By Marian Kramer
The People’s Tribune www.peoplestribune.org
June, 2011
The Michigan House and Senate passed legislation approving a four-year lifetime limit on welfare benefits. If you have been on welfare for four years, you are automatically cut off.
Come October 1, 12,600 families will be cut off the rolls. The family unit will also lose their insurance and their food stamps. Then every month, more people will be eliminated. If you have been on welfare for say three years, you only have one year left. Ohio is also going through this process — they are trying to legislate a three-year time limit. These are examples of the wholesale cuts that are taking place in the Rust Belt against that section of the working class that has the least. If allowed, it could eventually affect the whole working class.
Former Pres. Bill Clinton initiated 4-year limits with his federal welfare "reform" prorgam, which set back 60 years of improvements in the social safety net; Gov. John Engler was head of his reform task force
The four-year time limitation is part of TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families), the welfare “reform” bill that was passed in 1996 under the administration of Bill Clinton.
However, it was left up to the states as to when they would implement this part of the bill. Some states rushed to implement it and others tended to leave the time limitation alone.
Now, the present administration in Lansing—via Gov. Snyder—is not only implementing the time limitation with the blessing of the legislative branch of the government, he is going back retroactively.
[VOD ed.: However, the original legislation establishing the four-year limit was signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm at the beginning of her second term, although she had promised during her campaign not to do so. She used as an excuse that the legislation only cut off adults, not children in the family. It is unclear from the legislation whether that provision is still maintained.]
The Governor says people are to get a job. How can you get a job in an economy that is not producing jobs for the vast majority of people—people are thrown off the job rolls by technology. We have people coming into the Michigan Welfare Rights Office who are trying to match up two or three jobs. They still can’t survive. They are not grossing the amount of money they would have realized if they had their old jobs. They need assistance.
Homeless family waiting for housing assistance
The Michigan government claims that by moving to do the four-year time limitation, an estimated $77.4 million will be saved. There is no consideration given to what will happen to people without money to buy food or shelter. They will be out on the street.
If the masses of people do not rally against these particular cuts, it will set the foundation for the cuts to go deeper. They will continue the taxation on the pension, eat away at other benefits of the workers, and eliminate certain programs not relevant for the corporate interests. If we allow this to go forward, what is it going to do for social security on a federal level—and will there be a time limit for social security? We have to think about this. Enforcement of this bill would set the foundation for all of our benefits to be eliminated.
April 13 in Lansing: 10,000 rally against pension taxes, other cuts
When Snyder went after the pensions for Michigan seniors, the people mounted a massive campaign. Suddenly some $400 million in funds showed up. The government is not broke. They don’t need to eliminate people on public assistance in order to “fuel the economy.” They are trying to use general funds for the corporate interests. We should remember, too, that it took both Democrats and Republicans to pass the original bill. We need to fight in the interests of the whole working class. Tax the rich!
Many groups, including the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, are mounting a campaign. We see this as central to the overall battles taking place for workers’ rights. Please contact us. Call (313) 964-0618 or visit our website: http://www.mwro.org/.
*VOD ed.: The next are already here. Additional legislation was passed July 13 in Michigan’s Senate to extend the four-year limit to ALL recipients, not only those eligible to participate in the Jobs, Education and Training Program (formerly Work First). Click on Four year welare limit bill 2011-HEBS-4409[1] and Four year asistance cut-off 2011-HEBS-4410[1] to read Bills 4409-10.
Child labor is back under Michigan bill
The new legislation requires
- Anyone in the household over 16 who is not in school to meet the JET work requirements, or the family will be cut off. Child labor is back.
- 19-year-olds in the household will no longer be covered.
- Non-citizens will be required to undergo processing through the FEDERAL SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENTS (SAVE) PROGRAM.
- Individuals must voluntarily assign all child support benefits to the state, a double dip: if a parent is working and paying child support, they are also paying taxes which support the Department of Human Services programs. Mothers are already required to identify the fathers of their children even if they are not sure of paternity. They were receiving a $50 a month pass-through from child support, but even that appears to be eliminated.
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- Fathers who work are penalized twice
Instances of third-time noncompliance with numerous DHS rules will result in PERMANENT ineligibility for benefits, not just 13 months. Numerous additional reasons for noncompliance are added, with the provision that the department may create more such rules.
- The recipient will have only 12 days to take action to dispute the permanent ineligibility determination.
- If the landlord is delinquent on payment of property taxes to the state, vendored rents for the tenants on assistance will cease. “Delinquent” does not mean the landlord no longer owns the property; it just means he is behind and has a chance to catch up.
- Re-assessment of eligibility is now done every 12 months, instead of 24 months.
The Department shall review the feasibility of a SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTING PROGRAM WITHIN THE FAMILY INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM and issue a final report by Dec. 2011.- Families will be allowed an additional $200 a year in exempt income to qualify..
- Under HB 4410, exemptions from the JET program will be only for periods of 90 days.
- There is only a 60-day post-partum period allowing exemptions for new mothers from JET.
- Pregnant women must present medical documentation of inability to work.
- A provision allowing DHS to provide for additional exemptions is eliminated in 2013.
Sponsors of the bill are: Kenneth Horn – (primary), Kenneth Kurtz, Sharon Tyler, Lisa Lyons, Marty Knollenberg, Dave Agema, Bruce Rendon, Chuck Moss, Ray Franz, Ken Yonker, Paul Muxlow, Matt Lori, Bill Rogers, Tom McMillin, Cindy Denby, Mike Callton, Wayne A. Schmidt, Hugh D. Crawford, Rick Outman, Pat Somerville, Kevin Cotter, Mike Shirkey, Bob Genetski, Greg MacMaster, Amanda Price, Jon Bumstead, Paul Scott, Al Pscholka, Peter Pettalia, Earl Poleski, Paul Opsommer, Ed McBroom, Ben Glardon, Kevin Daley, Kurt Heise, Margaret O’Brien, Joe Haveman, Philip Potvin, Frank Foster, Gail Haines, and Aric Nesbitt.
The bill passed 24-12 along party lines (Democrats voted against it.)
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some people are so hateful and racist some do not have a good family or families who dont care about them i dont have anybody i went to college and everything i do want to work i dont really have nobody but t agree about having kids and cant afford them i rather work than recieve foodstamps but i get them i been looking for a job over a year now not everybody on aid is lazy i went to jet program and some of them women and men had great jobs and went to college and smart and end getting a good job some fo these coments is people that think that people who on aid is just lazy and dont want to work thats a lie and only god can judge you
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There is nothing wrong with a little help if you are devastated due to a medical situation or a natural disaster or over 65… if you truly need help.
However welfare should NOT be a way of life. If you have a child or children when something happens and you must go on TEMPORARY assistance then pop out another one just to STAY on it…. you should be taken off immediately.
It is not the role of the government (the people) to provide for anyone. If you have paid into an insurance type program ( social security, unemployment) then you should be able to count on it.
However, welfare was set up as a temporary widows program. And it just ballooned from there into a way of life for sometime generations of families.
Welfare and medicaid and food stamp fraud is tremendous. And the US gov. is HORRIBLE at detecting fraud within its’ own programs. The savings alone could provide far more help to those truly in temporary need.
But we have Eric Holder as head of the DOJ and he can’t even keep track of the guns allowed over the border much less be bothered about the rampant fraud in the welfare system.
To anyone on here that receives food stamps and has a hard time stretching them, may I suggest you visit a coupon forum (there are plenty, crazy coupon lady, we use coupons, coupon mom..all dot coms) to learn how to coupon more effectively. Also learn how to cook more from scratch. Learn to garden, even if you have to do it in buckets. The more we learn to do for ourselves, the better off we all are. God Bless us all, we are going to need it.
I knew this day would come when it gets to ms I’m throwing a big party. I’m sick of taking care of dead beats out there. Its about time the working class gets a break ; )
I’m going to dedicate 10 minutes every night to praying that you lose your job, have to take 3 low paying ones, then still find yourself unable to pay your bills. If it happens, I’m going to throw a big party.
I’ll hire you to bartend at it, for $2 an hour of course.
I think it’s hilarious that there are tons and tons of posts defending a limit on welfare. Welfare is a complete waste of tax payer money! The city, county, state and country don’t owe you free money. We don’t owe you daycare and housing assistance. We don’t owe you food stamps! You are not entitled! There are plenty of jobs, but the welfare receipts don’t want to take them because they are low paying and will effect their benefits.
I love the first picture of the woman with four kids! Perfect example of someone who is to stupid to use protection. Those kids are going to grow up and be just like their mother. I wonder if she would have thought of using protection or maybe adoption if there wasn’t any welfare. I love how I have to pay for my own home, food, daycare, and healthcare, but the government still taxes me so they can turn around and give the money to people that refuse to make good choices.
Welfare should be completely abolished over a 1 year period. Eliminated all together! Don’t worry receipents, private charities will step in and help. It might be different though; most private charities will require you to make changes to your lifestyle so you don’t continue to be worthless. You won’t just get a check every month; you’ll actually have to make changes.
To all the welfare mom’s: DON’T HAVE CHILDREN YOU CAN’T AFFORD! I don’t want to take care of them and either does anyone else!!!
To all the deadbeats: THINK OF THE WORST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPEND TO YOU! That’s what your doing to your child when you don’t step up. How can you ditch your own kid? Do you tell your friends that your kid and babie’s mama are on welfare? Try to act like a father, or at least a human.
To all the welfare kids: I’M SORRY! Your parents are messed up and made bad choices and now you are paying for it. Remember this lifestyle when you grow up. Only you can help yourself.
Ask yourself one question: If you had $1,ooo.00 to donate would you give it to the government so they could pay for welfare or would you give it to a private charity of your choice? I thought so.
P.S. How’s that “hope and change” coming. Let me here you say it again “yes we can”!
You are a such a perfect example of a moron… it makes one speechless.
Reading these posts, and the pathetic content of most, simply re-enforces the truth that minorities are now convinced, thanks to the Obama socialist-doctrine, that they are entitiled to every need in their pitiful lives. The old communist proverb states that “if you have two shoes and your neighbor has none, then you must give him one of yours and so then you will both have a shoe”.
This is the state of our wonderful USA now.
I think it is human nature for people to want to help other people. But help is not a check, it is teaching someone to help themselves. Handing out money has never solved a problem. There are more poor people now than when the war on poverty was started. What did people do before the government handed them money? They went to family for help, went to shelters, soup kitchens and don’t forget, private charity organizations. These went out of business when the government took over. So now everyone that works contributes to a system that pays people to do nothing, and allows those same people to vote more benefits. That is why over 40% of people in this country don’t pay in via taxes. Those same people get to keep voting these politicians in that promise the biggest free check, all the while vilifying the very people that provide jobs and a huge amount of the tax burden. There are people who genuinely need help, that cannot fend for themselves, but my opinion is those are in the minority and most are taking advantage of the system. So you don’t get your own home and have to share with family. So be it, you do what you have to do to get by. And don’t you think families would be better off, the Dad might stick around knowing that there is no benefit to not getting married or at least providing for their children? Social programs to “help” people do the opposite in the long run. With all of these, eventually you run out of other people’s money, then what do you do? Die in the streets? No, you’d then be forced to do what you won’t do now because you don’t have to.
First, “40% of people in this country don’t pay in via taxes” is complete garbage. Thanks for paroting what you see a buffoon on TV say and not doing your own research. A majority of people that do not pay INCOME TAX, are retired, on fixed income, and social security. Second, people on assistance ARE PAYING TAXES. They pay any variety of property tax, state income tax, local taxes, sales taxes, payroll taxes, gas tax, etc..
“Those same people get to keep voting these politicians in that promise the biggest free check.” Ok, so, do you know for example, that the median income of Nebraska is $49,342. Nebraska consistently votes Republican. Now let’s take Maryland, a state has voted Democratic in presidental elections since 1992. Median income there is $70,647. So right there, your generalized assumption is garbage. Poor people don’t simply vote for people that give them free handouts. It is, in fact, highly likely that people vote for a canidate that they believe cares about them moreso than for a free ride.
Do you know that corporate welfare outpaces welfare for the poor THREE to one? Did you know that the return on lobbying is 22,000 percent. That means for every dollar spent on lobbying, the companies get $220 benefits. Did you ever stop to think what happens to a welfare check when it gets into the hands of an individual? They spend it. Where does that money go? It becomes someone’s profit. Do you know that some companies pay their employees so little that they fully expect them to turn to the government for assitance to make ends meet? There’s a lot of money to be made from government handouts, and it’s not made by the poor.
Now onto your basis that you’re just simply paying for people to ride the gravy train. Where are your facts? Proof. Hard evidence that there are all these people out there too lazy to work, depending on handouts to survive. I’m still waiting for evidence that this is a major problem beyond the rehetoric.
“There are people who genuinely need help, that cannot fend for themselves, but my opinion is those are in the minority and most are taking advantage of the system.” Well, you are intitled to your opinion… but you have no proof, and the facts that do exist contridict you. You aren’t alone, people create ill informed opinions based on no fact, and all rhetoric all the time.
The majority of families who leave the welfare system do so after a relatively short period of time — about half leave within a year; 70 percent within two years and almost 90 percent within five years. But many return almost as quickly as they left — about 45 percent return within a year and 70 percent return by the end of five years.
Here’s the major problem with welfare, it only supports you when you have almost nothing. It just barely lets you live. If you get a job, work hard and try and climb out of poverty, welfare shuts off. Then people have to support their families on several low paying jobs and no healthcare, and that simply doesn’t work. They end up back on welfare.
FYI, there are plenty of charities helping the poor. There are tons of food pantries, and free meals available. Perhaps if you did charity work you would know they still existed. But you don’t bother. You and many like you sit in your living room and make these asumptions based on your own ignorance and the crap you see on television.
The focus needs to be on supporting people to get back on their feet, not ripping the rug out from under them just as they stand up, as it is now.
Thank you thank you. Somebody who undersands…. I am a mother..college educated…worked since I was 13…but when life happens all you can do is deal n keep going…I was scammed and my whole life was turned upside down. No jobs would hire me and I wasn’t working with new baby…so wat could I do besides get welfare to proved for my child. I did just that. Went back to school and used every resource they offered…I still found little odd jobs to do because the money wasn’t enough to wat I was used to making to get the other things I needed.. now wat gets me so confused is why do people assume a person is lazy before knowing the situation. I do admit there are plenty lazy yet I doubt the lazy outweighs those who actually need temporary help. I stayed on for a year n soon got off nman have not been on since…it was a help for me not a lifestyle and I do feel I was entitled because I paid taxes many years prior to my situation…let’s stop being so harsh and judgemental folks..everybody is not the same geesh…I appreciate people like you because you go off facts and not ignorant opinions.
i disagree with only being allowed to be on welfare for four years but everything else that i understand i agree with. I have been on the shit end of the stick almost all my life but dont expect anyone to support me now that im GROWN. as for bashing on rich people my whole family grew up in the slums. My eldest uncle is efen rich i mean hes loaded 4 cars big house and he came from the slums had 3 kids as a teen and it didnt stop him from making something of himself. My mother also had 3 kids as a teen and she worked in factorys and all 3 of us ate nothing but welfare paid bread and cheese sandwiches cus she just wasnt dealt a lucky hand like my uncle who did i mention had to claw his way literally blood to EARN what he has. And my second uncle is one of those worthless layabouts who abuses the system and i grew up in the slums its not my fault im poor and have nothing so i like the legislature not letting welfare whores get away with being worthless do nothings but the gov. should be considerate of people like my mother who went hungry to feed me and my siblings while she worked her ass off for nothing but nobody should take money away from rich people cus chances are they actually GOD FORBID….HUH?…. EARNED THEIR MONEY… WOWESERS!!!!!
Welfare is only supposed to be help not a life style. Stop mooching off every hard working american and having kids with different man that wont support them. Enough is enough most on welfare are just lazy and freeloaders.
Help people make their homes affordable to heat, bring FHA standards up to a reasonable living condition, I’ll never build another one to FHA codes.
You can certainly see your skills within the paintings you write. The arena hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
all you rich asshole fucks can go fuck yourselfs ! you dont know how much food stamps helps people i know people if they didnt have it they couldnt feed there selves or children some people dont come from rich mommys and daddys so grow up and quit being snobby bitches !
Also, one more thing. Never give up. Even if everything is taken away, never give up. Strive for survival and never let anyone tell you that you are nothing because you have asked for guidance, survival and whatever else it is that you ask for. Not having jobs is the biggest crisis besides the war that is going on in America. Once we have jobs, things will start looking up. Before the government decides to take away things we need, maybe they should give us the one thing that we need, a JOB.
To those of you who believe that there is no way out of an impossible situation. Think again and believe. Just, believe. If our government will not be their for us, why should we be there for them? Sounds to me like someday the people will get tired of it and finally overthrow the government. Then maybe we will become united once again, give a lending hand where needed and have heart in such a heartless world. Never, EVER, underestimate God and what He can do for each and every one of us. That is, if we give a damn to those in need. Remember, Jesus wore sandals and was a carpenter all of His life. Work does offer many things in life we cannot have or obtain. It is good to work. I have worked all of my life and still am. I continue to ask for help because I need it. I am not ashamed of it either. Good luck to those in need and God bless you. The ones that need are usually the ones that give because of knowing the feeling.
For all you ppl that have so much to say and too little to give.. we are all humans.. I am a single mother yes i am struggling to take care of my child and i will never call him a mistake nor an accident just wrong timing, and if it was up to me i wouldnt ask anyone of u to have anything takin out ur check but hey thats the way it is..some ppl are not as fortunate as other and some ppl fall on hard times, so just because we go to asst. for help for our families we consider the scum of the earth and that were lazy nd dont seserve anything good are u serious? trust this lil money i get i will easlily trade it in for a job, i have not been on asst. for long because i was a working woman. but for u ppl just to talk down on the poor and feel like we are just taking so much out ur checks, take the time out to go visit a sheltor, or take the time to hear the story of a homeless person.. im pretty sure they will not tell you all there life they wanted to be poor and that they dream of being homeless one day. and just because a parent want to buy the child something nice u want to turn ur nose up at that but if the child was looking nasty and bummy u also will turn ur nose up i feel like u cant win from losing, just because u are poor dont mean u have to look it..yall need to climb off your high hoarse and get over yourselves.. “the First shall be Last nd the Last shall be First” the author God…in to all the ppl that are n the struggle right now keep your head up things will get better, and the ppl thats talking and looking down on you they ass might be next asking for a damn quater or running to there local welfare office. have a great day!
I agree with cutting people off! I have been on my own sence I was 15 and had a child at 17 in the 80`s times where very hard. I was very afraid did not know how I was going to make it,I didnt have much for family,but for sometime my daughter and I went from house to house till I mentally thought through my money issues. My hard times made me push hard to find my way. It is not the young that need help, the old disable are who need the help. It was not the people of the united states fault that I had a child at 17 and made the choices I made. I know people who are on asst. and they keep crying how hard they have it but keep having more kids and not even with the same father.thats what we want to back up no way. Hard times come for a reason and ots called change and change is what we need. Asst. should be for the old, diabled, and the hard working man that falls on hard times, that 4 yr plan would work good. If we want our Gov. to help us we should get the help at old age like our heat, lights, and land taxes free and clear, so the older people will move on to retirement and open up jobs for the young. We need to teach our young get up!
I have been reading some these comments, I am suprised at some people comments. First of all. That article is need some corrections and/or additions. An able body that is 18,19,20 or older must look or have work & is limited to 3 years. Here is the exceptions. If your are disabled or if your are 62 years or older. For example if you have a person 62 years or older and just have on other person that disabled. You can get food stamp indefinitely as long as your income qualifies. Food stamp is federal funded. If you have kids, the kids can get the tell they are 18, 19, 20 or 21 depending on the state law if they disable that a different story. They have to go buy the same rules for medicaid unless id state funded only. In most states it is partially funded by the Federal Government. If you lose food stamps do to work and then turn 62, you can get them back as long as your income qualifies. The federal government doesn’t want to force to work when you are 62 or over.
As for the poor having internet. Have you heard of dial-up? Also, with programs like Safe-link, people use to have to pay for the phone, in some case they don’t. So, they are now are able to pay for the internet. Kids go to school need internet. Now, with everything going automatic, the internet is become is a necessity not a luxury.
Believe it or not poor or rich we are all affected in some way. When and it will the dollar drops we will suffer in some way. If you are rich you would lose your mind being broke,you rich people tend to kill yourselfs a lot and i stress a lot!! The lower class do all the real work and the rich get the biggest bonus. To tell you the truth the people with money can help the situation a little. I tell you…they have turnt americans into slaves,a form of machine and replacing man power with machine power. Wake up people welfare or no welfare where in trouble…..think about this..how can a government be broke when they make the money…..can you say depopulation…WAKE UP
$797 Billion on the useless war in Iraq, and we wonder were all the money is.
$797 billion and counting for a useless war in iraq and we wonder were all the money is going.
Ok.. I’m about to get in this.. I don’t even know where to start, but here goes.. First off. In regards to all the comments about not having children you can’t afford. You could be well off, have kids, and then lose everything.. since abortion is no longer an option, should you kill the children on the spot? I mean, following your logic…
and work.. ooh boy. where do we start with this. well let’s just start with daycare. I have two boys. Birth control, 2 forms, failed with the first one. The second child was concieved in a relationship that seemed solid, but as it turned out he had a lot of skeletons that came out one day.. after I got hold of personal information. So I changed the locks and kept it moving. Sadly, I was two months pregnant and in school. Ahhh school. I pulled 16 hour days between school and work, and as work dissipated because shifts got cut, my neighbor watched my son for gas money. God Bless her.. I finally got qualified for the state to cover day care and they back paid her.
So now I come out of school and in LA, as a massage therapist I could do okay, but since the economy declined further and franchising became rampant, it was not enough. So I continued bartending. You’d think working within the NBA you could get paid, but even that wasn’t immune.
I move back to VA out of necessity. All plans set in motion fall through. I am living with friends at this point. If the state didn’t cover childcare I would not be able to afford to go to work. Now I am changing careers. Starting over. Oh yes, what was that?? Own your own business? See, I had two. The economy didn’t support it. I have friends who own businesses. They also have to have regular jobs to keep those businesses open. Thankfully their children are old enough to take care of themselves. Mine, not so much. 1 and 4 are not responsible ages.
So let’s go back to my change in careers. The pay rate I am going for is enough to cut me off of benefits, but not enough to really cover childcare for two kids, rent, and bills. For those hollering about working two jobs, well, by the time you pay for childcare outside of the standard daytime hours, you’re pretty much handing over most of your pay for that.. but what was that pesky thing lurking in the background? Bills?? Rent?? oh yes, those trite nuisances.
You see, back in the day, when small businesses weren’t being run out by Walmarts, you could make a decent living. So yes, you’re grandfathers could hold down a family. That grand part would indicate a few generations ago. There was this thing called community. It’s been replaced by corporations. Such as the above mentioned Walmarts. They think pretty highly of themselves. They contribute to the community. The only thing they contribute to is a stagnant low paying income bracket which can’t support the current hyper inflated cost of living. And then they benefit greatly if you die with the life insurance policies they take out on you. Watch Capitalism: A Love Affair.
Yes, I think that welfare gets abused. I also think the system is not really wired to be a catalyst for progress. It doesn’t fairly account for everyone in the system. Some people just are not going to make it. Not everyone can be the business owner, or the president. There has to be employees. And they are not always able to be paid very well. Housing doesn’t seem to care. Rental rates are sky high as they rape the people who have no choice but to rent as they can’t qualify to buy.
I could go on and on and on, the thing is this. You want to see an end to welfare, bring jobs back to this country. Go after deadbeat dads the way you go after the war on drugs, namely marijuana. Stop getting involved in wars. Come on, who are we really helping. Do we really support Libya? and freedom? and all those protestors in Egypt? Surely we must. We have media coverage of these people! We encourage their right to assemble. But let’s lay it out for what it really is. Libya won’t give us their oil. I mean why should they? It’s theirs! So we go in by force to take it, declare that we are giving them our same democracy which they praise to no end even though it has disastrous results here. We spend millions of dollars per HOUR with our little war machine. Let’s stop that and redirect our money. Let’s invest in our country, our people, stop short changing the education system, and give people a means to work at a level of pay that supports the cost of living..
That’s the issue that really needs to be addressed. Not taking food stamps from someone who really needs it. Good Lawd..
Is it not obvious? The govenor is a heartless person, throwing many people (some with their kids) suddenly to the street in a bad economy with little time to prepare for this and no programs to prepare them to do any available work and with no provision for housing to transition into for now. The majority of persons in the first wave are kids… Wow… a real head-shaker.
The man, simply put, is a MONSTER!!!
He will be known for his words to them: “SEE YA”!!!
Please read the verse in the Bible Mr. Snyder that states “whatever you have done to the least of these…….”.
