Single parent of 3 earning 14k has more disposable income than 30k, 60k familes

[Revere]

Looks like the middle class is being fleeced to pay for the welfare state.

In Entitlement America, The Head Of A Household Of Four Making Minimum Wage Has More Disposable Income Than A Family Making $60,000 A Year | zero hedge

 

[Madeline]

These numbers do not look right to me, Revere. How is a family of four qualifying for TANF if the parent earns more than $14,000 a year? How in the hell would anyone ever get a $1,200 payment from HEAP?

Quantifying the value of Medicaid and CHIP is arbitrary at best. What do you use for a measure? Private individual/family insurance with similar coverage? If so, the number is far too low. The out of pocket costs this family would otherwise have incurred? If so, the number is likely far too high...for Christ's sake it's $2,000 more than they earned!

Why would Section 8 payments be higher on behalf of a minimum wage family than they are for one on welfare?

I can't figure out what's going on with child care costs. If no one works, why is child care even an expense? The chart has that amount credited for each family, which is absurd.

Doubtless, there is a significant loss of real income as a family climbs out of poverty and into the middle class. Medicaid alone would be irreplacable. If that was your point, I'll concede it.......but this chart just doesn't read accurate to me.

 

[8537]

Medicaid and Chip are not "money earned in a year". I presume the author is smart enough to know that - Not so, those who fell for his scam.

 

[uscitizen]

Scam thread.

 

[Revere]

Post your own damned numbers, then.

People who don't have Medicaid or SCHIP have to spend their own money, so it is disposable income.

 

[Madeline]

Post your own damned numbers, then.

People who don't have Medicaid or SCHIP have to spend their own money, so it is disposable income.

This is untrue, Revere. Poor people without medical insurance of any kind just do without. There's a legal obligation on almost every hospital to render life-saving aid, so it's not likely we're talking about babies born at home or people dying of appenditicus, but we sure as shit are talking about kids with no dental care, few vaccines, no pap smears for women, etc.

 

[Revere]

What's the point in earning $60,000 a year if you can skate by on $14,500 a year with all the handouts?

 

[boedicca]

Post your own damned numbers, then.

People who don't have Medicaid or SCHIP have to spend their own money, so it is disposable income.

You're assuming they have to spend that money, which may not be the case. The value of employer paid benefits (if any) should be included for a valid comparison.

 

[Madeline]

What's the point in earning $60,000 a year if you can skate by on $14,500 a year with all the handouts?

This is a most valid criticism, Revere. For those capable of doing better, we hardly want the social programs we design to act as disincentives. One reason we pay for subsidized child care for the poor is to prevent that....to smooth the transition between poverty and working, so people will continue to move forward.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Are there no prisons? Are there no work houses??? BAH HUMBUG.

 

[AllieBaba]

These numbers do not look right to me, Revere. How is a family of four qualifying for TANF if the parent earns more than $14,000 a year? How in the hell would anyone ever get a $1,200 payment from HEAP?

Quantifying the value of Medicaid and CHIP is arbitrary at best. What do you use for a measure? Private individual/family insurance with similar coverage? If so, the number is far too low. The out of pocket costs this family would otherwise have incurred? If so, the number is likely far too high...for Christ's sake it's $2,000 more than they earned!

Why would Section 8 payments be higher on behalf of a minimum wage family than they are for one on welfare?

I can't figure out what's going on with child care costs. If no one works, why is child care even an expense? The chart has that amount credited for each family, which is absurd.

Doubtless, there is a significant loss of real income as a family climbs out of poverty and into the middle class. Medicaid alone would be irreplacable. If that was your point, I'll concede it.......but this chart just doesn't read accurate to me.

Child care is an expense because TANF recipients have to attend JOBS classes & look for work. Here we no longer have employment-related daycare, that funding was sliced. There's a reservation list for it, so as slots come open (people leave the existing program) they can draw new applicants. Other than that, the only ERDC is for TANF recipients.