primitives discuss welfare inequities

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6779831

Oh my.

FlyingSquirrel  (1000+ posts)        Thu Oct-15-09 06:00 AM
Original message
 
Somebody explain this shit to me.

My wife and I have been separated for a year. We each are raising a child from a previous marriage. We each have lost a job and are struggling to make ends meet. We each have applied for cash assistance from the state to pay rent.

Without hardly an eyeblink, they gave my wife $1,500 cash as a one-time deal - no strings attached - (as opposed to the other option of a smaller amount of cash each month, with the requirement that she spend 8 hours per day at the job center).

I went in a few days later - EXACT SAME SITUATION - and wasted an hour and a half in the office of a caseworker (probably not the same one). "Can you borrow money from anyone?" "Can you sell your vehicle?" (Ya, maybe for $200). "You should give up your business and get a job." "I'm sorry, unless you can prove that you'll be able to pay your rent and expenses after we give you assistance, we can't help you."

What the ****? Am I seeing reverse sexism here, or did I just get unlucky with caseworkers?

paulsby  (1000+ posts)      Thu Oct-15-09 06:04 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. it's not reverse sexism

the terms reverse sexism and reverse racism are nonsensical.

sexism is discrimination on account of gender.

period.

terms like reverse sexism and reverse racism imply that there is one default kind of sexism/racism. there isn't.

it certainly sounds like sexism, though.

lillypaddle  (305 posts)      Thu Oct-15-09 06:06 AM
Response to Original message
 
2. Probably some of both

Incompetent caseworker + some sexism thrown in. Sorry to hear that, is there anyway you can appeal? I hope things get better for you soon. Such a struggle, especially with kids.

elleng  (1000+ posts)        Thu Oct-15-09 06:14 AM
Response to Original message
 
3. Appeal.

Sorry. Good Luck.

ejpoeta  (1000+ posts)        Thu Oct-15-09 06:43 AM
Response to Original message
 
4. we got that treatment. that's why i get so pissed about the bailouts....

just to get food stamps or any assistance, you have to pretty much be living in a cardboard box. my husband had five shares of walmart stock but no papers for it. What would he have gotten for selling it??? after the cost of getting the papers and the cost they charge you to sell it??? not much. not enough.

I don't know why they are giving you a hard time yet your wife got the money.... i am sure they asked her similar questions.... but your situations are the same, the result should be the same.

I went in to apply for HEAP and had a lady yell at me for the bill being in my name but my not being married. she went on to tell me he'd never marry me and all this other crap. I was stunned and in tears and ended up just walkng out of there numb.... I called my boyfriend (now husband) and told him what this woman said and he called them and raised holy hell. I went back in ( i didn't want to) the next monday and got the red carpet treatment AND an apology from the woman. I swear!!

they aren't in the same boat as you, and they can't lose their jobs for nothing. And they will look at you like you are the scum of the earth. I am sorry for what you are going through. And I hope you can get some relief. Because that is just wrong.

SergeStorms  (47 posts)      Thu Oct-15-09 08:13 AM
Response to Original message

5. Males usually get the short end of the stick........

when it comes to any kind of public assistance. It goes back to the days of men being the primary breadwinner for the family, and women being homemakers. Those days are long past, but not in government bureaucracies. They still think it's the 1950s with Ozzie going to work and Harriett staying home with the boys.

It is discrimination, and you should fight it, tooth and claw. It's the only way they'll be made to understand the real changes in today's society. Good luck to you!

FSogol  (1000+ posts)        Thu Oct-15-09 08:37 AM
Response to Original message
 
6. I'm guessing the child lives with your wife?

JoeyT (40 posts)      Thu Oct-15-09 09:09 AM
Response to Reply #6
 
7. I think he meant

They each have a child from a previous marriage living with them.

Both have a child, in other words.

[TheSarge]

Welcome to the real NOW network.

Juts because you're liberal and support abortion rights and all the other Libtard Dogma...ton't think for a minute that when it comes down to crunch time...you're gonna get the same treatment on this stuff as a woman...especially if you're in a liberal state.

You're a man...therefore automatically unworth of equal treatment.

[Carl]

paulsby  (1000+ posts)      Thu Oct-15-09 06:04 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. it's not reverse sexism

the terms reverse sexism and reverse racism are nonsensical.

sexism is discrimination on account of gender.

period.

terms like reverse sexism and reverse racism imply that there is one default kind of sexism/racism. there isn't.
it certainly sounds like sexism, though

That kind of thinking isn`t allowed at the DUmp.
Remember in libthink blacks can never be racist.

[The Village Idiot]

Welcome to the real NOW network.

Juts because you're liberal and support abortion rights and all the other Libtard Dogma...ton't think for a minute that when it comes down to crunch time...you're gonna get the same treatment on this stuff as a woman...especially if you're in a liberal state.

