$2M Michigan lottery winner collects Food Stamps

[jpcavin]

The problem with America is that too many people lack a moral conscience.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_local...gan-lottery-winner-defends-use-of-food-stamps

 

[tsptalk]

He said the gov't took 1/2 in taxes. How is he supposed to live? :laugh:

This is going to become a classic. I don't think this guy even sees the irony in it.

This is probably a discussion for beltwaytalk.com since it is about class warfare, but I find this guy's reaction super compelling. He's not happy that they took half in taxes, so he deserves the food stamps because he is still a poor man who happened to win some money. The rich pay taxes - not a poor man who won $2 million. Can you imagine how he'd feel if he actually earned the money by working?

 

[Buster]

It all makes perfect sense..He's from Michigan..

 

[MrBowl]

America has become a place where far too many people think they deserve to ride in the wagon with no regard to who's left to pull it

 

[Birchtree]

Blame social engineering - it used to be called welfare but now has been a politically correct term of entitlement. Illegitimacy is the route to survival without working. And these kids are killing the country.

 

[hotwings]

I had a rich uncle who used to stand in line to get the free cheese they gave out back in the 70s or 80s... Pitiful

 

[kam]

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.

Reminds of the billionaire who theoretically won't pay a penny in income tax on the increased value of his stocks, except at his discretion (when he sells) and then gets a much better tax rate than the poor working slob who earns his money.

 

[Scrappy]

Blame social engineering - it used to be called welfare but now has been a politically correct term of entitlement. Illegitimacy is the route to survival without working. And these kids are killing the country.

Right on.

When the option is between a lifestyle based on a minimum wage job that are few and far between that doesn't provide enough income to rent an appartment vs. a place to live based on a persons income that is zero and then who receives welfare, wick, foodstamps etc., it becomes a forced no brainer.

 

[jpcavin]

Reminds of the billionaire who theoretically won't pay a penny in income tax on the increased value of his stocks, except at his discretion (when he sells) and then gets a much better tax rate than the poor working slob who earns his money.

That's just smart investing.

 

[kam]

That's just smart investing.

No matter what you call it, both situations have elements of luck (whether playing the lottery or inheriting wealth), perhaps gambling, and taking advantage of the system. You might spend your time going after the "welfare queens." I would go after the 15% long term capital gains tax rate. Dress it up in jewels, mansions and swimming pools, it is still a very regressive application of the tax system. If progressive not good, why isn't regressive?

 

[jpcavin]

No matter what you call it, both situations have elements of luck (whether playing the lottery or inheriting wealth), perhaps gambling, and taking advantage of the system. You might spend your time going after the "welfare queens." I would go after the 15% long term capital gains tax rate. Dress it up in jewels, mansions and swimming pools, it is still a very regressive application of the tax system. If progressive not good, why isn't regressive?

I am not ready to take a position on the tax issue. Not sure where I stand with that. I just think it's morally wrong to be taking handouts when you are perfectly capable of supporting yourself. Next thing you know, this guy will be going to the soup kitchens to maximize the value of his food stamps.

 

[kam]

I am not ready to take a position on the tax issue. Not sure where I stand with that. I just think it's morally wrong to be taking handouts when you are perfectly capable of supporting yourself. Next thing you know, this guy will be going to the soup kitchens to maximize the value of his food stamps.

No different than the oil companies getting unneeded tax subsidies or the Hedge Manager taking his salary as long term capital gains rather than ordinary income, most everyone looks for loopholes in the law, or simply works under the law, to increase their own bottom line. Whether it's the guy collecting food stamps (legally) or the two examples above, they deplete the US Treasury, one way or another. Just presenting another way to look at this "moral conscience" argment rather than always going for the jugular of the Welfare Queen.

 

[jpcavin]

No different than the oil companies getting unneeded tax subsidies or the Hedge Manager taking his salary as long term capital gains rather than ordinary income, most everyone looks for loopholes in the law, or simply works under the law, to increase their own bottom line. Whether it's the guy collecting food stamps (legally) or the two examples above, they deplete the US Treasury, one way or another. Just presenting another way to look at this "moral conscience" argment rather than always going for the jugular of the Welfare Queen.

You are not getting my point. I am not making a political argument. I am not arguing whether the government is right or wrong. Nor whether everyone or just some should get a tax break. On a personal level, I think what this guy is doing is immoral even if it's legal. It's like letting your kids go hungry so that you can eat. Even though you had a cheeseburger earlier. Understand? Don't change my argument into something that is not.

 

[Afishegg]

No different than the oil companies getting unneeded tax subsidies or the Hedge Manager taking his salary as long term capital gains rather than ordinary income, most everyone looks for loopholes in the law, or simply works under the law, to increase their own bottom line. Whether it's the guy collecting food stamps (legally) or the two examples above, they deplete the US Treasury, one way or another. Just presenting another way to look at this "moral conscience" argment rather than always going for the jugular of the Welfare Queen.

Thank you. If you put me on an uninhabited island with nothing but a machete and tell me to survive, I could do it...However, if I look over, and see some guy set up in a tiki bar telling me he is offering as much free water and food that i can handle you think I'm gonna lift a finger? Hell no! If then for some reason THAT guy gets sick and dies THEN I'll get up and do something.

In 40 or 60 years minorities will own the usa. It won't look like the usa we know today, but the statistics are clear, whites have basically stopped having kids. Guess that's where higher education gets you. Oh well, let the highly educated narcisistic, arrogant ( and for some strange reason more and more homosexual) die off, due to their independent, and immoral attitudes so the "regular" folks can get on with the ancient tradition called the cycle of life.

 

[kam]

You are not getting my point. I am not making a political argument. I am not arguing whether the government is right or wrong. Nor whether everyone or just some should get a tax break. On a personal level, I think what this guy is doing is immoral even if it's legal. It's like letting your kids go hungry so that you can eat. Even though you had a cheeseburger earlier. Understand? Don't change my argument into something that is not.

Probably some confusion in my response. Not specifically to you, but perhaps to this whole board, or atleast to the beginning of this thread. As you think, and others, what this guy is doing is immoral, there seems to be a dearth of complaints about the rich guys getting richer, immorally, and maybe only my opinion, also off the system that codifies it in legal terms. You say "smart investor." I say that guy is smart enough to game the system and no different from your "smart investor" (within the parameters I described).

I also think, we always seem to go after the "little guy" before we think bigger. It's sort of like that argument "my company took away my private pension, so I want them to take away those government employee's pensions" instead of working to protect his own pension, and then examine where the money that use to pay his pension has gone?

That lottery winner is small fry. The bigger issues are Wars, Tax Cuts (our tax rate as a % of GDP is the lowest in history), Mortgage hanky panky, etc.

 

[mick504]

Question: For food stamps...does interest income count...possibly from the lottery earnings. Isn't America great! We can have freeloaders still....maybe we...Congress should review the damn existing laws and change them to stop this crazy stuff. Let the govt take care of me.....I am so happy feeling so cared for. It makes me sick! Where are those conservative values. Screw everybody else and let me get mine, not!

 

[FAB1]

I dont think its political if I just say the dipshit is nothing but a leech.

 

[tsptalk]

I appreciate the civil discussion, everyone, of this touchy subject ...well, up until FAB1's post anyway (kidding)

 

[nnuut]

Could be that he is trying to make a point. Income should NOT be the only thing taken into consideration to get food stamps! DUH!:suspicious:

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

Could be that he is trying to make a point. Income should NOT be the only thing taken into consideration to get food stamps! DUH!:suspicious:

Or maybe to prove rich people get to be rich by being stingy...