Includes video report
AUBURN, Mi. — A Michigan man who won $2 million in a state lottery game continues to collect food stamps 11 months after striking it rich.
And there's nothing the state can do about it, at least for now.
Leroy Fick, 59, of Auburn won $2 million in the state lottery TV show "Make Me Rich!" last June. But the state's Department of Human Services determined he was still eligible for food stamps, Fick's attorney, John Wilson of Midland, said Tuesday.
Eligibility for food stamps is based on gross income and follows federal guidelines; lottery winnings are considered liquid assets and don't count as income. As long as Fick's gross income stays below the eligibility requirement for food stamps, he can receive them, even if he has a million dollars in the bank.
Food stamps are paid for through tax dollars and are meant to help support low-income families.
"If you're going to try to make me feel bad, you're not going to do it," Fick told WNEM-TV in Saginaw on Monday.
Wilson said Fick told the DHS officials he'd won $2 million but was told he could keep using the Bridge Card issued to him to buy groceries.
Fick could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Al Kimichik, director of the office of inspector general for DHS, said the department could not comment on individual cases but that it this week began the process of requesting a waiver from the federal government to close the lottery loophole. If it is granted, assets would be counted in determining food stamp eligibility.
Though the food stamp program is federal and states must follow U.S. guidelines, states sometimes request waivers of rules. Michigan was granted a waiver recently to stop college students from qualifying for food stamps.
"For Leroy Fick to continue to use a Bridge Card, paid for by the taxpayers, after winning the lottery, is obscene," said Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge. "What a waste of taxpayer money."
Jones contacted DHS officials Monday about Fick's case, and was told the department's hands were tied by federal regulations.
"There is no liquid asset requirement for getting food stamps," Jones said. "The department is asking the federal government for an immediate change (in policy). They're hoping this case will help the federal government act."
Until then, Fick can collect food stamps and keep his lottery winnings in the bank.
"I am not going to sit and debate the ethics of this," Wilson said. "But from his standpoint, he did what he was supposed to do — he informed the state, and the state said he could keep using the card. The problem is with the state."
VIDEO: Watch the report
The Federal Food Stamp Program requires an overhaul. What a waste of my tax money!!
this is thanks to the belief its alright to steal other people money, if we just label theft as law.
the fact of matter is, the govt should not be in charity world of human affair, it "money" needs to take form someone else and play robin hood with it , its just wrong.
the sad fact is its musty state level funded, at lest in tn, i pay a freaking high % of tax, its so high on food, i see stories like this
x amount of people drive 15 miles to Georgia to avoid paying the nation's highest average tax on food: 8.4 percent in Tennessee.
also the lastest data form my state even sader
. 19.8% in Tennessee are on food stamps,also one of highest in nation!
i pay so much tax's on food over the year , so nearly 1 out of 5 of my follow state people are leeching on the rest of us free food at this point.
its not free, am being black mailed , i have to eat!
I should have to pay 0 % tax and their a$% can go find a other way to feed them selfs
go to walmart at begining of the first day of the month in tennessee, and everones Food stamp debt cards get reloaded, and Lines are full of people paying with it
and their buying Junk, where talking Cookies, ice cream, 8 buck steaks.
and here i am, buying organic apples, paying a Over priced amount, and getting taxed to death for it
i coupon my butt off also , why these beeps spend like a rackless drunk on the road with their money on food
all to eat healthy food, while these Leech's, steal form my food budget via tax's
makes sense a lottery winner would stay on food stamps, these kinds of people are just Evil as they don't give a about you, only them self's and if it means stealing other's money to pay for their habits, its Aokay
, these worthless human beings are making me think of rest of humanity whoever supports the govt as a evil that needs to be wiped out off the face of the earth.
their this thing called Couponing, digging deep, yet some people even have kids when their Dirt poor, and relay on the state to feed the kids, and teach their kids , sense someone else is paying for it
why do we even brother, we are rewarding Very bad habits, and their no stop to this madness, its just spend spend spend, debt ,debt ,debt, tax someone else for it
if your a leech of govt funds , your a theft form someone else is my min
d, hope this lottery winner and ever person who gets a penny of my money or yours who did not give it willing, to "help" themselfs to the loot while it last's, cease sooner or later, this sick joke of govt handouts has Got to come to a end, in a very Very bad way"debt" but am sure they keep doing ever thing it takes to keep stealing form rest of working folk who refuse to treat other humans like are own walking atm , that food stamp users treat me as in this state
WOW!!!!! this is 2 stories from my home State of Michigan that is making me look bad... This Country needs to make some changes ASAP!!!!..... He should be required to pay back all the food stamps that he has gotten since he won........
I used to be on food stamps and for my family of 4, if I had $2000 or more in the bank (liquid assets) I wouldn't get the food stamps. I don't understand this at all.
This is just another sad story. For this jerk to place the blame on the state is ludicris. Once he informed the state he was a millionaire, or whatever, after taxes, he should have just turned the card in at the same time. Those food stamps/groceries are tax payer funded, and deserves to go to the most needy not the most greedy.
Wait a minute, we get taxed on our income, if the government finds it, it taxes it (that includes lotto winnings) and, this man gets away with getting foodstamps for a whole year after winning the lotto? Okay, thanks government, thanks!
Exactly.....
OK I'm a bit confused on this:
"Eligibility for food stamps is based on gross income and follows federal guidelines; lottery winnings are considered liquid assets and don't count as income. As long as Fick's gross income stays below the eligibility requirement for food stamps, he can receive them, even if he has a million dollars in the bank."
Here in FL, we only file Federal taxes and anything over $5,000 a claim form has to be filled out and we are taxed by the FEDERAL GOV as income.
If this man won 11 months ago (2010), when he filed his taxes for the 2010 year, that should have counted as income & disqualified him for food stamps
I can see it not being counted as income from 2011 on and could technically qualify him for food stamps in following years since its only counted as income once, but how in the he!! is he getting food stamps this year? Did he not file his taxes yet for 2010????
Rergardless, it is unethical and he knows it & doesn't care.
That is Michigan for you. That state has been brainwashed by the unions that they deserve to be spoon fed that the culture as a whole knows no other way. This jerk is a poster child for everything that is wrong with America.
I work in a grocery store that specializes in food service, schools , hospitals restaurants , bars, business in general. we are open to the public, no membership fees at all.
The other day I witnessed an illegal transaction,a woman and her sister shopping, the one sister paid for everything in Food stamps and her sister forked over some cash, thats a no no. the bill was almost $600.00 dollars, I looked at her receipt and what I saw floored me, I made copies of that receipt, she still has a balance of $4300.00 in food and a cash balance of $20.00,
I proceed to call the state attorney generals office, how in the <snip> does someone get almost $5000.00 in food. They referred me to the department of human resources after years of dealing with this agency , I knew it was a lost cause, so I did some research and found out Michigan now has a special unit, called the Public Integrity unit, they couldn't help me, they directed me to Criminal justice in Detroit, they couldn't help me they directed me to the department of human resources.
I will find someone to look in to this, what I have personally witnessed over the years would turn your stomach,
The newest scam involving food stamps, are people using food stamps to run catering business, illegal businesses. They are not licensed or insured, they are using tax payer money to rake it in.
Hot dog stands, door to door candy sales, they put their kids in front of shops and businesses to sell candy or they just send them to school to sell the candy.
I had a kid come to my door in his designer shoes and coat, told me he was a boy scout, he was selling butterfingers, I asked him is pack number, he had no clue what I was talking about, I asked him if he was a wolf or a bear, still no clue, I have a boy scout, we sell popcorn, not candy.
I had a woman come through my line a couple weeks ago, said her arm hurt from lifting her baby carrier in the shopping cart, cause she just got a new unicorn tattoo, she was throwing a birthday party for her boyfriend, part of her purchase was 5 gallons of margarita mix, her bill was over $300.00 , she paid in food stamps. Her loser boyfriend was in line behind her to get the rest of the stuff, he also paid in food stamps, when it came time to pay for the non food items he peeled of a hundred dollar bill from a nice size roll.
I had a man come through and he bought 7 cases of red bull, at $35.00 plus $2.40 in deposit, thats $245.00 plus another $16.80 in deposit that the tax payers shelled out for.
I had a Detroit police officer come through and wanted his 5% dicount, even showed me his shield, He had $80.00 in purchases in food stamps, I wouldn't let him have the discount, his card wouldn't swipe, the name on the card said Betty, so he was trying to get a discount for a relative.
I had another woman come through, shes a dealer at a casino, she was complaining that she wasn't getting very good tips, only $400.00 last night, she said, paid for her $608.00 dollar purchase with food stamps.
I have people coming through that collect from several states, They come through at the beginning with Michigan stamps then later they come back with stamps from another state.
I have people coming through that can't even speak english, they bring lists with them, 32 2 liters of coke, 32 2 liters of pepsi, combos, candy bars ( mind you we sell candy by the box -35 count, , they were clearly buying for a relative who owns a gas station or party store.
The list goes on and on, what I see is theft and greed at epic levels.
The attitude of some of these people would shock you, they have no sense of gratitude, they leave messes in their wake all over the store, no respect for themselves or others,
I am saddened , I am now looking for a new job, because I can't bear to go through this month after month, I am losing faith in humanity, and am becoming indifferent to others and thats not who I want to be.
Michigan ?!
I've noticed many people buying bulk items just in grocery stores like soft drinks, candy, chips, etc. using EBT cards but nothing even close to what you witnessed! If Congress and State Legislators are serious about cutting spending as they claim to be, this should be fully investigated; I won't hold my breath.
You got the bureaucrat run-around because the people you spoke with are part of the problem. They know people are getting $5000 in food stamps and they know $2 million lottery winners are still getting them too but won't do anything about it. When a Detroit police officer is part of the problem, who can you call?
A lot of us are looking at it the wrong way and i agree with everyones arguement, its the government to blame not him..some countries winnings are not taxed. and im sure out of his 2million he paid over $500,000 in taxes so he will never get that much of foodstamps for the remainder of his life..No point of complaining here, contact your state representative!!!!
"[H]e informed the state, and the state said he could keep using the card. The problem is with the state."
Why all the kvetching? Looks like he's not breaking any laws [and we know how important what de law say is to some people]
Unless the money is federal-tax-free, he will be paying far more in taxes than he will be getting in "food stamps".
Sounds like people are bad at math ... or MYOB. There are far worse things tax money is being "wasted" on -- in far larger amounts.
No food stamp program = no food stamp fraud. If the governor of a state declines federal money, the state can run the program (or get rid of it) as they see fit. But anyone running on a platform threatening .. er .. promising to cut "spending" and then *gasp* actually naming what they would cut is immediately demonized as hating the (insert group here), and can be assured of not being elected.
So, the article states that Lottery winnings are considered liquid assets & don't count as income.....but the 1st thing they do before you see a dime is take a 3rd of it in TAX as if it IS income????
Since nothing this guy is doing is illegal what difference does it make how much he has in the bank? AIG, took federal money plus insurance money after 9-11 for damages, in fact several companies double dipped even if there offices weren't damaged they still claimed federal monies that they were entitled too. ConAgra takes government checks every year to not grow corn or to grow corn, etc, Corporate welfare is alive and well and we are talking about companies that make upwards of 500 million a year that take government handouts.
Rich people don't waste money or ignore potential loopholes or they would poor like the complainers who are commenting.
Michigan again?? I hope that a LP winner wins in Michigan sometime so they can show how a lottery winner is supposed to act!
I live in Pennsylvania. I lost my last full time job in 2001. Our combined INCOME has always been too high for food stamps. Believe me, it is pretty low considering the cost of living!
Something is very wrong in Michigan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A little off subject isn't this???????????
But at least corporations employ people!
FDR started the "paying people to not grow corn" ................ not new behavior!!!!!!!!!!
The way I see it is the guy paid taxes on what was left after the Gov took its share and, what the hell, he's only going to spend the food stamps locally so it's helping his local economy. It's not that he's taking it away from anyone else and not salting it away so nobody benefits.
Come on people you're going to ruin this world more with all this "Politically Correct" garbage going on. Get a life and don't judge how people live. I think people are just pissed off that they haven't won big and need to vent their feelings and need a scape goat to do that.
Personally, I don't blame the guy. Now if he won a few million that would be a different story.
Its an interesting story. I wonder how many people out there have over a million dollars in real estate(not liquid)but are using food stamps. I wouldn't doubt it if this guy is being used by the state/feds to close said loop holes. There is always more to a story. Imagine the death threats this guy is going to get.
This guy Leroy is a perfect example of the entitlement mentality so ingrained in society by liberal government. He's a welfare hog, system manipulator and common, despicable cheat. The liberal government, naturally, will say (as they are) that it's perfectly legal and he has every right to do what he's doing and that's the way the system is set up. It doesn't matter that we're broke and on the verge of bankruptcy, poor Mr Fick is entitled to free food even though he's now a millionaire. So it's a Catch 22 and "oh well" we'll just have to live with it.
No, uh-uh. It's waaay past time for a wake-up call to liberal legislators that this sh*t has done got outta hand.
We're running out of people to tax enough to feed all these lazy bums, malcontents, ne'er-do-wells and parasites who think they're entitled to feed at the public trough for their entire lives.
Welfare, food stamps and other social service assistance programs were designed to be an emergency safety net, not a lifetime hammock.
You can see the lack of concern from government sully is running into. That's because the whole system is corrupt. Why? Because those entrenched in power have the votes of everybody they put on the gravy train keeping them and their destructive policies in power and not enough decent people with common sense have woken up to the realities and stood up for what is right.
And if that doesn't happen, and soon, this whole country could end up like Detroit.
I actually had a co-worker explain to me why he hates Senator Rand Paul, after I asked because Rand has put forth solutions for pretty much every problem. Budgets that cut 200 billion this year, 500 billion this year (without touching enitilements that libbies love so much), legislation to stop the government from shutting down, legislation to bring us into surplus, etc.
He basically said that he doesn't like him because his solutions won't pass. So basically, "I don't like the guy putting forth solutions, because Democrats vote against solutions, so I support the Democrats" - complete circular logic.
It's perplexing how deep people get into Republican vs. Democrat. They don't care if they know that someone who's "on the right" has a perfect plan, they'll simply dismiss it because it originiated in the right, and has to do with budgets.
