Quote:http://www.cdss.ca.gov/research/PG281.htm

 

http://www.cdss.ca.gov/research/PG365.htm

 

There ya go copycat.  Have fun..  My data that I pulled was for July of 2013.  I took the total case load from the first link and then took the total fruad cases from the second link.  That methodology would actually skew the "fraud" up because the case load I'm looking at is only CalWorks (The welfare for work program), while I'm looking at the total fraud cases for all programs, including foodstamps.  

 

As you can see, the total case load of Calworks for the month is 185,000.  The total cases of fraud found is about 10,000...  You do the math.

 

So there you have it.  The truth is that the concern that there are hundreds of millions of Welfare Queens abusing the system at an alarming rate is just not found when you do the research.

 

Why did I use California?  Well, couple reasons...  Honestly, they make their data tables easily accessable.  Try finding this data at the Florida website!  I couldn't.  And the US Deptartment of Health and Human Services website was also very difficult to navigate.  Now, Cali is a great sample to use, in my opinion for a couple reasons....  First, it's a huge state with a large population.  Second, the population has many subcultures (Hispanic, Black, White, Natives, those you have moved to Cali from other states, etc) so it gives a good representation of all of America.  Second, California has alot of resources available, it's a fairly rich state (compared to other states) with alot of resources.  Obviously, that why they have data so easily available.  So I don't think looking at the low levels of fraud in Cali is an outlier for the rest of the country.  I think it shows that the fact is, welfare abuse is not what the politicians on the right would have you believe. 

Color me impressed.  You certainly did the research.  My humble apologies!  With that said, I don't think you will ever find the kind of abuse I am talking about on a report like those.

 

For example:  Due to my work hours I tend to visit a local Walmart at aprox. 4:15 am on many mornings.  On smany occasions I have run into a family (grandmother, daughter and 3 children) loading up 2 shopping carts full of what I would consider junk food.  Donuts, chips, sugary drinks ect.  The adults each have a cart full with these items and legitimate food items as well to be fair.  They pay with an EBT card then roll the carts out to a 2012 Cadillac El Dorado.  This has been going on for two years now.

 

Tell me in this example how there is not some kind of fraud, waste or abuse going on here.  Spare me the examples of how this could be legitimate I certainly get that it could be however we all know that in all likelihood that it is not and this type of abuse is quite common.  I think I speak for all those that feel as I do this is the source of our ire.  Blue collar workers busting their tails 5 days a week or more driving 10 year old vehicles barely getting by and seeing examples like this on a regular basis.

 

I do agree with Senor Fantasico that the real issue is the way the laws are written.  The problem there is any attempt to clean these laws up is met with demagoguery from the left and a biased media about starving children and abusing the poor.  

 

Again my apologies for calling you out.  You have put me in my place and I tip my hat to you.

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