Tangerine LaBamba (1000+ posts) Wed Sep-23-09 09:45 PM
Response to Reply #19
20. I really do love this stuff - my Dad worked in the Post Office - long ago - and always knew
exactly who was now getting the Black Lung pension. He took great delight in telling on them,
especially since most of them had never worked in a coal mine.
People talk. Thanks for the explanation. Everyplace is a small town, after all.
In this case, the arrogant and obnoxious, but charming, DUmmy TLB is right. Having been raised
in coal mining country, I know the black lung scheme is among the most abused and fraud-laced
federal giveaway programs ever established.
It is not a benefit extended to men who have contracted a life-threatening disease from their
employment. In fact, until it passed the widespread existence of the condition it addresses was
controversial to say the least. In practice, it is a Great Society supplemental pension for members of
the United Mine Workers. In practice, the main qualification is to prove you have worked in
a UMW job, in or out of the mine. The UMW and its staff doctors take care of everything else, and
everyone gets the benefit. If there is any whiff of an obstacle, Senator Byrd's staff takes care of
it. The normal practice is to retire and apply for Social Security, mineworkers pension, and black lung. It
is a Great Society giveaway (though I think it was finally passed under Nixon) designed to buy
the dependence and democrat votes of Appalachian whites. It worked until the democrats went
insane and started pushing queers and gun control. Now it's just a giveaway.
Tangerine LaBamba (1000+ posts) Wed Sep-23-09 09:53 PM
24. Are you kidding?
She had all that, and wanted FOOD STAMPS?
God, I love the human species. They never fail to surprise - and entertain - me.
I wonder if she knows DUmmy greenbriar was asking about shopping at a food bank. I think
it may have been before DUmmy TLB became arrogant and obnoxious, and started making
several hundred posts per day. They could have some great conversations about that.