Sully, keep you faith in God. There's still is a few good men & women in the world. I know it seems hard when you have people that are trying to do right; but it appears that those that do wrong profit. I pray God will bless you with a new job.
Send a copy of this email to your state representatives and then send it to CNN, ABC, CBS, well you get the point.
"Welfare, food stamps and other social service assistance programs were designed to be an emergency safety net, not a lifetime hammock."
This creates a captive constituency!
I am sure that I wouldn't need food stamps after winning that much money!
Just me ................
Thank you Dallas, your a sweetheart,
It is in the works, The fraud has got to stop, I do see people who are truly needy, they have that ' WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LIFE LOOK, those are the people I feel for, you can spot them a mile away, but, the takers have taken to much.
Hang in there Sully!Dont give up!
It sounds like, from the end of the video article, that there will be a follow up (if there hasnt been already). I'd love to hear that response (from the State that is).
I see what people mean that Fick isnt breaking the law. But he knows ethically it is not right.
And from what sully describes...well I am not surprised. And I am sure it happens in every single state.
It truly pisses me off especially when I sit and think that I have graduated from school, served in the Army, done my best to get by and even have a great job but I still struggle sometimes and feel like I live f#$kin hand to mouth sometimes. I swear all I would need is a fraction of that money and I would be set, yet this clown just continues to steal from the system.
Rdgrnr summed it up best:
"Welfare, food stamps and other social service assistance programs were designed to be an emergency safety net, not a lifetime hammock."
Dont get me started on the trash I see come into stores with plenty o money for scratch offs, lottery, cigs, and crap yet they pay for junk food with their EBT (ie. Bridge) cards
Makes me want to apply for the dam thing! Hey I am paying for it anyway, right?
Bad karma
Greed is a cancer on the species. We begin healing the species by making sure our cell is cancer-free.
This is a hot mess, and they want to take my bridge card because
I got a tax refund? it was not 2 million dollars....heck it wasn't even 500.00 shame
How do you do your job with a nice smile as you're s'pposed to when you have to deal with stuff like these?
I feel your pain and frustration at seeing all that when you probably know people who genuinely deserve help but cant get any due to technicalities.
Now I hate politics but when I hear things like these I want to spit at any liberal democrat omg!
I always knew there was something about you that I liked!
It must be the shoes..but since you cant see them then it must be that I dont fall for everyone who claims to be helping me hahaha
W O W !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a bummer
The guy probably gets no more than $200 per month in food assistance. I don't hear anyone complaining about the $18 billion in oil subsidies the taxpayers give to the 5 US big oil companies. They made $1 trillion over the last ten years and the American taxpayer is giving them money. That money is not going for R&D of new oil but is instead going straight into the pockets of big investors.
The guy is wrong to keep getting assistance, but he isn't breaking any laws, which is what Wall St always says about it's dealings.
Get mad at the right people. The little guys like this one can't hurt you. $200 a month is not a big deal but $18 billion per year to people who are already rolling in money isn't sensible.
Oil Companies employ people ........... this guy just takes !
Would anyone be upset with me if I win Powerball tonite & still stay on Social Security Disability??? I'll still be disabled .........
Let me know ...........
I have several tranches of oil related stocks in my portfolio. By your way of "feeling," if the oil subsidies are taken away then I should recieve an equal amount of EBT money for the corresponding loss in returns on my investments. BTW, define "big investor" for me. A question: Did you vote for Paris Glendenning for governor?
I agree I am surprise someone would go through all that to try to burst some one for a bridge card live and let live please! I must say the 2mill winner is a surprise too.
He's only doing what most big businesses do, in fact what they pay lawyers and accountants big money for - to use every loophole and letter of the law and any way to game the system to save or make a buck. Good for him.
You sooo right tg636,I was going say the same thing but hadn't gotten through the thread. Iwill go back to Ross Perot that how him and his family living high on the hog with taxpayer money , where is the outrage where is it! Even Donald Trump and all his govt's help.Ask about Michigan what about Blackwater with Prince and all the taxpayers money paid over the top payment to him with no bid
defense contract. We concern with food stamps please!
You Sir need to get a life and maybe a heart!
I don't hear anyone complaining about the $18 billion in oil subsidies the taxpayers give to the 5 US big oil companies. They made $1 trillion over the last ten years and the American taxpayer is giving them money.
No one is complaining about the oil subsidies because this is a lottery story in a lottery forum about a lottery winner and oil subsidies doesn't doesn't seem to fit in with the subject of lotteries.
And little guys like this can hurt us when there are millions of little guys through this country who are collecting freebies and scamming the country. The US is country is soaked with entitlement minded people who all are fighting to keep their cut from the government, and that is one of the reasons why this country is going downhill at an accelerated rate. He's a millionaire, there is no reason for him to be collecting from hard working taxpayers.
As for oil, when an oil exec wins the lottery, then we can complain about the oil subsidies.
