TOTALLY GEEKED!

Absolutely. There is no reason for able bodied people without children to be failing to work. And the thing is, many COULD work, and get their food stamps back if their income was too low. But they don't want to work at all. Or, they are working under the table, and cheating the government and the taxpayers all around.

Forever Sunshine wrote:

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So, what happens if there truly are no jobs available or they keep applying for jobs and never get hired?

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 They have to provide evidence they really tried. 

And this isn't a new requirement. It was the requirement before. They suspended the requirement while the economy was really bad.

Alabama's long term unemployment rate is 6.8%. It's down to 5.4% - the lowest it has been in years.

Data for this Date Range
April 30, 2017 5.40%
March 31, 2017 5.80%
Feb. 28, 2017 6.20%
Jan. 31, 2017 6.40%
Dec. 31, 2016 6.30%
Nov. 30, 2016 6.20%
Oct. 31, 2016 6.10%
Sept. 30, 2016 6.00%
Aug. 31, 2016 5.90%
July 31, 2016 5.80%
June 30, 2016 5.80%
May 31, 2016 5.80%
April 30, 2016 5.80%
March 31, 2016 5.90%
Feb. 29, 2016 6.00%
Jan. 31, 2016 6.10%
Dec. 31, 2015 6.10%
Nov. 30, 2015 6.10%
Oct. 31, 2015 6.10%
Sept. 30, 2015 6.10%
Aug. 31, 2015 6.10%
July 31, 2015 6.10%
June 30, 2015 6.10%
May 31, 2015 6.10%
April 30, 2015 6.10%

March 31, 2015 6.00%
Feb. 28, 2015 6.00%
Jan. 31, 2015 6.00%
Dec. 31, 2014 6.10%
Nov. 30, 2014 6.20%
Oct. 31, 2014 6.30%
Sept. 30, 2014 6.40%
Aug. 31, 2014 6.60%
July 31, 2014 6.70%
June 30, 2014 6.80%
May 31, 2014 6.90%
April 30, 2014 7.10%
March 31, 2014 7.20%
Feb. 28, 2014 7.20%
Jan. 31, 2014 7.20%
Dec. 31, 2013 7.20%
Nov. 30, 2013 7.10%
Oct. 31, 2013 7.10%
Sept. 30, 2013 7.00%
Aug. 31, 2013 7.00%
July 31, 2013 7.00%
June 30, 2013 6.90%
May 31, 2013 7.00%
April 30, 2013 7.10%
March 31, 2013 7.20%

The drop in people applying or re-certifying for food stamps is very telling of the actual need and provides evidence to the fraud that has been going on. An 85% drop is insane.

lilyofcourse wrote:

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I think the 85% pertains to only the one demigraphic, the able bodied.

But it is a start.

Right after after my separation, I had to use food stamps for a while. I had 3 kids, 3, 18, newborn, and I had to attempt to find work as a requirement.

I was also on the list to get some college courses as part of the continuing education program for single mothers, but Bill Clinton signed a bill that stopped it all.

I remember because I had the official letter in my hand saying I was to start classes in 3 months, at DFAC finishing my paperwork for it when the phone rang and the SW told me the program was no longer available and there would be no classes.

 

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 You are right, jst the one demographic.  In 2015 there were over 900, 000 on snap overall in AL

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:

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lilyofcourse wrote:

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I think the 85% pertains to only the one demigraphic, the able bodied.

But it is a start.

Right after after my separation, I had to use food stamps for a while. I had 3 kids, 3, 18, newborn, and I had to attempt to find work as a requirement.

I was also on the list to get some college courses as part of the continuing education program for single mothers, but Bill Clinton signed a bill that stopped it all.

I remember because I had the official letter in my hand saying I was to start classes in 3 months, at DFAC finishing my paperwork for it when the phone rang and the SW told me the program was no longer available and there would be no classes.

 

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 Yes that is the demographic Lily, and the experience you had is perfect, what the requirements for you compelled you to better yourself and until you became disabled you were able to provide for your family because of the criteria.

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 No. My experience was not perfect.

I still had to use food stamps, I couldn't afford classes and couldn't qualify for any grants, loans, or anything to pay for them.

I worked 6 days a week for barely above minimum wage, and while I was able to come off food stamps after 3 years, I still needed medicaid for the kids.

I was literally at the door of a better future for me and my kids when some idiot in Washington thought it'd be easier and less traumatic for me to just get the hand outs without the benefits that could actually improve my life.

If I had been able to finish that program, I'd be an xray tech and most likely would have been able to continue my education and would be more self supporting now.

Handing out food stamps, or any other welfare, without requirements to improve, or offering the ability to improve, is detrimental.

You know, give a man a fish and he eats dinner, teach a man to fish and he never goes hungry again.

 

lilyofcourse wrote:

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I don't think you understand, both the requirements to work, or find work, and the education programs stopped.

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 That depends on where you live.  Here, low income go to community college free and usually are eligible for grants or scholarships to continue on for their under grad.  There are so many job openings here that people who couldn't get hired 4 years ago are now being hired and the jobs come with good benefits including tuition reimbursement.

The govt has to take a 2 pronged approached. Yes able bodied people can and should work. However the govt needs to get out of the way of business and stop regulating everyone to death and stop the unfair trade practices that allow businesses to go overseas, etc. If there isn't any industry here, where are people supposed to work?

In my area many of the people using Ebt work. But still qualify. Unfortunately there is not much opportunity here.

The disparity is huge. My husband works for a huge insurance company (as do many of the people in our area - its a major employer) so we are seen as really well off. We are not - we have to budget and save. vBut its so much more then others can make that its really seen as wealthy. Being childless we pay a crap ton of taxes (basically another mortgage payment) so after expenses we dont have nearly what people might think.