Life gets harder with welfare cuts - the gimme girls complaining again

Saturday, July 20, 2002 -- It's 11:06 pm. I've finally gotten my two girls to bed. Now, it's time to clean up my tiny Amherst apartment and unwind. It's a normal day in the life of a single mom. But I'm more than just "mommy" to my two girls - I'm also a full time student and recipient of welfare benefits. Oh, the horror and shame of it!

Once, the word "welfare" was only whispered while pointed looks were exchanged. Now, it seems, people in need are at the tip of a pointed sword. Budget cuts are jeopardizing the transitional assistance office at the Silk Mill in Florence.

While this is "the bottom line" for politicians in Boston, it means disaster for many of us.

During the course of my studies, I was told that the federal budget allocated less than half of one percent to "welfare" assistance programs while defense program spending equaled more than 48 percent. The welfare system was put into place as a stepping stone to help citizens in need build better lives and become more educated, more qualified and better able to provide for themselves and their families. And yet, budget cuts coming down the pike are forcing families and individuals farther across the Connecticut River, many of us carless and unable to afford the time and money the trip demands.

Here's a scenario: You're a mom with three kids, all under the age of 5. You live in North Amherst and you have a 2:30 appointment in Holyoke. You don't have a car, so you have to get all three kids on more than a few buses to the welfare office and back. You have to get up, get dressed, get them fed, make sure you pack enough diversions and snacks, and possibly lunches, to last until you get home, and in order to arrive on time you have to leave by no later than 9 a.m. You have to switch buses. You have to wait when you get there, and if you can't get to your appointment within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, you will have to reschedule and do it all over again. Why don't they just move all the offices to Boston? Or better yet, Washington? Or cancel welfare altogether? They're certainly not making it any easier.

A few years ago, the pet phrase of our politicians was "welfare reform." This is what welfare reform did to me. I had just begun my higher education and was ending my marriage. I couldn't afford books and my ex-husband, who moved out, wanted to spend as much time as possible with our daughter. We came to a mutual agreement - he babysat while I completed my assignments with the books on reserve at the library. The welfare powers-that-be sent caseworkers to my home and interrogated my neighbors, not believing what I had reported. My neighbors told them, truthfully but incompletely, that they saw my ex-husband at my apartment on a regular basis. My caseworker froze my case entirely, nearly resulting in my eviction and expulsion from school, despite the avalanche of verification paperwork I'm required to submit on a monthly basis.

The majority of people on welfare are struggling to survive, and we are often viewed quite negatively, despite the fact that we lack power to do any significant damage to the system.

And now, the phrase la mode is "budget cuts". What is there left to cut? Why force these few families across the river instead of simply moving the office to a more inexpensive location? Why is it necessary to make the situation more complex than it needs to be? Why not create a council of recipients and administrators? The administrators have no idea what is needed, and recipients have no voice. What we need is simple: 24-hour day care. This would employ several hundred people in day care alone. It would enable mothers and fathers to work in light industry and medical fields, especially during shifts when pay rates may be higher. Allow students at four-year schools pursuing degrees in sectors that are needed by the state to get the assistance they need. Our state is in need of teachers and nurses, yet I can't get financial assistance with child care because the state does not support four-year education. If I wanted to go to a two-year school to be a hairdresser, great. On the other hand, is this a stable career that can support a family while providing dental and medical benefits?

So, now my living room is tidy, I've set my alarm for tomorrow and I have to call my caseworker and congressional representative again. I want my voice to be heard. I'm poor, but I'm not lazy, I'm not stupid and I'm definitely not quiet.

Allow students at four-year schools pursuing degrees in sectors that are needed by the state to get the assistance they need. Our state is in need of teachers and nurses, yet I can't get financial assistance with child care because the state does not support four-year education.

I've been working since I was 16 and have never received a penny of government assistance and never went to a four-year college. This "gimme" mindset is infuriating. The world does not owe her a living and if she popped out three kids at an early age before she was financially able to support them, that's her problem to deal with. If we are going to reduce the number of kids being born out of wedlock, we have to stop rewarding people for having them.

This woman is complaining about having to pack up her kids and "find diversions and snacks" for them while she travels with them from place to place. Well welcome to the wonderful world of child-raising. My wife and I have had to deal with this for 13 years now - and work a fulltime job in between. We often don't have dinner until 7 or 8PM because we are so busy after work dealing with their after-school activities such as music lessons, Little League, etc.) But we don't whine and complain like this broad. We just do it and consider ourselves fortunate that the kids are turning out okay.

In most (if not all state) child support collected for a mother on welfare does not go to her or to the children but to the state to "re-pay" the cost of welfare. Some states give a pittance of the CS to the parent, usually $50.00.

When my husband's first wife left him to move to Texas with another man she filed for welfare benefits even though she was receiving support monthly (at $850/mnth) plus had full insurance for the kids. He was military at the time and had his ex-wife on allotment for the child support.