Stick within the realm of the article. Some folks seem to consider this a platform to air other government matters. THe issue is the Food stamps being collected by a wealthy man who found a loophole that will soon be reviewed. End of story.
I do not agree with this mans antics , nor the government so called qualifications. IN PA they DO HAVE harder qualifications, so I doubt this is coming from the federal LEVEL so much as the state levels. Each state regulates and manages its own "welfare" system. I do not consider the people of Michigan accountable for this loophole, it came from higher up by the less thinkers of the state. I doubt that the citizens of Michigan got to personally vote on this regulation....yet they get to pay the price of this mans antics.
I've never played Bridge before and I don't understand why they'd take your Bridge Cards.
Do they take Pinochle Cards away from people too? I don't play that either.
I do play Poker once in a while though.
Morally, the man should not be accepting the assistance. Legally, he can. So fix it Michigan, like you fixed the college kids from collecting their measly $250 per month in food stamps. I have a kid in college in Michigan. There are very few jobs to be found and you have to know someone to get those. Luckily in the past he's been able to find some summer work, including babysitting his girlfriend's little brother. That little bit he earned over the summer does not last through the winter when the heat bills on a 2 bdrm apt are over $100. He and his roommate decided shut off their heat last February (set to 40 to keep the pipes from freezing). This summer he's found a job that may carry over parttime when he heads back to school in the fall.
LOL, life is tuff for college kids, but mine's making it even without the grocery money from the state. I think this lottery winner could try the same.
And no fair bashing the oil company profits unless you are going to also bash GE profits. What's left of my retirement 401k has energy stocks. I guess that must make me a big investor. Yeah right.
Good point Piaceri,
GE is a supporter of our President and major contributor to his campaign fund.
They pay zero taxes. ZIP, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA, NOTHING, NOT A PENNY IN TAXES.
Not a word is said about this by the libs.
They also don't talk about gas prices anymore since they have more than doubled since Bush left office.
GAS PRICES. MORE THAN DOUBLED.
Not a word.
WOW! I usually skip over messages if they look long, but I couldn't help but keep reading this! This is SNIP (I'll edit it myself lol) RIDICULOUS!!! To add to your story, my friend plays Division 1 college football in Michigan (I won't say which team) and he has teamates who only use their food stamps for protein shakes, protein bars, and other supplements like that. This is insane...
The newest trend here, college kids getting food stamps, an even bigger trend is how to get your kids put on Section 8 when they turn 18. You quite simply change your address, claim your paying rent and enroll in at least one class and ta da, the tax-payers foot the bill.
Leroy Fick will be on Fox & Friends on Fox News Channel tomorrow morning to defend his actions.
That oughta be good. You'd think he'd be too ashamed.
Nope.
Maybe I should send the receipt to Fox and friends.
Probably get more attention there than from the people who are supposed to be looking out for the peoples' interest.
The newly elected governor in Mich got protested, chewed up and spit out for working on bringing financial reform to the state. It's up to the people of the state to support financial responsibility.
Things are not going to change until the people support change.
I now see how you have accumulated nearly 5,000 posts in 2 years. Very insightful.
Hey little mario,
Put your little arrow over my name and mash down on it.
Then when the drop down screen comes down put your little arrow over "Add rdgrnr to my block list" and mash down on that.
All your need and necessity for whining and obsessing over me will then be allayed.
Then get out in the yard and clean the beaver crap off the trampoline, little mister man.
Apparently, Leroy Fick netted approximately $1.2 million dollars after taxes subtracted. Leroy probably deduced that if he lived until 100 years old (which we each could do), that smaller amount received from the lottery would allow him to spend $28,857 annually (unfortunately, the amount was too small for one to simply live off of the safely invested fund's interest earned from the principal amount). That isn't a lot of money to a 58 year old head of household person, let alone a solo person to thrive on.
Consequently, it is possible that Leroy decided to keep using the card, after contacting the State of Michigan DoHS Department and being instructed that he was still eligible to [he's possibly only charging apx. $360/month on the card], so that he wouldn't have to work a job (maybe he isn't able, and the tv news forgot/failed to mention that key point), and instead could have extra monies saved to go towards annual: dental, vacation, prescription medications, medical expenses, etc. Thus, it is possible that Leroy was, fortunately, able to rationally, quickly use his calculator and brain before releasing his bridge card.
LOL rdgrnr!
He should turn his card in and remove himself from the program. If and when he falls on hard times again,
he can reapply..that would be the right thing to do. This story and this man's actions do relate to what is
wrong with government. It was said they can't do a thing about it...well, maybe they don't want to do any
thing about it. Why should they? Where do you think the me mentality came from? Why do you think some
people just hold their hands out and take whatever they are given or think they are*entitled* to? Because
they have the biggest example of system use and abuse by the agencies they are using and abusing.
Reports of mutimillion dollar salaries and billion dollar profits by big business only adds to the determination
of some people to get theirs, no matter where or who it comes from. There are no values, no virtue, no
morals and no guilt associated with accepting handouts - (that's what they are called when people who do
not need them, take them) - when they are viewed as something someone deserves rather than needs.