Yes you Rick and your cronies.
You are more than pathetic.
How long should people be allowed to remain on welfare. For some, it has become a lifetime thing.
How long should your neighbors have to pay to support your children?
If you couldn’t support yourself in the first place than why did you have children you couldn’t support?
I chose not to have children because I knew I couldn’t support them and millions of others have also made a conscious decision not to have children for the same reason.
I just cannot understand his some of you are talking. This is very said and yes it’s true that there are some people the use the welfare check for things they know they shouldn’t use it on, and now its affecting everyone one on aid. Everyone does not do that, I’m a single mother with two kids n I need the help at the moment I’m staying with someone and it’s extremely hard but, I still have to pay my way. I have had two jobs at one time starting at 7.40 and it still wasn’t enough. Some of you need to really think about what your saying. I have been let go from my jobs. And ever since then I go out looking for jobs on foot EVERY FUCKING DAY with my youngest child walking with me and I still have no job. Just because your on welfare it doesn’t make u less of a human so those who are talking very reckless about something you kno nothing about take some time and really find out how people already feel and hat their doing while on welfare to make their situation better so they wouldn’t have to live on welfare then talk shit.
I agree with the decision and believe that 4 years is more than enough. I have worked all my life and raised 3 children and payed off 2 houses over the last 35 years. I had a very hard stretch in the 80s and I mowed laws, shoveled snow, scrapped copper, fished, hunted and anything else I could to feed and put clothes on the the kids. My children were MY RESPONSIBILITY no someone elses. I give to charity regularly as that is my choice but to FORCE me to pay for someone else is just wrong.
I have just one question that I would like folks to HONESTLY think about. If it is not OK for me to go to my neighbors house and forcebly take money from him to distribute as I see fit why is it OK for the government to do it? That is not the responsibility of the government.
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To anyone who is currently receiving any form of assistance from the State of Federal Government:
In the future, you will not be able to count on anything from either the State or Federal Government. This did not come about due to some political decision, or a social engineering experiment. This is happening because the States and the Fed.’s are broke. All entitlement programs will be less and less dependable as time goes on. Do not believe that any “social movements” will force the politicians to reinstate benefits. This will be a waste of time.
The cookie jar is empty folks, and it is imperative that those who currently rely on the government to support them are going to be in for a severe shock when the checks and credit cards stop.
This is not a judgmental statement, nor do I wish to turn this into a discussion about race in America. This is simply a fact, and those who prepare for this eventuality will do significantly better than those who don’t. Don’t believe the lies people. Your State and your Country are broke. There will be no more money. Get used to it. Prepare for it, and be ready to survive the best you can.
Good Luck
So very true…don’t count on anything! However, let’s not downplay some of the reasons why. Entitlement programs do play a role with the expenses, but what about the umpteen years of war we have going on somewhere else? Then, add the people who shouldn’t even be here taking up the space with some of the expenses like schools, medical, etc.? No, it’s of no help now, but these are the consequences of that, too! Yet, not too much being talked about all of that from the government, but let’s just blame our poor for all the ills!
It’s scary, but it’s true. Revolution is badly needed in this country, and I believe that before it can have some real effect, the financial markets are going to crash and burn. That doesn’t need help from the protestors. Something has to be done, and it’s imperative it start with community. It would help if those who preach community step in and become that which they talk about. It’s nice for someone well off or at least self sufficient and comfortable to talk about extending oneself through their community, it’s a whole other thing to see them do it. We need more people doing. Not so much preaching or finger pointing..
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Pingback: And so it begins,,,
For the information of the VOD readers of this comment thread, I have just deleted an absolutely racist comment using language that sounded like it came out of the mouth of a member of the KKK. To those of you who are posting comments in favor of this horrific cut-off of children and babies from any means of assistance (you can’t get back on assistance if you’ve EVER been on it for a four-year period AT ANY TIME), think about what you are riling up here. At a time when more and more people are losing their jobs, when the entire economic system of this country is teetering on the brink of disaster–THINK before you judge those on assistance. You may think you will never need it–but most of you are one paycheck (or unemployment check) away from it. You had better get together with ALL working and poor folks in this system to fight the banks, the corporations, the politicans, all of whom have been on WELFARE (our tax dollars) for decades, in order to make UNGODLY profits.
I read an article where the writer talked about welfare in the form paid out to Washington. You work one or two years in public office in Congress, and you continue to make that for the rest of your life, or somewhere very close to that?
WHAT???? THAT is welfare at it’s most disgusting moment. How dare anyone question that. Join a protest, get involved in your community, invest and donate your time, create awareness through your community, and for the love of God, educate your children about this while you are at it. I used to make quite a bit of money.. for doing pretty much nothing. At least that’s what it feels like now as my pay has been drastically reduced and the cushion is worn thin.
You know what! This is what’s wrong with the world in this day and age, people are so worried about some else’s life. First of all you Don’t know what people have been through.Life is hard now. It’s not the same it was years ago. People on here talking about there are jobs find one blah blah. I’m on Welfare. I don’t get cash but I do get Foodstamps. I’ve worked, I’ve been to College and you know what YOU CAN’T FORCE ANY ONE TO HIRE YOU IF THEY Don’t WANT TO. The World is so evil now. It’s a struggle for familes with small children like me. I WILL STARVE FOR MY CHILDREN and you know what else, I WILL BE DAMNED IF MY CHILDREN GO HUNGRY. So for you people who don’t have a fu****g worry in the world, stop worrying about poor people who are trying their best to provide for their families the best way they can. Me personally this Law is Stupid. After 4 years you’ll be cut off, it takes time to find jobs, getting a career etc. and then most of time you still find nothing. So for all you selfish a** people go to HELL because you never know, your A** might need assistance as well. GOD BLESS EVERYONE WHO IS STRUGGLING.
Why are we sick, Marcus? Because we are tired of setting our alarm clocks for 6AM to bust our asses to feed our families while others make a career out of the welfare system? I guess I am sick. I’m sick knowing the fact that its the 1st of the month and while I am grocery shopping tomorrow, I get to look forward to people trying to swindle their bridge card balance to me for cash like they do every month. If anybody is sick, its all these people who make excuse after excuse as to why they can’t work. I have news for you. If I can do it on my bullshit wage, so can anybody. There are so many ways to make money if you want to. A couple posts up, this girl wroth about a lady she knows who dresses homeless while her kids wear designer clothes her drug dealing daddy bought. Sell those clothes ans that’s money right there. I know a girl who makes a fortune doing nothing other than selling clothes online. She hits up the thrift stores every day and sells vintage and designer clothes on EBay. Amazing how somebody in Germany will pay 90 bucks for a pair of boots you spent 2.50 on at the Salvation Army. Hell. The jeans I am wearing right now list for 115.00. I paid 5.60 at Value World. This poor me story about this woman who has to wear rags is a bunch of BS. Perhaps if she would take a break from Steve Wilkos, Springer and Maury, she wouldn’t need to wear rags.
Loser,it’s not a bs story about the woman who wears rags.I was married15yrs to a husband who worked hard and I was a stay at home mom to special needs twins.One day,he decided he didn’t want to be married and got other women.He does pay child support and I was working in a family business with his brother but didn’t get food stamps for first year when we seperated in 2010.Then I hurt myself and couldn’t help with the family work.I have applied at McDonalds,janitor position at Thrift store,local grocery store who keeps saying they’re not hiring right now,etc. And I’ve worn the same sneakers for THREE years and have sweatshirts with holes in them,etc.Also have 3 pairs of pants to my name.I agree about paying taxes for those who abuse the system is wrong and I use to look down on people on welfare until I had to go through it and realize there are people out there who truly need it and I am thankful or it!
Watch it! your day may come too!!!
U people are sick just like the gov. It’s cool if time has come!!!
Sorry Erica but I have never spent even close to that on child care. Its called a babysitter. People have been doing this for years yet foe some reason people now days think they are entitled to these over priced facilities like they are out in Shelby Township or something. Perhaps if people didn’t always have these poor me excuses, they could actually get ahead. The minimum wage is also more than 7.50 an hour an there are also 9.00 to 10.00 jobs all over Craigslist every day. Its funny to me that some people can make it on very little while others use excuse after excuse. Its your friends fault in the first place for even having a child with a drug dealer. Why does she have no accountability for her actions? Why must I bust my ass for 9.00 an hour while watching food leave my child’s mouth in tax dollars to feed hers? She should not even be a parent and any kids she has should be taken away. I’m sick of supporting these people and perhaps now that the incentives are gone, people will stop having children they cannot afford.
