Computer glitches causing Poor people to go without meals

[Kanary]

http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=42845700-0abe-421a-01cb-f87981ac0627&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf




State still sorting out computer problems as welfare agencies feel the pinch

I'm disappointed that this was all I could find about this. The story that was broadcast was much clearer.......... the company responsible for this computer mess got 200 MILLION $$$ for it! Yet, they "have nothing to say". A judge told CO to resolve this ASAP, but didn't order a return to the old system to fix the problems.

Once again, the rich get richer, and to hell with the poor folk. :mad: :nuke: :mad:

9NEWS Reporter Chris Vanderveen says while the new computer system was upgraded over the weekend, problems linger. 4 p.m. September 27, 2004.

ENGLEWOOD - Maria Pearson says she never thought she'd run out of ramen noodles. Some items leave the shelves of her food bank in Englewood right away. But not ramen, it's always there. That was until today. "It's pretty dire," says Pearson, the Community Relations Director for the Interfaith Task Force in Englewood. "We can't keep up." Her shelves are bare. No ramen, no beans, hardly any food. "Hopefully (this) will get rectified soon."

It's hardly a coincidence that things went from bad to worse the very same time the state switched over it's welfare computer system, Pearson admits. "We have one client who was supposed to receive her benefits on the 5th of September and she hasn't gotten it." Her client, she says, is a victim of the state's computer problems. If someone can't rely on the state to receive assistance, she says, sometimes the only place left to turn to is a food bank.

Gov. Bill Owens ordered the new welfare computer system online on Sept. 1 despite pleas from county officials who said it wasn't ready. Half a dozen county officials met with Owens for an hour Monday but said afterward they have to keep working with the new computer because the old system was no longer usable.

"The old system won't be supported. We have to move forward," Larimer County Commissioner Kathay Rennels said. The system is used to handle applications for such things as food stamps and energy assistance. Because of problems with the system, counties all over Colorado are reporting huge backlogs. For instance, Arapahoe County, before Sept. 1, could handle close to 1,000 applications a day. The past few weeks it has only been able to process 59 a day. And in Jefferson County, where they once could process over 600 a day, recently that number dropped down to 20.

(snip)

This really has me fuming. All the bland comments by "officials" are very clear.......all that matters is their system...... to hell with the people who are suffering. What a hateful country this has become!!

The governor says it's in the state's "best interest to make the system work." Screw the people who are going hungry.

Damn them all to hell!

Kanary

[NJCher]

1. this is horrible

You would think they could come up with some alternative to help these people over the short term!


Cher

[Kanary]

2. Oh, they have "alternatives", alright! Foodbanks......

On the news, they showed the pitiful amount of food given to a woman with 3 teenagers, and it's supposed to last for 5 days.

And, of course, NOTHING that would be suitable for them to take to school.

I guess they're all supposed to go on a diet.

From all the hodge-podge she was given, I have NO IDEA how in the world she is going to prepare meals.

This really is a shitty country anymore!

I can't figure out why the whole link won't post....... twice I tried it...... I copied the whole link, but only part shows up.

Anyone have a fix for that?

Kanary

[NJCher]

10. link length

"I can't figure out why the whole link won't post....... twice I tried it...... I copied the whole link, but only part shows up."

I think that's a software function intended to keep the link from messing up the margins and forcing us all to scroll. In other words, it's a good thing--the link works but you don't see all of it.

If you want to copy the link and make sure you've got it all, use the "copy link" function.


Cher

[MuseRider]

3. **sigh**

The governor says it's in the state's "best interest to make the system work." Screw the people who are going hungry.

Yes and it is going to get worse I am afraid. Always the last to count are the people who need help the most. This is very sad.

Edit The link worked for me

[donco6]

4. Secondary Effect:

Here at school, kids qualify for free lunch automatically if they also qualify for food stamps. We get the names from - get this - social services, then match them up with kids on our rosters. Match = free lunch. But with the state so far behind on applications, we're surely losing kids in the backlog. They have to qualify by OCTOBER 1 for us to get them on the roll.

Also, many state and federal grants are tied to free/reduced lunch counts. Lower counts = less funding. But the counts are artificially lowered due to the backlog.

[undergroundpanther]

6. You know

Bush wants to kick people off of social security welfare disability..
He sees the poor as "useless eaters"

Funny,a 'useless eather' is what I see when I look at Bush and his golden parachutes opulent ogliarch parasites.
And a rich asswipe like bush and a Ceo of a big corporation can eat BILLIONS more in taxes than all the social programs of this country ,Rich people take way more than what they deserve and bash the poor for wanting fairness,oppurtunity a little stability,a little back from these pigs..

Godammit I hate this system,it's inhumane..

[eleny]

5. I heard that Jeffco has never been able to keep up

Historically, they've been behind.

This damned state system has been in the works for a decade or more and still they can't get it together. I remember the system that preceeded it. It was in the works for a long time until the state realized that folks didn't know what they were doing and it was scrapped. Then, this new CBMS system got started. I worked in a different area but recall hearing about the mess ups, restarts and general nonsense.

Now, it's like Happy Holiday Season and btw, F-U! I could try to be more diplomatic about all this. But after working for the state for over 22 years, they don't deserve my diplomacy. They need a harsh light shoved up their collective butts.

