info about disability came from the government site. The info about food stamps and TANF came from the SD state site.

Comments (Page 1)

Dynosoar

on Mar 15, 2004

Don't get too upset, it's a dark secret that helps drive the economy. ( almost joking )

For laughs read my article on Social workers perpetuate poverty, I have no statistics to back up the title, but I have years of practical experience.

My neighbor retired from a law practice where he specialized in Disability Benefits, He called it "Happy Law ", where no one loses ????

I have read that some military dependent families at Ft Bragg are receiving aid of some type or another, perhaps worth a look ?

DRmami

on Mar 15, 2004

Hey, I hear ya.. I totally agree with your opinions.. I live in Fl, and anyone that knows anything about Florida knows the massive amount of immigrants here, let alone all the people on welfare and food stamps. I am a housewife and have 2 kids.. We didn't qualify for WIC (a program that assists women when they ave babies, providing the adequate amount of formula, milke, eggs, etc).. and my son's 10 months old. According to the guidelines, we should be raising a family of 5 ... PFFFTT!! WHAT? They're fucking cracked out if they think that we can do that when we pay almost a thousand dollars a month just to live somewhere decent, not in get jacked city. It is bullshit that some people get paid for doing shit. My husband is a union ironworker, busts his ass every single day (sometimes even on sundays) in that sweltering heat to be able to support and feed his family. And some motherfuckers are at home doing shit. I am not at all talking shit about those physically disabled, or about the mentally insane, but to get welfare because you're a fucking alcoholic?!?!? Stop drinking!! and because you're a crackhead?? They got themselves in that situation, get themselves out of it. I understand some people need help kicking the habit, but welfare, food stamps, etc?? The government should help them secure a job and as long as they're wortking, help out.. not give them money for being crackheads.. So, i totally agree...

crimson

on Mar 15, 2004

I learned that people who lived on "Indian land" where there is an unemployment rate of 50% or more are also exempt from the 60 month limit. Way to encourage people to get off the reservations...

Holy shit, Dharma! What kind of statement is that? Is that what you actually think should happen in 'Indian Land'?!! Are you suggesting that the efforts of assimilation should continue? That welfare dependency hasn't been created in large part due to your (and mine) government? That there are many reasons why encouraging Indians to get off the reservation is a bad idea, altogether?

I do agree that welfare is not the answer to self-sustainability, but advising Indians to abandon what homelands they have left is downright ludicris. There are a myriad of suggestions and answers to absolving welfare dependency on reserves, however, it takes the co-operation of both Native governing systems and the dominant government to work this out. So far, in light of ongoing treaty disputes, land claims, and basic management of Aboriginal money it's certainly not going to happen in the near future. But to abandon what cultural society exists on reserves is only going to make things worse, for the Aboriginal person. For the government, and certain taxpayers, it would be the final and favorable outcome to committing cultural genocide.

Speaking for an entire race, I feel a little "ripped off", too.

dharmagrl

on Mar 15, 2004

Are you suggesting that the efforts of assimilation should continue? That welfare dependency hasn't been created in large part due to your (and mine) government? That there are many reasons why encouraging Indians to get off the reservation is a bad idea, altogether?

Nope, i'm not saying that at all. I'm not saying that people should be assimilated. I'm merely quoting facts. I completly agree with you that there has been a cycle of welfare dependency created..but we have to break that cycle somewhere, wouldn't you agree? I'm saying that encouraging aboriginal peoples to get off the reservations is a good thing, but whilst we have this 'cycle of dependancy' it's not going to happen.

The term "Indian land" is taken verbatim from the SD TANF regulations; their words, not mine.

crimson

on Mar 15, 2004

I do agree that breaking the cycle of welfare dependency is our desired outcome. However, getting people off reserves in order to do so is not the answer. The problem is that the act of forcibly removing Aboriginals from their original homes and 'relocating' them to areas that lack in suitability for self-sustainability pretty much ensured non-success in working with what they were left with. Yet, to abandon Native society for employment in non-Native communities would certainly be the first step in creating a downward spiral to cultural and societal genocide. If you took a look at statistics of off-reserve Aboriginals and their involvement in Aboriginal culture it shows that very few retain ties to it, once entering urban society. Furthermore, cross-cultural marriages and relationships that develop from this entrance into non-Native society later ensures (legally) that one becomes 'less' of an Aboriginal due to the 'blood quantum' policy that is in effect brought forth by the dominant government's legislature. So you see, it is more detrimental to Aboriginal society to abandon reserve life, even in favor for work opportunities. The government has designed it to be so.

The way to make sure that welfare dependency is decreased is to work towards putting realistic employment opportunities that are situated on-reserve for every of-age community member... slowly, reserves are starting to try to implement these changes, but it cannot happen without the option of self-government, or at least, the active involvement of the dominant society's government. These are big ideas requiring big changes... that take time, money, interest and involvement from both parties to actualize. I agree that things must be done in order to make these changes... it will be interesting to see how the reserve system continues to progress in the future.

WiseFawn

on Mar 16, 2004

http://www.state.sd.us/dol/quiz.htm#10. P

The maximum monthly Food Stamp allotment for a typical TANF family in South Dakota (parent and two children) was $329. The average household Food Stamp allotment is $308.