Your taxes dollars dont even help you… They help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer
Ray for a guy who thinks he is smart you sure are stupid… childcare is about 180 a week and all the babysitters are in school when we need to work oh and did I mention that babysitters want 6-10 dollars an hour WHY WORK they will get all the money your bogus.
Before you comment, know the facts and how much things cost. Some of you sound very young and immature and I expect you don’t know any better. However before you form an opinion. Perhaps just perhaps it is a good idea to get some grey matter on the subject in order to form an adequate opinion. Unless some of you just like talking out the side of your A**
And speaking of name brand clothes. Me personally I think it’s dumb to spend so much money on clothes for kids that they can’t wear in a year. However you don’t know how they got those clothes. Stop judging an not knowing the facts. They could of been a christmas gift. Or for example, I know one lady who’s drug dealing ex won’t give her a dime. But he buys clothes and gifts for their kids. And of course she lets them wear them, because she out of her own pocket can’t even afford to buy clothes period. She dresses like a homeless person while her kids where name brands. Get over yourself and get the FACTS. Some of you are so sheltered and just clueless. And it’s unfortunate that some of us are at the mercy of you clueless people.
It is said that common sense is truly a gift. So many of you lack it. I am in a fortunate situation currently. However nothing is gauranteed and that can change at any moment and it has for many people. How stupid do any of you sound talking about 7.00 an hour jobs. Can you add and substract. 7.00 x 40.00 a week is 280.00. the average amount of childcare per week is 125.00 to 150.00. which leaves the person what. now don’t forget 280.00 is just the gross after taxes, you have what about 80.00 left. Ok how in the hell do you pay for insurance, buy just one child, pay for shelter on a few hundred dollars a week. Some people are just stupid.
I am what they consider as not being on welfare fully because I only receive medical from them that helps pay for my very pensiveness transplant medication. This medication is needed for my survival without it I DIE. I’m still healing from my kidney transplant it’s been three years almost and I’m still not able to work because doctors botched up my transplant and caused me to have permanent Edema in my feet and legs and arms and face. Who does a transplant and days later have to go back in and redo it because they FORGOT to attach a vein the new kidney that left me hemorrhaging and I almost died? After they reattached the vein I end up having to learn to walk all over again and left with Edema for life. Things were not suppose to turn out like this. Before all this, I worked and never needed the system, now I do just for my medical that goes along with my medicare, All so I can continue to live. For all the heartless people here that don’t mind seeing people suffer some people really need the system SOME people are not abusing it like myself I’m just trying to see another day!
well dosen’t that mean your paying for that 2? your all good with your tax dollars going there huh
Sounds like you need to speak with a lawyer, or maybe you have and are just waiting to get paid. And deservedly so!! Make sure to include you medications in your lawsuit.
Its easy to weed them out, Ann if the government really cared. There are other approaches that would work better such as mandatory random drug testing for people on welfare. If you fail, you risk losing your kids as well as criminal charges against you. there is other things they can do as well such as not allowing bridge cards to bevused at gas stations, you buy, we fry markets or convenience stores such as the one in MT Clemens on joy road across from the traffic light strip club which will buy your bridge card funds for cash. I think bridge cards should only be allowed to be used at chain stores such as Kroger and Walmart as well as local grocery stores such as an IGA if you live in a small town. Funds should also only buy you necessities like bread, cereal, veggies, canned goods, eggs, MILK, juice and a few other things. one should not be allowed to spend it on ribeye, ribs and 6.00 bags of beef jerky.
Better yet if they can afford to buy frivalous items like this then they don’t need the food stamps..
I hear and understand everyones plea, desperation, concern and out right what am I gonna do next? I feel the mothers who have children, struggling to make ends meet. At the end of the day, what is the next plan? Times like these will show a person exactly what they are made of. Get your eyes off what the government, state and city are doing, get your eyes on yourself and get a plan in order quick!!!!!!!!!!! There are jobs, not what you would like, but they are out here. There are many who turn their noses up @ $7.00 hour. I’ll put it to you like this. It might not be much, but that little money could make the difference between 20 years to life or freedom. Let’s get innovative, come up with your plan and not let 200 years of slavery consume us. We are better than that.
I Agree!
How does Michigan weed out the truly needy from the people that abuse the system? Getting money for their brigde cards, using money gambling, drugs and alcohol. etc? The people have ruined the system for themselves and those truly in need. Don’t rebel against Michigan government, rebel against the abusive individuals.
I am honestly against this. Its hard enough finding work without all these welfare people with no skills taking up all the jobs as well as causing wages to be lowered even more. There is no room in our workforce for these city hoodrats with no education. I would rather pay their welfare to keep them away
Is that any kind of statement Ray! This is human beings that we are talking about that put their pants on just the way that you do and they deserve a chance to prove theirselves..
So your talking about innocent children and the elderly. and if it wasn’t for the elderly you wouldn’t have a job. Who do u think taught you what you know?
Ray wow…. how about the thing that drive me CRAZY I AM trying to get a job but guess what ….. everyone that is retired and is getting retirement money decided that they would get retirement and also get a job COME ON! we would have many more jobs if they dint take both at once…. and Sally do you have any room to talk about what Ray said your just as heartless… OH WAIT hes going against what you want them to get jobs … that dont exist. Hey if you got so much money create a place for us to work.
I think that the welfare receivers should be done on an individual basis. Some people on welfare really need the assistance. I don’t think that people on welfare should make a career out of it. This new law is not really new. They have beeb talking about it for years. After a child is in school the parent should seek some kind of job training or gor to school to get a trade. Here in Michigan it appears that they they pay you well for having children and not being employed. I am a Democrat but I do agree with the Governor.
I think many of you people are cold and heartless. There are many people who have had no choice but to get on assistance, even after working their whole lives. Well I guess I can start with this, as for having kids there are many people that are and have been trying to prevent that from happening. I know this personally.
As for the people saying that all people on assistance are lazy and just collecting money that is not always true. While in some situations it is most people want to work but can’t find a job. I have gone and raked leaves, mowed lawns, shoveled snow, and washed cars just to get the money I needed for diapers or other things.
The reason I even needed assistance to begin with is because my ex beat me up and tried to kidnap my daughter. Therefore I had to leave my home and my work to make sure that my kids and I were safe. I really think that would be a reason to need help. Im sure that you people believe that I should have stayed because you people seem to believe that people need to be torchered.
There are people like me who work and go to school just to try to make their childrens lives better. I have never bought myself a piece of clothing or shoes with the money from assistance. All of my stuff comes from friends or my moms hand me downs. Most of my kids cloths come from friends or gifts from family. They don’t own any namebrand clothing or shoes. The money that I have recieved only helps with some of the bills not including a phone or internet. We dont have cable or even a digital box no regular tv. We only have the dvd player and small tv my mother gave us, with only a few movies. I tell my kids to read for entertainment. So for you people to say that we should have to suffer. We already do all because of one day that changed everything for my children.
Do you really think that it is right for the government to starve young children? If you do then I pray that God forgives you.
It’s not the government’s responsibility to provide assistance to anyone. I give money to my church and my church assists those in need. I have read the us and Michigan constitution, there is no mention of welfare in either one.
Ha, ha, Dj…you’re funny…NOT! Did you just mention the Constitution? Oh, yes you did! Funny thing, though, it’s only followed when it’s convenient! Take a lookie at what’s going on in our country and tell me the Constitution is being followed to a T! Yeah…right! BTW, you’re a heartless (fill in a word)! Oh, but stay blessed and better hope it lasts!
I am in awe that you can say you go to church yet you talk like this… wow.
DO THE MATH: Michigan minimum wage is 7.40/hour. IF the individual is LUCKY enough to get 40 hours a week, that comes to $ 1,184 BEFORE TAXES. After taxes, monthly income in around $ 1,000. Most peoples rent is over half their income, then add utilities, transportation to and from work, everyday toilitries, and basic clothing…. At the end of the month, there is nothing left for food!!!
Ok Lin I got you, im on welfare and is working 21-24 hrs a week making 8.00 hr. I only recieve 426 a month from the state. Nows here is the monthly break down:
Rent 750.00
DTE 350.00 +
WATER 75.00
Kids and household needs, whatever is left
Get another part time job…
Where are they don’t talk about them start telling people where they are… Oh wait you can’t because there are none…
why don’t you take a sociology class. while everyone seem to think people on assistance are lazy and cant work well your wrong.. studies show that children and the elderly are the majority that make up the needed assistance . so go pick up a book and get educated while you keep talking about the newspaper.
