General Discussion

LeftishBrit

(41,516 posts)

45. Sounds like the hateful demonization of people on disability benefits in the UK

Mon Oct 7, 2013, 03:01 PM

Oct 2013

As I mentioned a few months ago, the right-wing media and some of our politicians - especially the utterly revolting Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan-Smith - have been on a crusade against disabled people.

From a moderate Conservative journalist with a disabled child:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/04/ian-birrell-prejudice-against-disabled

From a left-wing disability activist blogger:

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/iain-duncan-smith-launches-shocking-attack-on-disabled-workers/

From the International Disablity and Human Rights Network, on the lies of the Daily Mail:

http://www.daa.org.uk/index.php?mact=Blogs,cntnt01,showentry,0&cntnt01entryid=385&cntnt01returnid=98

This is leading both to increased hate-crime against disabled people, and to the government's hate-crime of cutting services that had enabled disabled people to live with dignity, and adding to the stress of seriously ill people (there have e.g. been people deemed 'fit to work' and denied invalidity benefit when they had just weeks to live with a terminal cancer diagnosis).

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"60 Minutes" piece on SSDI slammed by disability advocates... [View all] Archae Oct 2013 OP

I did not see it, but were disability advocates interviewed, and if not then they should demand lostincalifornia Oct 2013 #1

No, they weren't, and no actual people on disability were interviewed. Archae Oct 2013 #3

You should watch it. I did. I doubt what was shown can be refuted. 7962 Oct 2013 #5

Still anecdotal and not indicative of the rest of the country. Sheldon Cooper Oct 2013 #9

I never said it was indicative of the rest of the country. 7962 Oct 2013 #17

It is amazingly hard to get approved for SSDI, especially on the first try. Sheldon Cooper Oct 2013 #21

I was approved for Keefer Oct 2013 #26

I'm very surprised Marrah_G Oct 2013 #28

Me too. More evidence of "its all in who you know" 7962 Oct 2013 #32

I didn't Keefer Oct 2013 #63

Oh lord, I didn't mean you! 7962 Oct 2013 #70

I was approved on the first try too madokie Oct 2013 #81

There was Keefer Oct 2013 #62

Now I am even more baffled Marrah_G Oct 2013 #64

You can get approval without a court appearance 7962 Oct 2013 #71

Since I was approved the first time, Keefer Oct 2013 #72

May I ask how you became disabled? BlueToTheBone Oct 2013 #77

Most that I know who are on it had to apply more than once too 7962 Oct 2013 #30

We wouldn't be having this discussion had they fixed the economy properly Hydra Oct 2013 #39

I agree. We're not where we need to be job wise. Could you help me a bit with the 2nd paragraph? 7962 Oct 2013 #57

I probably didn't say it well Hydra Oct 2013 #59

Thank you, I see what you mean now! 7962 Oct 2013 #60

what the hell makes you think there is work out there? much less living wage work? Stargazer99 Oct 2013 #20

I guess you dont understand what "disability" is. Not finding a job doesnt qualify as a disability. 7962 Oct 2013 #55

what I do understand is the ignorance and blind stupidity of demanding low income people Stargazer99 Oct 2013 #68

Here you go: 7962 Oct 2013 #61

Outrageous bias. New meme:"Welfare Queens, Disability Kings" anneboleyn Oct 2013 #40

I've said repeatedly that I dont think this is the majority. Far from it. 7962 Oct 2013 #58

There are more people getting older, that is why the increase. duffyduff Oct 2013 #50

There's a lot of factors. States (especially red states) are paying companies to find ways to Recursion Oct 2013 #67

I buy that JonLP24 Oct 2013 #69

Shameful! I remember when 60 Minutes was the best show on TV. Long, long ago. n/t FourScore Oct 2013 #2

Sad thing is, some DUers were cheering on this "60 Minutes" piece. bullwinkle428 Oct 2013 #4

Nice try...... Logical Oct 2013 #7

There is a lot of abuse in the system there is no doubt fitman Oct 2013 #10

"There has to be a better way to get these people who deserve SSDI" I agree!!! Logical Oct 2013 #16

MOST people are declined. The stories about "lots of abuse" etc. Is anecdotal. anneboleyn Oct 2013 #53

nice try G_j Oct 2013 #12

Richard Haas (CFR Mouthpiece) and Steve Rattner (GM Deal) were on MSNBC KoKo Oct 2013 #35

