What's UP (with) CHUCK?

You forgot to mention in your e-newsletter...

Every so often I get an e-mail from my Congressman Charlie Wilson of Ohio's 6th Congressional District. He usually gives a brief synopsis of a few statistics and then outlines what a good boy he has been in working for the constituents of our district.

I haven't patted Chuck on the head yet but I have written to him and did get a response that he disagreed with me. It took several months to get that response - former 6th District Congressman Wayne L. Hayes would have responded in SEVEN DAYS.

What did the Chuckster disagree with? My suggestion that, instead of bailing out the Big 3 automakers, issue to all Americans in need of a vehicle a voucher for $20,000 for the purchase of a new or late model used vehicle. This in turn would move inventory presently on the lots plus the vehicles would need maintenance and parts which would support those manufacturers and suppliers. Now wouldn't this have cost less than the billions of dollars given?

Anyhoo, in the latest e-newsletter from Chuckles and he points out that "The Recovery Act" provides a $250 payment to Social Security recipients (he noted exclusively seniors).

Well, I receive a monthly SSDI payment and found that the U.S. Treasury has deposited my $250 Economic Recovery Payment. But there are TWO POINTS that Charlie neglected to mention...

1. The $250 is a one time only payment; not a monthly cost of living raise.
2. There will be NO COST OF LIVING RAISE in 2010 and 2011 - (mine was $65 per month).

Click on each image to read.

Also, please notice that I do not have a link to Charlie Wilson in the column to the right.

My have provided a link to my former congressman of 10 years from Ohio's 10th Congressional District.
His name is Dennis Kucinich.

Is What's Needed A High Colonic?

In T-Town it's not just the hydrants that need flushed out!
After a thirty-year absence I purchased a house and moved back to my home town of Toronto, Ohio. Although basically I've moved back into the old neighborhood (my childhood home is exactly two blocks north on the same street), a lot remains the same and a lot has changed and some of that (possibly most) is not necessarily a good thing.

Examples of things I've noticed that remain the same:

• People vote on name recognition or because "he" or "she" is so and so's son/daughter/grand whatever.
  
• They come from a good family so they get my vote.
• They have been in office for years so I guess they are okay.
• Things are fine the way they are so we don't need change.

Yada, yada, yada!

While I was gone I lived in many small "progressive" towns that:

• Had a city planning commission
• Took advantage of state and federal grant money to revitalive their downtowns
• Saw population double despite rough economic times by promoting tourism.
• Built or converted existing structures into recreation centers (indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, racquet ball courts, etc).
• And the list goes on...

Toronto needs revitalization to remain a city. The community is impoverished; 150 families are being served at the food bank and this town needs to capitalize on its greatest resource - the Ohio River.

Tuesday May 5th is election day- time to cast that ballot for Toronto's future and vote many out of office.

Meet my candidate!

On The Homefront

Another bitchin' rant...
Winding along the misinformation highway...On and off the phone with various people at the IRS call center over the past two months. Remember that $300.00 stimulus payment for low income singles last year? I got mine but in order to get that payment you had to have earned a minimum of $3,000 for the year of 2007. Gary’s Social Security Disability hearing was in 2008 and he received back payments from 2006 and 2007 so I called the IRS to find out if he could still take advantage of that stimulus money. No one is quite sure; got numerous answers; got various instructions on how to fill out the 1040. I tried E-File but the form was rejected so I mailed in Gary’s 1040 form with a note explaining that each and every agent wasn’t sure but that I (and I signed my name) EXPECTED that SOMEONE WHO KNOWS would REVIEW the form and send the check that “Gary is entitled to!”.

America! Land of the free; home of the lemmings...seems that many attending the various “tea parties” across the nation listen religiously to far leaning (close to being horizontal) ‘commentators’ like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh rather than investigating the facts. “Ladies and gentlemen,” these people are NOT investigative journalists that check the facts. They are giving their opinion on things they know absolutely nothing about, things they have not thoroughly checked out for accuracy and pass that misinformation on to YOU!