The average length of time an individual receives TANF cash assistance is 26.8 months

Parents who receive TANF payments are required to actively seek employment unless there is a valid reason why they can not.
The only exemptions are:
a) SSI recipients,

Social Security disability recipients,
c) 100% disabled Veterans,
d) Parents with children under 12 weeks old, and
e) Individuals who are caring for children other than their own (i.e., grandparents, aunts and uncles).

dharmagrl

on Mar 16, 2004

I wasn't talking about not seeking employment, Wise Fawn. I was talking about being exempt from the maximum 60 month period that one can remain on TANF. 'Actively seeking employment' can be classed as filling out applications for work, Wise Fawn. It doesn't mean that you're going to GET a job. I'm telling you, I know people who have played the system....

The food stamp allowance you quote is for a parent and 2 children, i.e. a family of 3, not 4 as I quoted, so obviously the amount is going to be lower.

Hmm...the website you quoted is for a quiz, Wise Fawn...yes, they give you the answers, but they DON'T give you all the information. Government propaganda at it's best, I'd say.

Nothing to say about the disability requirements?

WiseFawn

on Mar 16, 2004

Can you give the sites you got your info from, please?

JillUser

on Mar 16, 2004

dharmagrl said it was from the SD site. I visited the MI Gov site and was astonished by the info there too.

WiseFawn already knows how I feel and I know how she feels. She feels that most people get left behind by the system. I feel that the people that truly get screwed in the good old USA are the financially responsible. I learned that early on in life. I worked my butt off in school to get scholarships I had heard so much about. I qualified for 5 different scholarships but only got money (got nice certificates for the others) for only one that was based purely on merit. Why didn't I get money for the others? Because my parents weren't in debt. They built their house and paid for it, bought their cars (I think we had one new car the whole time I was growing up) and maintained them, they didn't get into credit card debt and they had savings for the future.

It is hard for people who work their butts off and see others partying it up at someone else's expense. The thing I know from my experience is the responsible ones tend to continue their climb where as those who don't care about doing for themselves stay where they are forever. Too many people don't care if things ever change though.

Dharmagrl, I went to school near the Chippewa reserve in MI. I always thought of that commercial from the 70s with the native american with the tear on his face. Well, these guys don't exactly keep their land looking pristine. The government provides them with cars. Do they maintain them? No. They drive them into the ground, dump them in the front yard and acquire a new one. The place looks like slumland. Is it because they don't get money? No. Their casinoes are a booming business there. Drug and alcohol abuse run rampant. I am not saying they all live that way mind you. There are some outstanding groups that do their heritage justice. The Pow Wow they have every year is really something to experience. I just don't see a way of helping those that don't truly want to be helped. Too many just want to be maintained.

crazy lady

on Mar 16, 2004

quote > I have read that some military dependent families at Ft Bragg are receiving aid of some type or another, perhaps worth a look ?
Dynosoar,
This kind of bothers me a little. At least someone in the family is doing something good. Helping defend our country.
Military families do not get paid that well. It especially difficult looking for work as a dependent. A lot of companies worry about hiring you because they don't know if your gonna up and leave. I got my present job though a temp agency, making 7 bucks an hour. The only thing helping is my 5 hours of overtime a week. I know that food stamps is readily available to us, because we are military, but I also know that we are holding our heads above water right now.
I'll say this, if I lose my job, and can't find work, again, you bet I'll try to get help. I have to feed my son.
If the government will not pay our enlisted military enough to live off of, then I have to find other ways to make ends meet.

WiseFawn

on Mar 16, 2004

The stats I found were old. Here are the more recent for your state.
Food Stamp Program Data for Households Certified to Participate
Average Monthly Benefit per Household is $210.16

December 2003 Data http://www.state.sd.us/social/FoodStamps/index.htm

Food stamp recipients are given a plastic debit card (Dakota EBT Card) instead of paper coupons.

Overview: http://www.state.sd.us/dol/tanf.htm
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 establishes a five-year cap on welfare benefits and requires states to meet certain targets for putting welfare recipients to work. The law eliminated the 60-year-old welfare entitlement known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and replaced it with a new program called Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
TANF (pronounced TAN-iff) provides states a block grant to meet the needs of low-income families with children. With funds from the block grant, states must provide cash assistance to needy families with children, and operate a program to put welfare recipients to work

dharmagrl

on Mar 16, 2004

Exactly, Jill. Some people don't want to help themselves, they're happy to maintain the status quo because they can. They don't HAVE to better themselves, to move on and be self supporting...

The sites I got my info from are: http://www.state.sd.us/social/TANF/plan.htm You have to read the entire thing to find what i was talking about...

..and oops, I made a mistake! women with chldren under the age of 6 aren't exempt from the 60 month limit. This is what it says:

A single custodial parent of a child under age 6 who has demonstrated an inability to obtain suitable child care will not be required to be "engaged in work".

But you can go read that for yourself now, can't you?

The disability information came from:http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/index.htm

Sherye Hanson

on Mar 16, 2004

What about those companies like Walmart who do not pay their workers enough and give them health insurance. They have to get state paid health insurance. Most of the products they sell are made overseas. Those are the types of companies that hire former welfare recipients.

WiseFawn

on Mar 16, 2004

I just read your comment on Listen to Argue by Sherye Hanson.

dharmagrl

on Mar 16, 2004

Well, Wise Fawn, we can quote stats all we want to. It doesn't make a difference to what we think and believe. I think that there are people manipulating the system because I've seen it, and you think that the welfare system is harsh and that everyone using it is honest and good because that's your experience. I've never claimed SSD, SSI, or TANF, so I think we'll just have to agree to disagree, don't you?
I do think, having read the guidelines, that there is a sector of the American working public that is getting shafted. No amount of statistical information is going to change my mind about that, because I'm living it..and judging from the responses that have been left here so far, I'm not alone.

I'm done arguing about it. I'm not conceding defeat, I'm just done going around in circles.

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