It's still Repuke logic at work - "Some people are abusing the system, so bullwinkle428 Oct 2013 #14

I don't see anyone calling for that fitman Oct 2013 #18

Agree...it's being set up for the Debt Ceiling Fight. "Reform Entitlements" KoKo Oct 2013 #36

Thank you - I'm glad others are seeing the big picture/"long game" bullwinkle428 Oct 2013 #43

And the right-wing media lie most of all! LeftishBrit Oct 2013 #47

Why wouldn't some? Some do like to use the few who abuse things to judge the many The Straight Story Oct 2013 #19

Right. The same people who buy the RW spin on SSDI kcr Oct 2013 #51

lying disgraceful fuckers all over. Whisp Oct 2013 #6

I watched it tiredtoo Oct 2013 #8

Have the courage to look into the fraud of the upper class and business before you start hammering Stargazer99 Oct 2013 #22

CFS is grossly misnamed and 70% have misdiagnosed connective tissue disease zazen Oct 2013 #34

My best friend with a head injury Robyn66 Oct 2013 #11

As the poster above said fitman Oct 2013 #13

they told me tiredtoo Oct 2013 #15

He needs to have a lawyer and keep appealing. Marrah_G Oct 2013 #24

My ex has very bad arthritis Marrah_G Oct 2013 #23

That's my thought Hydra Oct 2013 #25

+1 n/t Aeroette Oct 2013 #38

Having navigated this system for my brother, I KNOW for a FACT it is a crapshoot. duffyduff Oct 2013 #46

"Fraud" is rare, and these liars in the media know it. duffyduff Oct 2013 #48

See #26 Keefer Oct 2013 #27

I thought it was interesting that the 2 states they mentioned using SSDI were red states kimbutgar Oct 2013 #29

No, it's the MEDIA that focus on extremely rare "fraud" cases and then claims this is typical. duffyduff Oct 2013 #44

It's the fraudulent doctors and lawyers they need to slam. They make it bad for the system. kelliekat44 Oct 2013 #31

Not Surprised FreeJoe Oct 2013 #33

SSDI Judge just arrested for awarding 100's of fraudalent SSDI cases fitman Oct 2013 #37

Not typical. 60 Minutes tries to paint anything like this as typical. duffyduff Oct 2013 #42

I can't believe posts like this. The reality is that most are denied and die waiting on appeals. anneboleyn Oct 2013 #54

Good for them. 60 Minutes has pulled the same garbage with regard to education. duffyduff Oct 2013 #41

Sounds like the hateful demonization of people on disability benefits in the UK LeftishBrit Oct 2013 #45

Media Matters just called out this report for being, well, full of shit! bullwinkle428 Oct 2013 #49

THIS. The 60 Minutes "report," and a few responses on DU (ffs!), were just unbelievable. anneboleyn Oct 2013 #56

The real problem with the 60 minutes piece is that they did not dig deep enough cbayer Oct 2013 #52

Agree. The system itself seems to have fostered much of the problems. pinto Oct 2013 #65

I'm so glad you are weighing in here, because you have a level of expertise on this cbayer Oct 2013 #66

Fraud's part of the picture, as with any other financial system. Banking, loans, mortgages, etc, etc. pinto Oct 2013 #73

I heard a very interesting anaylsis of this recently. cbayer Oct 2013 #74

Mmm. Do you think a change in the job market should require a change of standards? pinto Oct 2013 #78

Only about 1 percent are problems. Not worth the time to "report" on it. duffyduff Oct 2013 #75

I don't know what the percentage is, but I would argue that the reason cbayer Oct 2013 #76

I'm a solid Democrat, but.. LynnTTT Oct 2013 #79

Social security is insurance. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #80

the story of your relative sounds like the way the system works Enrique Oct 2013 #82

I don't know where to begin in response. Yet I'll try. pinto Oct 2013 #83

What makes you think she would be happier and more productive LuvNewcastle Oct 2013 #84

Any time someone starts by saying "I'm a solid Democrat, but..." I know exactly Sheldon Cooper Oct 2013 #85

I'm kicking this so I can add my thread, which refutes the premise of this OP. Sheldon Cooper Oct 2013 #86