APNewsBreak: 9,000 Mainers lose food stamps under new rules

AP ^ | March 24, 2015 | Alanna Durkin

[reviled downesdad]

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)

[proxy_user]

Most of them are probably working off the books, and so their schedules are already pretty full.

[Mr. K]

Even if one-half babysits while the other half digs ditches, there should be SOME MINIMUM work/training requirement

Preferable work, because the government ‘training’ is rarely effective too

Anyone here remember Jimmuh’ Carters worthless CETA program?

[MrB]

the best way to help "the least of these"
is to let private and religious charities help them.

Inherently, non-governmental charities will have to make sure their resources are used in the best way.

[dp0622]

yep.
All of the cabbies I talk to when I ride are on SSDI or some other form of assistance. Although to be fair, on SSDI you can make up to 800 a month.

[hinckley buzzard]

No surprise, the same thing happened in the 1995 welfare reform act which included a work/training requirement. Welfare cases were cut about in half iirc, maybe more. Then Obama removed the work requirement and welfare rolls bloomed. Now Maine is rediscovering the wheel it appears.

[dp0622]

I'll tell ya my story. 25. Driving a cab. Had a college degree in god knows what.
My aunt saw an ad for underemployed workers. 4000 bucks computer training. I showed up. Thee were four of us. O staten island. Where literally hundreds of Obama’s men are hanging around delis and bodegas drinking 40s.
Anyway I took 300 hours in Microsoft office and typing and got a word processing job then presentations specialist an then supervisor. Very good money. THAT was a good 4000 dollar investment. But most of the people in the class, I fear, were going nowhere. They wee trash, I hate to say.

[karnage]

Yes. Well said.

[karnage]

Great story. Well done.

[cyclotic]

I’d rather someone work off the books than forcing the productive taxpayers to fund their every heartbeat.

Sounds like a great program.

As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “if a man does not work he shall not eat.”

[dp0622]

Thanks :) it’s funny. I know my aunt never gave a second thought to that silly little ad she told me about and it changed my life forever. God is great.

[txrefugee]

“Anyone here remember Jimmuh’ Carters worthless CETA program?”

Better yet….did you know that the worthless Job Corp Centers that LBJ funded in his disastrous War on Poverty are STILL in operation? Every time we pass the one near San Marcos, TX, it amazes me that anyone would send their child to such a dead end place….paid for by we, the tax drones, of course.

[lee martell]

For some folks, work is a ‘four letter word’, an obscenity of enslavement not to be spoken of at home or anywhere else.

[Slyfox]

One of my sister’s friends in Michigan got on welfare after graduation because her parents were on welfare and she knew nothing else. At that time Governor Engler got his welfare/work bill passed forcing this gal off welfare. She decided to get some college and got a job. She later told my sister that having to get off welfare was the greatest thing that anyone could have done for her. I later wrote the good governor a note of thanks for working hard for that bill and told him about this gal. He really appreciated my letter.

[Mears]

” They wee trash, I hate to say.”

---

Yikes !!

That must REALLY hurt.

.

[dp0622]

I'm almost on the floor from laughter. You guys have killed me since I started posting lol. Got me at least four different times!!!
It's like a Dean Martin roast!!

[Zathras]

My story is very similar.
I was doing construction back 30 years ago.
Got smart, went back to college for Electronics.
Never thought in my wildest dreams I’d ever be this successful.

[Mears]

A sense of humor is everything,and you definitely have one.

Cheers !!!!

:-)

.

[dp0622]

I have an interview Friday. Have been home for six years after brain injury. There is NOTHING gratifying about picking up an SSDI check.
Some in the family called me a lazy moocher.
WHO goes from marking 80k a year to 2000 a month because they are lazy?!!!
It hurt but I forgave and moved on. I just want a life back.
I am glad for your sister's friend. She may have wasted her whole life.
And Kudos to you for writing that letter.

[dp0622]

that’s AWESOME. But don’t the Kenyan hear that. He doesn’t like to hear how going to school or working hard can pay off!!