Disability and Welfare

If the system had granted me my disability when I first asked for it years ago, I wouldn't have been in the devastating car crash that should have killed me. But their standard procedure is to make people jump through hoops first, and they don't care if you crash and burn in the meantime.

This time I got a lawyer.

It makes me mad. Too many heartless cynics who just don't know what it's like to be physically and mentally disabled. Too many hoops to jump through, too much bureaucracy, too much greed.

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originally posted by: woodwardjnr
I just wish I didn't have the disabilities and diseases in the first place, very few of us plan this for ourselves.

I hear ya

originally posted by: greencmp

originally posted by: Edumakated
Columnist Jason Riley has an excellent article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about how welfare destroyed the black family. It is the 50th anniversary of liberal Democrat Senator Daniel Moynihan's paper where he warned that the liberal welfare polices developed in the 60s would destroy the black family and have grave consequences. He was roundly criticized at the time, however, we now have 50 years of data showing he was absolutely correct.

The crux of the issue is that welfare creates disincentives by penalizing someone for working and in the case of the black family, it pushed black fathers out of the home (you can't receive benefits if you are married). The out of wedlock birth rate for blacks was only about 20% in the 60s, but now is above 70%. Welfare created the "baby mama" culture that is devastating the black community.

A fantastic interview, thanks for mentioning this.

Jason Riley - Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make it Harder for Blacks to Succeed

Great interview. He is absolutely destroying the interviewer's liberal mindset. LOL.

originally posted by: deuceawesome

originally posted by: woodwardjnr
I just wish I didn't have the disabilities and diseases in the first place, very few of us plan this for ourselves.

I hear ya

Exactly anyone would think that a life of illness and disablement is some kind of lifestyle choice. I just got back from hospital on Saturday after my 4th brain surgery in 10 Years with a recurrent brain tumour. This was after spending 4 months in rehabilitation hospital after I suffered a stroke caused by the radiotherapy I had 10 years ago leaving me partially paralysed on my left hand side. Certainly makes it harder to pull up those boot straps.

originally posted by: darkbake
I know a lot about disability. There are a lot of checks and balances and hoops to jump through for someone to become certified as disabled, and there are constant check-ups - not to mention getting the most of your benefits is something you need a lawyer for. Someone who is disabled is likely going to deserve getting the meager monthly payment because they are not able to get work easily.

These benefits come with some medical benefits as well, and some social services like counseling and a psychiatrist. In addition, there are food banks that offer food and food stamps (that are also well-regulated, despite Fox News reports on the contrary) and one can shop for clothes at Goodwill or somewhere similar - and use the public transit system instead of having a car. Last but not least, there is affordable housing (which has a long waiting list and is usually a small apartment) which allows the small budget to function, otherwise the person in question would need to be living with relatives or room-mates or on the street.

If someone gets a job on disability, then they start losing their disability money at a rate based on how much they are earning. If they earn $2000 a month or more, they will get no more disability funding. Remember, this is for someone who is not able to work, therefore once they are able to reach that point they don't need assistance anymore and will likely lose their affordable housing as well.

I think that this system is fair, because if someone is truly unable to work (and it is very hard to get certified as disabled, so unless the person is an outright con artist this is probably likely) they are likely not getting enough money to do much besides (possibly) pay their bills, but with creative spending it is okay, plus there is the possibility of a part-time job, which might be easier for the person to afford.

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So - I know a lot about disability and I think the system is fair, if not hard on the disabled person who isn't resourceful. I understand there are people on here who don't think disabled people should be fed, and these same people consider themselves Christians. It goes beyond the scope of my understanding.

What I don't understand much about is welfare. From what I gather, people were rounded up and put into projects (really compact apartment buildings) that quickly deteriorated into slums and none of them can get jobs for some reason. I am guessing that it could be related to education, and that there are barriers in the social lives of people on welfare keeping them from getting a better education, but that is only a guess.

I have also heard that welfare keeps people from getting work experience because they don't need to work.

I really don't know much about it. I know people who are on disability, and they all seem to be in fair situations, but no one who is on welfare.

Does anyone here know about the welfare system? How it works?

I've been on both. When my ex got out of the Navy on medical no one would hire him, we were forced to go on welfare. They made him work a city job doing landscaping. Plus he had to go to unemployment once a week to look for work and actively look for work in the area and show the places he went to on a card for unemployment to verify to welfare. If you do not do these things, thy stop the welfare completely. You are put on a "suspension" if you will, for 6 months to a year, at which time you can reapply and comply with the rules. But mind you, this was 20 years ago.

