How does public assistance (welfare) work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
"If by the 3rd or 4th of the month you have nothing left, how do you live for the rest of the month?"

I've heard comfortably middle class friends say the same thing, that their paycheck comes in and goes out within days----especially those saddled with enormous student loan debt.

And there are a lot of those in the military who take out paycheck loans. Not just the middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I've read a lot of these "welfare' posts, and I find the responses to be ridiculous.

Common Response #1: How do you know this about them? Are you a stalker/frenemy?

Um, unless you live in a cave, you probably know at least one family like this. You probably know them because your kids is friends w/ their kid, or they are maybe even in your own family, or they are friends of a family member.

I've met many, many irresponsible welfare families because I grew up in a town where the median income was around 26K, and because my own father was a welfare bum.


Common Response #2: Don't be judgmental.

That's funny, because as someone else pointed out, the majority of these posters are EXTREMELY judgmental about the poor student who loans 80K to go to school ("WTF were you thinking?"), or the middle-class family who is supporting elderly parents ("time to cut them off and focus on your OWN family, idiot,"), and a whole host of other things. Apparently welfare (something THE PUBLIC pays for) = the only thing you can't be judgmental about, but everything else is fair game.

Common Response #3: MYOB.

This makes no sense, since taxpayers pay for welfare, and it IS hurting us financially (esp. in a recession, when there are people who are genuinely desperate, and the government is short on funding for programs that our society desperately needs). If we had lots of money left over, then fine, it'd be stingy to get on these people's cases. But we don't. The economy sucks, the federal AND local governments are out of money, and when things are like this, you do kind of have to question where every cent is spent.

Just my $.02,

This post really sums it up nicely....especially the MYOB part.
BTW if our poor can go around buying other people gifts and you all still feel pity for them, "oh it's so hard" I want to ask you a question. Have you ever been to another country and seen real proverty??? How about living in a cardboard box with 7 children. Been to Africa? Now that's poverty. Stop making excuses for the poor, who get a check then turn around and purchase a "real" coach bag instead of feeding their children. (true story)

[Anonymous]

I have to agree pp. there are too many entitled people trying to keep up with the imaginary joneses. Ew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to agree pp. there are too many entitled people trying to keep up with the imaginary joneses. Ew.

......using money given to them by the public.

[Anonymous]

It's foolish to look at welfare recipients if you want to save public money; you have to go where the money is.

Concessions to developers, tax exemptions for private schools, property-tax deductions. and low tax rates on capital gains take public money as well. Why not complain about those?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"If by the 3rd or 4th of the month you have nothing left, how do you live for the rest of the month?"

I've heard comfortably middle class friends say the same thing, that their paycheck comes in and goes out within days----especially those saddled with enormous student loan debt.

And there are a lot of those in the military who take out paycheck loans. Not just the middle class.

Speaking of which, I read that at least a third of the military men and women receive food stamp assistance. You can use them in the commissary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[quote=

This post really sums it up nicely....especially the MYOB part.
BTW if our poor can go around buying other people gifts and you all still feel pity for them, "oh it's so hard" I want to ask you a question. Have you ever been to another country and seen real proverty??? How about living in a cardboard box with 7 children. Been to Africa? Now that's poverty. Stop making excuses for the poor, who get a check then turn around and purchase a "real" coach bag instead of feeding their children. (true story)

Yes as a matter of fact, I have been to the continent of Africa. It is a big continent with many different countries. There are usually only two economic classes of people in most of the countries. Those that have and those that do not. There is very little middle class. I have found that the poorest of the lot (people, not governments) have been the most charitable. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"If by the 3rd or 4th of the month you have nothing left, how do you live for the rest of the month?"

I've heard comfortably middle class friends say the same thing, that their paycheck comes in and goes out within days----especially those saddled with enormous student loan debt.

And there are a lot of those in the military who take out paycheck loans. Not just the middle class.

Speaking of which, I read that at least a third of the military men and women receive food stamp assistance. You can use them in the commissary

Military families sacrifice a whole lot for our country too. There is a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[quote=

This post really sums it up nicely....especially the MYOB part.
BTW if our poor can go around buying other people gifts and you all still feel pity for them, "oh it's so hard" I want to ask you a question. Have you ever been to another country and seen real proverty??? How about living in a cardboard box with 7 children. Been to Africa? Now that's poverty. Stop making excuses for the poor, who get a check then turn around and purchase a "real" coach bag instead of feeding their children. (true story)

Yes as a matter of fact, I have been to the continent of Africa. It is a big continent with many different countries. There are usually only two economic classes of people in most of the countries. Those that have and those that do not. There is very little middle class. I have found that the poorest of the lot (people, not governments) have been the most charitable. Go figure.


You are correct. I found the same. However they don't use the public's money to be irresponsible with and they appreciate the smallest gestures. They also don't have the," I'm poor so it's your job to take care of my every needs" mentality. They also value their children a whole lot more than those who get public assistance and find it more important to purchase a coach bag or buy alcohol, than to make sure there is food in the fridge for the children. In Africa parents will go without meals but make sure their children always eat first if there is food.

[Anonymous]

Just who authorized the last few posters to decide exactly how poverty-stricken someone has to be before she deserves help? Speaking of feeling entitled...

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is disgusting. A bunch of privileged, entitled jackasses ruminating about "those people" and how "they" should act.

[Anonymous]

12:07- this.

12:50- epic fail on d.c. spin. Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"If by the 3rd or 4th of the month you have nothing left, how do you live for the rest of the month?"

I've heard comfortably middle class friends say the same thing, that their paycheck comes in and goes out within days----especially those saddled with enormous student loan debt.

And there are a lot of those in the military who take out paycheck loans. Not just the middle class.

Speaking of which, I read that at least a third of the military men and women receive food stamp assistance. You can use them in the commissary

Military families sacrifice a whole lot for our country too. There is a difference.

What's the difference. They are still poor. And with many people on this post, if you saw one of them out of uniform, or their loved one, using their FS you would judge them as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"If by the 3rd or 4th of the month you have nothing left, how do you live for the rest of the month?"

I've heard comfortably middle class friends say the same thing, that their paycheck comes in and goes out within days----especially those saddled with enormous student loan debt.

And there are a lot of those in the military who take out paycheck loans. Not just the middle class.

Speaking of which, I read that at least a third of the military men and women receive food stamp assistance. You can use them in the commissary

Military families sacrifice a whole lot for our country too. There is a difference.

What's the difference. They are still poor. And with many people on this post, if you saw one of them out of uniform, or their loved one, using their FS you would judge them as well.

Bingo!

[Anonymous]

Oddly enough, I don't want to live in a city where I have to step over the dead bodies in the morning. I don't want to have children who are too undernourished to learn to be deciding the future of our country.

With unemployment over 9% I don't think it helps to tell someone to "get a job ". I think unemployment benefuts need to be extended and welfare benefits need to be made a more reliable source of support, especially during the current great recession.

My financial planning is careful enough to allow me to pay my taxes.