Why tens of thousands of America’s poorest people just lost their food stamps

[Lodestar]

Source: WP

As many as 1 million Americans will stop receiving food stamps over the course of this year beginning on Friday, the consequence of a controversial work mandate that has been reinstated in 22 states as the economy improves.

The 20-year-old rule — which was suspended in many states during the economic recession — requires that adults without children or disabilities must have a job in order to receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for more than three months, with some exceptions. Many states have begun to reimpose the federal rule as the economy recovers, with the largest group reviving it at the beginning of this year. As a result, many recipients' three-month limit expires today, April 1.

The change has reignited a fierce debate between conservative leaders, who say waiving the mandate discourages people from working, and their liberal counterparts, who say the three-month time limit ignores the reality that jobs are still hard to come by for low-skilled workers.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who helped author the work requirement as a U.S. congressman in 1996, is among the conservative politicians arguing that able-bodied adults should not receive SNAP benefits if they are not working. At the end of 2013, Kasich decided not to request an extension of the statewide waiver of the work mandate, enforcing the rule in all but its most economically depressed, rural counties.

A spokesman for Kasich, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said reinstating the requirement would prod people to seek work in the improving economy.

“These are, again, adults — no dependents, physically and mentally capable of working,” said Rob Nichols, a spokesman for Kasich’s presidential campaign, in a recent interview. “Just as much as we believe in the social safety net, we also believe it’s a sin not to help oneself.”

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/why-tens-of-thousands-of-america%E2%80%99s-poorest-people-just-lost-their-food-stamps/ar-BBreajV?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

[Uponthegears]

1. 1996, hmmmm

I think I remember the president at that time proudly holding out that welfare reform bill as one of the major accomplishments of his presidency.

Who was that guy anyway?

[RATM435]

3. Who was that guy.

[JDPriestly]

4. 1996. Good question. Who in the world agreed to such a horrible rule? And was he married?

Who was his wife? What was her name now? What ever happened to her?

We have a friend whose son is justpeople what you would call "eccentric." He is kind of a hermit. He has a house left to him by his family, and his sister makes sure his property taxes are paid, but he does not work and would never be hired by anyone because he is just eccentric.

He relies on food stamps because he doesn't have an income.

There are many people like him with various conditions that psychologists can name but most of us would just describe as "strange" or misfits. This law means that only those who are employable get to eat. But who decides who gets a job?

The system assumes that because we are equal in the eyes of God, we can all function at the same capacity. That is false. Most people want to work. Not all are employable.

This bill and Kasich are completely lacking in humanity and compassion. It isn't really about the money. It is simply about getting a sadistic pleasure from the suffering of people who are "different."

Kasich should be called out for this.

And he should be reminded of the saying, "There but for the grace of God go I."

Some of us have been so blessed and are so lucky. Why should we be so stingy with those who have not had our good fortune?

Kasich is one of the stingy. And the Clintons? Was deforming welfare really such an achievement? Not for me.

[DhhD]

10. Expanded Medicaid could care for persons having no job. Doctors can determine if a person

Doctors can determine if a person is unable to work or unable to do substantial work due to mild, moderate, or severe disability, physical, mental or both.

The state workforce commission can also do aptitude testing, with family members present to take notes. Can the workforce place the person in appropriate work and work environment; that includes transportation?

Anyone can apply for Social Security Disability Benefits. It provides for a free physical. Medicare takes up to 5 months for a decision; so apply for Medicare at the same time. Below is an online application.

https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/apply.html

[JDPriestly]

13. Great for people who have physical disabilities.

But I worked on a homeless project for years.

There simply are a lot of people who might have worked as farm hands in days of yore, but who are social misfits and simply cannot work in a modern workplace.

They are often reclusive, quiet people you would not notice.

They would not qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits.

Lack of compassion in our society. And Medicaid helps with health needs but does not feed people as far as I know. Do you have a link showing that it does?

[jwirr]

25. You just described the people who are often most vulnerable

We all know them - they are the ones no one WILL hire. They are the ones no one WANTS around.

[JDPriestly]

27. Right. I have wondered whether some of them might qualify as severely autistic.

Autism was not recognized when I was growing up. I think my friend's son may be autistic. He is very kind and quiet and sweet really. My husband gets along with him well. If you see him, you think he is a hippy but he isn't. He is just who he is. And probably unemployable.

A lack of compassion is a very sad thing. It is a way of expressing ingratitude for one's own good fortune.

[jwirr]

33. When I wrote that I was thinking about one of my best friends.

She was an over weight child who did not have many friends because she was so different and then she married a man just like her. Neither of them were hired regardless of all the applications they put in. And this was in a small town where compassion would have not hurt anyone.

And I had not thought of it as autism then but now that you say this it may very well have been the case for both of them. They just never fit in.

[Blanks]

35. As a parent of autistic adults...

I think a lot of autistic people can be taught to work and hold down a job, but the training and constant intervention to help autistic persons get and keep a job would probably be more costly to the government than just feeding them and training them to take care of themselves and their private areas.

I'd rather see the government develop competent training and intervention programs, but I think the powers that be would prefer to pretend that they don't exist at all.

