Where Are Our Tax Dollars Really Going? Part 2

I think I bit off more than I can chew. I'm on "information overload". I'm getting depressed just doing research for this "Where Are Our Tax Dollars Really Going?" series. There are so many things wrong with so much of the government as well as many of its citizens (and non-citizens) that I think I'm starting to lose it. I think I should change the focus of this series to positive things that are happening with our tax dollars. And even that may put me over the edge.

It's not that I'm a believer in all things government- (God knows they make their fair share of mistakes, and huge one's no less, that are destroying this country, and most feel there isn't much they can do about it) but what also really gets my goat is people who defraud the government by stealing our blood-sweat-and-tears-hard-earned tax dollars, it only makes the terrible situation worse. (Also see Where Are Our Tax Dollars Really Going? Part 1-Millions of Our Tax Dollars Are Being Scammed by Inmates".)

For instance, so many people that work in our Health & Human Services offices are disgusted with how easy it is to get government assistance. The 'Baby Momma Welfare Scams" are taking away tax dollars from the people who really need aid. I'm all for drug testing welfare recipients. And the free cell phones, are you kidding me? Look, I'm not a heartless person, I truly believe we all should be able to get assistance if we really need it, but these people that have babies just to make money? It sickens me. On top of it they are teaching their children to do the same things they are doing, only perpetuating the pattern.

'Baby Momma Welfare Scams"

Check out this post by Raymond on the Patriot Update website:
"I was speaking to an emergency room physician this morning. He told me that a woman in her 20's came to the ER with her 8th pregnancy. She stated "My momma told me that I am the breadwinner for the family." He asked her to explain. She said that she can make babies and babies get money for the family. The scam goes like this: The grandma calls the Department of Child and Family Services and states that the unemployed daughter is not capable of caring for these children. DCFS agrees and states that the child or children will need to go to foster care.
The grandma then volunteers to be the foster parent, and thus receives a check for $1500 per child per month in Illinois. Total yearly income: $144,000 tax-free, not to mention free healthcare (Medicaid) plus a monthly "Linx" card entitling her to free groceries, etc, and a voucher for 250 free cell phone minutes per month. This does not even include Wick and other welfare programs. Indeed, grandma was correct in that her fertile daughter is the "breadwinner" in the family. I hope you share this story with your contacts so they know how the ruling class spends our tax dollars.
Cheers,
Sebastian J. Ciancio, M.D. Urologist, Danville Polyclinic, LTD.

And check this out - "Kathy" says in response to:- Dozens charged in largest Medicare scam ever -Wed Oct 13, 2010, "This article angers me but it goes on all the time, and it isn't just foreigners committing these crimes. I work in a Health & Human Services office and there are so many people receiving aid (Food Stamps, Medical Care, Fuel Assistance) that lie through their teeth. The government has pretty much taken away any power we have to check assets, etc., so pretty much anybody qualifies for these services. And because I live in a small area, we know a lot of people and what they do for a living, and if we can't 'prove' they are lying, they get all kinds of goodies. So the fraud is rampant in government services, not just so called 'thugs'...Thu Oct 14, 2010 1:40 PM EDT".

What can we do, except make it more difficult for people to receive this assistance? And what about the people that really need it? Won't that just make more red tape to wade through? I don't have any answers, but I do have hopes. I really hope every American citizen will be able to say one day that they have a job, that they pay their taxes (which are used properly by the government), that our government has our best interests at heart, and that there is peace and love running rampant in the world, with no news but good news. Can anyone say, "she's a dreamer?".

"Anchor Babies"

Then of course we have the illegal alien issues and the "anchor babies" issues. I found this rant on bigjournalism.com that definitely struck a chord:
"THE FACTS DON'T LIE? 12 weeks ago -It's very difficult to discover any significant information about the scourge of the 14th Amendment, as we have today. This is principally because information has never been collected intentionally or otherwise, so we must rely on what is available; buried deeply in the pages of the internet? For more oppressive facts, go to this pdf webpage.. A report by Madeleine Pelner Cosman in the spring issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons 2005. It augments from a small fire that is turning into a conflagration. She says, "By not addressing this abuse of the Fourteenth Amendment and enforcing immigration law, the funds that state and local governments must provide to anchor babies amounts to a virtual tax on U.S. citizens to subsidize illegal aliens.

