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Forum Post: Government shutdown hitting veterans, military families hard

Posted 10 years ago on Oct. 9, 2013, 12:21 p.m. EST by GirlFriday (17435)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

If the shutdown doesn't end soon, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department won't be able to ensure that checks go out on Nov. 1 for 5.18 million beneficiaries, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki told House Veterans' Affairs Committee. That amounts to $6.25 billion in payments that VA beneficiaries are expecting.

Already the VA has furloughed more than 7,800 employees, Shinseki, half of whom are veterans. While the VA has in the last six months made progress on reducing its disability claims backlog, the shutdown has reversed that progress, with the number of backlogged claims increasing by 2,000 since Oct. 1.

"We've lost ground we fought hard to take," said Shinseki, who at multiple points in his testimony to Congress used military analogies to explain the challenges his department is facing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57606695/government-shutdown-hitting-veterans-military-families-hard/

36 Comments

36 Comments


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[-] 0 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

these militants weren't hit nearly as hard as the ones we blow up in pakistan

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

pat pat pat

[+] -5 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

I live in an area of prevalent welfare fraud - young able bodied fat girls shopping with 3 carriages loaded up with meat and pull out their state ebt card which they have no shame in displaying even as everyone around them looks on in disbelief at the 3 carriages flowing over with nothing but meat - they then go sell the meat discounted to thugs in the parking lot (which I have witnessed) so they can take the cash for their slutty parties buy cigarettes and booze so they can presumably go get knocked up with another meal ticket that they treat like a purse while walking around the store - they don't even talk or make eye contact with their kids and they are mean to them on the rare occasions I've seen them address them (Also when you weigh 300 pounds perhaps lose the half shirt - eh?) Anyway not saying this is everyone - but decisions to cut Verterans benefits vs sluttly girls and their fraudulent party meat? I don't know...just wondering ?

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

Opponents of the federally funded food stamp program are increasingly using the specter of fraud to justify leaving millions of Americans without vital access to food for their families. Republican members of Congress—Senator John Thune (R-N.D.), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) to name only a few—have all cited fraud as their reason for slashing funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Some have linked the growth in SNAP participation, which almost doubled between 2008 and 2012, to higher incidences of fraud. At a hearing in March, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chair Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)—who, with a net worth of $355 million, was recently named the richest member of Congress—connected the increasing number of SNAP beneficiaries to “skyrocketing fraud and a dysfunctional enforcement system.” Never mind that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office acknowledges that the weak economy is primarily to blame for why 1 in 7 Americans are now on food stamps.

However, while food stamp fraud does occur, SNAP still has one of the lowest fraud rates among federal programs. Americans are far more likely to cheat on their taxes or commit auto insurance fraud than misuse their food stamps.

Unlike the property or casualty insurance policies that most individuals purchase, taxpayers pay all of the administrative costs and about 60 percent of the different premium costs for crop insurance, according to an official with the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress that audits and evaluates government programs. As federal auditors have pointed out, these large subsidies effectively shield producers from the higher premiums associated with filing frequent or large claims. In other words, there’s an incentive for frequent claims embedded into the very core of the program, leaving plenty of room for widespread abuse.

The last official figure calculated by the GAO estimated that the crop insurance program lost $117 million to “fraud, waste and abuse” in 2005, or about 4.3 percent of the program's $2.7 billion cost that year. Crop insurance spending has since expanded to roughly $9 billion. Food stamp fraud, by contrast, accounts for about 1 percent of the program’s cost.

In March, federal investigators uncovered the largest detected crop insurance fraud ring in the country—a $100 million scheme involving insurance agents, claims adjusters, brokers and farmers in eastern North Carolina. “I can tell you it’s everywhere, all across the country,” Jimmy Thomas Sasser, a claims adjuster who was sentenced to four years in prison for his involvement, told the press.

http://inthesetimes.com/article/15519/looking_for_fraud_try_crop_insurance_not_food_stamps/

[-] 2 points by HCHC4 (-28) 10 years ago

JP Morgan runs the food stamp program, I doubt they feel like ending their profits anytime soon..

http://moneymorning.com/2013/04/09/why-jpmorgan-wants-to-see-more-americans-on-food-stamps/

That article states that 1% of food stamp participants buy junk food, that would be a miracle in this country.

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

In March, federal investigators uncovered the largest detected crop insurance fraud ring in the country—a $100 million scheme involving insurance agents, claims adjusters, brokers and farmers in eastern North Carolina. “I can tell you it’s everywhere, all across the country,” Jimmy Thomas Sasser, a claims adjuster who was sentenced to four years in prison for his involvement, told the press.