Having been a precinct judge at the polls and also registering people to vote I find this video from a February 27, 2009 ‘Tea Party’ in Cleveland disturbing. And people complain about who is in office? Maybe we need to complain about the ignorance of the registered voters.



And there is also this video from the April 15, 2009 Cleveland, Ohio 'Tea Party'!

True that these videos only show interviews with the misinformed but it's scary knowing that these people ARE misinformed and probably do vote. You would not believe what I witnessed at the polls if I told you. I probably will blog about it - later.

I wish someone would stage a media event to express outrage over homelessness. Maybe not such a great idea due to who possibly could be publicizing it. Rush Limbaugh has already publicly demonstrated that he knows absolutely nothing about homelessness as well. Nor does he know about the programs that provide free cell phones to the elderly, low income and homeless in this nation. Pennsylvania has such a program as well as the Medina (Ohio) County Sheriff's Department. Click on the (>) directional arrow to listen. Click on the (V) down arrow to read the full article.

By the way, I voted for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush only because I felt all were the lesser of two evils. I AM SO SORRY, AMERICA! CAN YOU FORGIVE ME?

If I could afford having my truck repaired I would have gone to a 'tea party' to protest...the one-time payment of $250 that Social Security, Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) recipients, disabled veterans and those receiving railroad pensions will be receiving in May. I have known about this payment coming for months; had to tell the uninformed about it. I received the 'official' letter from the Social Security Administration on Friday. With all the federal bailouts of mismanaged banks and automobile manufacturers, how is a one time payment going to help in stimulating the economy?
I say we should have $250 added to the monthly benefits; not as a one time payment!

And there's...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome compliments of Columbia Gas...I purchased my house in March 2008 and the gas company set me up with a budget plan of $54 per month. This year the budget plan rose to $164 per month. Two weeks before my March payment was due I received a billing of $285 and Friday received another billing for April of $318. The bill is due of the last day of the month. My Social Security check isn’t deposited until the 3rd so it is always late (I am always paying a late charge). I was late on last month’s bill. The gas company cashed the check two days before the bill arrived. My mortgage payment is $368.01 which I can afford; which I refuse NOT to miss paying on.
I'm wondering how anyone on a fixed income can pay such outrageous bills!

Thanks for the well in advance notice you jags!

Enuf...for now!

More bureaucratic red tape

It's driving me mad; making me crazy!

I'm grabbing at my head about to pull my hair out and am close to losing my freaking mind over crap.

No, let me just call a spade a spade; it's not crap, it's BULLSHIT! I'm up to my lower lip in it.

I'm being clothes-lined by bureaucratic red tape. It's strangling me!

Am I PISSED OFF? Sure I am and I think rightfully so! Read on...

I'm dealing with Medicare and am not sure if I have coverage; but I have been paying into it for a year to the tune of approximately $96.00 a month automatically deducted from my monthly Social Security Disability payment. That's $1152.00 and I might not be covered. Or am I? Gary found out that the State of Ohio is also paying my monthly payment of $96.00 - a surprise to him and me and to Rita, our caseworker at Job and Family Services in Steubenville.

So let's do the math - a TOTAL OF $2304.00 is being paid into Medicare FOR ME and BY ME!

So there is some sort of double-dipping here and I can't go to a doctor and get the medical care I require due to all the uncertainty. I haven't been to a regular medical doctor, a rheumatologist, or pulmonary doctor for one year.

Before my Social Security Disability was approved I was receiving Medicaid which paid for everything medical that I needed - doctors, physical therapy, procedures (MRI, mammograms, colonoscopy, ER, hospitalizations, pulmonary care, sleep studies, etc. and prescriptions). You name it, it was paid for and there were no co-pays, no spend-downs, no deductibles - no worries!

MEDICAID IS UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE reserved for the poor and primarily for those who have no or very little monthly income and, in my case, waiting for Social Security Disability. Medicaid wasn't easy for me to get. Caseworkers are unwilling to divulge that it and many other benefits are available - that's just too much paperwork.

