Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Longtime D.C. welfare recipients prepare for life off the rolls
The Washington Post ^ | Monday, December 20, 2010; 9:47 PM | Ian Shapira

Posted on 12/21/2010 10:45:07 AM PST by TSgt

Navida Joy knows she needs to liberate herself from the District's dole for good. The divorced mother of three has been receiving city welfare checks on and off for six of the past 10 years.

But Joy, who gets about $430 a month in welfare checks and $440 in monthly food stamps, supports a controversial plan by the D.C. Council that would slash her benefits and those of other long-term welfare recipients.

"The council's move is the right idea, but there are a lot of people out there who depend on it and need welfare," said Joy, 28, who lost her bartending job at T.G.I. Friday's in August and takes medical coding classes at a local trade college to find work. "Right now, I am facing eviction because I can't pay my rent. I'm not as motivated as I should be. I've been dealing with a divorced family. But I am trying. I plan on getting off welfare and not begging for money."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-42 next last
To: AD from SpringBay

I cant believe it - 4 children - because I chose a path in the arts without guarantees, I didnt have any.


21 posted on 12/21/2010 11:23:16 AM PST by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE

Struggle to watch the video if you can. Not sure what the poster said to get it pulled by the Moderator.

On welfare for SEVEN years
Children from SIX years to x months
All children born on welfare
Divorced? Where is the father(s)?
Her right to have children? Not unless she can support them
Three more little gangster children to make more gangster children.
Attending psychoeducation classes? Looked like there were more paid social workers there than there were “clients”

Just great.


22 posted on 12/21/2010 11:31:29 AM PST by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101

Yes that video is very telling (hard to get through poor quality but worth seeing) in it she says who are people to say how many kids a person can have. The video tells more then the article about her supposedly wanting to get off welfare.


23 posted on 12/21/2010 11:38:36 AM PST by FromLori (FromLori)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: livius

It’s actually a Catch-22. If they sue for child support, he won’t pay it but he will get visitation.

My wife’s cousin went through this. She didn’t want to lose the baby every weekend to the daddy’s momma if the daddy wasn’t going to pay anyway. It would have been years before they packed daddy off to jail but would still lose the child every weekend.

Up here, the girls encourage the baby daddy to go into the military. The military sends the check.


24 posted on 12/21/2010 11:43:28 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive

HOW MANY FATHERS?
This one is something of a prude...

...the three fathers of her four children...””””

Sure not going to be an invite to ‘The Maury Povick Show” for this person, eh?


25 posted on 12/21/2010 11:43:42 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: FromLori

in it she says who are people to say how many kids a person can have. “””

That same thought applies to feral cats.........


26 posted on 12/21/2010 11:46:24 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE

I would be miserable living on 880 dollars a month. How can she even survive that?


27 posted on 12/21/2010 11:50:38 AM PST by napscoordinator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Sequoyah101

I’ve seen much, MUCH worse.

About 1—12 years ago, there was a TV series that showed similar circumstances, but not exactly. Welfare queens were forced out of the system by welfare “reform” that the Republicans forced President Clinton to sign.

Anyway, these women were counseled and “trained” and set forth into the society that many of us take for granted. Work. You wouldn’t believe the entitelment attitude of many of them. One lady claimed that she was “too good” to work in a restaurant, while others insulted their employers and quit.

All and all, not a positive message.
Still, while I understand the underlying factors, I wish them success, because their failure will rest upon all of us.


28 posted on 12/21/2010 11:52:20 AM PST by SJSAMPLE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE

“1-12” = “10-12”

Whoops.


29 posted on 12/21/2010 11:54:17 AM PST by SJSAMPLE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: kabumpo

“I cant believe it - 4 children - because I chose a path in the arts without guarantees, I didnt have any.”

She is the future. You are not.

That’s the truth of the matter. What that says about our nation’s future...


30 posted on 12/21/2010 12:02:36 PM PST by CaspersGh0sts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy

Sadly, none of these guys would have gone into the military or even qualified for it (because of their multiple felonies). In addition, there was a huge age difference between the girls and the guys who had gotten them pregnant, and some of the men were bordering on being too old for the military.

There was one girl in this class who had been made pregnant by a man 20 years her senior - who actually was already “supporting” (i.e., giving $10 a month) 5 other children by other girls. He claimed to have some 20 children, btw; the others just weren’t collecting from him.

Until people in these strata - “commnunties” is too generous - get a little self respect and some understanding of marriage, nothing is going to improve for them. Meanwhile, our very own government is tearing down marriage.

So I guess it’s going to be Holy Mother the State for all, and the State makes a lousy mother. Or father.


31 posted on 12/21/2010 12:27:58 PM PST by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: AD from SpringBay

A better plan is to make injectable contraception like Depo Provera mandatory with quarterly visits when picking up checks or benefits reviews. If they cannot feed themselves, they cannot be allowed to have more children. If they get back on their feet, they can take back their fertility.


32 posted on 12/21/2010 12:30:53 PM PST by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Sirat: Through the Fires of Hell" - on amazon.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Mr. K

5 kids later at the age of 28 she thinks she needs to get off welfare.

33 posted on 12/21/2010 12:43:00 PM PST by kcvl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE

“has been receiving city welfare checks on and off for six of the past 10 years.”

Late start to get on the government teat at age 18 isn’t it, Joy?

I hope we can get a follow-up story about Joy 10 years from now.


34 posted on 12/21/2010 1:00:51 PM PST by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive

“This one is something of a prude...

...the three fathers of her four children...”

: )


35 posted on 12/21/2010 1:32:23 PM PST by kearnyirish2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE

Most of these people are the last in many generations that have never had a job; the most basic work ethic or skills are alien to them (even as basic as communication, apparel, etiquette). There is simply nothing for them in this economy (I mean in general, not the current “Depression”), but how do you tell them that? I think they just needed to get them out of the projects and doing anything rather than breeding...


36 posted on 12/21/2010 1:36:01 PM PST by kearnyirish2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator

Somebody else mentioned free medical care; she probably also lives rent-free as well. Half of it is food stamps, the rest spending money.


37 posted on 12/21/2010 1:39:33 PM PST by kearnyirish2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator

That’s not counting all the handouts she gets from the local saps.

Poor people play others for suckers.


38 posted on 12/21/2010 1:48:19 PM PST by reaganator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: kearnyirish2

The long-term unemployed will face a similar problem.
Anybody out of work for two years/99 weeks is bound to be suspect as untrained, incompetent or lazy, truth or not.


39 posted on 12/21/2010 2:10:20 PM PST by SJSAMPLE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: SJSAMPLE
I am facing eviction because I can't pay my rent. I'm not as motivated as I should be. I've been dealing with a divorced family. But I am trying. I plan on getting off welfare and not begging for money."

If I were the welfare czar I would encourage all local agencies to send people like this for a medical evaluation for antidepresant medicine. The above statement sounds like depression talking, and it could be treatable for a tiny fraction of the cost of continued welfare support..

40 posted on 12/21/2010 5:21:26 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-42 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson