rockin'robin

‘I thought maybe it was okay because I’m not working’


While most people have played the “if I had a million dollars I would ____ ” thought game, few fill that blank in with “stay on public assistance.”

Amanda Clayton, a 24-year-old from Lincoln Park, Michigan, is one of the few who does, and she is getting away with it. Clayton won $1 million from the Michigan State Lottery this fall, but she is still collecting and using $200 a month in food assistance from the taxpayers with her Michigan Bridge Card.

“I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn’t, I thought maybe it was okay because I’m not working,” the lottery winner who just purchased a new house and car told Local 4 in Detroit. The station even filmed her shamelessly purchasing goods.

When Local 4 asked if she felt she had a right to the money, Clayton responded, “I mean I kinda do.”

Clayton justified the sentiment by explaining that after taking her winnings in a lump sum and having to pay taxes, the total amount was just over half of the initial winnings.

“I feel that it’s okay because I mean, I have no income and I have bills to pay,” she said. “I have two houses.”

Watch Local 4 confront Clayton:

A bill to prevent this type of behavior, sponsored by state Republican Rep. Dale Zorn has passed the state House, as has a companion bill in the state Senate.

“Public assistance should be given to those who are in need of public assistance, not those who have found riches,” said Zorn, who has sponsored a bill requiring the state to cross-check the names of lottery winners of prizes over $1,000 with names of individuals on the dole.

Until Clayton is cut off, however, she says she intends to continue to use her benefits.

Lottery winner on food stamps:

Deafness

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Steinhauer

You will have to excuse me ... I do not feel sorry for her at all.

Foxrac

What's classic welfare that created by Reagan in 1980's.

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Steinhauer

For people who need it. Somehow, I don't think it was meant for lottery winners.

TXgolfer

Or people who CAN work and choose not too. It's amazing how many people are unable to work yet they can spend hours and hours with their hobby

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21


Sometimes at night, I see their faces. I feel the traces they've left on my soul

rockin'robin

It's as if she is stubbing her nose at the government....not an ounce of empathy in her....Greed...pure and simple!

My hopes that she will have to pay the government back, with interest also. There are many, many more people out there who think the same way as she does....people that come into an inheritance, etc.

Feel there should be a major crack-down on these types of people....even jail time, taking away their winnings/inheritances....and cutting them off from government assistance.....

rolling7

Two houses and on welfare!!??!! something wrong with this picture.

Foxrac

That's capitalism for you and Americans are free to work or not work. They can alternatively collect money from gambling, lotteries, sell drugs on street (thanks to notorious drug wars). How great is capitalism!

Don't blame on certain people because they couldn't find a job due to condition of economic, especially my sister has no job for 1 year after submitted over hundreds of application and have hundred of job interview that no one want hire her. She has clean background and never use drugs in her life.

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Grayma

That's not capitalism. It's socialism. I can't believe the way people feel they are entitled to their fellow taxpayer's funds.

Foxrac

No, USA isn't socialism and socialist believe that everyone, not all get a job due to strong pro-workers in socialist countries. Our economy system is capitalism or free market if you prefer to say, anybody is free to whatever with their life. Offer welfare plan is uncommon in strong capitalism countries and they are usually reserved for poor and disadvantaged people, however sometime, the welfare system is broken so it means rich people could use it.

Having welfare plan isn't make our country more socialism and it is still at least.

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airportcop

No, it's just plain wrong and should be illegal! Two houses and a car, over $500,000 and still getting food stamps? What's wrong with this picture? Somebody cut her off! When she reported the income to the government which is required by law when you win a large lottery amount they should have caught on. Maybe it will in time. She may be required to pay back some cash to the IRS! Only in America!

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Romans 12:12 (NIV) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Foxrac

It is state issue and their welfare system is broken.

IRS has nothing with food stamp since they are regulated by USDA and state.

Lotteries are already taxed at 30% and she probably got less than $1 million now, probably $700,000 or less.

America isn't only country that collect income tax, most countries do.

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TXgolfer

No, what we are seeing is what happens under capitalism/Free markets when governments try to force social programs into the mix. And yes I DO blame people who are not working for not working, There are alot of jobs out there but people would rather sit at home and collect welfare or SSDI/SSI than take a job they don't like. I guarantee you there is a grocery store or fast food place hiring in the area....even in this economy.

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21


Sometimes at night, I see their faces. I feel the traces they've left on my soul

airportcop

Hey Foxrac,

The IRS gets the info that she won the lottery as well as her state! It is still income!

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Romans 12:12 (NIV) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Grayma

In my state you can substitute teach even without a college degree- you just need a high school diploma. My husband lost hsi job a month ago. He was called in to substitute teach every day for the last two weeks, and now they've hired him as a full time teacher's aid.

