Welfare reform in Maine

[LDB]

Maine is setting a good example. Hopefully others will follow.

http://www.usherald.com/maine-welfare-recipients-must-work-for-their-benefits/#.VSMk815brdk.facebook

 

[Ragman]

As written, I have no problem with these requirements.

 

[asjssl]

You know...why are we directing your anger at people on welfare..there penny's on the dollar in comparison to corporate welfare..I.E subsidies. .that's where you should be mad...not a people trying to eat and keep the lights on...but as they planned ..they get people all worked up over welfare for families. ..it's like...watch the left hand while the right hand picks your pockets....think about it...

 

[LDB]

Yes, that's the answer, discount and ignore one problem and at least partial solution by bringing up another problem. There are certainly plenty of problems to address but when you've seen 3 generations on welfare because it's how it's done in that family it points out the need for solutions there as well. This is one solution. But that's a good idea, don't be mad at every one who deserves it just because there's one particular one that pointing out fits whatever agenda.

 

[asjssl]

Well your worried about the horn not working when the the motor is blown..

 

[asjssl]

Here...is ONE of the things you should be concerned with..not a family getting a few bucks..

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/...ary-contractors-legally-steal-from-taxpayers#

 

[Pilgrim]

Here...is ONE of the things you should be concerned with..not a family getting a few bucks..

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/...ary-contractors-legally-steal-from-taxpayers#

This looks more like a testimonial to big government waste and inefficiency than corporate greed. Corporations or contractors can ask for or attempt to impose any kind of outrageous prices or conditions they want in these contracts, but that doesn't mean the US govt has to agree to their prices or terms. Govt waste and spending has been rampant and growing for decades, and it's not just the military - it's the GSA, IRS and any other part of the govt we can name. Of course when they're using other people's money (i.e, the taxpayers) they don't care. If they need more they just take more, and many voters have been duped into thinking that paying higher taxes is good.

For those who aren't aware, US corporations pay the highest tax rates in the industrialized world. So long as these tax rates stay in place they will continue to send jobs and money overseas, restricting growth and development (with which comes high-paying jobs) here at home. Getting people off welfare and food stamps, thus reducing entitlement spending is a sensible goal; but until unemployment and under-employment rates are reduced we'll still have record numbers of people on govt assistance.

http://www.heritage.org/federalbudget/corporate-tax-rate

http://www.forbes.com/sites/louisefron/2014/08/20/tackling-the-real-unemployment-rate-12-6/

 

[ntimevan]

......... ....

 

[LDB]

You'll get shut down if the horn isn't working too. And I'm not saying don't also fix the motor but it certainly sounds like you are saying ignore the horn and let it continue forever while only focusing on the engine. The typical problem.

 

[Yowpuggy]

This looks more like a testimonial to big government waste and inefficiency than corporate greed. Corporations or contractors can ask for or attempt to impose any kind of outrageous prices or conditions they want in these contracts, but that doesn't mean the US govt has to agree to their prices or terms. Govt waste and spending has been rampant and growing for decades, and it's not just the military - it's the GSA, IRS and any other part of the govt we can name. Of course when they're using other people's money (i.e, the taxpayers) they don't care. If they need more they just take more, and many voters have been duped into thinking that paying higher taxes is good.

For those who aren't aware, US corporations pay the highest tax rates in the industrialized world. So long as these tax rates stay in place they will continue to send jobs and money overseas, restricting growth and development (with which comes high-paying jobs) here at home. Getting people off welfare and food stamps, thus reducing entitlement spending is a sensible goal; but until unemployment and under-employment rates are reduced we'll still have record numbers of people on govt

U.S. has the highest tax rate among developed economies. Most U.S. corporate income is subject to a 35% federal tax rate. But the "effective" rate companies pay is often lower after accounting for a company's tax credits, deductions and exemptions.
What's more, companies owe U.S. tax on profits they make in the United States and abroad, minus whatever foreign tax they've paid. But a company can put off paying U.S. tax on foreign profits indefinitely, so long as it doesn't bring those profits back to U.S. shores and reinvest them in the business.