When she filed, she claimed she was receiving no support of any kind. Without the state checking if this was true or not and without notice, they attached my husband's paychecks for an additional $800/mnth. Luckily my husband was able to prove his child support payments, though it took him almost 6 months to do so. In that time he had his car repossessed, was evicted from the townhouse he was renting. Since his payments to her were through allotment it took months to stop them, plus the state was taking an additional $800 - he was literally left with less then $200 a month to live on.

The state found she had commited welfare fraud but to this day has not demanded she repay either the state or my husband for the double money she received during this time. She also never spent a single day in jail for fraud. As a side note, my husband was never refunded to double payments either, the state kept it to repay them for her fraud.

During the course of my studies, I was told that the federal budget allocated less than half of one percent to "welfare" assistance programs while defense program spending equaled more than 48 percent

Did the course of your "studies" also cover the Constitution of the United States, which mandates the Federal Government to protect the citizens of it, it's soil and it's borders? Odd, I don't seem to recall reading anything about one US citizen being entitled to having the US Government take someone else's money under the threat of prison, and giving it to them.

And yet, budget cuts coming down the pike are forcing families and individuals farther across the Connecticut River, many of us carless and unable to afford the time and money the trip demands.

Well, I'd like to have a mansion in Beverly Hills too (and piss off my liberal neighbors) but guess what, I'm not entitled to it. You have to EARN it. And, perhaps it's time for you to reflect on why you're carless, or can't afford the trip. Perhaps poor decisions made on your part in your life? Why is this the rest of America's fault?

You have to wait when you get there, and if you can't get to your appointment within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, you will have to reschedule and do it all over again.

And, if the offices allowed people hours late to just pop in whenever, I suspect she'd be screaming about that. Guess what toots, it's called being responsible. If it's that important to you, you'll be there on time. If not, then it couldn't have been that important.

Or cancel welfare altogether?

Bingo!

I couldn't afford books and my ex-husband, who moved out, wanted to spend as much time as possible with our daughter.

Child support? Alimony?

This is what welfare reform did to me. I had just begun my higher education and was ending my marriage.

And this is every other American citizens responsibility how?

despite the fact that we lack power to do any significant damage to the system.

You do damage to every working American's paycheck, everytime they get paid. And they don't have a choice about it.

Why force these few families across the river instead of simply moving the office to a more inexpensive location?

I'd like to see the welfare numbers for the region to see what this woman's interpretation of "these few" is.

Why not create a council of recipients and administrators?

Full of idea's, I see, as long as someone else has to pick up the tab.

What we need is simple: 24-hour day care.

If you can't afford daycare, and can't afford to stay home with your own children, then why did you get divorced or have them? Once again, explain to me again why this is every other American's responsibility to pay for, while you pay nothing.

This would employ several hundred people in day care alone.

Who are paid by the taxpayer, who have the money taken from them by force.

It would enable mothers and fathers to work in light industry and medical fields, especially during shifts when pay rates may be higher

Going to school and keeping your life in order does that too. Making willing choices that puts that in jeapordy quickly eliminates that ability.

students at four-year schools pursuing degrees in sectors that are needed by the state to get the assistance they need.

More lovely idea's of spending even more of the taxpayers money, while contributing nothing. Is this fair to the student who not only has to pay their own way, but works to do it and gets stuck footing your tab as well via taxes?

Our state is in need of teachers and nurses, yet I can't get financial assistance with child care because the state does not support four-year education.

Your decision to have them, then get divorced (and I saw nothing about child support or alimony). Your choice, live with it.

On the other hand, is this a stable career that can support a family while providing dental and medical benefits?

Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm certain those people who hold such jobs as WORKING American's fully understand that such a job is below such a ranking member of royalty such as yourself. Please forgive us for making such an assumption. /sarcasm.

I've set my alarm for tomorrow and I have to call my caseworker and congressional representative again.

You don't have time to make it to an appointment, but you've got time to complain to your rep in congress for more free handouts? I guess we see where the priorities are.

You have to get up, get dressed, get them fed, make sure you pack enough diversions and snacks, and possibly lunches, to last until you get home, and in order to arrive on time you have to leave by no later than 9 a.m.

Do you think it ever occurs to L'il Ms. Welfare Queen that the rest of us have to do all that AND pay for her irresponsible butt?

Out the door by 9am. I should be so lucky.

Out by 9 to make a 2:30 appointment? Why do liberals think lying makes their point more valid? What does this lady do, wait an hour for the bus that takes her one block for a transfer cause she's too lazy to walk the block?

Our state is in need of teachers and nurses, yet I can't get financial assistance with child care because the state does not support four-year education.

The NEA absolutely drools to get dippy, empty-headed liberals (yes I realize there is considerable redundancy in phrase) into their union. She should check with them to se if they'll pony up some $$.

Our state is in need of teachers and nurses, yet I can't get financial assistance with child care because the state does not support four-year education. If I wanted to go to a two-year school to be a hairdresser, great.

She's right about this being stupid, but totally as to why.

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