My neighbor is on it and is proud to be on it. She proudly displays her free car tag and parks in the handicapped spot every time she can.
She is on social security disability and there is not a dam thing wrong with her. She also proudly displays her conservative opinions on bumper stickers on her Denali.
This program is the fastest growing Federal program out there.
My neighbor rides horses, cuts grass on the rider and has a garden to kill for.
There is a special place in HELL for people like her.
And nothing will or can be done to stop the checks. $2200 a month in her case.
How do you know there is nothing wrong with her? Did she TELL you there is nothing wrong with her and she duped her own doctors and the federal government or what? Is she supposed to be ASHAMED to be on disability -as if she did something wrong? It is a federally run insurance program and if you don't pay into it -you can't get it even if you become disabled. The amount a person receives is based on how much they EARNED while still working. It is not an entitlement program any more than any other kind of insurance program would be. Considering the fact I worked with all sorts of disabled patients for years and the average disability payment is now just $700 I must assume she had a hell of a good paying job before becoming disabled because that $2200 is less than 1/3 of what she used to earn each month -and is far more than that I've ever known anyone to be paid on disability. The highest I've known was $1700 a month and that person earned more than $120,000 a year before becoming disabled. So this woman had a hell of a good job before becoming disabled. Think her long term goals were to be disabled and out of a high paying job or what? Think she dreamed of the day when she would become an unproductive member of society, her talent and skills wasted because her disability meant she can't rely on them any longer?
I get tired of people assuming that all disabilities are readily visible to others and if you can't see them the individual is just malingering or faking it. From heart conditions, a slew of neurological conditions to disabling mental illness -there are more than 100 invisible and significant disabilities that can render a person incapable of supporting themselves even while looking perfectly normal and able to manage their daily lives fairly well.
Apparently you want the following to be true or you will refuse to accept it as a "real" disability:
1. It must be a blatantly obvious disability to you. If YOU aren't satisfied it is a disability, it doesn't matter what her own doctors or SSDI doctors have said about it. Which means those with all sorts of conditions, illnesses and diseases you are completely ignorant about must be denied benefits and only those with readily visible disabilities and a much narrower range of serious conditions are eligible. When those with significant but invisible disabilities still can't hold down a job, **** 'em -kick them to the curb. Just a pack of fakers if you can't readily see their problem.
2. It isn't enough for you that the person's disability means they cannot hold down a job -they must also not be able to take care of their daily lives since you must think the only "real" disabilities also means they have no real life at all. Not only should they not enjoy any aspect of their lives or attempt to engage in any activity you have deemed "off limits" to those with disabilities, the truly disabled wouldn't even be able to brush their own teeth or get out of bed without help, right? You not only assume that all real disabilities not only render a person that helpless, it does so immediately. Anyone unable to work but not that helpless doesn't have a real disability to you. And HOW DARE that ***** try to get some enjoyment out of her life by gardening or gawd forbid, get on a horse. As if people with any and all "real" disabilities are incapable of sitting on a horse and riding it. Someone forgot to tell my sister who gives riding lessons to the DISABLED! Your medical ignorance is not only dangerous but truly inhumane to others.
3. People with "real" disabilities would never be able to enjoy or participate in ANY aspect resembling anything close to a "normal" life, right? If they still find pleasure in life and can still participate in ANY pleasurable activities that a "normal" person might also find enjoyable - that is obvious proof to you they aren't really disabled.
4. Disabled people should feel ashamed of their disabilities, HIDE that fact from friends and family and hang their head in shame that they are on disability. They are filth and the scum of society that you "caring" liberals only tolerate but certainly can't be expected to treat them like a real person! A paper bag over the head goes a long way. And if they aren't ashamed, refuse to stay hidden out of sight and still try to enjoy their lives and actually use their handicapped tag which is meant to make trying to live their lives a bit easier in the first place -it is an OUTRAGE. What a revolting and disgusting person if they refuse to stay out of sight of you "decent" people. In the old days families used to hide these people in their attics and that is where you think they belong. If they aren't, it is proof to you they aren't really disabled after all.
Disability is an insurance program -if you don't pay into it, you can't get it even if you become totally disabled. Those who haven't paid into it and are left broke due to their disability must go on Medicaid. It is EASY to get on Medicaid. It is far more difficult to get on SSDI because it isn't enough that a person's own doctor tells the SSDI board that the person is disabled. All new applications are reviewed by a medical team involving several specialties who can and do insist on further testing using their own list of doctors. No matter what a person's doctor says, if the SSDI chosen doctor says the individual is either not disabled or not yet disabled enough -that person isn't getting disability and must appeal the decision. Just like in criminal cases, most appeals LOSE. In addition the law requires that every single person on disability have their case reviewed AT LEAST every 7 years -for the express purpose of getting people OFF disability and back into the work force. For ALL conditions that have even a slight chance of improvement -that individual will automatically have their case reviewed 1-3 years depending on the nature of their illness. That review involves submitting all medical records that were accumulated since the last review and being forced to see SSDI chosen doctors if the medical records are in any way questionable or suggest improvement.
No matter what you personally think about your disabled neighbor or the fact that she can still enjoy pleasurable activities you think she shouldn't be able to if she were "really" disabled, doesn't hang her head in shame at her own disabilities, doesn't try to hide the fact she has a disabled tag (another story about how a person receives THAT) -she is far more likely than not to be truly disabled. Whether you like it or not, whether you understand the nature of her disability or not. In addition she is clearly not stupid and was NOT an unproductive member of society until her disability or she sure as hell wouldn't be receiving the kind of money she does that is more than 3 times the average disability payment.
The biggest phonies I've ever known were not on disability. They were liberals who mouth the right words so they can PRETEND to be all "caring" but in reality are anything but. I've never worked with liberals at my job. Liberals who feel moved to do this kind of work prefer helping animals. NOT people. Liberals figure using caring WORDS is enough but show their true colors all the time -including when they see someone who doesn't fit in with their own preconceived and totally ignorant notion of what is and is not "disabled". Frankly I'd rather have your disabled neighbor as my neighbor than a judgmental and ignorant fool who seems to think he is personally owed an explanation by that woman. That woman doesn't owe YOU an explanation about her condition or why you can't see or understand the nature of her disability. She was given a handicapped tag to USE it so turning around and squealing about the fact she does use it is just WEIRD. She fully satisfied the people she DID owe an explanation to and they have far greater knowledge and experience with disabilities and are fully satisfied as to the nature of this woman's disabilities. SO BUTT OUT AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.