The same goes for disability, if you do not follow the rules and go to your appointments, do not fill out your paperwork confirming your still disabled every 6 months, have less than $2000 in your account, yadda yadda, you can get dropped from SSI. I have SSI now due to severe medical issues.

I hope this helps.

a reply to: darkbake

I'm technically disabled and should be getting money from the gov. Exactly what's the point of bringing up Christians? Plenty of atheists, Jews, Muslims, etc who don't support welfare. It goes beyond the scope of my understanding why Christians have to be dragged into every subject.

I volunteer at food kitchens in NYC and they're run by a variety of people, mostly Christians and Hindus. We don't turn anyone away, even knowing they loathe our religion while putting their hand out for more....

originally posted by: darkbake
a reply to: Battleline

That was my thought about welfare, combined with what was mentioned earlier about how it is built to keep people on it and make it nearly impossible to get off it.

I'm all for helping out the poor, too ... but there is another good point made in this thread about how black families were affected because the incentives were there for single mothers, not families... it seems like the welfare system could be fixed a little bit. But like I said in the O.P., I still don't know much about how it works... that was the reason I wrote this thread...

I think disability is handled well. SNAP benefits seem to be reasonable and I think they are useful to help a struggling individual or family.

Believe it or not though, some people on disability don't get much in terms of SNAP. I get only $700 a month in disability. I get $70 a month in food stamps. You'll love why. "I make too much money". Ain't that a pisser. So I have to rely on food banks for now until I can get on my feet more. I'm just coming out of an eviction. My last landlord evicted me because he didn't want to fix the shower. I was living in a 15 x 7 place and the shower was busted for 4 months. I was paying him $500 a month for the joy of living in a place with no shower. Being a single female, AND on disability is like having 2 strikes against you. Landlords love taking advantage of that, and they do. This one was no exception. He gave me an eviction notice Thanksgiving Day rather than fix the stinking shower! I had to rely on the county to help me find a new place because 90% of the landlords were on vacation, and the ones that weren't had no openings. Now that I was forced to move, the small meager amount I did have saved, is gone. I've gone from a fully furnished place, to non-furnished place, so now I get to completely start over with no funds, no less. And on disability, Natch!

And for those bashing the people on disability, YES, there are those that abuse the system. There will ALWAYS be someone that abuses ANY system! Anywhere! Me? I worked 3 jobs AND went to college. This is NOT where I saw myself 20 years ago. I can't help that because of a spinal surgery 30 years ago, my body is now attacking itself and breaking down. Do I wish to be 45 with the body of a 98 year old? Oh heck no! Do I want to be looking at a double hip replacement, double knee replacement, God no! Do I like the idea of a rod in my spine breaking at any moment, paralyzing me, just for walking down the street or sleeping wrong, or getting in a fender bender? No! Do I like having PTSD so severe I normally sleep with a weapon beneath my pillow unless my dog is beside me? BTW, not all disabilities are visible. That doesn't mean our bodies aren't killing us slowly just the same.

theres a difference between welfare and disability.

37 yrs old here, been disabled for 5 years now. Took me 3 years with ssd for approval all the while scraping by on what I had left and playing games with unenjoyment and workers comp. I would go in for back surgery and they would expect me looking for employment. Playing games non stop. Now before I was hurt I was at the prime of my life, 5 kids a house a well paying job. Was doing it all on my own. Fast forward to now, still have the house ( barely) feel like I am 80 even though I am only 37, need to go one more round to remove hardware that my body is rejecting, cannot even tolerate picking up my youngest child without pain. We don't qualify for snap, well we do but it's like not enough to do anything because social services says my income is too much!!! Thats for a family of 5 kids 2 adults. But enough about me. I think people are confusing ssd and ssi and the payouts are different for both. For some of the posters who are getting only 800 per month on ssi might want to look into ssd if they have the work credits. Should bump you up to 1300 a month I believe.

The literature at our local SS office states that one can get work credits up to $800 monthly before it begins to affect monthly disability payments. I was only in the workforce a little under a decade before I spent around five years homeless and in and out of impatient care facilities as a result of my illness before I was even alerted I may qualify for the program.

As such my monthly payment is exceedingly low....but I'm very grateful for it nonetheless.