[JDPriestly]

43. I agree although I don't know as much as you do about autism.

[jwirr]

44. Exactly.

[Scootaloo]

41. Dinocrats are social darwinists

[jwirr]

46. +1

[Jitter65]

20. "Clintons?" I thought Hillary was FLOTUS then?

It really is slimy to hang everything Bill signed onto around her neck. Cheap shots...all.

[JDPriestly]

21. Hillary served only four years as Secretary of State and eight years at most in Congress.

That is not much experience for a presidential candidate -- unless you include as experience her time as FLOTUS.

From what I can tell, she counts her time as FLOTUS when it is convenient but doesn't want it counted when it is embarrassing. She can't have it both ways.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton

[Scootaloo]

42. She claims being first lady among her credentials

And so far as I know, hasn't denounced the nasty neoliberal shit of her husband's administration

[wendylaroux]

32. yes,and this country has a lot of these types.

and honest to God,who in the fuck, thinks it's ok to not give food to a hungry person? no
matter what their story is? gd assholes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mpcamb]

47. Hmmmm 20 years.... Lemme do the math...

1996 Who capitulated to the R's that year???

"The 20-year-old rule — which was suspended in many states during the economic recession — requires that adults without children or disabilities must have a job in order to receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program..."

Ah, Reaganomics, the trickle down promise.... Didn't work then, doesn't work now.

[99th_Monkey]

2. Starving the very poor, the very ones who most need it.

beyond heartless & despicable.

[jwirr]

24. You are correct those without children or dependents are the

ones who cannot get any other source of assistance. Food stamps is all they have.

[LiberalElite]

26. while they scream about being "Christians"

somewhere Jesus is saying "I got crucified for THIS?"

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. Clinton welfare 'reform' strikes again

[jwirr]

23. Exactly.

[LiberalElite]

30. and all that time he was in office

I and a good friend who was more into politics and thus more up on things than I was - we both wondered what the hell was going on with the Democrats? Then, bamboozled by Bubba as we were, we voted for Clinton a second time. We were just two of the liberals who were deserted by the Democratic Party. I still remember the exodus of left-leaning Democrats stating "I'm not a liberal". Just about the only one who stood firm was Ted Kennedy, R.I.P.

[jwirr]

34. You and your friend are not by any means the only ones

bamboozled - we are in a long line. But not this time.

[LiberalElite]

36. I know - we were just 2

but I didnt' realize what was behind all that till I came to DU. I dont' know how I found this place, imperfect that it is especially in primary time. Nope I'm eyes wide open now. (My friend died a few years ago - ovarian cancer.)

[jwirr]

37. Sorry about your friend.

[LiberalElite]

39. Thank you. nt

[StevieM]

6. It's disgusting that Kasich sets up one set of rules for urban voters and another set off rules

for rural voters. It really speaks to his character, or lack thereof.

[questionseverything]

53. what is disgusting is bill clinton signed this into law, with hillary cheering all the way

n/t

[pinebox]

7. This is something which should be a big convo starter for Bernie

He needs to come out and start screaming about this. It would seriously hurt Hillary

[Tobin S.]

8. Kasich's good ol' boy down home personality deceives some people I think.

He's the same GOP monstrosity as the rest of them- with a happy face.

[classykaren]

16. And a little more polite than Trump eats his pizza with a fork and knive.

[Downwinder]

9. Who gets the money from Food Stamps? The poor don't

see any cash. That might be why Walmart closed a bunch of stores.

[DhhD]

11. Must agree. They can surly calculate their loss of business.

[some guy]

12. Why . . .

Because we're a Fascist Empire in decline and are only interested in waging our global war of terror. Malignant neglect is simply a more subtle form of terror.

[SHRED]

14. "...a sin..."

And these assholes are going to determine who the "sinners" are?

How very Xtian of them.

[maindawg]

15. Hmm

Lots of people make their money by their own means. They work flea markets, play music, do odd jobs, they have misseleneous income. Does that count as a job ?
Oh well figures kasic was the guy who led the charge in the war on poor people. Kasic is the real evil that Trump is portraying so garishly and kasic is the most dangerous Rethugs in the bunch. He is very cunning. He's a snake in the grass. Always dreaming up new ways to attack poor people.

[TexasBushwhacker]

18. Do they report their income to the IRS?

I realize they probably don't make enough to pay income tax, but technically they are self employed and should be paying Social Security and Medicare taxes on their first dollar. That's just the way it works.

[LiberalElite]

38. I gotta say that I'm way more concerned

about the corporations that pay exactly $0.00 in taxes. Also the ones leaving the country to avoid taxes. Lookin' at you, Pfizer.

[TexasBushwhacker]

40. I am as well

But working for cash and not reporting income can bite you in the ass. For one thing, when you retire, there is no Social Security. If you become disabled, there is no disability. If you're lucky you can get SSI, but that's only $800 a month.

I met a man at the unemployment office. He worked for decades as a ranch hand for cash. He hurt his back and the man he worked for died. So he could work as a ranch hand any more and he had no references. He was in his late 40s. Who is going to hire someone like that?

[LiberalElite]

45. That is true - no reporting = no record = no benefits

My longtime self-employed 69-yr-old hairdresser prefers cash. But then, i've learned from him over the years - he has money from his parents, investments, etc. He isn't cutting hair for survival, while the former ranch hand is up ye olde shit creek with no paddle.

OTOH some don't think ahead and there's nothing anyone can do. Or, maybe he thought he'd be able to keep working more or less indefinitely, which would be pretty unrealistic especially in a physically demanding job.

One more OTOH - maybe he worked for cash because the boss was too fucking cheap and he needed every cent. It should not be this way.

[TexasBushwhacker]

49. I think many don't think ahead

Someone I knew became a widow at age 19 with a 1 year old son. Her husband was 10 years older, so he had a work record when he died. She got SS benefits as a widow and for her son. Since she did drugs, she decided to sell them for a living. (Great idea! I know). Eventually she got a straight job, but when she became disabled with Hep C, she had only contributed to SS for 10-15 years. So when she did finally get disability, she got less than $900 a month - just enough to make her ineligible for food stamps.

So now she supplements her SSDI by selling weed, even though if she was caught she would likely loose her SSDI. she never was much of a forward thinker.

[daleanime]

17. Scum....

[SansACause]

19. Any Republicans?

I wonder because the Republicans won in a landslide in 2014 and took most of the state houses. They said they were going to do this. I wonder how many poor, white Republicans are about to go hungry?

[jwirr]

22. Where in the Bible is the fib about "it's a sin not to help

oneself."?

Calvin the theologist also said that if the government was going to require people to work then the government had to provide jobs. As to a link I think that was in The Protestant Work Ethic.

Of course the rw churches have rewritten the entire theology.

[dchill]

28. It's in the Bootstrap Bible.

Their Golden Rule: I got mine - Good luck with yours.

[jwirr]

29. Exactly.

[24601]

48. Who claimed it was in the bible? n/t

[jwirr]

52. The last paragraph of the OP talks about sin. And anyone

who has put up with Calvinist Christians knows how they interpret it. I have heard it most of my life since I have been poor most of my life.

[24601]

55. Kasich isn't Calvinist. He's Episcopal/Anglican - and one of our faith who came over from the Roman

Catholic faith. Projecting Calvinist thoughts onto US Episcopalians (we bad boys and girls are on Anglican double secret probation) isn't cool. Try again with the time-tested "whenever four Episcopalians are gathered, there will be a fifth.

I don't recommend looking too hard for a bible cite when you are talking to or about us Episcopalians. When we start a sentence, "I believe...." It's just as likely that the next words are "...that I'll have the Scotch...on the rocks, and please make that a double."

[jwirr]

56. You must know that the faith based ideas are so intertwined

in today's America today that it is really hard to tell what is what. The ideas about the poor seem to appeal to every faith. I am Lutheran and there are many of us who believe that bull also. It is part of the Americanization of the churches.

[BeyondGeography]

31. Compounded by the usual suspect states who don't use federal money to help their most vulnerable

people:

More than a million people received assistance last year in an employment and training program for SNAP recipients. But some states returned federal money to the government, and 21 states did not use any of the federal funds that were available to them in the program, federal officials said.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/04/02/us/politics/thousands-could-lose-food-stamps-as-states-restore-pre-recession-requirements.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

[sofa king]

50. The bears will go back into the forest...

... and devour rich people.

[Judi Lynn]

51. These people are human beings, for christ's sake. The people who would harm them should be punished,

but since that's not possible, it should become necessary for their constituents to develop a moral sense, and NOT send them back to Washington.

I hope there's a giant Tasmanian Devil with a colossal flyswatter waiting to greet them when they pass over.

[Blandocyte]

54. Jobs picking up rich folks' dogs' crap

being their pool boys, taking care of the rich's trust fund babies, etc. Get to work, youse! Sarky sarky.

[Bozvotros]

57. Why is this the only kind of thing Repugs can get accomplished legislatively?

I mean besides voting to repeal the ACA every couple of months. It is clear they feel a strong need to stick it to the poor. Gotta make sure those deadbeats aren't getting something for nothing, especially if they aren't white. That's only for the so called job creators who will love the increased traffic of those needing jobs and willing to take whatever pittance they offer. The Republican electorate consists of :

1.) Cold hearted wealthy folks of any color who have either inherited money or figured out how to use the system to make themselves rich off other peoples money or labor.

2.) white middle class workers who think it was only their hard work that brought them their tiny modicum of success and who look down on the struggling poor as lazy and or stupid

3.) A growing white under class willing to cut their own throat to keep people of color from getting any government assistance because they believe lazy colored people are the main reason they can't get ahead.

4. Fundamentalist religious zealots, ammophiles and xenophobes who are deathly afraid of something that won't happen and who have a need to either exterminate, imprison, torture or deport anyone who doesn't agree with them.

[liberalhistorian]

58. And we have the Clintons to thank

for pushing that ridiculous "reform" bill through in the 90's, with little consideration or accounting for economic conditions or availability of jobs. That and the crime bill they so eagerly championed have done tremendous damage to so many people and communities.