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The taxpayers are already giving her free housing, I would bet she's getting food stamps, WIC, Medicaid, school lunches, energy assistance and lots of other free things ----she pays no taxes so shouldn't get a refund for something she didn't give ----$15,000 spending money wouldn't be too bad. Over $1200 a month just to buy non-essentials?

I thought people making $15K/year were ineligible for most of the handouts available to those making $0/year. Does anyone have specifics?

I thought people making $15K/year were ineligible for most of the handouts available to those making $0/year. Does anyone have specifics?

The article mentions the federal government paying for her rent, at $15,000 with 6 kids, you're going to get a huge stack of food stamps and I believe you easily qualify for WIC. 6 kids will get you food stamps even if you have close to $40,000 a year income. Plus her job is working out of her house making clothing and doing alterations ---how much need is there in that? You still get Medicaid at that low an income. The article is trying to portray her as a working poor but it does admit she quit her nurse's aide job to be a stay-at-home mother ---she used the excuse her son was getting into trouble.

Does anyone have specifics?

There are a number of links available for welfare research at http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/win/dataportal.asp

IMHO, the debate is not whether the income tax of the bottom 50% of those that even bother to file a tax return is too high. It's not. According to the IRS, the tax burden is more progressive now than it was under Clinton. (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/01in03at.xls)

The debate is whether there needs to be additional transfers of income from half of us to the other half through mandated government programs like EITC and others. The debate is what happens when 50% or more of us are dependant on the government taking from those that study, sacrifice and strive to finance others' retirement, disabilities, poor choices and desired quality of life.

For example, try the link (http://www.connect2jobs.org/connect2cash/) and type in hourly wages of $5.15, $7.20, and $12.80 for 40 hour weeks, 52 weeks a year and either One or Two+ children.

The bottom line is that the current structures of wealth redistrubution between classes and generations will go bankrupt because of demographics in a few decades. Either we start having serious discussions without the polemic partisanship, or we pay a much higher price with fewer options later.

The actual Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report is at http://www.cbpp.org/.