One of the worst feelings in the world is feeling like a second class citizen. It's very difficult finding employment that is understanding and willing to work with me despite the nature of my condition. I don't require much outside of a smoke break if I start getting overwhelmed, but because of my diagnosis I'm perceived as a "safety risk" for a lot of folks. It's easier for them to just hire someone else, and as such, I've been out of the workforce for upwards of six years now.

I'm not giving up and exploring alternatives everyday as to how I can be a contributing member of my community. I pick up trash on the side of them main roads when possible and all sorts of "unofficial" jobs that keep our community looking well kept and friendly.

It kinda sucks going with only the basest rations of food for two weeks out of the month after all bills and considerations are paid...but on the bright side...we're learning how to stretch a dollar beyond any modern understanding of frugality. We only qualify for $15 a month in SNAP and aren't able to receive Medicaid because we "make too much money" according to State allowances.

So it goes. It's a living...(I guess).

No one is saying disability is welfare for those that are truly disabled. However, there has been an exponential growth in disability claims that correlates highly with unemployment insurance ending. The system is being abused with far too many people confusing being lazy with being disabled. Fraud in the disability system is out of control.

a reply to: Edumakated
Why is it so easy to punish workers and the sick in this country? There are abuses in all systems. Look at what happened in 2008 with the financials. No one was punished for that. No one punished the politicians for lying about Iraq to justify an invasion.

But, I guess I answered my own question. It is easy to attack the vulnerable and does not require courage.

originally posted by: Edumakated
No one is saying disability is welfare for those that are truly disabled. However, there has been an exponential growth in disability claims that correlates highly with unemployment insurance ending. The system is being abused with far too many people confusing being lazy with being disabled. Fraud in the disability system is out of control.

I'm sure it is, but it probably wouldn't be out of control if it weren't for the greed of the powerful. There is plenty of money to go around, but when it's hoarded by the powerful then people will do whatever they can. Don't blame the little guy.

👣

a reply to: Edumakated

Agreed.

Even my therapist is concerned and very vocal about the number of folks "riding the system" at our local Community Health Clinic. There is a group up there who uses it as a social club. They smoke cigarettes and just happily gab away on the outdoor patio when they aren't zoning out in group and playing "stupid".

Don't even get me started on the helicopter parents who think Little Timmy needs mental health services because he takes up school officials times trying to loophole the System because he wants to wear a hat in class and self identifies as a penguin.

On the bright side - superficial cases do help generate income to care for the more severe cases....but those people can really make group therapy a nightmare for the rest of us.

Sorry for the tangent.

a reply to: Edumakatedall systems get abused, your banking system and political system should be the target of your ire

My daughter was born missing part of her brain and is very severely disabled. Would you believe it took us EIGHT years to get her approved for disability. You know why? According to the judge her brain would grow back. He had her birthday wrong, and kept referring to my daughter as a he in the entire summation. I never knew of brains growing back, but I've been waiting for that miracle to happen for 20 years now, nope, still waiting.

I was approved within 2 years. And she is admittedly more severely disabled than I am. I'm sorry but to me missing part of your brain takes precedent over all over disability. Especially if you have to be trained to toss a ball from one hand to the other, something I'm sure almost everyone on this thread can do without thinking. We had to physically teach her how to do. She will never ride a two wheel bike, she doesn't have the body coordination for it. At the age of 19, her handwriting is that of a 2nd grader, and reading skills are that of a 4th grader and she thinks a $5 bill is a $50. But as far as SSI was concerned, she's fine. Yeah, that's why she lives in a group home and is still attending high school until she's 25, because she's "fine".

So I am service connected and have already been through my 2nd hearing the state assessor answered all of the hypothetical qusetions with no as far as hirability for individuals who are discribed with my handicaps.
Will my VA disability atler this?

a reply to: Anyafaj

😞

Wish I could give you a hug 💐

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Ok. So I did some research. Each state has a reporting system for welfare fraud. Google it. If you personally know someone who abuses the system, report them. As a healthcare worker, I was a mandatory reporter of abuse. Of course, that would require courage to act instead of bashing everyone else who needs it for real.

a reply to: Anyafaj

The system is heartless and disgusting. So tired of depraved tyrants deciding who gets what and when. They decide everything about us and rarely do the rules apply to them. If it was one of their daughters they'd make sure she'd receive all the benefits she could.