I'm perplexed...

[kansashat]

A little background info here. Recently an elderly neighbor on the corner to the north of my house, two doors up, passed away.

Her children, I assume, moved into the house. They have several children & several vehicles (decent cars & trucks).

They have thrown a loud party, throw trash (cups) in the yard, the man kicked his dog the other day in the front yard, etc.

Today, after I had gone to work, my doorbell rang & a guy selling steaks, (probably a meat scam of some kind), tried to sell my wife a box of Omaha Steaks (he had an Omaha Steaks logoed truck, but I don't think they ship in this way). He claimed that the lady on the corner ordered 2 boxes of Omaha Steaks & tried to pay for the steaks with a State Vision Visa card (welfare).
The card was refused, so he had 2 boxes of steaks that he had to unload. He agressively tried to sell the steaks to my wife, saying he would take cash, credit card, check, or Kansas State Vision card. She wisely refused.

Here's what bothers me. Are there actually people out there who can buy steaks (scammers or not) on welfare? WTF!!!! How can our system be so lax as to allow abuses like this?

Another one that bothers me...the girl that cleans my mother-in-law's house has a cash based cleaning business. Her husband goes to college & doesn't work. They live in a beautiful home that her grandmother provides rent free. They have a ski boat that they take to the lake on weekends. They drive nice cars. They have one child & they get welfare benefits. She has girls that work under her that work at a $17 hr rate, but only get paid $9 an hour.

I have a part time gig where I deliver meals on wheels to old ppl who really need the service & most of them pay $3.50 a meal for them. I go to my real job 90 minutes after I get off from this job. I feel humbled & honored to be able to work this public service job for minimum wage.

I guess I just don't get what the bloody hell is going on in this country.

[icehog3]

I've seen receipts for live lobsters and filet mignon paid for with welfare, Alan. And see abuses of the system every week on my job. System is broke, but I will leave it at that since I can't get political on CA.

[kansashat]

Thanks for the answer Tom. Didn't realize this was really a political question as I'm not throwing rocks at either political party, as this crap seems to have been going on for some time under both parties. Sorry if I've skirted the boundaries here.

I guess I'm dis-illusioned as there are ppl in real need that may end up losing out because of the dirtbags that have polluted the system. Agggghhhh!

Hey! How about those Cardinals! LOL

[icehog3]

I couldn't agree with you more, Alan.

[G G]

:tu

[BeerAdvocate]

I have been in line at the grocery store where the person in front of me is getting steak and other premium grocerys and the pay for it all using their Vision card. Meanwhile I have to set a budget when I grocery shop. Steak is rare for. It helps that I enjoy hunting!

[Ogre]

I agree. There is abuse of the system country wide.

[Genetic Defect]

I agree. There is abuse of the system country wide.

Agree with this and everything else in this thread.

[mahtofire14]

The welfare system is majorly abused. There doesn't seem to be any regulations on these things anymore. I was in the grocery store about a year ago, watched a lady pay for a $120 bill with food stamps, then went out after paying for my food, with my hard earned cash, only to see the same woman loading her groceries in her year old Escalade.

[Blueface]

I remember many years ago when I was a teen working in the heart of Newark, NJ, at a fruit and vegetable store on a very popular stretch of street known for two blocks of side by side outdoor markets, on Mulberry St.
Our busiest times were always the first of the month when stamps were distributed.
The ones that ticked me off are those I saw selling their stamps at half price, then going across the street to the liquor store and stocking up on Thunderbird.

[icehog3]

We have some Section 8 housing in town, some paying well under $100 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment... the lot is filled with Cadillac, Lexus and other high end SUVs.

[hotreds]

Yup- kinda like all those people getting food stamps complaining via twitter that the system was down using their smart phones!

[MarkinAZ]

We have some Section 8 housing in town, some paying well under $100 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment... the lot is filled with Cadillac, Lexus and other high end SUVs.

I'm shure the vehicles were secured with "legally" obtained currency Tom;)

[pektel]

The system is definitely being abused.

I think it stems from the pussification of America. Everyone's a winner. No score at children's sporting events. No more conventional grading system. No one can say anything that could remotely hurt another person's feelings, no matter how honest the statement may be. It has grown to the point where these people actually feel ENTITLED to use the system this way. No one is able to straight out "call it like they see it" without some type of backlash about insensitivity.

Hopefully that didn't cross any lines. I tried to leave any political crap out of it. If for some reason someone thinks it's political in nature, than mods can feel free to delete/modify my post.

[mahtofire14]

The system is definitely being abused.

I think it stems from the pussification of America. Everyone's a winner. No score at children's sporting events. No more conventional grading system. No one can say anything that could remotely hurt another person's feelings, no matter how honest the statement may be. It has grown to the point where these people actually feel ENTITLED to use the system this way. No one is able to straight out "call it like they see it" without some type of backlash about insensitivity.

Hopefully that didn't cross any lines. I tried to leave any political crap out of it. If for some reason someone thinks it's political in nature, than mods can feel free to delete/modify my post.

I think you hit the nail on the head, especially regarding our state.....

[the nub]

I'm sure there is abuse in any system. I've learned over the last little while that it's best not to judge someone without knowing their situation. It's easy to misinterpret what you see.

For example- not sure what the requirements are in the US- but in Canada you're not expected to sell off your material possessions when you are on welfare. So if you have leased a brand new car, lose your job and 1 year later you are on welfare...guess what? You still have a pretty much brand new car. Same goes for you clothes and everything else.

I used to have the same opinion about people who wore designer clothes to the food bank. Until you listen to their story you don't know. And if you think you do, then you really have no clue.

[czerbe]

This kind of stuff makes me want to :pu

[pnoon]

I'm sure there is abuse in any system. I've learned over the last little while that it's best not to judge someone without knowing their situation. It's easy to misinterpret what you see.

