Benefits Shut Off for 41,000 Michigan Welfare Recipients

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/benefits-shut-off-41-000-michigan-welfare-recipients-220800423.html;_ylt=AlaSN4pjnlqzU5ntF_5arPQKewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTRoaG4wdnZkBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDIwMHBvb2xyZXN0BG1pdANOZXdzIGZvciB5b3UEcGtnAzYwZDljNDJlLTRiNDEtMzhlMC04OWU3LTMxY2EzZjAyMDA0MQRwb3MDOQRzZWMDbmV3c19mb3JfeW91BHZlcgMxODM0MTRjMC1lYmIxLTExZTAtYmZhZS1mMDgyYzExNjFmYmE-;_ylg=X3oDMTM0NTQ0N2dxBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDYzc5MjcwOTQtNWUzNi0zNmE0LTgzMjItY2IzMjc4MTNlMWQ0BHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxtaWRkbGUgZWFzdARwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3

By Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 12 hrs ago

On Saturday, Oct. 1, 41,000 Michigan welfare recipients will lose cash benefits in the amount of approximately $515 each. Gov. Rick Snyder capped maximum welfare payments at 48 months. Several Michigan recipients filed a class action lawsuit to overturn the four-year cap.

Five years was the original cap on cash assistance for welfare. In some cases, extensions were available for those in need. The lawsuit says that the welfare cap violates the due process clause of the 14th amendment. They claim that the cutoff notices were vague and generic. The plaintiffs are asking a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order against the cap.

Exemptions are available for those with disabilities that make them unable to work. Those over 65, caring for a disabled spouse or child, who don't qualify for social security or who receive low benefit payments may also get an extension.

There is some concern among taxpayers about what qualifies a person as unable to work. Chronic alcoholism, drug addicts and obesity are three problematic disabilities.

These don't qualify specifically as handicaps, but some of the resulting health conditions do qualify them. There is also concern about how welfare payments, especially food stamps, are spent.

Welfare cash assistance cuts aren't the only economic issue plaguing Michigan. Cuts are happening everywhere. In August, 11.2 percent of Michiganders were unemployed. Let's look at Michigan's deteriorating economy, by the numbers.

* 2.5 million: People in Michigan who receive one or more form of welfare benefits.

* 220,000 thousand: People in Michigan who receive cash benefits. The four-year cap would reduce it to 180,000 people.

* 21,000-25,000: The number of welfare recipients in Detroit alone (Michigan's largest city) who had their cash benefits cut.

* 30,000: The number of children in Michigan who will lose welfare benefits.

* 1 out of 10: The ratio of children in Detroit and Flint whose no longer qualify for cash assistance.

* 2,000: The number of adults in Detroit's 48205 zip code alone that will lose cash welfare benefits.

* 1,500: The number children in the 48025 zip code that will no longer be covered.

* 5 square miles: The area of Detroit's 48205 zip code district.

* 30,000 : The number of college students who lost food stamps benefits in Michigan this year.

* 1 percent: The jump in Michigan's unemployment from April, 2011 to August, 2011.

* 2.9 percent: The difference between Michigan's unemployment at its peak (14.1 percent) in 2009 and now.

* 23 percent: The amount unemployment benefits will be reduced in 2012. Gov. Snyder passed legislation reducing benefits from 26 to 20 weeks for new applicants.

* 27.5 percent: Unemployment rate in Pontiac, Mich.

* 22.5 percent: Unemployment rate in Detroit, Mich.

* 19.7 percent: Unemployment rate in Flint, Mich.

* 16.6 percent: Unemployment rate in Saginaw, Mich.

* 14.7 percent: Unemployment rate in Warren, Mich.

These are some of Michigan's largest cities. They are also the areas hardest hit by both unemployment and welfare cuts.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes about people, places, events and issues in "Pure Michigan."

Edited October 1, 2011 by Why_Me

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Sounds to me like Michigan has a bunch of bums that do nothing more than site around the house being lazy while collecting a check. They need to go out and get a job, and if they can't find one nearby, then go to where the work is.

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

Sounds to me like Michigan has a bunch of bums that do nothing more than site around the house being lazy while collecting a check. They need to go out and get a job, and if they can't find one nearby, then go to where the work is.

i hear there's a growing need for cooks at mikey moore's place.

[skiptex 225]

nice...

[MyLittlePony 340]

Do cut back in California too need to get rid of half the druggies.

Edited October 1, 2011 by Ethans dad

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Do cut back in California too need to get rid of half the druggies.

[james&olya 1,121]

I would personally really like to see major reform of the disability system. I see so many people in this area abusing it. One idea I have that I think might help a lot would be to institute a requirement for people who draw disability to have to show up somewhere to put in their 40 hours every week. What they actually do would be based on the nature of their 'disability' but NOBODY could draw benefits while, in effect, being on a permanent vacation! This would go a long ways toward taking away the incentive for people to fake their disabilities.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I would personally really like to see major reform of the disability system. I see so many people in this area abusing it. One idea I have that I think might help a lot would be to institute a requirement for people who draw disability to have to show up somewhere to put in their 40 hours every week. What they actually do would be based on the nature of their 'disability' but NOBODY could draw benefits while, in effect, being on a permanent vacation! This would go a long ways toward taking away the incentive for people to fake their disabilities.

Good idea. Throw mandatory drug testing in with that.

[sandinista! 1,816]

What, like people on ventilators? They're the worst, they're so lazy they won't even breathe on their own. And don't even get me started on the blind. Or tetraplegics for that matter.

I would personally really like to see major reform of the disability system. I see so many people in this area abusing it. One idea I have that I think might help a lot would be to institute a requirement for people who draw disability to have to show up somewhere to put in their 40 hours every week. What they actually do would be based on the nature of their 'disability' but NOBODY could draw benefits while, in effect, being on a permanent vacation! This would go a long ways toward taking away the incentive for people to fake their disabilities.

[james&olya 1,121]

What, like people on ventilators? They're the worst, they're so lazy they won't even breathe on their own. And don't even get me started on the blind. Or tetraplegics for that matter.

I would be in favor of anyone that is conscious and has any 'ability' to do SOMETHING to justify getting their disability payment. You are right about people on ventilators having very limited 'abilities'! But there are still things even they can do! I know this to be a fact as I am involved in the care of an individual who has been on a ventilator for over 20 years! The problem with making 'reasonable' exceptions to such a requirement is that any language and precedent that is established is eventually twisted into something that exempts everyone from the requirements.

Certainly the blind can be productive! And so can 'tetraplegics' (do you mean quadriplegics?) as well.

Not least of the reasons to do this is that it gives the person doing the work the self-respect that any decent person needs.