A $2M win would make most people want to break free of reliance on programs and aid, not this bottom
feeder/skimmer/slouch. Somewhere along the way he must have felt burned, jilted or let down in life
in general and has adopted the idea someone owes him something and he's going to take it. 'What's
yours is mine and what's mine is my own' comes to mind. I'm not going to say: How can you blame him?
He is to blame...but he learned that even if you have enough, it's never enough especially when a money
making monster government says it isn't. One of the reasons they throw crumbs to programs and don't
close loopholes is to make the bitter pill they pass off on everyone else easier to swallow. If they had a
backbone and stood up instead of slithered around like a snake, we wouldn't be reading a story like this
right now because Mr System Siphon would have been stripped of his Bridge card shortly after he claimed
his winnings. Instead he just becomes another example of how some rich get richer in America...a small
example but nonetheless an example.
I think that Mr SS will be needing the card very soon anyway. He seems to be making no excuses for
getting free food while having paid in cash (??) for his new convertible. I also noticed his crisp, white,
new lounge clothes and what looks like a new house or at least some things that can now be completed.
Somehow, the excuse of: Well, they said I could still use it just doesn't quite cut it.
Good points, dr65, thank you. Therefore, I have decided to reverse my thoughts to agree. After all, even if someone is only allotted $5000 a year for a bridge card or whatever aid ... $5000 multiplied by hundreds of people in a state who didn't actually NEED those monies adds up to millions of debt in a state annually; let alone huge debt/bankruptcy over a decade.
It makes sense, once someone receives $2+ million dollars GROSS in lottery winnings, that a bridge card and/or any other county, state, and federal aids and services (except, of course, receiving social security payments if they are a senior citizen), should also be ceased once the lottery headquarters notifies the person's county, state, and federal governments of the win.
So ........... when I win the Powerball ...............should I give up my Social Security Disability benefits ?
Once one wins millions of dollars net via a lottery prize, I would hope that they would contact their county, state, or federal office to stop receiving DIASABILITY AID payments ... even if they are elegable to continue receiving.
In regards to SOCIAL SECURITY payments. I think the net multi-million dollar lottery winning person should be allowed to cease them. Since winner, by now, has realized that the U.S.A. country's current youngest workers that are paying towards this will not be receiving even ONE PENNY of these monies deducted from their checks once they are the same 62-70 years of age (PLUS, these kind young adults don't even get to deduct it as a "charity" donation annually, and no collecting senior citizen is taking the time to thank them every day). However, because the now senior citizen recipient ALREADY PAID several thousands of dollars into the fund during their decades of earlier employment paycheck deductions, I don't think the now senior citizen should cease the payments UNTIL they've paid themselves back with 3.5% APY interest compounded over years they were paying into the fund. Never be hasty though, wait at least 18 months before taking any action towards ceasing receival of Social Security payments.
You'll here me complaining about both.
It's not the government's job to give anyone - or any group - money. The only way the government should intervene in the economy is trust busting.
Sorry louise not buying your argument! The people you mention do get tax breaks from the Gov't. However UNLIKE the lotto millioniare using food stamps, Ross Perot, Donald Trump, and Blackwater CREATE JOBS! Unlike the lotto mooch who create's nothing. Also did you know that Entitlements take up more money than the defense budget? The 10% of Earners in this country pay for 60% of taxes! The bottom 20-30% pay NOTHING or get refunds from the gov't because of special tax credits. When these entitlements reach more than 1/2 the population then we are in trouble. Why should a small percentage of the population have to pay for people who pay no taxes and can vote for people who will give them more benefits? But try and reform the system and people like you will scream bloody murder that gov't is trying to starve the poor and elderly! That's the campaign for Democrats for the last 25 years, Republicans are going to cut Social Security and Medicare and the Elderly are going to be eating dog food. So sick of hearing these lies
Good for him..They took half his money , maybe he can get alittle of it back thru the food stamp program..
People want to condemn the little man and the government can use your money for all kinds of things that make no sense... Get over it people.!!!
Sure, they took half his money. Why? Because we're feeding people who won't or don't work, supporting people who won't or don't work, paying for this paying for that, subsidizing corporations, giving foreign aid to other countries, etc etc etc and so on. He's part of that cycle.
Perhaps if our government wasn't in the hand-out business, they wouldn't have to take half his money in the first place (and ours). It's people and companies like that who have that 'they took it from me so I'll take it from them' attitude that have helped whore this country into this disgusting near bankrupt situation we're in right now.
It all means that the rest of who who DIDN'T win the lottery have the tax burden of paying for these losers...we'll get over it when we don't have to pay for him and everyone else anymore.