For example- not sure what the requirements are in the US- but in Canada you're not expected to sell off your material possessions when you are on welfare. So if you have leased a brand new car, lose your job and 1 year later you are on welfare...guess what? You still have a pretty much brand new car. Same goes for you clothes and everything else.

I used to have the same opinion about people who wore designer clothes to the food bank. Until you listen to their story you don't know. And if you think you do, then you really have no clue.

Wise words.

I think I tend to draw conclusions much like the rest of society. Is there a lot of abuse? Sure. But there is a lot an observer doesn't know.

[357]

I'm sure there is abuse in any system. I've learned over the last little while that it's best not to judge someone without knowing their situation. It's easy to misinterpret what you see.

For example- not sure what the requirements are in the US- but in Canada you're not expected to sell off your material possessions when you are on welfare. So if you have leased a brand new car, lose your job and 1 year later you are on welfare...guess what? You still have a pretty much brand new car. Same goes for you clothes and everything else.

I used to have the same opinion about people who wore designer clothes to the food bank. Until you listen to their story you don't know. And if you think you do, then you really have no clue.

While true, we can't judge a book by its cover, it appears that there are so many of these books and all have SCAM written on the cover in capital letters.

I saw similar things before I moved to the country. It was the stereotypical situation. Family behind us in line at the grocery store. Mom has cart full of steaks, ribs, along with other groceries and she pays with EBT/Bridge card (welfare). Dad has a second cart full of beer, booze, and cartons of cigarettes. He pays with cash. Both roll out and get into dad's brand new $60,000+ Cadillac Escalade.

I later learned how they do it. Mom and Dad hook up and have some kids but never get married. Dad keeps his legal address at his mom's or other relative's house. Mom doesn't work or works under the table, claims the kids have no father to support them and files for gov assisted housing, WIC, welfare, food stamps, the whole shebang. Dad lives with them like any normal family but his normal job doesn't have to cover food, shelter, or basics for mom and kids. So, he can spend legit money on fancy rides, designer clothes, etc.

The problem is people who are not trying to take advantage of the system are barely getting by. Most Americans live check to check, me included. I go without most luxuries to get by. I've never bought a new car. I rent the house I live in. My wife's care is 12 years old, has 180K miles, and I can't fit my entire family (4 kids) in either one of our vehicles. I can't afford nice cars, nice clothes, or most luxuries. I'm not complaining because I consider myself blessed. I am very happy, but I know many people who live on less and struggle more than I ever have. When they see this kind of scamming going on it rubs them the wrong way because it's OUR money they are stealing. The real truth is the government has no money of its own. All gov money is really OUR money; the tax payers.

I get you're not expected to sell off possesions prior to receiving gov assistance but if you have a new car, you likely have a new car payment that you shouldn't be able to maintain on gov assistance. So, it shouldn't be common to see people with new cars using gov money to buy things.

Similarly, in Michigan, they recently found it necessary to force the owners of the ATMs in Detroit's 3 casinos, NOT to accept EBT/Bridge cards. All too often the bridge card sits next to the casino frequent "flyer" card in people's wallet.

Sorry for the long rant. I tried not to be political either. I know the rules here and I'm trying to obey them. I guess the big issue is a lack of personal accountability in our country.

[dave]

Years ago when I lived in CT, where there was a bottle deposit, I'd routinely see people outside the grocery store dumping water and soda into the gutter. Turns out they were buying with food stamps and returning empties for cash. Unfnbelievable

[blugill]

While I was working at Walmart I can attest to the fact that lots of the new working poor are on EBT. Most of my former coworkers were on EBT as they weren't making enough to live on. I saw a couple I'm friends with also on EBT.
He works two part time jobs and I know he'd take a third if there were that many hours in the day.

They have an autistic son and my friend's wife is going to college full time to be a teacher.

To me this is what the program is for. People that are working and need a helping hand.
I'm fully aware of the fraudulent side of things as well, like when I drive home from work and by the DHS office and see the cars that are way nicer than my 2001 Tahoe.

[pektel]

While I was working at Walmart I can attest to the fact that lots of the new working poor are on EBT. Most of my former coworkers were on EBT as they weren't making enough to live on. I saw a couple I'm friends with also on EBT.
He works two part time jobs and I know he'd take a third if there were that many hours in the day.

They have an autistic son and my friend's wife is going to college full time to be a teacher.

To me this is what the program is for. People that are working and need a helping hand.
I'm fully aware of the fraudulent side of things as well, like when I drive home from work and by the DHS office and see the cars that are way nicer than my 2001 Tahoe.

Exactly my sentiments. There are people out there who honestly need the programs, and with that I have no problem helping out monetarily.

The problem is with others defrauding government programs. We want everyone to be morally sound, and ethical when using these programs. But I fear that as long as there is a way to manipulate the system, there will be those that do.

[Commander Quan]

Earlier this year there was a big hoopla about people using the ebt cards to get cash out of the ATMs at t!tty bars.

[the nub]

Earlier this year there was a big hoopla about people using the ebt cards to get cash out of the ATMs at t!tty bars.

that's crazy! do you know how much the transaction fees are for those?!?!

[galaga]

There are transaction fees at the titty bars???

Guess I have gone in awhile......;)

[Blinky]

I'm In mass and they are finding millions in fraud with ebt. Mass also has some of the highest payouts in the us. It's not uncommon for people to be getting 50k plus annually. Mind you these are people that have never worked so its not based on their income from previous jobs. People here have been found using dead relatives socials to get additional benefits. My sister has 2 kids and works full time and struggles. She lost 20 bucks on the train this morning and it makes a big difference to her..lguess what? She doesn't qualify for anything...luckily she has a great support system (family) or else shed be in really bad shape.