DTE $350 per month?? That is way to high. There is your problem a 350 dollar energy expense. I live in a 1600 square foot house with two other people and the DTE bill averages about 50 to 60 dollars per month. Why so high?
I am sorry and as much as it pains me to say it I ABSOLUTELY agree with the new Gov. Synder. I would like to prefice this statement with if it does not apply let if fly. People work long hours every seven days a week while there neighbors work no where yet they have just as much if not more. How can public assistance afford you just as much as a working man. This is not a class issue this is about where then does the need for some “not all” to get off welfare and do better. Working should afford you a better life. I think everyone knows it goes without saying about children suffering but when will the parents who are having these children want better for them. If you think he’s tough here is my view. How can you continue to children you know you can’t feed. I know I know its not your fault but its not mine either. I think if are on public assistance and get pregnant again you should be chared with endangering the life of a child. Afterall you already know you could not provide for the first one. Let’s get real people are tired of paying for someone else’s good time. The irony is that working people state all the time that they can not afford kids. I neveeerrrrrrrrrr hear people on public assistance say that. And another this public assistance was not designed for you and your man. Did you know that women get married everyday on assistance and ad the men to there grant. ARE U KIDDING ME. Thats like me already living with you for free and then going out and finding someone else for you to take care of. Soooooooooooooooooo welcome to the real world I guess there will be some coupon clitting now.
Guess you’ll see how much people really get from state assistance when your on it because if you think about it why not lay you off your nice job and hire someone for way less.
OHHHHH I forgot…. ANd about having internet and a computer………. Just because we are ON the INTERNET does NOT mean we OWn a computer and Have Internet, I personally use the computer at the library when I want to be online…. so dont be to quick to judge everyone, cause someday, someone will judge YOU! and it doesnt feel good to know your not perfect either… have a great day
First off I am a single mother on welfare, I use my food money for food for our home only, I use our cash benifits to pay our bills and if I have anything left, I buy them clothes at goodwill, and yes even goodwill sells name brand clothes. I do not use any of that money for been, wine or cigerettes and feel it is wrong for anyone to do so, but how can anyone decide which people abuse the benefits and which ones don’t, I feel it is UNFAIR to take everyone off just because of those who are abusing it… I myself have applied for SSI, waiting to hear about the descion, and my children have type 1 diabetes, so how am I supposed to pay for their needs, when ONE child alone their medical comes to over $1000 just for supplies… Something has to change in the system, but i dont think throwing everyone off will help….
What might help, is drug/alcohol testing, I dont beleive the children should be punished for their parents habits, but etiher way they arent seeing that money used for the things they need anyways…
With people thinking that helping the POOR is such a bad thing, well it is not, because just maybe that family that needs help, is truley a worthy cause, isnt abusing the state money and is only barely making it off what they get every month…
I myself cannot work, I have tried many jobs over the years and each time I am fired due to my disabitly keeping me from work, so what am I to do, I have TRIED, and tried for my kids, and there is nothing more I can do….
In some cases where you see children dressed in name brand clothes you can’t assume that their mother bought them. These children have uncles, aunts, grandparents and family friends who may contribute allowing for them to be dressed decently. I don’t believe that has any thing to do with what has just taken place with this bill being passed. The executives at the automotive industries and banking industries weren’t told to vacate their luxurious homes or buy a bike to get to work. Instead they were financially rescued by a system that continually rewards the wealthy and demonizes the poor. It is illogical to believe that a 4 year limit on welfare benefits is going to be “the answer” to joblessness and poverty but as we know the government can be very illogical.
Do you honestly think that using words that demonize and are illogical actually make you sound intelligent? Yes, the government is messed up but this may be the first logical thing the government has done in years. Most of you voted for Bill Clinton who is the man that started it all! Check your facts before you run your mouth. The reason the government stepped in to help the American auto industries that needed it (ford excluded) and the banks that hold your landlords mortgage was to save ALL of Americas ass. The real reason they helped the banks was because they forced the banks to offer interest rates that they could not possibly maintain. The auto industries did’nt want the loans. they did it to help the stimulus package, to HELP people get into a more reliable car that got better gas mileage. So as you can see everything the government does is to help the poor. screw the poor, let the communities take care of the poor. the government needs to start taking care of the WORKING MAN the honest man that deserves help but gets rejected because he makes 15 thousand a year working hard. there are people on welfare that make more than that a year doing nothing ,because in your government more children equals more money. listen up TO HAVE CHILDREN YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM. not have children for support. grow up get a JOB and then you’ll know how the real men and women feel. we owe you nothing!
f- you a–hole, me and my wife make over 126,000 a year, but was on welfare through out school as an aid to help us, not everyone on welfare is lazy, dog eat dog world m-f, you should realize you cant hide and they will come for you and take everything you got and you too will join them as you come for people like us and instead we will be good Americans and do what our greedy government wont do and that is help their own citizens. So f— you soon to be poor a–hole.
EXTACTLY! After all we can all say that the BAIL OUT was like assistance for the company’s right? Oh boy those executives have jobs thanks to a hand out from the gov…. WAIT that sounds like what ppl like me need when they are hungry HAHAHAHAHA all you rich folk complaining about us getting assistance when YOUR HUSBANDS GOT IT FOR THIER JOBS!
I believe that these welfare cuts will destroy families in a already struggling economy. I agree standards need to be changed in welfare but to take from the poor is wrong. Everyone cant go out to get a job when there arent nearly enough. So to leave families to starve will only increase the death crime and poverty rate. While the rich are having brunch reading about it..the worst thing is seeing families dying and struggling to survive.
To continue to GIVE to the poor is wrong…not once has anyone ever come to my house and ask to mow my lawn or wash my windows…I see numerous jobs in the paper that do not require an education….but it does require a drug test and that, I suspect, is the problem…Michigan should join with the other 3 states and insist on drug testing…that would eliminate more than the 12,600 recepients they are talking about…
Your are something else..! I wish they did because my husband or I don’t smoke nor drink…! I just don’t see why your so angry about this decision..? Is this affecting you? The only way it will affect you is if this does happen that the people that can’t feed their children, pay bills or have a roof over their heads come at your door to take yours… so you should be scared really scared…god help us all!! Your probably a bitter old white lady or man living in the suburbs laughing at the whole situation….I’m just shaking my head
Im a mother of four who is going to college to get myself a good job and i need the help for a little while. This cut off might make it so i cant finish school because if i get a job and go to school my pay check will go to daycare. I know some people take advantage of the system and thats wrong. But how do u know if they budgeted there food stamps so they could get a few of there families favorites that is what i do and name brand clothes i dont buy them unless i go to a mom 2 mom sale or good will and get them what they need for maybe 5 dollars people really need to stop judging us poor people. I really think a cut off is needed but it could have been done better and for all u working people out there you are not getting that money back that they take from ur check they will still take it and because of the help i got i will be more then happy to give when i get my job and help another family people say the end of the world is coming but i just hope my kids have a full belly when Jesus comes to save them from this Hell on Earth
Giving to the poor is an awesome and godly thing to do greed is a sin last time I checked. God have mercy on those that are more worried about their pocket books instead of their own people. this is America right? Thought we were united as one or is it only if you can afford to be?
So if giving to the poor is such an awesome and godly thing to do – what do you do for the poor? Besides of course being one that has things handed to them. Do you do volunteer work?
The welfare system should be used as a temporary aid to get through a tough time, not as a way of life. After the birth of my second child I did receive welfare for 3 months. It was a huge help to my family, but our goal was to get off the system as soon as possible.
Yes i agree with the name brand clothes and nice cars..but what about the ones that need help and dont abuse there help.they supposed to live in a box n eat from trash cans..while our rich are drinkin expensive wine hire maids to clean there homes and stuff cocaine up there nose..i think they should check the people a little closer n make sure they realy need help or if they bein selfish. Dont cut everyone…take a little from the rich they wont miss it…
Those “RICH” are not obligated to support you….the poor. Everyone is born equal, we can all make choices…many poor folk have climbed up and out of that gutter while others (generations of others) wallow in the muck singing…”Oh poor me…Help the poor!!!” I am quite sick of it…watching Bridge cards being used at Meijer’s/Kroger’s along with BEER and WINE and cigarettes…
You must be one of the rich assholes who frown down on people…!!! I pitty you and hope god has mercy on you… That being said I do receive food stamps, and it helps me a lot. Be at the end of the day its just a little help. My hudband works and its still a struggle..!! We both use to have factory jobs b4 the big lay off, and I’m still waiting to get called back. We worked hard for what we have. I shop at meijers, yes y not if something is on sale there that’s where iam. So who r u to judge anyone you snob..!!! Continue to eat 5 star meals, it won’t affect you..!!!