Wrong. They took the food stamp (bridge card) option away from the college kids. I know this from experience. My son and his roommate used their heat money for groceries this past winter. They kept their apartment at 40 from mid Jan on. It was eat and bundle up (lots of hours at the library), or stay warm and starve. Neither could find steady work, and both were living off student loans and what was left of rapidly depleting college savings.
As to the other (Section 8), yeah, I can believe that and probably know people who have done, or are planning on doing this. Sucking off the government teet is an art form to many people I came across in my 22 years in MI. Being a Texas gal, I was stunned beyond belief at the attitudes in MI.
Your story about the groceries made me want to puke. I hope you find some sort of recourse. I'd definitely encourage you to send your story to Fox News, especially in light of them having Leroy Fick on their show tomorrow. I'm bummed that I'm going to miss it.
I have been in contact, with several people today, one a state rep, not all forms of the bridge card are the same, not every one qualifies for the same thing, there are thousands of college kids still getting food assistance, the Rep in this very article is working on legislation to stop it.
I myself worked my way through college and I know how tough it is, Good luck to your son and I'll keep you posted, what I have learned in the course of 2 days of talking to people, it much worse than some of these careless thoughtless shoppers.
Some people I talked to believe welfare and the dumbing down of America has been done on purpose.
"Some people I talked to believe welfare and the dumbing down of America has been done on purpose."
The "enemy within".
You know the job market is bad when a 21 yr old young man resorts to babysitting for college money. Luckily a friend came through with a bank teller job for the summer that may continue through when he goes back to school in the fall. He's living in his Dad's basement for the summer to save rent $. There is a way to work things out. God helps those who help themselves.
"Some people I talked to believe welfare and the dumbing down of America has been done on purpose."
Oh, you got that right Sully. Keeping people on the gov't spicket keeps them voting a particular way. We've got so many people and entities in the country who are getting some kind of benefit or payment from the government, be it welfare, food stamps, SS, medicare/caid, tax breaks, subsidies, etc etc etc that no matter what they try to cut, someone is going to get pissed because they might lose their freebie. Makes for good politics when one party says 'look at the evil other party who is trying to take your candy away from you'. Oh...and the 'children'. 'They're going to kill all the poor poor children they cut this or that.'
Yes, I agree, it's all done on purpose.
That's right.
Get as many people as you can working for the government and give them better pay and benefits than the private sector and then put everybody else you can on welfare and food stamps.
That's a captive voting block.
Only problem is that the whole house of cards eventually collapses under it's own weight.
It's unsustainable.
And it's all collapsing as we speak.
Shows you the basic "morality" of the public -- the gov't takes three-quarters-plus of a million out of your front pocket and lets you use a card for a few hundred bucks a month for food .... and people complain about you having the food card.
Between the top federal and (Michigan) state rates, he'd have paid (or will owe) about $800,000 in taxes on $2 million.
Any county and city taxes are extra. If his food card gave him the [highly unlikely] sum of $1,000 a month it would take 66 YEARS for him to get back that $800 GRAND.
In other words, he ain't spending anyone's money but his own -- and only a fraction of that.
I lived in Auburn for a short time, interesting little place... Haven't been through it really in awhile though. But there are a lot of people there that are a bit funny in the head so to speak. That area (well, more Midland) is just lucky Dow Chemical was founded there and hasn't moved out, if they did there would be a lot more people on financial assistance. Either way, I don't care, he paid his taxes on his winnings, he's pretty much just a little of it back.
I feel like taking a trip and seeing how that area has changed since the last time I was there.
Get over it.
There is FAR more waste going on than simpletons with foods stamps running petty schemes. No wonder the world is amok, look at the silly crap we get angry at while *real* greed trashes the world...
The math skills on display here are equally as atrocious....especially for a lottery forum....oh wait, it isn't math is it? Its emotional pettiness. We spent 50 billion on food stamps last year......
How many trillions have we spent on goverment bailouts? Some people need to get thier heads out of thier a-s-s's and get thier priorities straight. YOU'RE THE PROBLEM.
Ha Ha! Look what was posted just as I was going to
post?
Good point about the gas prices Ridge, but what about Bush’s
midterm record hikes on oil and gas prices? The Arabs saud we can have all the
oil we could buy and there was no shortage. Then all across the nation what was
once disposable income and savings for things like autos went south. In the
summer of 2008 the news was a flash but it was there: Auto sales were down. The
writing was on the wall bud and the big three were in DC the day following the
election. Now, are you going to tell me the President elect had that all worked
out on the side? McCain said there was no problem with the economy in like
September and the shills for big oil were yelling Drill Baby Drill at the RNC. You
should really get informed on Alaska’s oil industry and history in manipulated
politics. Alaska has to be right there with the early Texas oil boom years in
graft. We lower 48’rs have no idea what has been going on and how much winning
an election is to the point of offshore funds and hidden advertisers buying
your vote. There were tankers BTW in the Columbia river, loaded with fuel at
the peak of the gas price surge in the 70’s. And,.. in 2006 the oil companies
posted record profits in the tens of BILLIONS.
