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Did you know you can't qualify for food stamps as a college student, unless you have a job working at least 20 hours a week? Kind of seems backwards, to me.

I found that out last year, when I was searching desperately for a job, and had nothing to eat.

Turns out, you can qualify for food stamps if you do any amount of Federal or University Work Study. That would have been nice to know in the two months I did Federal and the one month I did University. It probably would have taken longer than that to process the paperwork, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

On that note, I'm currently without a job. Turning in applications everywhere. Borrowing money from my mother to make ends meet. Going hungry half the time.

Should I get into the whole, "The government doesn't think my boyfriend, who has Stage II Congestive Heart Failure, is disabled anymore," thing.

I hate to sound bitter, but government programs suck.

My mother is legitimately disabled. She can't get SSI.

I know a tweaker who pretends to have ADD/ADHD and got it first try, real quick and easy.

People who need help don't get it, and people who don't need help get it. Backwards, really.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! wrote:My mother is legitimately disabled. She can't get SSI.

I know a tweaker who pretends to have ADD/ADHD and got it first try, real quick and easy.

People who need help don't get it, and people who don't need help get it. Backwards, really.

I'm sorry to hear about your mother. Has she tried applying for it again since she was turned down?

^ Thanks for the concern. She applied a couple times. It's hard for her to meet their requirements, like going to other cities, both mentally and financially.

She's been through a lot, so jumping through their hoops is tough.

This is why all these programs need further cuts. It just causes dependency. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, even if you can't afford boots. There are plenty of jobs out there if you really want them, and there's food to be found everywhere, such as in dumpsters, in unguarded orchards, homeless people, even begging.

Kil'jaeden wrote:This is why all these programs need further cuts. It just causes dependency. You have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, even if you can't afford boots. There are plenty of jobs out there if you really want them, and there's food to be found everywhere, such as in dumpsters, in unguarded orchards, homeless people, even begging.

These programs really do need to be changed though.

Most of the programs have so many issues because they are not properly funded or evaluated by anyone competent. Scrapping them in favor of starting fresh is likely to work better.

Unfortunately a lot of these programs are also abused. I personally know someone who is on disability yet works under the table and people who just collect from unemployment who don't have any desire of getting a job. I think a good start to get some of the abusers off such programs is to mandate random piss tests so that legitimate people remain on these programs.

I'm sorry to hear of your situation and I hope things improve for you, Sonic, very soon.

Blake wrote:Unfortunately a lot of these programs are also abused. I personally know someone who is on disability yet works under the table and people who just collect from unemployment who don't have any desire of getting a job. I think a good start to get some of the abusers off such programs is to mandate random piss tests so that legitimate people remain on these programs.

Drug testing is genuinely costly. It's not a feasible solution to everything, as it would require a humongous budget to regularly drug test welfare cases. It would easily rival the cost of poverty cases who happen to blow money on illicit goods.

Of course, the biggest issue is what are you going to do about the positives? You've got to have a plan. Put them into a rehabilitation and housing program? That's some heavy spending, and you're going to inevitably spend a lot on multiple visits and still make no progress.

Of course, that's all beside the truth that drug abusers are genuinely ill, and often self-medicate for the same mental incapacities that prevented them from work in the first place. People don't fall into a heroin addiction just because they were happy and healthy and had a lapse in judgement.

^ Well thought out post.

Blake wrote:Unfortunately a lot of these programs are also abused. I personally know someone who is on disability yet works under the table and people who just collect from unemployment who don't have any desire of getting a job. I think a good start to get some of the abusers off such programs is to mandate random piss tests so that legitimate people remain on these programs.

In that case, can we mandate random drug testing of CEOs who receive taxpayer money and hand it out as bonuses rather than create jobs? -CSM

No, but I think we should be able to make that type of thing illegal.

Kil'jaeden wrote:bootstraps

I have an even better idea! Let's drug test politicians, their aides, and their buddies they appoint to high profile positions! -CSM

^Also, make them pay for their screenings, just like how they make teachers pay to get mandatory background checks.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"