If you have money to spend at a casino ...

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I would like to remind y'all that you don't always know someone's situation.

Or in my case, I have a good job and can afford a laptop, a Wii, plenty of games, a home theater system, medium sized LCD TV, Blu-Ray, several desktop computers...

But I live where I live because the job is in an area where I'm lucky to get the cheap rent on a three-bedroom trailer that's a bit long in the tooth. It's not the nicest place in the world to live in, but given that rents are usually $900 for a one-bedroom apartment or efficiency, finding this place for $700 a month for three beds is a godsend.

[Jaden]

Obviously, anybody who is on welfare and is going to a casino is stupid, but as to the idea that people scamming the system outnumber the people who genuinely need it that one or two people have put forth in the thread, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that that is completely untrue.

I have a friend who actually works in my city's social services, getting people set up for benefits. He's worked there for well over a year now. He is extremely frustrated by people who claim that people who game the system outnumber, or are even comparable to, those who sign up for it who actually need it. He, and his coworkers, are the people who personally go through all of the bullshit applications and reject them, and ensure that the people who need help are given it. Sure, one or two people slip through the cracks, but you have to have a lot of shit verified in order to receive benefits, and most people who try and scam money out of them fail. I certainly would not question him on this matter.

[alogram]

Ok, you are probably correct. I can admit when I am wrong.

I still think it is complete bullshit that people on welfare spend tons of cash at casinos though, and I have seen with my own two eyes how frequently that happens.

[HYHYBT]

That doesn't answer HYHYBT's question. Fraud and taking advantage of legal loopholes are two different things. If someone is lying on reports or taking money under the table that would, if documented, relieve the person of welfare benefits, that's clear cut fraud.

On the other hand, if the government has lax regulations which legally allows people to, say, sit around doing nothing while they are fully able to find a full time job and simply hasn't done so, out of sheer laziness because they go on job interviews that they purposely screw up, then is that documented as part of the 2% who are committing "fraud"?

Since you mentioned it, that wasn't what I was asking about either

I was aiming for the difference between getting benefits you don't need, perhaps by cheating the system in some way so that you look poorer than you are or whatever, and really needing that assistance but using it unwisely (say, by going hungry because you spent the food money at the casino.)

The former is cheating; the latter, only stupid. Or, as with doing the same with smoking, the result of addiction.

[KnitShoni]

This is assuming they're playing high-stakes poker and other games....how do you know they're not playing the nickel slots? Yes, they still exist, I've played them myself.

Do you know how many free/discounted rooms we've gotten from nickel and quarter slots? They give them to you based on how much you play, not how much you spend. That's how my husband and I get free rooms for spending $60 dollars.

[crashhelmet]

Ok, you are probably correct. I can admit when I am wrong.

I still think it is complete bullshit that people on welfare spend tons of cash at casinos though, and I have seen with my own two eyes how frequently that happens.

I don't know where you live, but I live here in Las Vegas. I have watched people go to the grocery store and buy groceries using their EBT cards and then pull out an additional $100 on top of their totals. They take that money and walk over to another aisle and buy their cigarettes and/or alcohol. Then they walk over to the little slot machine section and gamble the rest. I have seen this on multiple occasions.

When I bartended in a casino, I had a cocktail waitress that refused to work more than 20 hours a week because she didn't want to lose her Section 8, WIC, and other benefits she got for being a single mother of two. The really fraudulent kicker in that is she only had partial custody. I think they spent more time with their dad than with her.

People on CS.com complain about the first of the month when all the senior citizens come in and shop on their pension/SS checks. In the casino, we see it with all of the people on state aide as well. They all come in, gamble just enough to get free drinks and rack up some points so they can try and score a comped meal or two.

It may not be common wherever you are, but it's REALLY common here.

[HYHYBT]

The hours thing makes sense to me. 20 hours = reduced, payable cost; more hours = full price, but not necessarily enough added income to pay it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the more than 20 turned out to be, often as not, still considerably less than 30.

[bara]

I am of the opinion that people who misuse public funds are cheating the system. Fraud is another matter entirely and happens far less than many like to believe. I do not consider those who get the occasional non-essential items as cheating the system.

I know a few people that do get screwed by the system though. People who work, get a raise and then get their benefits reduced. People who work one hour to much over time and get their benefits reduced.

[fireheart17]

I still think it is complete bullshit that people on welfare spend tons of cash at casinos though, and I have seen with my own two eyes how frequently that happens.

And this is exactly why I don't do it.

Probably the most I've done with my Centrelink benefits (welfare) that would fall into the realm of questionable is buy myself an iPad. However, the iPad has actually been beneficial in that I use it for my studies and I can use it further down the track. It's the more recent version (#3) but is still basic, sixteen GB and wi-fi only.

I put my welfare money to good use

[Tanasi]

Cheating out of ignorance is one thing, one warning and then a temp reduction in benefits to get their attention. Cheating with intent should result to loss of benefits for a prescribed time. Fraud in addition to jail time and restitution should be a permanent ban on public assistance. Harsh??? Yes but folks gotta learn, some the hard way.

[Panacea]

And this is exactly why I don't do it.

Probably the most I've done with my Centrelink benefits (welfare) that would fall into the realm of questionable is buy myself an iPad. However, the iPad has actually been beneficial in that I use it for my studies and I can use it further down the track. It's the more recent version (#3) but is still basic, sixteen GB and wi-fi only.

I put my welfare money to good use

If you use those studies to graduate and get yourself a better paying job so that you no longer need public assistance, then I consider every penny of that iPad to be public money well spent.

I really don't understand why some people think that people on welfare should be living in misery. The whole point is to help them elevate themselves OUT of misery and get them on a path to self sustainable employment.

[crashhelmet]

If you use those studies to graduate and get yourself a better paying job so that you no longer need public assistance, then I consider every penny of that iPad to be public money well spent.

I really don't understand why some people think that people on welfare should be living in misery. The whole point is to help them elevate themselves OUT of misery and get them on a path to self sustainable employment.

It's not a matter of misery. You're given the benefits so that you don't live in misery.

It's a matter of living in luxury off of the benefits that pisses people off. Especially when they whine about having to be about on benefits, or how hard it is, but then pull out their iPad, their iPhone5, and their Macbook.

Not to single out Fireheart, but that iPad costs ~$500.00. They could've spent half that on an Android based tablet. In my opinion, it was not put to good use.

[Andara Bledin]

Not to single out Fireheart, but that iPad costs ~$500.00. They could've spent half that on an Android based tablet. In my opinion, it was not put to good use.

Which only works if the apps that the person with the iPad needs to have are available for Android, which we all know isn't always the case.

With only a part of the information, any rush to judgement will be flawed and should be avoided.

^-.-^

[Tanasi]

I don't begrudge Fireheart her iPad providing she's using it as she says. The hope is one day she'll be employed making her own way. That's what the benefits are for.
I do begrudge those that make a lifestyle of living on benefits, especially when they spend those benefits on things that the money wasn't intended. Some people see it as a slap in the face when standing in line at the grocery store and the person in front of you is eating better than you and is paying for it with EBT, while you're doing good to afford store brand bologna and ramen. I don't expect those on benefits to live in misery but at least don't stand there looking all smug. I also don't mind those on benefits from having a nice meal or two each month but if the cost of those nice meals determines whether or not you and your's eat the last few days of the month then I do have a problem.
Also it's really bad form to not show the least little bit of thankfulness and gratitude to those that provide for you, and it's especially bad form to demand more and say that you're owed.

[alogram]

I absolutely do not think that they need to live in "misery". I also do not think that not being able to go to a casino constitutes misery. I have been underemployed and wondered where the heck I was going to find money for gas or groceries, I was not thinking about going and spending money on something as frivolous as gambling.

I went back to school, and had to take out loans because I had been working two jobs and "made too much money". I certainly wasn't buying an iPad, or furniture like someone I used to work with who got "free" money for "school".