Many of the homeless who are waiting for their disability benefits are not aware they are eligible for disability cash assistance ($115.00 per month in Ohio), food stamps ($162.00 maximum benefit per person per month in Ohio) and Medicaid insurance. Many homeless do not have proper identification to get the benefits they deserve.

Many are misinformed by their caseworkers, as I was, but I fought - it was the third caseworker (in Cleveland) who put forth the effort in getting me my benefits. She got me back benefits too! By listening to me and putting forth an effort she found my original appointment information in the system. That appointment was from before I became homeless. I was unable to get back because the location where I applied was in a different part of town - I was without money for bus fare. End result was back payments totaling close to $700.00.

One thing this caseworker told me was that there are plenty of benefits available for the poor and homeless but, unless the applicant requests help from a specific program, caseworkers are not permitted to divulge information to the client.

The smokescreen in trying to get benefits is thick. Many of the poor and homeless accept "no you are not eligible" and give up; don't put up a fight. Many are sick and getting sicker; no energy to fight the system while health is failing.

Homelessness affects one's health - it ages a person cutting years off a person's life. I see how badly I look every time I look in the mirror - I look awful and I feel worse every day. The stress is killing me!

NEWSFLASH: 11:30 a. m. Monday - Rita from the Steubenville office of Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services just called. She took the time to delve further into my file and found out that the State of Ohio is not paying my Medicare premium as previously reported. Oh, what should I believe anymore?

I do appreciate Rita though; she is kind and wishes she could do more to help but her hands are tied too. Benefits are determined by income and she has to go by the guidelines imposed by government.

I just opened my mail from Job and Family Services. Now it's in writing that I was denied for State of Ohio paid "QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY (QMB)" Reason: INCOME REPORTED EXCEEDS THE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS. We based this action on OHIO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, Rule 07431."

Okay, it's in writing and HELL I KNEW THIS SO WHY ALL THE CONFUSION?

Poverty is by design; it's control over the masses, the gigantic thumb pushing forcefully down on the poor holding them there, making people sick-keeping them sick. It's a vicious cycle; the dog chases its tail and will never get hold of it.

In May, Social Security Disability and SSI recipients will get a one time payment of $250.00 in addition to the monthly benefit check. Food stamp recipients will receive an additional 13% in allotment per month (which boils down to an additional box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the shopping cart). WOW, HOW GENEROUS!

Brian Davis, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, feels that "The Obama Administration championed the extra $250 that everyone on disability will be receiving in the next month. Some might think that this is a positive, but I view it more as an insult and results in a lowering of their grade. I mean, these individuals have to figure out how to live on a small amount of money, and now the government is sending them a few coins to go out and spend. How about an increase in the disability check every month so that these Americans are not doomed to poverty for the rest of their lives?"

I am in total agreement with Mr. Davis!

Sure Gary and I are both eligible for that extra $250.00 and are looking forward to that measly one time payment. But we both have a major fight on our hands and that is to see to it that we have more than adequate health care coverage, to be able to get medical treatment and our prescriptions with out having doctors offices calling us and canceling our appointments because we are not in the system.

I have some phone calls to make and will be on the phone for hours trying to get this Medicare issue resolved. My prescription coverage was dropped because I signed up for a PPO rather than an HMO so the state won't pay for my prescription coverage.

When that extra $250.00 comes I might have to give my neighbor a few bucks of it so she can pick up a case of industrial strength butt lube with aloe for me at Cosco.

The fight continues for Gary and me as our health is dramatically failing!

And yes - I'm rather punchy at the moment!

FYI - Stimulus $ For Homeless

Homeless woman sleeping on RTA Rapid

Photo by Cindy Miller for the Homeless Photography Project 2007

If the impoverished and homeless had flown to Washington in private jets, they also would have been chastised. But would they have gotten their money anyway or just not as much?

A must read below by Brian Davis, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH)

Click On The Link: http://clevelandhomeless.blogspot.com/2009/02/economic-stimulus-and-homelessness.html#links