Trump seeks to end heating assistance program for low-income people

What Russell says is 100% true and has been known for years. As always, the Right is in denial and in a propaganda fog.

Remember, unless you have a short attention span, when Trump said he'd like to see more immigrants from places like Sweden?

Now why would they come here? As the standard of living in the US sinks, Sweden has one of the best in the world. Not just a generous social safety net, but long paid vacations, extensive family leave, and, good jobs. They don't have to hold two or more to make ends meet.
Low crime rate too.

You on the right have been conned into being for things that are against your own best interest. Of course that doesn't matter to you because the rest of us will be dragged down with you

 

Inaccurate evaluation of the situation. Trump is not a Republican, not even a Conservative. He was a Democrat during the Bush years and a Republican during the Obama years. So what he has done that I agree with is to reverse unconstitutional executive orders. I support that 100%. A nation without laws is a banana republic and that is where Obama had dragged the US.

Republicans knew in 2008 what the 2007 GAO study on the mortgage market discovered. Democrat policies represented a systemic risk. Democrats wanted the disastrous policies and Republicans didn't have the cajones to nix them. I don't like Republicans, but they are the least of the evils. So I will continue to support Republicans

 

Hey I was trying to hide that....

What is strange is that red states vote for a Republican party who's globalization policies harm red states and help blue states. Compare the economies of NY and CA to the American south for example since 1980.

 

I mock many things, but having parents feed their own kids isn’t one of them. I don’t have/like kids, so the last thing I want is to pay for feeding them when the people who had them should do that themselves.

 

Such elderly/disabled people are choosing to be cold by insisting on living beyond their means. If you can't afford to support a household (and all its associated costs) alone, then don't do it. Live with others, and share the costs.

 

No, that's not what I said .. or even suggested.

The real problem here is that families are not carrying each other, when they should be. And worse, some people are so spoiled and so determined to avoid compromise and cooperation, that they refuse to share even when family is willing.

 

If you're saying that providing 'heating oil' to those who demand their own private accommodation (when they can't afford it), in a rich, well-fed, and ultra safe nation .. is going to get you into some sort of heaven, you have one very screwed up deity.

 

Dog whistles must be the only thing the left listens to.

Fact:

https://liheapch.acf.hhs.gov/news/july10/gaoreport.htm

GAO Report Cites Fraud in LIHEAP


The U.S. House has released a report from the General Accounting Office (GAO) that found potential fraud in LIHEAP. During an investigation conducted by GAO over the past year, investigators audited 7 states and found names of 11,000 dead people and hundreds of prisoners used as applicants for funds. More than 1,000 federal employees whose federal salary exceeded maximum income threshold received benefits and in several cases, people living in million-dollar houses received benefits.

About 9 percent of households receiving benefits—totaling $116 million—in the selected states contained invalid identity information, such as Social Security numbers, names, or dates of birth. Although some of these cases are likely due to simple errors such as typos or incomplete data, the GAO said, thousands of other cases show strong indications of fraud and improper benefits.
​

https://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10621.pdf

LIHEAP is at risk of fraud and improper payments in all seven of our selected states. About 9 percent of households receiving benefits—totaling $116 million—in the selected states contained invalid identity information, such as Social Security numbers, names, or dates of birth. Although some of these cases are likely due to simple errors such as typos or incomplete data, thousands of other cases show strong indications of fraud and improper benefits. For example, the identities of over 11,000 deceased individuals were used as applicants or household members for LIHEAP benefits. Hundreds of individuals were used as applicants or household members even though they were incarcerated in state prisons, making them ineligible. Finally, we identified over a thousand federal employees whose federal salary exceeded the maximum income threshold when they applied. We nonrepresentatively selected and investigated 20 cases that either validated the potential fraudulent activity noted above or illustrated other improper activities.
​

 

Further to this. It's unrealistic to suggest that the majority of those 'eligible for heating oil' don't have a single relative living who will tolerate them. Sure, there will be some, but they'd be rare. Almost all of us have relatives and/or friends. If we alienate everyone who ever cared about us, then one day find ourselves without the means for solo survival and no one to help, we cannot claim our state is involuntary.

If we're unlucky enough to be born into a family of low moral fibre - a family lacking the motivation to attain financial security, then it's on us to cultivate and preserve solid friendships. Friendships which will sustain us through the hard times. Again, this is a choice we make. The orphan knows to make his friends his family.

 

It's unfair to assume that some of these recipients did not plan for retirement. People are living longer and with health issues that may not have been treatable generations ago. So what normally would have killed them is now being managed by medication.

I'm trying to remain objective but I admit that reading some of the posts has really rattled me.

It would be good to have a little more information to see whether there have been any analysis done on the impact to those receiving this assistance. Do we know the specifics on the demographics, what's the plan to transition these recipients off these subsidies, and are there exceptions. Just some of the questions that come to mind.

 

I obviously misunderstood you, I apologize. For what it's worth, I agree with you.

 

Nobody yet seems to have answered these questions -- why do we need a specific welfare program for heating costs, and why do we need to use taxpayer funds to pay people to run this program, and why can't heating costs be a general expense covered by Social Security or disability $$?

 

What is "PF"?

 

Political forum

 

hahahahaha - Thanks, it went completely over my head. I was thinking too hard and missed the simplicity of it.