Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)Trends with benefits, This American Life drinks the kool aide. [View all]
I was yelling at my car sound system this morning. The podcast of This American Life was playing the march 22 episode, Trends With Benefits, and it was rightwing radio hour.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/blog/2013/03/trends-with-benefits-web-extra
The story was the long term upward trend of Americans receiving disability benefits, how they track other trends (unemployment and the de-industrialization of our economy), but beyond the actual facts was an underlying theme of, well, Cadillac Welfare Queen, is what came to mind.
This sentence grabbed my attention:
And it's a deal 14 million Americans have chosen for themselves.
Well no really it isn't. The vast majority of people on disability are people who have not made a choice at all, they have serious physical or mental problems that offer them no choice but to try to get by on the miserable disability stipend.
I wanted to strangle Chana Joffe-Walt, the author of the piece, when I heard that sentence. Interestingly, apparently I was not the only potential neck wringer as the web site notes that sentence has been revised to read
And it's a deal 14 million Americans have signed up for.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
31 replies, 12578 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (12)
ReplyReply to this post
31 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trends with benefits, This American Life drinks the kool aide. [View all]
Warren Stupidity
Mar 2013
OP
The Bush administration's "gift" to NPR--a bunch of assholes hired by his appointees during his
MADem
Apr 2013
#10
I could be wrong but I don't think NPR has any government appointed directors.
Warren Stupidity
Apr 2013
#11
I remember when this happened. The Capitol Steps had a song about it...
winter is coming
Apr 2013
#26
Yeah, people just love poverty, that's why all the well-off are so eager to give their money away.
bemildred
Apr 2013
#14
The American Life gets a lot right generally, but when they get something wrong...
Javaman
Apr 2013
#17
So far they are "standing by the story" despite having already made corrections.
Warren Stupidity
Apr 2013
#21
Sadly those comments don't surprise me america was one of the earliest supporters of eugenics
Arcanetrance
Apr 2013
#31