Have you ever been on welfare?

[LucyParsons]

I am not talking about Social Security, disability, or Medicaid.

[Captain Angry]

1. If I hadn't saved so much while I was working...

I would be in trouble during my unemployment.

I have a discussion every so often with my dad's ultra-right wing friend. He thinks any form of this stuff is to promote laziness.

My response is that welfare and similar projects are supposed to be a safety net and not a hammock. They can be structured to help everybody while having systems to protect against misuse.

[zonmoy]

2. depends on if SSI and social security disability count.

[xxqqqzme]

11. SSI & SS disabilty are not welfare.

I get SS disability but that money is what I put into the system. I'm collecting.

[Robbien]

3. Those Xmas food baskets handed out during holidays were life savers

for my family growing up.

It is probably one of the major reasons I volunteer and support food banks today.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Not welfare per se....

but I did receive free San Francisco provided medical/mentl health benefits for four+ years. I was working but without health insurance and had several medical crises -- thankfully I lived in a city that has excellent health care at no/low cost for low income people.

The care I received was the best and it literally saved my life.

Damn that socialized medicine! :D

[greenbriar]

5. I used food stamps and medical card when we were in college

we were living on my husband's SSDI (he is legally blind) during college

we had a young baby and needed to eat and she needed health care

[Oceansaway]

6. while on strike in '86 i got

food baskets and handouts....if that counts

[tazkcmo]

7. Free School Lunches

ALL my life and my children received them as well during my 5 years in the Army. Oh, and WIC.

[dysfunctional press]

8. i'm permanently disabled, but i don't get welfare...

i get ssdi benefits that are based on my earned wages- except that my benefits are 125 or more less than they should be, because a past employer that accounted for that percentage of my lifetime wages never paid into the system the fica money that had been deducted from my checks.

[Cleita]

9. I have received unemployment once and presently get social security,

both government programs that help people out with income, but I never have used other kinds of assistance like food stamps.

[slackmaster]

15. Those are both benefits that you pre-paid for, and not everyone gets

:hi:

[Cleita]

17. I understand the difference however, if we didn't have these government

run programs I would be up the creek. They have actually prevented me from having to collect welfare at certain times of my life when working a job wasn't possible like now.

[slackmaster]

21. Devil's Advocate for a small moment

If we didn't have UI and SS programs, your take-home pay would have been higher throughout your working career. Theoretically you could have saved the extra, and be living off of that.

[Cleita]

28. Theoretically it isn't possible.

For one thing, I would have probably made less that the 3% to 7.5% that was taken out of my salary for these programs. Employers know that they have to pay extra when extra is being deducted for taxes, but they aren't going to pay it when you are happy or at least accepting of your take home pay. So there theoretically isn't that money there to save. I never knew an employer (and I was a payroll bookkeeper) who paid a certain wage because they wanted their employee to have some extra money to save. All employers will pay the least that they can to get the employees they want and that is what the prospective employee is willing to work for or what the govt. (minimum wage) or union demands. Also, since as a woman I was paid far less that men for equal work and sometimes more education and skills than the men had, I really didn't have that kind of discretionary income to save. Also, the 3% to 7.5% that I paid our in SS for instance through my working life wasn't enough in today's dollars to give me what I get in SS today, no matter how I invested it. I did save money for a pension and when I retired and it furnished half my income. Today the income from that savings only contributes to a quarter of my income. If it weren't for SS I would be screwed. I might still be screwed if the new president doesn't turn things around for those of us in our twilight years.

[atreides1]

10. Other

As a child my family was on welfare and then while I was in the Army my family qualified for foodstamps while living in government quarters.

[Wanet]

12. Intresting poll

I work in social services, and it is more appropriate to call it "cash aid" or "public assistance" -- that distinguishes it from Food Stamps and medical assistance. It looks like most of us have "been there" -- I wonder if people would answer honestly about this on Free Republic? -- Wanet

[fight4my3sons]

13. My family is recieving food stamps and back-up medicaid

benefits as well as WIC. You didn't have a category for that so I just checked the first one. My husband works full time plus overtime. He starts a new job on Monday and I'm not sure if we will still qualify for our benefits. It looks like we will. We were hoping that we would not. One more year and I will be back at work (the twins will start Kindergarten).

[slackmaster]

14. Got food stamps one time only, right after I got out of college and was dead broke

It wasn't worth the hassle.

[alfredo]

16. I had a temporary paralysis and I was put on welfare. Nearly starved.

[appleannie1]

18. When pregnant with my second child and having a difficult pregnancy

my X joined the military claiming he had no dependents. I was on Mother's Assistance until after the birth of my second child and I could go back to work. It took over a year of badgering the military but I finally got not only monthly money for my children but the X was demoted and the money that should have come to me during that year of no allotment was taken out his and sent to me. Had it not been for welfare, my oldest son would have starved and my second son would not have gotten the care he needed to survive after being born premature and with birth defects. But just because I was thankful for it does not mean I enjoyed it, or would want to live on it even one minute longer than necessary.

[kineneb]

19. get food stamps (EBT) and medical care

There is no assistance available for younger widows who were full-time caregivers. If I were over 65, I would get Social Security. So I am eking my way with help from family and friends, until I am able to earn a little myself.

[Juche]

20. Define welfare

I got Pell Grants in college as well as other forms of state & federal aid. Everyone who goes to college in state gets about 5-6k a year in state subsidies.

[Iris]

26. Good point and one I think should be made more often, esp. in healthcare debates.

Assuming many doctors go to public colleges, that means our tax $$$ subsidize part of that education which therefore means we should get some benefit from subsidizing medical education even if we don't have insurance.

[Juche]

29. And medical research

About 40% of medical research is publically funded, not to mention that the education of the people who do the research is publically funded. We pay for the Dr's education and the medical research.

As it stands about 60% of healthcare dollars are spent publically one way or another. In Europe it is closer to 80%. Not a huge difference.

[stillcool]

22. I was raised on Social Security...

death benefits and VA benefits. I was raised by another family, never had any kind of insurance, and lived with mega-shame for a good deal of my life. I applied for medicaid when I was eighteen and had to get a tooth pulled. I will never forget it. This country sucks at taking care of those who need. The government stingily hands out band-aids, and then rips them off before the wound heals, and pours salt in in the wound, just so you never forget.

[cynatnite]

23. Six months after my husband's injury we used it...

Savings was wiped out and workman's comp cut him off.

[Booster]

24. I haven't been so far, but if Republicans had their way, I would be.

[bertha katzenengel]

25. On welfare/FS growing up, and needed FS as a young adult. /end

[maryf]

27. How is one to reply if homeless?

If they've been on welfare, but are now homeless?? wouldn't that skew the perceived results of those who say they were on welfare in the past??

[ismnotwasm]

30. For years

Single mother. Welfare, housing projects, food banks. All of it.

[bicentennial_baby]

31. You should clarify welfare as AFDC/TANF

If that's what you mean :)