He also was offered a temporary job for six weeks, driving a truck locally, carrying fertilizer from plant to field. He didn't even need a trucker's license to do it.
With both the substitute job and the trucker job he was told that their biggest problem is finding reliable people. They call in substitutes who don't show up, and the man with the trucking job said the same thing- people don't show up. People just do not want to work. They just want to be paid for doing nothing.

Oh, the person my husband replaced in the special needs class failed a drug test.

Foxrac

Americans without disability and medical problems are ineligible for SSDI and SSI, and there is no welfare or free money for them, except for food stamp and Medicaid. SSI and SSDI have stricter criteria, however SSDI require work contribution. SSDI and SSI are not same. Unless you mention about unemployment benefits, of course and not know why they are continue to extended. Are you sure that unemployed prefer to sit than get a job? I don't agree with you because of situation with my sister and numerous job offers on newspaper is too good to be true because my sister tried but no luck. I doubt that everyone want Medicaid due to red tape and numerous paperwork.

It is ok for you to blame on people for not working but being blame won't help to make them goes work. They may have good reasons to not work, especially medical problems, take care of child, physical problems, can't find a job at all, etc. You need to be unemployed during sour economy and you will realize about how hard is find a job. Not everyone could catch a luck. The case with deaf people may be different because of discrimination, despite about ADA and costly lawsuit. I met one deaf man who worked at company for 17 years but he decided to resigned due to numerous discrimination from management and refused to have a communication with him. He has very little pay increase and he cannot be promote to management position. The manager abused him with many mistreatment during work. He got fed up with manager then left for good. He's on SSDI and he told me that he isn't going find a job soon in anytime because of traumatized from work discrimination. The lawsuit is so expensive and NAD doesn't have enough funds to have a lawsuit for many deaf people who suffered from discrimination so they only pick case that is more likely to win, like Netlix case. There are some deaf people don't want a job at all and they prefer to be lazy, however not all deaf people are like that.

In here, get a job at fast food and grocery stores are very hot battle so it is no guarantee if you could get a job. I know about there are plenty of people who are unemployed for year and they tried to look for jobs, even no luck. The relocation to other state isn't option if they have little or no money.

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Foxrac

I don't think that you understand my post.

I think that lottery is already taxed before you bring money home, just like work for company, not self-employed. $1 million is just gross income.

However, she will require to file for tax this year if win in 2011 or next year if win in 2012, no matters if it is already taxed.

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Foxrac

For substitute teachers in our school district, you are required to have a associate degree from junior college or community college and state license to teach.

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Reba

I have a bachelor's degree but I wasn't allowed to apply as a substitute interpreter for public schools without passing the teacher's PRAXIS test. That doesn't make sense because I wasn't going to be a teacher.

Foxrac

Wow, not good.

Teacher and interpreter are not same position, IMO.

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TXgolfer

Can't work because they are traumatized from discrimination? Give me a break. It's people like that. That are killing this country. I wonder if he is too traumatized for his hobbies.

People will use any excuse to get out of work. Smh

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21


Sometimes at night, I see their faces. I feel the traces they've left on my soul

Foxrac

The job discrimination that based on disability can be trauma because it already destroy their future for better job and their life. It is depends on case to case. It has nothing about hobbies and I feel bad for him. You are obviously use oral language and have no issue with jobs, however for him, he's only communicate via ASL.

I believe people with disabilities are deserved to have same equality as regular employees without any discrimination and mistreatment, but not true anymore.

Use excuse to get out of work? LOL. Not always.

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Steinhauer

What kind of jobs are we talking about? CEO of a finance corporation making 6 figures or a line cook at a fast food joint?

Because .... I got a profoundly deaf ASL signer a job as a line cook surrounded by hearing people. They love him. He loves his job. He is saving to take classes to get a better paying job.

People, in general, or far more understanding than you give them credit for. Not everybody is a horrible scary audist monster.

I am not saying they don't exist and cause problems, I am just saying that there are FAR more understanding people out there.

Foxrac

It is manufacturing building to make fire extinguishers.

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Steinhauer

Do you/they know their rights and who to report to if those rights are violated?

Foxrac

Yup, numerous of times.

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Steinhauer

Have you ever seen the expression "the squeaky wheel usually gets the grease but is the first one to get replaced"?

Do you know what it means?

Foxrac

Not know, I just learned from all of stories when we met at restaurant with his wife.

I never go to his workplace and he does know about his rights to report.

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Steinhauer

He can report the violations to the EEOC. But only as a last resort. First, he needs to go to his supervisor's supervisor and allow the company he works for to resolve the issue. if the issue is not resolved, report it (with documentation) to the EEOC.

I have had to do this (unfortunately) one time in all the years and all the jobs I have had. And yes, it was a deaf related issue. The EEOC handled it and I still had my job and the person who was in violation (an immediate supervisor) was fired.

Also, tell your friend not to take advantage of the system - the EEOC keeps files on complaints and he needs to have very good documentation of the events.

Foxrac

Yup, he had done rest of them but his company is very bad.

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