Rush Limbaugh Defends Free Government Money Programs

PR Web ^ | March 21, 2005

[housewife101]

Kensington, MD (PRWEB) March 21, 2005 -- “Free Money Man,” Matthew Lesko, (www.lesko.com) has been trying to get the New York Consumer Protection Board to stop misrepresenting government money programs. In their efforts to rid the nation of fraudulent companies who scam consumers with promises of government grants, the New York CPB has also mislead consumers about the facts concerning programs that are in place to help consumers.

In an NBC News interview on January 28, 2005, CPB Chairman, Teresa Santiago tells consumers “There is no free government money to pay your personal bills. There isn’t. That is a myth.” This statement has been proven to be 100 percent inaccurate.

The facts about government programs show that the CPB is hurting consumers by discouraging them from applying to programs that they are entitled to and statements by Rush Limbaugh on a recent show also attest to this.

On March 2, 2005 Limbaugh discussed with a caller, who works for a consumer credit counseling agency, the various ways that people with high credit debt can get free government help:

“ Besides that, for the people that are coming into your company, we got government programs. We got unemployment insurance, food stamps, aid to dependent children, Medicare, Medicaid, Section 8 housing, general welfare. We've got more government programs than anybody can probably catalog. We've got government programs people probably can't even find. People (in the government) go to work there every day, but nobody knows who they are, where they are, where the office is, but we're giving away money in this country left and right, just gotta know how to get it.” (see www.rushlimbaugh.com Rush 24/7, Wednesday March 2, 2005, How El Rushbo Escaped Debt)

Matthew Lesko, a New York Times Best Selling author, who has also written more than one hundred books on government money programs, is fighting for consumers to be aware that only 12 percent of all government handouts go to the poor and that the government’s, so called, “general welfare programs” can put money in the hands of families making up to $38,000.

Government studies show that 50 million consumers are not taking advantage of even the basic programs:

4 million senior missing out on up to $1,000 from Medicare

* 6 million families are missing out on free health insurance for their kids

* 10 million families missing out on up to $4,000 for groceries

* 800,000 College Students missing out on up to $4,050

* Single mothers leave an average of $673 per year in unclaimed child support payments

* 29 million seniors citizens don’t know that they are eligible for free medical procedures

If the Bush Administration is spending millions of dollars trying to find these 50 million people who deserve this money, why is the Pataki Administration spending government money trying to prevent these consumers from getting back their tax money in programs that are available to help their families.

[housewife101]

NOw here is a strange story. Does Matthew Lesko think that Rush is ADVOCATING getting free gov't money?? I'm confused. Anybody have Rush 24/7 that can give us the context of this discussion.

[Bigh4u2]

Rush is just stating the obvious.

It's a real stretch to think he is 'advocating' living off the government.

[teenyelliott]

Government studies show that 50 million consumers are not taking advantage of even the basic programs: 4 million senior missing out on up to $1,000 from Medicare * 6 million families are missing out on free health insurance for their kids * 10 million families missing out on up to $4,000 for groceries * 800,000 College Students missing out on up to $4,050 * Single mothers leave an average of $673 per year in unclaimed child support payments * 29 million seniors citizens don’t know that they are eligible for free medical procedures

Good. That means there are fewer people who know how to steal money from the rest of us.

[housewife101]

Good. That means there are fewer people who know how to steal money from the rest of us.

GREAT POINT!! :-)

[Military family member]

Some of what Matthew Lesko advocates is just wrong.. from example, free government grants to start businesses. Those grants go to LEDOs and local government agencies who then LEND the money to private citizens. The other programs, tax abatements, TIFF programs, CReED districts, STIFF programs, and others always require matching funds, or provide credits. Lesko suggests that anyone can simply apply for and get free money. There is no free lunch.

[b4its2late]

I went to the 24/7 site, copied and pasted "How El Rushbo Escaped Debt" and got the following response:

No entries found. Please try again.

Seems like a bogus article to me.

[housewife101]

Some of what Matthew Lesko advocates is just wrong.

Yep, I agree. That's why I find it curious that his commercials run during conservative talk shows. Seems a strange time for him to buy ads, but he is the expert! :-)

[Sybeck1]

In the flesh

[housewife101]

went to the 24/7 site, copied and pasted "How El Rushbo Escaped Debt" and got the following response: No entries found. Please try again.

That's what I was wondering...thanks so much!

[housewife101]

Looks like a man I would trust! ;-O

[Sybeck1]

Any truth he's dating the Boflex grandma?

[b4its2late]

Well, it's not a bogus article, I didn't mean that you posted a bodus article. It is posted, but it's a press release from that Lesko guy. His commercials drive me nuts.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

He always did remind me of a cross between Ben Stein's evil twin and the Riddler.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Reminds me of a parody I saw once (on MAD TV?) that was accurate down to the last detail. "It's all free!"