I would think for a man of yur background you could see that
neither party can force the price of oil up or down. It was just good timing to
snatch up the last of the common clay’s disposable income because the
DEREGULATION paved the way for a global economic collapse. Only the grace of
God is keeping things tempered and the real economic collapse is postponed. Be thankful
the price of gas is going down and polish up that ticket for the ride on the
gospel ship.
Any kind of worldly political perfection idealism is for the
nearsighted naïve. We are way long in the tooth as a Democracy from a Republic we
were intended. Next step is chaos and Oligarchy. The political perfection
everyone craves is on the way but if you think Der homeland security and the
patriot act are radical violations of freedom to secure freedom, you ain’t seen
noth’n yet. We still are under the Crown.
All the environmental and economic and food and war
disasters AND the 2012 dateline are pre-tensions. The solution will be accepted
universally by every nation. World Peace, food for all, order –all, everyone
will be saving the planet! Political perfection in sheep’s clothing. This article
is just another tease to get you wound up for new order. When it is personal
and hits home the solution will be something no one in their right mind would
accept under normal standards. It is going to get real bad, worse than the GREAT
depression (You did know about the lesser ones, yes?).
The guy has a problem and if he wants to live like Rockefeller
and Hughes then there is nothing much to reform because greed cannot be
outlawed. If he reads this he should get a grip on what is really worth much
gold and that is ,…
ROMANS chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10
…otherwise stock up to the gills on everything you might want to eat until the neighbors find out you have food!
DD
I agree, lottery winners should keep all the winnings, but that food stamp money, thats my money, 45 million Americans on food stamps, a few hundred dollars, no way, maybe mister Fick is only getting a couple hundred, I will be more than happy to send you the receipt showing $5000 IN FOOD, THE WOMAN WHO USED THIS CARD, DROVE OFF IN A MERCEDES,
It is not okay for the government to take my money away from me and give it to someone else, either through entitlements, bailouts, foreign aid, I am sick of it all,
2 billion of our money went to Brazil, so they could drill for oil to meet Chinas growing needs.
It is not okay to use welfare money to buy lottery tickets, beer, cigarettes, or as a small business venture, so you can have your hair and fingernails done.
No, you cannot continue to send your kids to private school, and have them take Karate lessons or dance lessons while the tax payers fill your belly. this poor woman, is a NICU Nurse, oh poor divorced woman.
This is the crap I am talking about.
I have no problem donating to food banks, I give new coats, hats and mittens to charity in the winter, not last years crap I dug out of a closet, I give to toys for tots, because I can't bear for any child to not have a Christmas.
My main charities are Childrens hospitals of Michigan and St Judes. A sick child and a struggling family will always be a priority for me.
I do have a problem with people who continue to have kids they can't feed or clothe, and expect and demand my pity, I only feel sorry for the kids.
We hire people on welfare and they don't last long, all we hear is I ain't doing that , I ain't doing this. It is beneath them to put in an honests days work, because the work sucks, but I do it. It is not fun standing at a slicer for hours on end dealing with customers. We pay well, have benefits 401k-profit sharing, and still they can't hack it.
I am 49 years old, and if I can go in the cooler, unload 6 pallets of meat and milk, then Dammit someone half my age should be able to do it with ease, I hear well, I got kids, so do I, figure it out. I can't work I got kids, what a bunch of crap.
Oh but you can sit in a bingo hall or casino all day, while mom or grandma watches the kids,
I am not rich, but that still doens't make it okay to take Donny Trumps money from him to give to me, the people who complain the loudest about the rich don't pay taxes at all.
If we want something we save up for it, thats mean we don't piss away our money the minute it comes in.
We have a friend who is an electrician, he has not worked in 9 years, if He can't have the HIGH PAYING UNION JOB HE WANTS, Then he ain't working, he has blown through years of unemployment, filed for bankruptcy to save his house and is now on welfare, yet he is sitting on a 401k and his pension. I have no pity for him, he spends his days drinking and watching sports, must be nice.
Sully, you are magnificent!
We cannot proceed on the basis of "Well, the government steals and the rich steal so it's ok for us to steal too."
No, we have to stand against corruption from all quarters until we eliminate it.
We have to stop eating the crumbs from the table of corruption thrown our way to shut us up and divert our gaze from the big picture.
It's impossible to complain about foxes in the hen house when we have a mouth full of feathers.
Well put Sully!! RR, you have the right idea, no corruption period, from no one!! When I was around 10 years old, my mom had a big fight with her only sister, because her sister was on welfare. She and her husband had 6 kids and her husband was a drunk and couldn't keep a job. My father was a farmer, my mom worked in the textile plant from 11pm to 8am, 5 days a week. She figured if she could work , her sister should work.
This man is simply RIDICULOUS!!! I'm going to try and find hisFOX News interview that he gave.
Wow...This guys gotta lotta nerve -