General Discussion

merrily

(45,251 posts)

52. It has to be a government effort or fraud will increase--and so will the number of needy

Sun Sep 7, 2014, 01:18 PM

Sep 2014

people who don't much help or get no help.

I am not saying the old welfare system was perfect. But everyone knew where to go for help if they had no alternative. There would be some degree of proving their need and some follow up services. Finding immediate living quarters, for openers. Knowing the living conditions of recipients, especially children. Making sure recipients knew everything that was available to them. Pressures on slumlords. Help finding jobs. So many things.

The notion that private people can come close to covering everyone in need while also minimizing abuse is a fairy tale. Yes, they have to try right now because there is nothing else. But the long term solution is to try hard to make government do its job again. Then private citizens can pick and choose to whom to give extra help. But needy people have to be housed, fed, clothed and given medical care at a the very least first.

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Highlight:

PBS: Are Americans a Stingy Lot of People? [View all] daredtowork Sep 2014 OP

First let me say that I reject dystopia. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #1

Americans Need to Look at the Problem First daredtowork Sep 2014 #14

I almost read this as "Are Americans Stingray People?" sakabatou Sep 2014 #2

Lol, that would be in the science group. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #4

Or the car aficionado's group: kentauros Sep 2014 #5

Awesome. littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #6

That one or the Lancia Nardi Blue Ray II. kentauros Sep 2014 #7

Let me get my purse. I want to go too! nt Mojorabbit Sep 2014 #33

Sure! littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #34

The welfare system has been gutted? Live and Learn Sep 2014 #3

We Pay More, Those in Need Get Less daredtowork Sep 2014 #15

I've always thought that there should be a voucher system for those on food stamps xmas74 Sep 2014 #41

In theory this sounds good, but daredtowork Sep 2014 #48

When I received food stamps I worked full time xmas74 Sep 2014 #49

How do WIC vouchers work? daredtowork Sep 2014 #53

They have to be approved via appointment every couple of months. xmas74 Sep 2014 #55

Ugh another appointment daredtowork Sep 2014 #59

They are so common around here most don't blink an eye xmas74 Sep 2014 #61

The child is all that counts daredtowork Sep 2014 #63

Clinton declared that he had "ended welfare as we know it," or words to that effect. merrily Sep 2014 #65

Yes the "Progressives" Started Dismantling Welfare daredtowork Sep 2014 #69

+1 Although, I don't think that Clinton was a "Progressive" as I define it. nt Live and Learn Sep 2014 #72

Our culture doesn't put much value on empathy. LuvNewcastle Sep 2014 #8

So true marions ghost Sep 2014 #11

Yeah. I had to think and think about it; but yeah Populist_Prole Sep 2014 #16

Scarcity daredtowork Sep 2014 #28

Oh yes, the "circle the wagons" mentality is in full tilt among that crowd Populist_Prole Sep 2014 #29

Solveable problems start to look unsolveable daredtowork Sep 2014 #32

Americans are judgmental as well as charitable daredtowork Sep 2014 #17

A caste of hereditary aristos trying to take everything we have leaves us a bit rattled... Orsino Sep 2014 #9

And it will work daredtowork Sep 2014 #18

I recently visited marions ghost Sep 2014 #10

churches are doing noble things daredtowork Sep 2014 #19

I am agreeing with you marions ghost Sep 2014 #21

Yes, just adding on daredtowork Sep 2014 #24

Yep marions ghost Sep 2014 #27

I get your point, but you should really learn the facts about funding before you credit those who Bluenorthwest Sep 2014 #47

No one wants there to be a working SECULAR pulblic services infrastructure more badly than I do daredtowork Sep 2014 #51

And they should be taxed philosslayer Sep 2014 #81

Americans are f'ing INSANE about taxes and welfare Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #12

You are where I want my tax dollars spent J_J_ Sep 2014 #13

+1 nt daredtowork Sep 2014 #25

I heartily respect that Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #30

The dollar stolen out of their pocket daredtowork Sep 2014 #22

I agree with your final thought Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #31

This is probably why blue states give so much more to charity than red ones... hughee99 Sep 2014 #35

Take religious giving out of the picture & who gives more? U4ikLefty Sep 2014 #37

I'm not sure who would give more, but hughee99 Sep 2014 #38

It's not real charity because it's mostly used to further their own Lex Sep 2014 #42

Ah, I had no idea that religous charites didn't actually help people. hughee99 Sep 2014 #43

Reading comprehension isn't your thing I guess. Lex Sep 2014 #44

Ah so you're suggesting that SOME of the money goes to help people hughee99 Sep 2014 #45

I said what I said in my initial post Lex Sep 2014 #46

Well, your initial post does a poor job of explaining hughee99 Sep 2014 #50

Please check out some of the other posts daredtowork Sep 2014 #62

You seem to be the only one Lex Sep 2014 #66

Where does that come into it? Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #85

"public has been trained to regard me as lower than a child molester" BlueJazz Sep 2014 #76

Thank you, sir Prophet 451 Sep 2014 #86

FYI, Faith-based initiative continues under Obama, Trillo Sep 2014 #20

Sheer Desperation daredtowork Sep 2014 #23

...And be sure to save a million or so for retirement. tridim Sep 2014 #26

Let me guess, their pledge drive came up short? Fla_Democrat Sep 2014 #36

daredtowork, this is an interesting thread. nt littlemissmartypants Sep 2014 #39

The attempts to sidetrack it are just as interesting daredtowork Sep 2014 #40

It has to be a government effort or fraud will increase--and so will the number of needy merrily Sep 2014 #52

Right now it's impossible to find information daredtowork Sep 2014 #56

The system was never perfect and it's been gutted, so it's worse. merrily Sep 2014 #57

The case worker is a token notion daredtowork Sep 2014 #60

Not sure, but I believe law requires you to get advance notice before any merrily Sep 2014 #64

Only in theory - My Medi-Cal Benefits Just Ceased Without Notice daredtowork Sep 2014 #67

So sorry this is happening to you. merrily Sep 2014 #68

I feel like I'm missing some obvious way to fight back daredtowork Sep 2014 #70

I don't see a way you are missing because I thought merrily Sep 2014 #75

I have been in the SSI application process for over 2 years now daredtowork Sep 2014 #77

I asked about OASDI. SSI and OASDI are two different programs. merrily Sep 2014 #78

All the Social Security applications are in the same bucket daredtowork Sep 2014 #82

You apply to the Feds initially for OASDI and, depending on where you are, merrily Sep 2014 #87

Yes, that's probably the case. daredtowork Sep 2014 #88

You don't have to explain. Disabled is disabled. You did not choose that. merrily Sep 2014 #89

Ooh, good opportunity! daredtowork Sep 2014 #90

Someone else disabled might not be eligible for SSI and just give up on OASDI, thinking merrily Sep 2014 #91

I want to kick this for you tabbycat31 Sep 2014 #80

Thank you! daredtowork Sep 2014 #83

A sinking ship promotes every person for themselves. L0oniX Sep 2014 #54

Is the ship really sinking? daredtowork Sep 2014 #58

Thanks for posting here and educating LuvNewcastle Sep 2014 #71

Thank you daredtowork Sep 2014 #73

btw, I'm a girl. ;) daredtowork Sep 2014 #74

A few things here tabbycat31 Sep 2014 #79

I think that's a really neat idea daredtowork Sep 2014 #84