[undergroundpanther]

7. I agree

But who's gonna risk their own job security working for the state to get the butt light and let it shine? People are scared to risk and do the right thing if they might be put out on the streets by their boss.
What cowed news agency will risk their advertising money, and what chicken shit reporter will risk their cushy job and 'reputation'to tell the truth?
CBS is being scapegoated,because rather risked.
Don'tcha think it's time we bit both the hand that feeds and the hand that whips until we destroy the'master'game all together?
Maybe than we will be able to think about building a future on integrity and trust,a new way of life,without letting people like Bush lie their way ahead to get themselves in charge of anything.

[Kanary]

9. The truth is that it's up to US -- We The People!

You're sadly right..... given the system as it is today, it's very unlikely the workers themselves will speak up. The press isn't going to do anymore than give the clues that I posted tonight.

The other part that you left out is I don't see ANY of the politicians, at any level, being concerned one bit about this issue, whether
it's computer glitches, or black people in Florada not being given any help to escape the tornadoes, or, or ,or.

So, it's up US, as citizens, to make a hue and cry that will be FELT. But, we haven't the will. That is where my disgust lies. Look at all the topics here at DU, and what gets a big response. Yet, look at how few people will even respond to the very ugly and life-threatening story. In the end, that is what we must look at. Yes, it's us. Why is this of so little importance to US?

Could it posibly be that the workers don't stand up and speak out because they know they don't have our support?


Could it be that the press doesn't make a bigger issue because WE don't MAKE IT AN ISSUE?


COuld it be that the politicians don't address any of the poverty issues because WE ARE IGNORING IT??

Part of the accountability lies with us.

Are we ever going to pick up the ball?

Kanary

[Pithlet]

8. No one should go hungry in this country.

No one should go hungry in the world, but there is just no damn excuse for it happening in the U.S. I remember recently reading a story about teachers and staff at schools who bring in food and put it in backpacks to send home with poor students who's only meal is the free lunch they get at school. Stories like that, and the one you posted, make me so angry.

[allalone]

11. Christ Almighty

I worked in a place that changed computer programs and DUH we ran the old and the new at the same time to make sure the new one worked. We weren't doing anything important like feeding children, just selling machine parts, but we had the sense to have backup. Do you have to turn in your brain to work in government?

[Senior citizen]

12. YES.

We're all hoping Kerry will change that.

[Kanary]

14. Hoping isn't going to do it.

Nothing is going to change unless you DEMAND it.

Kanary

[Kanary]

13. That's because companies are more valuable than people.....

....especially *poor* people.

Can't afford to have a company lose valuable profit-making time. But, people? Let 'em eat cake.

Yet, we pat ourselves on the back for how compassionate we are as a nation.

:mad:

I hope all these businesses run into the same thing......... then *maybe* it would be time to look deeper.

Kanary

[TahitiNut]

15. I've worked in business systems for over 30 years.

You never burn your bridges behind you! Never! Replacement systems are always run in parallel with the old system. Always. Whomever the Project Manager was for this fiasco should be prosecuted for malfeasance.

[Kanary]

16. Would you be willing to write a LTTE to Denver Post, and/or

Rocky Mountain Pravda, to that effect?

As you can see, these aren't the issues that get a lot of attention.

At least a LTTE would be read by a number of people, and raise some awareness.

I would appreciate it, if you would be willing.

IN any case, thanks for the input...... it certainly clarifies the issue!

Kanary

[TahitiNut]

18. Done.

[Kanary]

24. Thanks so very much!

There's very little attention to this problem here...... I really appreciate your efforts!

Kanary

[Kanary]

17. kick for the day crowd

:kick:

[elehhhhna]

19. The Reeps are dismantling these programs on purpose--

they get to crash 'em ("See--the welfare system is too broken to fix!") and strip the cash at the same time (by giving the contraacts to their totally incompetent supporters).

What they've done to AARP (payoff) is atrocious, and they've virtually DESTROYED the Green Thumb program for seniors who are poor and need employment (my elderly Mom worked for GT placing elderly folks, like 80 year olds who were trying to live on 400./mo. social security). They redistributed the placement contracts to incompetent idiots (illegally, btw--Thanks Elaine Chao! ) and changed the income & asset threshhold requirements (which were horribly low to begin with) so that MANY people were thrown out of the program this year. Try telling a 75 year old lady that she's FIRED from her 15 hour per week minimum wage job at the village hall thanks to Bush's spending priorities. My Mom quit. She couldn't do it.

AARP is eerily silent on this issue & much, much more. Any good researchers want to find out why?

[Kanary]

25. I'm very well aware of that. And, the DEMs are allowing it to happen.

So, do we continue to be quiet about this?

Is it as important as all the issues we raise holy hell about?

Kanary

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bread_and_roses]

21. eh, wot?

perhaps you could elaborate your point?

[wicket]

23. He's been tombstombed

So I don't think he'll be elaborating, but he'll be running back to freerepublic telling them how horrible we are!

[wicket]

22. Do you remember what Jesus said?

[Zhade]

26. Kick for our underfed brothers and sisters.

We really don't pay attention to these issues the way the old Dem party used to. It's shameful.

(Full disclosure: I'm an independent. Corporate infection is one of the reasons I'm no longer a card-carrying Dem. Ignoring people like the poor is another. We could all be in their shoes in the blink of an eye, and we ignore these issues at our own peril.)

[Kanary]

27. Thank you so much, Zhade! We forget that we *ARE* all related.

Your sentiments are so on target, and something I rarely hear anymore. :pals:

I'll be following you, and dumping my Dem registration. There is just too much I can't abide anymore.

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: