Social Programs: Unemployment and YOU

It will never happen to you... but just in case

Published on May 3, 2005 By joeKnowledge In US Domestic

Just a though considering what I am going through right now: Who can be poor? I mean we here people talk about he poor like no one was middle class or working class (one step from being poor) and end up on a social program.

From public assistance to medicade, what would happen to you if you lost your job? What if you were fired? Or worst, hurt? Maybe someone else in your family is hurt and you have to take care of them.

Maybe, well you were fired or laid off but file for unemployment and they say you quit. What then?

Doesn't happen often you say? Not sure about that. At least the public assistance office I am at are full of people who do not get unemployment or were working and now...

I know people (including myself) get upset at some of these social pograms that they will NEVER use. I just wonder whow often never happens? 30,000 USD taken out of your 100,000 paycheck, but one day, you become he unemployeed, the hurt, the victomized; then what?

Its not most of the people on the programs out there I am sure, but for those who are citizens who would truely use thse benifits to regain their economic stature (and of which would i turn keep the economy running well with educated labor and innovation) is well worth the investment in them a few times over... but what if there was no social programs or even medical care? These people would enter, for whatever reason or faults, into a place that would be hard to get out of. One 'I made it' does not drown out the sounds of the others who don't.

I feel social programs are good and make sure (or insure) that theyre are always able bodied persons to return to the workforce and in turn make the economic system stronger by being employable and innovative. if one makes it, sort of speak, and hires 10 and helps creat or support an indrustry, isn't that worth the loss or 5 who just abuse the system or just become entry level workers never to move higher?

Comments

MasonM

on May 03, 2005

I have been unemployed due to injuries from a car wreck since December. All of those great social programs are good if you can get them. I suppose if I weren't a white male American citizen I wouldn't have any problems.

dabe

on May 03, 2005

I think social programs are really critically important to the health of society at large. Yeah, they cost alot, but they are worth it. It's absolutely cruel to base the dismantling of a social program solely on those who abuse it. I find it amazing that some would believe that medicare or medicaid are programs that should be defunded because of the abuse, when the majority of abuse comes from the system itself, and the doctors and insurance companies that milk the system dry. What it leaves is an ailing population left out in the cold, with the abusers laughing all the way to the bank. Unfortunately, this administration seems to pander to those crooks.

WAIT!!!!! They ARE the crooks!

joetheblow

on May 04, 2005

This is the funny thing about these programs I am seeing now that I am on it... at least in NY.

It was hard for me to get on it, and very quick to get off of it. I now earn about 120 dollars a week (480 a month) and I do not qualify to be on public assisance any more. I guess somehow I am suppossed to pay rent with this amount of money as well as carfare to go to and from work (right now its 40 dollars a week because it is in New Jersey)

Reply By: MasonM Posted: Tuesday, May 03, 2005
I have been unemployed due to injuries from a car wreck since December. All of those great social programs are good if you can get them. I suppose if I weren't a white male American citizen I wouldn't have any problems.

It not because you are white, its because you are male. Men do not get the same help as women (especially if you have a child). If you know minority men on these social programs its because

a)
Came from a family on the programs

Is homeless and totally destitute
c)
actually isn't on it but found a woman to 'love' so that he has a place to live and use her welfare card (most likely she has kids) They will even marry these women just to have a secure food supply and shelter. (love???)

Women, get pregnant its the only way to go (that is, if you just don't care)
Yes, I admit there are whole communities of people who just don't care that they are on public assisance. Me? I don't want anyone to know unless they need to. (right now I only shop at one store to use my benefit card). I think these comunities exist because there are a few people who actually need it and the others just stay on it because its crazy not to take free money!

I am finding that many states have different ways of dealing with its social progams. My sister is in Ohio and she can't seem to get on one even though she was thrown out of where she lived and has no job nor a high school diploma. Some states seem to not have one (other than just medical assistance)

I have a theory about this: The people who are on it for years (and generations) get to stay and those who are just entering it do not.

You will get some help, depending on your state, but if you even look like your a hard working person (or even thinking about it while filing) you will be off of it quick. lol

I would really like to find out more about unemployment, public assistance, medicade and food stamps. Considering the wealth of talk here on social programs and there abuse/taxing issues, I truely wonder how my view differes from many on the site.

MasonM: I am very interested in why you can't get anything where you live. If you can't work due to the injuries and you have been load off because of it, you should be able to get unemployment, or maybe SSI (social secutiry insurance)
If you don't mind speaking about it here go ahead, but if you do mind, send me a email:
employment@joeknowledge.com

If anything you fit into the 'I am still employeed but can't work category' and therefor unemployement won't help and public assistance looks at you like your a joke because you have a job. Does the car insurance cover until you go back to work? I really think you should try SSI.

Enployment is a big issue of mine now that it happened to me, so I want to help others (as well as help myself0 on what the ups and downs are for working for someone else or working for yourself as well. There are many things that I think we all just don't know and assume this is how it works.

Not to change the subject but, at will employement; do you really know what thay means for you?

I think all states should have a welfare TO work program like what I went through. Even those who abuse the system by staying in school longer than they should still are being educated (they can't do it forever) and that should be a investment returned eventually.

More on this later as I get more data.

Dr Guy

on May 04, 2005

I have been laid off twice. Each time, I did receive unemployment, but no other assistance. I made it. How? I took any job I could to tide us over while looking for another career job. I cut back on spending to the point that Macaroni and Cheese was a delicacy.

That is all you have to do. And you know what? I took a pay cut each time, but within a few years (2 this time) I was making more money than before.

And I did not use any social programs. Other than Unemployment compensation which is a self funded (your employer pays it, so you are actually paying it).

MasonM

on May 04, 2005

Pretty simple really. I just checked into the worker's comp thing yesterday.

1.Since I had been working as a contractor for the past several years, which is very common in the trucking industry, I don't qualify for unemployment. As for SSI, I spoke to an attorney about that.
2. It takes on average at least a year to go through the process. I am hoping I'll be working again before then.
3. SSI requires that you be following up with regular doctor's treatment. As I had no health insurance, I can't even be seen by an orthopedist around here unless I can pay $400 up front, which I don't have. And I definately can't afford to see them on an on-going basis. Same reason I'm not in physical therapy. I haben't seen a doctor since I was released from the hospital except for having the sutures removed.
4. The car I was in at the time of the wreck wasn't insured.
5. From what I can see here locally, the Social Service system is definately race oriented. I know of hispanics and blacks here who are receiving assistance and some of them even work. I know of very few whites here who can get assistance. I am sure there are some, but the numbers speak for themselves around here.

I am staying with my mother who lives on SSI and another mouth to feed is a real burden on her, but at least I have a place to stay until I'm am healed enough to return to working again.

I'm posting this stuff in response to your questions. I have accepted the fact that, at least around here, the social services I have funded for so many years are for other people to use and someone like myself is expected to fend for themselves as best they can or just starve.

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