You're a man...therefore automatically unworth of equal treatment.

How about he just man-up. If he really owns his own business why should he be on welfare? Who does he think he is? a bank or GM?

[GOBUCKS]

He is talking about himself and his WIFE. If they choose to separate, should the taxpayers be
responsible to pay rent for TWO hovels? It's bad enough that it seems to be a given we are responsible
for one of them.

[Karin]

Why are they fans of big government and the beurocracy it entails?  It's nothing but red tape and petty tyrants working for $22K a year who get their power by granting and denying largesse.  This is what they want?  The little despots do treat the citizenry like shit, and make you wait a few hours for that privilege. 

[jtyangel]

ejpoeta  (1000+ posts)        Thu Oct-15-09 06:43 AM

just to get food stamps or any assistance, you have to pretty much be living in a cardboard box. my husband had five shares of walmart stock but no papers for it. What would he have gotten for selling it??? after the cost of getting the papers and the cost they charge you to sell it??? not much. not enough.

5 shares at the current price(around 50 bucks) is 250.00! That's a lot of food.

Cost:
Schwab is one of the more 'pricey' with no more then 12.95 per trade for this type of situation
http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/investment_products/stocks
There's a good chance they might waive either that or the paperwork fee to transfer the stocks.
And you don't need 'papers', a call to the company that is the registrar for Walmart stock which is:

Corporate Information
Registrar and Transfer Agent:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
P.O. Box 43069
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3069
1-800-438-6278
TDD for hearing-impaired inside the U.S. 1-800-952-9245
Internet: http//www.computershare.com
Dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase available

Most likely his certificate is not 'lost' and is in 'book form' with the registrar. It can be easily transferred or sold at the registrar for a check.
So they would probably end up with about 225.00 after all that, like I said, that's a lot of groceries.

I went in to apply for HEAP and had a lady yell at me for the bill being in my name but my not being married. she went on to tell me he'd never marry me and all this other crap. I was stunned and in tears and ended up just walkng out of there numb.... I called my boyfriend (now husband) and told him what this woman said and he called them and raised holy hell. I went back in ( i didn't want to) the next monday and got the red carpet treatment AND an apology from the woman. I swear!!

Well, in her experience, that is probably usually the case. I'd be more likely to ask if you were reporting BOTH incomes given that you were living together, but fraud doesn't seem to be a big deal for social workers or welfare processors.

they aren't in the same boat as you, and they can't lose their jobs for nothing. And they will look at you like you are the scum of the earth. I am sorry for what you are going through. And I hope you can get some relief. Because that is just wrong.

Government workers the scum of the earth? Say it isn't so. I wonder how all those social services people vote too?  

***BTW, I found all the info for them to sell that stock with about 2 searches and 4 minutes. 

[delilahmused]

How about he just man-up. If he really owns his own business why should he be on welfare? Who does he think he is? a bank or GM?

That's the first thing I thought of. If your business is doing so poorly then just give it up, put it on hold, or do it part time and get a regular full time job until the economy picks up. His concern should be for his child not some failing business.

Cindie

[AllosaursRus]

ejpoeta  (1000+ posts)        Thu Oct-15-09 06:43 AM

5 shares at the current price(around 50 bucks) is 250.00! That's a lot of food.

Cost:
Schwab is one of the more 'pricey' with no more then 12.95 per trade for this type of situation
http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/investment_products/stocks
There's a good chance they might waive either that or the paperwork fee to transfer the stocks.
And you don't need 'papers', a call to the company that is the registrar for Walmart stock which is:

Corporate Information
Registrar and Transfer Agent:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
P.O. Box 43069
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3069
1-800-438-6278
TDD for hearing-impaired inside the U.S. 1-800-952-9245
Internet: http//www.computershare.com
Dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase available

Most likely his certificate is not 'lost' and is in 'book form' with the registrar. It can be easily transferred or sold at the registrar for a check.
So they would probably end up with about 225.00 after all that, like I said, that's a lot of groceries.

Well, in her experience, that is probably usually the case. I'd be more likely to ask if you were reporting BOTH incomes given that you were living together, but fraud doesn't seem to be a big deal for social workers or welfare processors.

Government workers the scum of the earth? Say it isn't so. I wonder how all those social services people vote too? 

***BTW, I found all the info for them to sell that stock with about 2 searches and 4 minutes. 

Uh, chances are this maroon worked for Wally World in order to have that stock. How does one get fired from Wally World? Ya's got to be a real winner to get a pink slip from Wally!

[jukin]

If you are male it is far harder to get gubment moenay.  If you are white it is far harder to get gubment moenay.

If you are a white male it is damn near impossible to get  gubment moenay.

Those are the facts.