First off, there is in fact money for both. The problem is that the government keeps dipping into the social security fund to help with money needed for their wars that they don't even have to get involved in to begin with.

And the fact is that just because someone is on welfare does not mean that they are not working. A large portion of the people who do get welfare do in fact work. They just do not make enough money to make ends meet therefore they need foodstamps or government insurance.

This is just another way that our country is divided. People look down on low income families who receive welfare. It's always welfare families who are accused of abusing the system but I have personally seen more people abuse ssi. It's not only for retired people who are above the working age, disabled people get it as well. I can probably name 10 different people right off of the top of my head who abuses social security but I do not know a single person who has abused welfare.

I'm personally on both...welfare and SSI. It's what I qualify for. Trust me I'm not living it up a month. My SSI after I pay my bills leaves me about $200 for the rest of the month. I get close to $300 a month in Snap. That money also helps feed 5 people. My medical is also from the state.

What exactly is Social Security? Is it like taxes you pay when you're working so if you lose your job, you can apply to keep getting a little money coming in until you find a new job? Or..?

I am on social security disability and snap. I'dlive to be able to work, but unable to. I also believe that there should be money for both, but it's pissed away. I agree with Mel, choices.

I hate how people who are on ANY aide are lumped into lazy.
Would I love to be rolling in cash? Living more comfortably? Absolutely! Could I? Possibly.
I'm disabled. I was born with a club foot. I can no longer be released to work. I've gone to school. I'm half way done with my degree.
Working, even if I was released, would be a waste of money. All of the Dr's appointments and scheduling would make it where my pay went towards daycare. Add to that, Dalton may not function well with a daycare worker.
Also, my kids and family are happier that I'm home.
Did I dream if living in poverty? HELL FUCKING NO! I had dreams. I wanted to be a music teacher. When that didn't pan out I still went to college. It wasn't my thing. Nor did it work with my foot.
I've done online school too. I'm running into where I need to go on campus. That's just not very doable.
So no, you can't always just get off your ass. Ron and I got married and we lost most of our aide. I can't get the same help to finish school that I once did. I don't have extra cash to pay for even a $50 class. I can't even do Christmas shopping.
I get $184 in food stamps and we make around $2000 a month. For now. Next month it will be more like $1400. I get social security disability. After rent, bills and car payment we are broke. I spend maybe another $100 or so on groceries.
We are broke. Always broke. But the only way I would change it is IF my kids would fair off better with me working.
Yes I get help. Lots of it. Our church helps us when it's available. We also volunteer at the church non stop.
I even have a fancy phone. That my Mom bought me. We share a phone plan so it's affordable. We stretch every dollar. Miss bills most months. Rob Peter to pay Paul. Then come income tax return we catch up on all our bills. Buy fuel. That we are almost out of so that we can heat our house. Yep. We can't always heat our house. But we are lazy. Ron leaves for work at 5:15 am and doesn't get home until 5:45 pm.
I even sell the kids old stuff online to make some cash.
Not everyone can just up and get a job.
I can't afford to lose my kids insurance just to be worse off than we are. Or hurt myself worse. Hell I fractured the metatarsals in my foot just walking. But people see me as lazy. Not that I am that disabled. Fuck them! Fuck anyone who thinks that way. I worked my ass off from 16-31. I worked long days for 13 years driving school bus. Days of not seeing my kids. Just to make more money. Now I can't work.
So