While a woman collects $200 a month in food stamps, big oil gets billions in welfare...

[cynatnite]

Guess which one people will care the most about?

[dana_b]

1. yes but

people feel like they can't do anything about the big oil company however the woman and others like her?? She's an easy target for some.

[cynatnite]

2. You are right...

She is an easy target. I'm not saying she was right. She wasn't.

I just find it ironic as hell that people will do more kvetching about this woman than the billions in big oil welfare.

[dana_b]

5. and you are right as well

We really should try not to pay too much attention to these stories because it feeds the right and takes the eye off of the bigger prizes (so to speak) like the big oil subsidies. When people go off on it, redirect. It's something that the right is GREAT at.

[nobodyspecial]

3. Can't you be against both?

[cynatnite]

4. Sure, but she will get more publicity...

while oil companies quietly rake in the welfare billions. Ironic, huh?

[nobodyspecial]

8. And her benefits were taken away once the state found out about it

It is up to the clients to report any changes in circumstances. She committed fraud. Whether knowingly or not, that is up to the courts to decide.

I still argue that you can be against both and make the case against each. I can't control what others decide is important.

[Emit]

9. Why would I be against a woman collecting foodstamps?

I work in the social services field. There are people out there who depend on foodstamps, who are disabled, unable to work for a living and are on fixed incomes with limited resources. Why would I be against them getting that support?

[nobodyspecial]

10. Against a woman who won the lottery

and is still collecting benefits? Why would you favor that?

[Emit]

11. The OP makes no reference to that scenario. n/t

[nobodyspecial]

14. Well, excuse me

My post was based on the belief that the OP was referring to the woman who was collecting $200 in food stamps after winning the lottery since that is the topic du jour. I guess only the OP can clarify that.

Guess what? I favor benefits and was once on welfare. But, swarm away. I'm used to it around here.

[Emit]

17. I didn't realize that was the topic du jour. n/t

[noiretextatique]

21. it is a distraction

to focus your outrage on the fly on the elepahnt's ass instead of the elephant. the elephant deserves far more attention than it ever gets because people focus on the fly. lottery winnings are not earned income...blame the system. she should nor have taken the food stamps, but she was eligible.

[Turbineguy]

6. But.....

She drives a Cadillac!

[indepat]

7. But, but, but welfare for large corporations and the uber-wealthy is so

Reaganesque.

[just1voice]

12. While a man collects $200 in food stamps, he pays $400 for gas

Thank you J.P. Morgan for all your criminal oil speculation.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. I can tell you which one most people

AREN'T talking about.


I don't approve of fraud in any event and certainly not in this case (she should have to pay back what she took after she got her $500K) but welfare fraud is peanuts compared to the kind of vast waste, fraud, and abuse that comes from the Defense Dept or, as you said, to big oil. We lost billions in Iraq during our "occupation" that will probably NEVER be accounted for and the Republican Congress and the Bush (mis-)administration didn't even lift a finger to investigate. People should be outraged about stuff like that but aren't (mostly because that stuff doesn't get reported). I'll start getting worked up into a frenzy over poor "welfare queens" when the media starts reporting horrific stories of rich ones.

[Bosso 63]

15. She is wrong, but she did not break the law.

If she were a corporation, her first priority would be to maximize her profit to the greatest degree allowed within the law. Shareholders of this "corporation" would demand that she should continue to take the subsidy, perhaps even making campaign contributions to insure that the subsidy continue.

Sadly, she is not a corporation, so we will hold her to a higher standard.

[MrDiaz]

18. she did break the law

It is called Fraud. She should not have used the welfare because she would not be issued it if her income was reported properly, like she was supposed to do. People like her is what fuels the right and demeans those who actually need the assistance.

[Bosso 63]

22. "A state lawmaker is trying to stop such assistance, which is not illegal."

"He says the food assistance should not go to those who have found riches through the lottery."


http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/07/us/michigan-lottery-winner/index.html

I agree that what she did was wrong, and it causes damage. I was just trying to make the point that corporations commit "legal" acts that erode society all the time and the media could care less.

[nobodyspecial]

23. From the same article

From the article: According to Michigan law, welfare recipients must report any changes in assets or income to the agency within 10 days.

The department "relies on clients being forthcoming about their actual financial status. If they are not, and continue to accept benefits, they may face criminal investigation and be required to pay back those benefits," Director Maura Corrigan said in a statement.

She did not report her change in assets. If what she was doing wasn't wrong or illegal, the state could not arbitrarily pull her benefits just because it got attention. The law change being sought is to run any lottery winner names through the aid database so this does not occur again. Currently, they don't automatically do that and that is why this woman was able to get away with it. I'm sure she will be required to pay it all back.

And, both she and corporations can both be wrong. It is up to us to make sure that corporations get more attention for what they do.

[Bosso 63]

24. I started this with "She was wrong"

In response to this issue the state is going to draft a law to make sure that this doesn't happen again, because in a state where 25% of the population need to receive supplemental income to survive, THIS is the problem that needs to be fixed right away.

[raouldukelives]

20. That's the truth. nt

[Initech]

16. Big oil rakes in billions, pays no taxes, gets free money.

But in the end it's the little guy who gets screwed. Fuck big oil.

[Bozita]

19. Guess which one gets to pee in a bottle!