 

[Yowpuggy]

You know...why are we directing your anger at people on welfare..there penny's on the dollar in comparison to corporate welfare..I.E subsidies. .that's where you should be mad...not a people trying to eat and keep the lights on...but as they planned ..they get people all worked up over welfare for families. ..it's like...watch the left hand while the right hand picks your pockets....think about it...

 

[davekc]

Welfare has its place but it should have limits on it. As mentioned, shouldn't be a career path. Corporate welfare exists and it should be contained but entitlements/benefits is the largest part of government expense. Either control it now, or someone else will be controlling since we are borrowing a million or two a minute to support it.
Raising taxes on corporations does nothing but move their profits out of the country.

 

[LDB]

Here...is ONE of the things you should be concerned with..not a family getting a few bucks..

If it was A family, or two, getting a few bucks you might almost, not quite but sorta have a point. Not really because anything more than zero abuse is wrong and unacceptable. The problem is it's more like a million, or two, families improperly and incorrectly getting mega bucks. Perhaps even worse than that. So it really doesn't matter which or how many other improprieties you bring up as an excuse for and deflection from the major problem of welfare fraud, it's still welfare fraud and it's still wrong as well.

 

[Pilgrim]

The level of welfare and other govt handouts has been discussed here before, and the amount of govt entitlement spending is obscene. As previously stated in another thread, there are states where people make more money off govt handouts than they do working an entry level job. Looking at it from a strictly economic perspective, if welfare and other govt handouts pay more than the jobs that are available to you - it's a no-brainer. How can you blame people in these states for making the choice that gives them the most money - especially when all they have to do is vote Democrat every two years and sit on their azzes the rest of the time?

 

[cheri1122]

This is not a "major victory for welfare reform", it's a major victory for kneejerk assumptions carried over from decades ago.
The requirements to work, or go to some kind of training, or do volunteer work [that can be verified] sounds easy enough, until you understand that many of those people cannot get hired [lack transportation, homeless, not bright enough for even WalMart, have objectionable tattoos, have undiagnosed mental "issues" - there's a LOT of reasons]. Nor can they find anyone to allow them to volunteer in a reputable place, and job training is reserved for those on welfare, which these folks apparently aren't. [Just food stamps]. My brother is one of them: 55 years old, has a criminal record and a physical disability [loss of fingers from first knuckle to tip on one hand] that doesn't qualify for disability, but seems to discourage potential employers, back when he was trying to work. And now, after years of being rejected for one or the other, a drinking problem, too. He's not going to get hired, or be allowed to volunteer, or go to school - and if he did, it wouldn't last long. He's a problem for everyone, but I still don't see that he should starve because of it.
Even if you have little sympathy for the reasons, do we just let them go hungry? Because the statement that the applicants dropped doesn't mean they no longer need help, it just means they understand they won't be getting it, so why bother applying?
It's pretty impressive: the one and only group that gets government 'help' that comes with scorn attached is the poor. No such disdain for anyone else who gets government subsidies, or need for them to prove they 'deserve' the help.
Welfare fraud should be prosecuted, absolutely. But I don't see people like my brother as perpetrating fraud - he tried for many years to be an upstanding citizen, and got fired every time he managed to get hired, usually because of his record, sometimes because of his drinking. Yes, it's his own fault, and now what?
We can excuse the well off who repeatedly cheat and break laws [Wall Street, mega corporations who get fined pocket change], but we cannot abide a poor person who can't be self sufficient?
PS I should add, my brother gets food stamps [about $24 per week, I believe] and Medicaid, and nothing more. No welfare, no phone, no free/low cost housing, nothing but food and emergency medical care. If anyone thinks that's a tolerable life, they need their head [and assumptions] examined.

 

[cheri1122]

Welfare has its place but it should have limits on it. As mentioned, shouldn't be a career path. Corporate welfare exists and it should be contained but entitlements/benefits is the largest part of government expense. Either control it now, or someone else will be controlling since we are borrowing a million or two a minute to support it.
Raising taxes on corporations does nothing but move their profits out of the country.