NOT EVERYONE IS BORN EQUAL! Try just for one moment to pull your head from where the sun doesn’t shine and take a look around. Watch the news, take a drive to a foster home, do something other than trying to be so self righteous and realize a change this drastic effects more than just people on welfare.
Oh heck no…you did not just say that…all are born equal!! Get the heck on out of here!! Not really, not yet, not in this country!! Just because it’s down on paper doesn’t make it so…look around you, will you!!
Correct, not everyone is born equal; however, everyone has the same opportunity as everyone else as well as the same amount of hours in a day. I grew up in Detroit, as did my parents. My father was born to a women that slept around quite frequently. She already had one son older than my dad by one-year, she sold him and then tried to sell my dad and his sister, my aunt. My dad and my aunt were removed from her and bounced around all over the place. They were very poor. My dad worked from the time he was 9-years old to provide food for him and his sister. This went on until my dad enlisted in the Marine Corp, shortly after his sister married a good friend of my dad’s. She would be taken care of while he was in the service. My dad and aunt would rarely talk about their childhood, but when they did I thanked God each day that I wasn’t being raised in the situation that he was. My aunts children, my cousins, died of drug overdoses and were on welfare for many years. They, unfortunately, took after that side of our family.
With all that said, my dad joined the Corp so that he would have a place to eat and sleep, and also to learn something because when you are hungry, cold, physically/emotionally abused, and working at the age of nine every day – it’s hard to study at school. He was honorably discharged, married my mother three months later and had five children all within six years. We still lived in Detroit and my dad, while working two jobs, attended Wayne State University and then Eastern Michigan University in the mid to late 60’s. We were poor, so poor that my dad would collect bicycle parts to make bikes for our Christmas gifts. My parents never received any assistance from the government or from my mom’s parents, my dad didn’t have any family that could be trusted.
My point is that just because someone is born into a terrible situation doesn’t mean they have to stay there. My dad could have very easily become just like the others in his family – either crazy and institutionalized or on the streets and homeless, or dead. He rose above his situation/circumstances and MADE his life a life worth living. Unfortunately, in part due to my dad’s hard upbringing and a few other difficulties he died at the age of 52, I was 28. All five of his children attended college, three of them own their own business (two of them still in the Detroit area) and two of them are out of state. We all own our own homes, have children that have graduated from college, which was paid for by academic scholarships and our savings. My dad changed the cycle, he broke the cycle. Now his family consists of CPA’s, two doctors, and educators – that’s his legacy. He didn’t for one minute want to leave us with a legacy of want – wanting someone else to care for his family. He told all three of his daughters that we were never to be intimidated, controlled, or used by anyone that wasn’t bigger, meaner, and more tough than him. Those weren’t just words, that was how he survived his youth and he was imparting that to us girls so that we would walk tall and proud, always being confident that we could manage anything without help from anyone. I repeat that to myself quite often.
Don’t make excuses. Take that effort and put it into something that will allow you to have pride in yourself and teach your children how that pride came to be. Let them see you succeed. To the person above that was talking about eating Cheerio’s three times a day, I remember eating macaroni and cheese for lunch and dinner every other day growing up, and the alternate days we had beans and cornbread. Oatmeal was for breakfast because it was cheaper than Cheerio’s.
Everyone in life has struggles, whether you are rich or poor. Everyone in life has choice, regardless of the family you are born to – rich or poor. Use your choices wisely don’t throw them away for anything for one day those choices will carry you, your children and your grandchildren throughout their lives.
First off you cant Beer and wine off bridge cards… and second if everyone was rich it would be no poor… Everyone is not as fortunate as others but we live everyday as we are able. If you are well off enough not to use a bridge card then you should be thanking the Lord, not downing the ones who do.
MAGGIE,
i am 100% against the lazy slums living off welfare their hole intire life but i must express that ALL PEOPLE ARE NOT BORN EQUAL, and your ignorence with that is unruley. why do you think that in places like detroit or flint you have your “ghetto” its a never ending effect and its going to keep on going till someone steps in but those children who are born in the conditions of drugs alcihol gangs poverty, they havent the chance in hell of getting them selves out! thats not equal, paris hilton getting a DUI and serving absoulutly nothing because she has money, and the man who gets one last week coming home from his retierment party spends 3 years in jail IS NOT equal, although america was built on the structual idea that all are created equal , public assistance was built to try and give that, its been long abused and long over due for changes because of the abusers, but not everyone is EQUAL
Your probably one of the thousands without a job to so why don’t you go back to school and hope when your done with all of that debit you’ll be able to get a job….
You’re talking about the proper grammar? Really? So, what’s up with yours? BTW, I is capitalized, not like i! Additionally, a sentence is to begin with a capitalized letter! Fool!!!!…
I honestly think its a good idea, but would like those with children and over 60yrs old to have received a bit more time to put things in order. It’s not fair that as a single woman with no children, I can’t qualify for health insurance. So, I had to go without for almost three years before the affordable FourStar Program came through. Thanks Wayne County for the help. Seeing young mom dress their children in name brand clothes, while I just got a new pair of gym shoes after three years working over 40 hours per week to buy my own no name food, while I see in line ahead of me families buying organic milk and other goodies with the EBT card. That’s why folks are sounding off that its about time everyone holds their own weight. What did the communities do before welfare? They stuck together and survived. Opened businesses and supported each other? With an 8th grade education my grandfather worked tirelessly to support a wife and three children — WITHOUT WELFARE. So, I’m sorry, but really I’m not. Maybe this is the push some of these folks need. I do feel for the kids, but tough decisions have to be made, which in hindsight if it was done before welfare, it can be done again.
Well said denise. I agree.
In response to your opinion…I am a single mother that receives foodstamps and let me just say I have disabled children and I am unable to work because of their disabilities….so this cut off affects me hard…my kids don’t walk around in name brand clothing…I use my foodstamps to put food in my house…so plz explain to me how I am going to feed my kids without the welfare program? People should walk a day in my shoes and then there might be more understanding for those of us that do follow the rules…
So how can you afford the Internet? People on welfare should not have the Internet nor should they have their own computers. Get a newspaper, look at the want ads and go to work….
I had a disabled daughter too…but we survived…having a disabled child is not a license to lay around and TAKE from others…
The only people that should AUTOMATICALLY get food stamps are the elderly…they worked for them they earned them and they deserve them!
I so totally agree.
So why do you have a Internet if she can’t have one and you claimyou are on public assistant too? She could have been at the PUBLIC LIB. or because she recieves public assistant she shouldnt use the library either? Hipocrites, and sinners all of you, who can’t help others. Workers who pay taxes, the amount of money coming out of your check would’nt provide a loaf of bread for a family of 5 each month. Complain about the hundreds of dollars that come out each years for bombs, planes, tanks. Nope you wont do that, its better to bring people down to make your self look better, right? Well you are no better, now when you are in the same boat, remember your words. IF things keep going like the Repubikkk would have it, your ass will be out of a job too. You better know your enemy, its not poor women and children or families where the husband and father has stayed. Bless you anyway.