[johnb838]

I hear Planned Parenthood ads during Hannity, so I don't suppose it's THAT much of a stretch.

[soundandvision]

When I was young and I didn't understand 'taxation without representaion' and 'original intent' of the Constitution Matthew Lesko's ads always seemed to make sense to me; champion of the little guy.

Now, I'm glad to know that most people don't know how to 'take advantage' of Gov't grants/loans, etc. That's fewer people that know how easy it is to steal from their fellow citizens...money that they would never ask for in person but they will gladly elect a politician to steal for them.

[Ragnorak]

Listening to the archive now (hard to follow and laugh at the same time.)

The discussion is about bankruptcy. Caller is saying that Credit Card Debt is "Survivor Mode Debt." Credit Card Companies make it impossible to pay back debt so it isn't the fault of the people in debt it is the Credit Card Company's fault. They need to put food on the table.

Rush runs off the list of government programs as part of refuting the notion that people "have no other option." It is just the furthest thing from an endorsement of these programs. It also comes at the end of the call as a side point and isn't even the point. I think Lesko was just impressed by how fast Rush was able to rattle off the list of programs.

[b4its2late]

I remember hearing that show. Me thinks this Lesko guy is simply trying to get some publicity if his "press release" gets picked up somewhere.....

[discostu]

It's a great time to buy ads, I know I'm always tempted to get his books not to apply to the programs but to have some fodder for letters to my congressman. From a fiscal conservative standpoint his books are a laundry list of things we're against.

[Military family member]

I publish a monthly business publication, and routinely write about small business finance. I have not found any free money programs anywhere, nor have any of the hundreds of people with whom I regularly converse on this subject.

Many small business owners are conservatives and Republicans. Check out the NFIB, which was instrumental in getting Mitch Daniels elected governor of Indiana

[timtoews5292004]

Me thinks this Lesko guy is simply trying to get some publicity if his "press release" gets picked up somewhere.....

It worked. Dropping Limbaugh's name in the press release got him on FreeRepublic.

[blackie]

I turn him and his goofy commericals off as soon as he shows up ~ what a first class jerk!

[Niteranger68]

The ACLU supports the protection of Rush's medical records but that sure doesn't mean Rush supports their platform. The same thing goes here. Rush was only pointing out what is available AFTER someone has fallen into a financial hole. His comments were taken a bit out of context.

[b4its2late]

You're right. And this has been a hot place over the last few months....

[housewife101]

Well, it's not a bogus article, I didn't mean that you posted a bodus article. It is posted, but it's a press release from that Lesko guy. His commercials drive me nuts.

Yeah, I know what you meant-Lesko posted a bogus quote-which is what I thought.

YES!!!! His commercials do DRIVE ME NUTS!

[Rakkasan1]

I can't stand that guy. sounds like a trial lawyer on crack.

[Rmewife07]

When i was very young my mom would talk about federal grants that you could get for all sorts of things. These stories she had learned from my grandfather. Unfortunately he passed away when i was 8 so i can’t question him on what he knows, doesn't’t know or thought he knew.
I will tell you though that as a military spouse I have had people tell us to apply for food stamps because of how little money we have coming into our household. I think some of this info people have is very outdated because since the welfare reform of the mid 1990’s it’s harder and harder to get help for your family even if you truly need it. Some of the comments about say child support are accurate. Alot of people don’t push having there state go after an absent parent for due child support. In my previous home state of Oregon the district attorney’s office and the division of child support work together to get owed child support. I receive no state aid and they do this for me for free. Which is nice because my ex-husband owes over 12k and has to be garnished just to get the kids current payments. I also filled out a packet last year to have him reviewed (his court order was originally from 1995).
another comment in the info-mercial has to do with Earned Income Tax credit. If you have a qualifying income and meet the criteria with or without children you can get it advanced into your paycheck or in one lump sum at tax time. and as of the last tax season they bumped up the annual income to somewhere close to 38k.
another free service that some people don’t know about is filing your taxes. many people who have simple taxes to file spent WAY to much money to go to say H & R block or other companies. There is such a thing called Freedom from tax (google it sometime) and if you make less then a certain amount of money you can file your taxes online say through turbo tax or intuit for free. since the tax season 1999 I have only had to pay once because my income exceeded the free level. I am now a military spouse and it’s now free no matter our income level. That doesn't’t always include state filing because some states don’t except electronic filing yet. And again some of what he is telling us is true. like with school. There are need based grants, federal work study and other ways to pay for school with out paying back a dime. That is also something that has been hotly debated because secondary schools are so expensive.

[WKB]

watch list