Government is supposed to be "of, by and for the people", not for corporate profits. If they move their profits and jobs out of the country, they should be treated as foreigners, not enjoying the benefits that taxes support.
Let them see how they like having to deal with the corruption and language barriers, instead of what they enjoy here, but do their best to avoid paying for
Patriotism is supporting your country, not taking advantage of the good parts and dodging the bills that you can afford to pay, but don't wanna. Much more fun to buy politicians, I guess.

 

[xiggi]

I haven't seen anyone on this thread excuse government welfare to corparations.

 

[paullud]

Nor can they find anyone to allow them to volunteer in a reputable place, and job training is reserved for those on welfare, which these folks apparently aren't. [Just food stamps].

There aren't many places begging for volunteers that are picky. I'm sure there might be a couple but it is rare.

Even if you have little sympathy for the reasons, do we just let them go hungry?

Yes or they can find local help from a charity. If they can't meet life's requirements because they decide to drink then they can live with the consequences.

It's pretty impressive: the one and only group that gets government 'help' that comes with scorn attached is the poor. No such disdain for anyone else who gets government subsidies, or need for them to prove they 'deserve' the help.

There are plenty of complaints about corporate welfare.

Welfare fraud should be prosecuted, absolutely. But I don't see people like my brother as perpetrating fraud - he tried for many years to be an upstanding citizen, and got fired every time he managed to get hired, usually because of his record, sometimes because of his drinking.

He didn't try if he's getting fired for a drinking issue. How can he "usually"get fired for his record? Was he committing fraud and lying on his application? The idea that a company would knowingly hire a person with a record and waste money training them just to be able to fire them really makes no sense at all. There are plenty of people with criminal records that make a legal living.

Yes, it's his own fault, and now what?

It's his fault so now he can deal with his poor choices.

We can excuse the well off who repeatedly cheat and break laws [Wall Street, mega corporations who get fined pocket change], but we cannot abide a poor person who can't be self sufficient?

Where do you see people excusing the well off that repeatedly cheat and break laws? There is definitely some ignorance in the general public about certain things that go on but no one was crying for these guys that ended up with massive sentences after getting caught running Ponzi schemes.

PS I should add, my brother gets food stamps [about $24 per week, I believe] and Medicaid, and nothing more. No welfare, no phone, no free/low cost housing, nothing but food and emergency medical care. If anyone thinks that's a tolerable life, they need their head [and assumptions] examined.

Is he homeless? Does he have a phone? Who's paying for the alcohol, clothing, etc? Someone must be subsidizing his life and if they are that interested in letting him continue down the wrong path and not forcing him to grow up then they should handle all his food and medical care too. Why should that burden be forced onto other people?

 

[paullud]

If they move their profits and jobs out of the country, they should be treated as foreigners, not enjoying the benefits that taxes support.

Getting treated as a foreign corporation is exactly what they want and that's why they leave. What other things should be done to them? The way to solve it is to not treat them as a foreign corporation if they do business in the US but also give tax breaks to them for providing jobs. They need to simplify and lower the tax rates on the corporations but raise their liability by taxing them on money made here regardless of where they are headquartered. If they give tax breaks based on jobs created here then it will hopefully bring some of these blue collar jobs back that pay a decent rate. More people working and pay going up as unemployment drops will provide a bigger tax base and create more consumer spending. It will help boost our middle class, corporations, economy, and even the lower class as wages get pushed up naturally.

 

[Unclebob]

Good for Maine. But they are just complying with federal law instead of getting a waiver like they were doing.


AUGUSTA — More than 6,000 Maine residents will lose their food stamps benefits next month under newly enforced rules that require some recipients to have a job, Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew said.

Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration began in October to enforce a three-month limit on benefits for childless adults in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, unless they work at least 20 hours a week, volunteer or participate in a work-training program for a certain number of hours.



Mayhew told The Associated Press on Thursday that benefits will end on Jan. 1 for about 6,500 people who are not meeting those requirements.

The three-month limit is a federal requirement. But Maine – along with many other states – has used a waiver since 2008 that has allowed people who don’t have a job to continue receiving assistance.

http://www.pressherald.com/2014/12/19/6500-mainers-to-lose-food-stamps/


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