Thank you for this comment! I am a single mother of a 5.5 year old boy. I live in Michigan, and times are sooo bad. I had to get 3 jobs just to provide for us and it never even made up to a nice paid job at Wal-Mart. I would slave away fighting to get hours to provide wile at the same time could not get assistance for medical or food. I used to make good money but I stepped out of that job for time with my son. I only got to see him one hour a day. My son has a disability and I think the best thing for him is having me around as much as possible. I only get a few hours of work at one job now and we pretty much survive off from child support and all the money I saved up in the bank over the last couple years. I have tried so hard to get a job here and it is just not happening. To the woman that said ” If your on assistance that you shouldent own a computer” HOW RUDE! what if they were like me and did make a good amount of money at one time and could afford one? I put enough of my taxes in this state to get some stinkin food assistance. Who are all of you that think your so wonderful and mighty? I am a woman of the Lord and he will provide, but for all of you to judge all the HUNGRY ppl in America shame on YOU! Do you know what its like to live off from Cherrio’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a WHOLE WEEK? Some day you may be knocked off your feet…. then you will just be one of us. Yes I know that some ppl buy organic things and such, to all of you that only get organic MAYBE thats the choice that they choose for their familys. They only get one amount, Say they get $200 a month for food , If they want to only limit themselves to half the amount of food that they could get LET THEM its their choice. Some of them feel that they need to buy nice food because ITS THE ONLY NICE THING they have in their life some quality food. Jesus loves the rich and the poor, and NO ONE should even think one bad thing because like ME someday it may be YOU. If you have any comments plz reply at ash7787@gmail.com
sorry I put the wrong email lol its ash7787@yahoo.com
I’m certainly not against the elderly, but your statement is not totally true. Not all elderly worked, so how does your argument play out? That is why SSI exists for those over 65 that did not have enough quarters for their own SS benefit, or didn’t have any quarters at all. All you want to do, it seems to me, is pit one age group of people against another, without looking at the truth. If nothing else, this seems more as an assault on the poor, seeing as where exactly are these jobs in today’s economy? Please!! Michigan doesn’t have a higher than the national unemployment rate for nothing!!
…the LITTLE assistance reaped has SMALL equality to the GLUTTONOUS amount REAPED and STOLEN off the BACKS of the very ones who FORCIBLY built the country. but ppl NOW want 2 use the word TAKE? who sat back & TOOK when certain other ppl WORKED this land?
You must not have any kids and your probably spoon fed. Try working at what they call jobs these days such as mcdonalds or burger king and buy diapers plus your rent etc. the ones that dont go threw it its easy for you to say something but much harder if you’ve actually lived it….
Denise, I kinda agree with you. Im on welfare, not by choice. If I could work a job offering 40 hrs a week, Trust I would. But considering jobs is not offering that many hours its hard. For the mothers that is doing nothing with they monthly assistance, yes I say cut them off. Actually i’m not upset about the cut off. The problem is the time of the notice they gave people to say hey we going with the plan and you have 6 weeks to get your stuff together. Its not going to happen that easy.
Get two part time jobs…
Are you going to pay for the daycare?
Sally, I have 3 part time jobs….. It doesnt meet the bills. Tell me .. What do you do for a living? let me guess you have a wonderful husband that sweats his back off and you got to raise all your kids at home.. good for you. Try having a kid and working 3 jobs and never seeing your kid because you work too much … and working isnt worth it because your childcare is $600 bucks a mo and so your tec making 4 $ an hour because you cant get state assistance for childcare.
Stop having babies!
Everyone has a right to there opinion but if your single with no kids then you should be able to buy yourself shoes anytime you want. I wish I did only have to support myself. I raised four children and is now helping with my grandchildren. I have also had to be on public assistant, I am all for getting out there and getting a job, but honestly if it were that were that easy then we wouldn’t have needed to ever to have public assistance in the first place. ad truthfully speaking every mother on assistance is working for the money nothing is free. Having to do 30+ hours a week in JET program and/or community to get the little money the government is giving. I have worked plenty of years paying my taxes and when I need help i would like for it to be there.
Amen!!
I am a working mother, I work 40+ hours a week, take care of all my own bills, I live pay check to pay check. I have assistance, and I need it! Working 40 hours a week I good food stamps for my self and my daughter. My tax money goes to it. If you need assistance you need assistance, and you know what? I deserve it, because MY tax money is going to MY assistance. Sorry you didn’t qualify, but those who are out there that do and they work, deserve it more then the slums not working living off of welfare. There is a difference when you need it and are paying for it.
Denise: I do agree with you when your talking about mothers dressing their children in name brand clothing and shoes getting assistance. I do not agree with you when your saying that poor people should not be able to buy organic. Your saying that just because they are poor they should eat food that is not as good or healthy for them? There were more jobs back in the day, even though people were still struggling times are just not the same. Its great grandpa made it but realistically times are totally different than back in the leave it to beaver days. Everything on a whole is worse, no morals, single parent homes, its sad. I don’t think cutting off the welfare to actually people using it for what its for was the right thing to do. I can see that people took advantage of it and made it bad for ones that really needed help. If your poor in america your gonna take a backseat in anything. Schools, food, enviromental conditions to live…why should we the poor have a greater risk of getting cancer than those that are more well off?
That’s a very cynical statement, Buford. Another quote: “Never ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.” What makes you think you are immune from being cut off from all forms of income or assistance? No one is. Just look at Pres. Obama’s recent statement that Social Security checks may not go out for August if the deficit crisis is not resolved. While the wealthy continue to get huge tax breaks and bail-outs with OUR tax dollars, they have absolutely NO CONSCIENCE about who suffers or dies as a result of their greed. Hopefully, one day THEY will not be immune either, if the people ever get it together to rise up en masse against this vile system.
“I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
It’s a great quote, but you should really give credit to the author, Ayn Rand.
So what can we do?
Not being a resident a of ur city or ur state. I like 2 think im out side the box lookin in. Cutting all these pple off assistance will cause destruction and chaos for ur state. Crime rate will rise like a brush fire in California, with no sign of relief. Some pple (including children) are not at fault for the US falling econonmy. Jobs are few and Need is great. All i can say is May God have mercy on u All.. As for the pple who are well off who have a negative comment @ this. U r the ones who need 2 worry. Because who do u think the poor will rob, when they are hungry… Just remember Robin Hood!!
Treesag…
Michigan is only the beginning. This will spread to other states. The Federal Government made the decision about 20 yrs ago to let Detroit die. This welfare plan will hurt the people in the largest urban area, which is Detroit. We all have to open our eyes because we are suffering for Normalcy Bias, which is to think that drastic change will not happen in the United States. If we as American don’t wake up and make changes and demand change from Governmental and Corporate leaders, we are burnt toast. Solutions; stop mindless consumption, start cultivating urban gardens, shop local, do banking with credit unions, barter goods and services.
Pray to God, Get the democrats out of the White house, Find a job or Start a business. You live in American. Dont fall for the poision the Gov feeds you.
I am afraid this new system just won’t work. If the poor are cut off from welfare, and can’t get jobs than they will have to steal to live. I would think they won’t be stealing from other poor people, but from the wealthy people. Ok, we know this is coming, so the wealthy say we will put them in jail. These poor people are put in jail at a cost of 45k a year or more. How is paying 45k a year saving anyone any money when all we had to do is give them food stamps and a small amount of money to begin with. Ok, these people have children, so what happens is well the parents are locked away in jail they become wards of the State, which costs the State more than it cost them to begin with let alone the 45k for keeping the parent in jail. What we really need to do is make people on welfare accountable by giving them jobs even if they are cleaning the streets, or cutting grass. If they have to work for the money it will give them incentive to get jobs.
I saw this article and decided to throw this out there. I am a 20 year old, immuno compromised, CANCER SURVIVOR, mother of a 11 month old little girl who DOES NOT GET ASSISTANCE BY MY OWN CHOICE; I go to college and work two jobs, one of which is a work study position, while the other is at a grocery store called Pamida (since i was 16). I cannot tell you how pissed off i get when women who look like they just crawled out of a hole come in and use their ebt cards to buy cart loads of crap like christmas candy and pouches of frosting to feed to their already quite over weight small children. Try giving them some crackers or buying some soap for gods sake! Or those who come in looking like they just stepped out of hollywood, yet they buy a whole lot of junk with an ebt card. Here’s a hint, Less money on your clothes, more on food. I personally am kind of glad that these benefits have been cut. There are customers who have come in that have used that card for years and i have watched my tax dollars get wasted. I realize its tough to find a job and there are always exceptions to the needy and those who truley need it, but if your anything short of paralyzed and dying of cancer, you can work and dont’ need to be on assistance for years! The 4 year rule is a hell of a good idea. i’m sorry but i’m on my own and i absolutley will not take other people’s hard earned money to spend for myself. It appalls me that anyone would could think that this is ok. If they are perfectly fine but decide that even though they have low income that they want to be a stay at hom mom… i’m sorry but your a leech on society. I have a problem that means i am constantly sick, but i still work and take care of my daughter BY MYSELF, without help from my worthless family. GET OVER IT, your Can’t change this bill, any attempt at a recall will fail because i am not the only one who feels like this. We are tired of supporting society’s lazys. sorry.