"Too many people abusing (Medicare/SSI/Welfare) ruined it, and now they should take it away"

[Taverner]

"So you are saying that to need assistance is a moral issue?"

"Well...Yes! If you don't provide for yourself or family, it is immoral!"

"Ah - so when someone is poor, its their fault."

"Yes, yes it is!"

"Wow - sounds like you've never been poor!"

"Well I was a while ago - once"

"So you're saying you were immoral."

"No - my case was different."

"So not all poor people are immoral."

"Well - no - some people are poor at no fault of their own."

"And you're saying we should punish these people alongside those who abused the system."

"Well...No I'm not saying that..."

[Curmudgeoness]

1. "Some scam artists abuse these systems, so

do you suggest that we punish them severely as a disincentive to others?"

"Well, no, we can't do that. These are businessmen who are just trying to make a living. We probably should give them tax credits."

[Booster]

3. I have always blamed the people in charge of the programs for

the fraud, etc. I see it as their job to check each case out as much as they possibly can using any means they need to do so. It's just ridiculous that they allowed themselves (us) to be scammed for millions and some of the cases went on for years & years. It would be nice if people didn't get our tax monies defrauding the system, but, damn it, I think they could have stopped a whole lot of it but just weren't doing their job.

[Curmudgeoness]

5. One problem has been the elimination of the jobs

at the level where they can do checks and balances. Fewer people doing these jobs means fewer chances of seeing patterns. I have always advocated for less top-heavy agencies and many more inspection level jobs in all agencies.

[Taverner]

7. Exactly. The first thing these guys want to eliminate are the checks and balances

[dgibby]

2. I often ask people who espouse doing away with

Medicare and SS because "some people abuse them" if they think we should also do away with cars, alcohol, highways, hospitals, the 911 system, etc. Usually shuts them up for at least a few minutes.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. Good point. I often ask these people

what they think we will do with all the eldery who will be living in the streets, dying of treatable conditions because damn few would ever be able to afford private insurance. I ask them how many old people could they step over living in the streets before they went insane.

[EC]

6. yeah and so many of them that scammed the system

are now in government or lobbying. ala Rick Scott, Bill Frist, Colburn, Rand Paul, Michelle Bachmann...as Republicans

[WingDinger]

8. They have structured the safety net so that you must lie to qualify, or be too poor to benefit from

said help. That way, they get to wag their fingers at you, and say all needing help are crooked. It is designed that way.