[-] 2 points by HCHC4 (-28) 10 years ago

Fraud is running wild, in every single sector of this monster. Snowball effect.

The only thing that can stop it is a unified front.

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

I totally agree if all the people on them were to stop getting subsidies - what are they gonna do? Maybe join this movement and put down the doritos?!!!! It is pacification. The jobs are gone aren't coming back and there are not enough life boats in the water - a situation created by corporate America's greed to go overseas and use slave labor so they can collect 400 percent mark-ups. You have people jumping off the building in the I-phone factories and monopolies drowning small business with red tape created by the politicians they pay off. Difference - people screwing a private company - vs. people screwing the tax payer. The private company is and does prosecute and investigate fraud which is why you have those insurance fraud numbers - unlike the government who doesn't even bother to investigate it (that's why it appears it is not happening) I see it all the time here - and yes it makes me angry that I'm paying for all these trashy Jerry Springerlings as I like to call them laugh at me for being a working stiff while they are talking on their gov. paid for I-Phone. You can't call Wall Street corrupt while accepting corruption by other groups. That food is meant for people who desperately need it, elderly disabled, sick, a person to weak from cancer to work...but here I present fat able bodies girls yapping on I-phones with 3 carriages of meat that they are going to thugs can sell it to a corner bodega and get a cut of the profit. It's a ring of food theft and government waste, meanwhile all us working stiffs get to cook up another pile of Ramen while the elderly person opens a can of cat food - something isn't right in Kansas or on Main Street, or on subsidy street. It actually enrages me to see it just like that out in the open no shame - and the little old lady in line behind it with 3 things in her carriage - or even the cashier - has to stand there and act polite? The Entitled class doesn't just live on Wall Street they also dwell on Subsidy Street and neither one is good for Main Street. All the profit from Subsidy Street goes back into Wall Street pockets and the two are feeding each other while letting the rest of us pull their Jerry Springer / One Percent Partnership Wagon down the road.

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

You're done trailer park teathuglican trash.

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

You don't own this movement and don't tell me who I amI voted for Obama only to feel let down cause he is just another corporate boot lick - hate Bush with a seething passion, and hate corruption in all its entitled forms, I would lead a rebellion against Wall Street and Corporate Monopolies, and I'm not afraid to call fraudsters on their behavior be it in the Ghetto or on K-Street. Being poor doesn't entitle you to theive from the working class or VETERANS anymore than being wealthy does. I consider myself Green Party and listen to all points of views - I love Elizabeth Warren, and some aspects of Ron Paul. And obviously you don't live in a down-trodden area if you did like I do you would witness it every day. So you see no evil hear no evil speak no evil as long as it suits your agenda? And I'm racist because I don't like Jerry Springer dirtbags? Then you must be saying minorities are all dirtbags - who belong on Jerry Springer - wow that is a vast steryotype!! How come a good percentage of the fat girls with the ebt meat I see are white?! Maybe I just don't like dirtbags? Or - thugs who stare down women in parking lots really piss off my feminist sensibilities since we fought damn hard to win our rights - So STARING down a women is a threat - just in case you weren't aware - I classify that as a thug!! I never stare at people - even the dirtbags because I happen to be polite and don't like to sink down... I guess I am just a peace loving hippie kind of chick who is sick of all the damn dirtwads screwing up my country. We used to have a thing called DECORUM in America - like not wearing pajamas and slippers on the street or showing your ass hanging out of your shorts while yelling into your phone staring people down or frauding the food stamp system. If I listen to you - Racism is the new McCarthyism and you're using it as an excuse to allow a-hole thugs to go on about with their fraudulent ways while lumping all minorities into the category of welfare fraudsters. Who is the real racist here Girl Friday - you perhaps - don't like white people much do you? That or maybe you are frauding the system yourself

And when someone holds a view apart from yours you threaten them from behind a curtain as though you are in charge trying to be all powerful and controlling just like Wall Street or perhaps that is not your cause or purpose here afterall? You aren't here to better humanity you're here to break it apart and turn it into something else that suits you - using Occupy as your own platform to push your own ideals about a separate America one where some prosper if they meet the qualifications

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

[-] -3 points by elf3 (1657) 1 day ago

I live in an area of prevalent welfare fraud - young able bodied fat girls shopping with 3 carriages loaded up with meat and pull out their state ebt card which they have no shame in displaying even as everyone around them looks on in disbelief at the 3 carriages flowing over with nothing but meat - they then go sell the meat discounted to thugs in the parking lot (which I have witnessed) so they can take the cash for their slutty parties buy cigarettes and booze so they can presumably go get knocked up with another meal ticket that they treat like a purse while walking around the store - they don't even talk or make eye contact with their kids and they are mean to them on the rare occasions I've seen them address them (Also when you weigh 300 pounds perhaps lose the half shirt - eh?) Anyway not saying this is everyone - but decisions to cut Verterans benefits vs sluttly girls and their fraudulent party meat? I don't know...just wondering ? ↥twinkle ↧stinkle reply permalink


No, you are a teathuglican dirtbag.

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[-] 2 points by HCHC4 (-28) 10 years ago

He's talking about gaming the system, not someone who needs it.

Theres some serious shit going down in poor communities right now between those who are working their ASSES off and those who are gaming it. You dont hear about because it doesnt make the news. Only the murders make the news, to keep the racism going.

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[-] 2 points by HCHC4 (-28) 10 years ago

You speak as if you are completely removed from the situation, as if perhaps you live in a community where people can afford nice luxuries like solar outfits for their homes. Both neighbors in fact. Must be nice.

Im going to go out on a wild goose chase and assume you dont know too many people gaming the system. Because if you did, you would be holding them accountable for fucking it up for those that really need it.

This shit isnt a joke. They are making a royal mess out of the entire thing. How does it make you feel to bust your ass all day and come home to a drunk neighbor making more off of ssi than you do in a month?

You;ve never experienced any of that, prob. When was the last time you applied for food stamps?

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[-] 3 points by HCHC4 (-28) 10 years ago

Well at least you have some exposure, but working at a shelter and then going home and away is quite different than living in the community. Like I said, how many people in the last year do you know that sold their food stamp dollars, at discount?

And quite frankly, with as bad as the gov is fucking all of us, part of me doesnt blame em at all. But it is a problem, and people who are working and having to deal with it everyday are getting sick of it.

"I work, I pay my bills" isnt something that we should be hearing because of an overarching problem with gaming the system.

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

So why didn't subsidies help them from becoming homeless? Not enough to go around because of jackhole fraudsters you got to see children and sick people suffer think you would be angered by that more than anyone?

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

Huh? So by that theory Wall Street surely can legitimize their gaming with some assimamy excuse? They grew up used to frauding others their parents taught them how to live in the world they would need to survive in.... they were raised in a world where you screw others to get ahead? The one percent don't know any better?

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[-] -1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

So you read that I hold white collar crime as a virtue in there? Are you daft? you are twisting my words so you can box me in to something because your brain has only one track. I think if they want to cut the budget maybe they oughta go after welfare fraud before defunding veterans? The simple mention of it, has fried your chips: as if being poor is an untouchable virtue - there are fraudsters in all sectors of life my friend you are a bit naive if you don't think so or grew up very sheltered.

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[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

Elf is not that bright. It could be a bit before you get a response. You may not get one at all. It all boils down to when one of the regulars wants to drum up this character again versus the ability to articulate a somewhat educated response. They may need to wait for Jeremy to get online and bounce back in to help the dumb piece of shit out.

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

Go resurrect my posts you twit my pattern is all there it is quite clear I'm left leaning and I think this movement is for everyone and should be centrist and we should be willing to understand and welcome differing views for those who share the central goal of the movement to get monopoly money out of politics....but you make it clear all republicans are the enemy and this country just needs to be cut in half instead of trying to see the other viewpoint which on this point I can understand why some see a problem with our welfare system how do you choose who is helped and who gets to be homeless it is not a fair system why should a secretary pay for an ex con drug thug to go to college for free while she is frozen in place if you can't even contemplate why people feel the way they do how can you even come up with any counterpoints? Oh you don't ....you name call swear and lump people into your categories like so many of the people you claim to dislike ...guess that makes you a hypocrite

I thought the goal of Occupy was to fix the system, not create more band-aids while failing to address the underlying cause?....All our good paying jobs went to China while simultaneously housing turned into the new stock market skyrocketing living costs through the roof while giving average joes no way to meet the new extravagent rates....the section 8 vouchers are enabling the landlords to keep them high, as well as keeping Wall Street with its new downsize ways flush - allowing them to maintain their prices and Consumers even as they put more people out of work ...get rid of subsidies wrip of the band aids and Wall Street Landlord Nation will be forced to rebalance rather than putting the weight on the middle class with taxes to support the people WS has screwed...there is logic in this view...I don't know how to do it without people suffering I certainly don't want that...we need to get the jobs back first through regulation then perhaps the band aids can come off more slowly as the economy begins to heal

[Removed]

[-] -1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

[-] -3 points by elf3 (1657) 1 day ago

I live in an area of prevalent welfare fraud - young able bodied fat girls shopping with 3 carriages loaded up with meat and pull out their state ebt card which they have no shame in displaying even as everyone around them looks on in disbelief at the 3 carriages flowing over with nothing but meat - they then go sell the meat discounted to thugs in the parking lot (which I have witnessed) so they can take the cash for their slutty parties buy cigarettes and booze so they can presumably go get knocked up with another meal ticket that they treat like a purse while walking around the store - they don't even talk or make eye contact with their kids and they are mean to them on the rare occasions I've seen them address them (Also when you weigh 300 pounds perhaps lose the half shirt - eh?) Anyway not saying this is everyone - but decisions to cut Verterans benefits vs sluttly girls and their fraudulent party meat? I don't know...just wondering ? ↥twinkle ↧stinkle reply permalink


No need to resurrect your posts. Several of them were about uniting the Tea Party and Occupy AND the best one was when you kept saying that it was time to march on the government, even though there was an Occupy DC.

[Removed]

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

Absolutely if you do not direly NEED that food then yes shame on you for taking it out of the mouths of those who do

[Removed]

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

heard their name on the news

whatever happened to black water and halliburton?

Fuck non-veterans

they should be deported

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 10 years ago

illustrates something radically narrow, bigoted, and classist.


and racist but, that's what a theathuglican dirtbag is.

[-] 0 points by WSmith (2698) from Cornelius, OR 10 years ago

The post is about the effects of the sadistic GOP Shutdown Fraud hurting our Military Veterans and their Families, but you reply with one of the oldest and stinkiest of RW smear tactics on Welfare! Did you just graduate from RepubliCon-Youth Summer Camp or are you just one of the really really slow Teabaggers? Either way, how RepubliCon of you to just skip to another topic that better suits your talking points. Good job.

When Ronnie Raygun came up with the steak and lobster devouring, Cadillac-driving Welfare Queen, in an early-onset Alzheimer's delusional fever, it was blatantly racist RW bullshit, now, 30+ years later, it has only gotten worse, because we all know better. Except you. You're really late to the party, but none of the zombies or cretins will notice.

But let's make believe your shameless "young able bodied fat girls shopping with '3 carriages' loaded up with meat" were actually real and prevalent, they still would be a drop in the bucket compared to Wall Street Bankster Bailouts & Bonuses and the myriad Corporate Welfare recipients that rake in the highest profit tallies in world history.

This is probably a "so what" moment to an elf with your obvious intellect, so I'll explain: Banksters and Corporations are getting away with mountains of Fraudulent Welfare ~ while Food Stamp (SNAP) Fraudsters are only getting away with mole hills of Fraudulent Welfare (presuming your asinine RW TP story had merit ~ most likely it's a wildly exaggerated exception). So you should have a come to Jesus moment about the lies someone(s) filled your head with or if you really feel that lying is a good career model for you.

[-] 1 points by elf3 (4203) 10 years ago

I voted for Obama only to feel let down cause he is just another corporate boot lick - hate Bush with a seething passion, and hate corruption in all its entitled forms, I would lead a rebellion against Wall Street and Corporate Monopolies, and I'm not afraid to call fraudsters on their behavior be it in the Ghetto or on K-Street. Being poor doesn't entitle you to theive from the working class or veterans anymore than being wealthy does. I consider myself Green Party and listen to all points of views - I love Elizabeth Warren, and some aspects of Ron Paul. And obviously you don't live in a down-trodden area if you did like I do you would witness it every day. So you see no evil hear no evil speak no evil as long as it suits your agenda? And I'm racist because I don't like Jerry Springer dirtbags? Then you must be saying minorities are all dirtbags - who belong on Jerry Springer - wow that is a vast steryotype!! How come a good percentage of the fat girls with the meat I see are white?! Maybe I just don't like dirtbags? Or - thugs who stare down women in parking lots really piss off my feminist sensibilities since we fought damn hard to win our rights - So STARING down a women is a threat - just in case you weren't aware - I classify that as a thug!! I never stare at people - even the dirtbags because I happen to be polite and don't like to sink down... I guess I am just a peace loving hippie kind of chick who is sick of all the damn dirtwads screwing up my country. We used to have a thing called DECORUM in America - like not wearing pajamas and slippers on the street or showing your ass hanging out of your shorts while yelling into your phone staring people down or frauding the food stamp system. If I listen to you - Racism is the new McCarthyism and you're using it as an excuse to allow a-hole thugs to go on about with their fraudulent ways while lumping all minorities into the category of welfare fraudsters. Who is the real racist here WSmith - you perhaps - don't like white people much do you?

[-] 0 points by WSmith (2698) from Cornelius, OR 10 years ago

I forgot about being too stupid to get it. Can't help you.