The increasing number of illegal aliens coming into the United States is forcing the closure of hospitals, spreading previously vanquished diseases and threatening to destroy America's prized health-care system," The author writes, ""born to illegal aliens instantly qualify as citizens for welfare benefits and have caused enormous rises in Medicaid costs and stipends under Supplemental Security Income and Disability Income." She adds that Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985, hospitals are obligated to treat the uninsured without reimbursement. "Illegal alien women come to the hospital in labor and drop their little anchors, each of whom pulls its illegal alien mother, father, and siblings into permanent residency simply by being born within our borders.

Anchor babies are citizens, and instantly qualify for public welfare aid: Between 300,000 and 350,000 anchor babies annually become citizens because of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside." In conclusion The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons report includes a strong prescription for protecting the health of Americans:

* Closing America's borders with fences, high-tech security devices and troops. (But remember the real 2006 Secure Fence Act, was designed as two parallel fences. Not just--ONE--? It doesn't seem to be turning on a light bulb in America's brain, that two fences were supposed to be constructed adjacent to each other, with a roadway in between for interdiction of every type of criminal, including the millions of illegal aliens.) It's time this question is asked of Senator Harry Reid and the dismantling of permanent E-Verify?
* Rescinding the U.S. citizenship of "anchor babies."
* Punishing the aiding and abetting of illegal aliens as a crime. (That means employers with a prison sentence for habitual offenders.)
* An end to-ALL-- amnesty programs.

It should be noted that based on data collected in California for AFDC's "children only" cases, the California Department of Social Services estimated that in fiscal 1994-1995, 193,800 children of illegal aliens received welfare, costing $553 million.

There are various undisclosed federal and state entitlements, which are denied to American mothers because our politicians are too busy catering to the less fortunate. This exploitation of the 14th Amendment is not necessary from expectant mothers from across the Southern border, but every year thousands converge on the unknowing taxpayer who coughs up the money to pay for subsidizing the life's of whole families, after a new anchor baby is born. This unwholesome situation would become far worse as any new hype for AMNESTY, would induce millions more to reach the borders, plus the stream would never end. To stop any more illegals coming to America, we must first remove every Pro-Amnesty lawmaker, then implement permanently E-Verify and place troops on the border. Learn more at NUMBER USA & JUDICIAL WATCH and call without delay your public servants in Washington at 202-224-3121."

So, what do you think about that? I thought it was quite interesting. What's your take on illegals and "Anchor Babies"?

The next sub-headline is something I think we all should take a look at, it could be a very useful tool for every person interested in what is going on in the White House.

"USASpending.gov"

Available to the public, as of December 2007, USASpending.gov was launched to fulfill the requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006, full text of the Transparency Act , which requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) establish a single searchable website, accessible to the public at no cost. So, we can now search for and actually find their answers by reviewing Federal contracts, grants, and other awards given to each state of the union on USASpending.gov. The following is an excerpt from the site:

Have you ever wanted to find more information on government spending? Have you ever wondered where federal contracting dollars and grant awards go? Or perhaps you would just like to know, as a citizen, what the government is really doing with your money.
On the USASpending.gov, readers can narrow the search into any of these areas that reveal a wealth of information and insight into how and where the large chunks of federal dollars are being spent.

Well, I feel soooo much better now that I know this information is available...but is it possible to actually fact-check this stuff? I mean who is keeping an eye on the guys that are supposed to be keeping an eye out?

The next two sub-headlines ("Fraud Guides" and "Protect the elderly from scams") are really just thrown in there because I feel that we all need to be aware of them, for ourselves and for our families.

"Fraud Guides"

Also, another good site to check out is fraudguides.com. "Learn how to detect and avoid fraud, identity theft, internet scams, consumer ripoffs, con jobs and investment schemes by educating yourself." Consumer Fraud Guide website:http://www.fraudguides.com/

"Protect the elderly from scams"

We all have loved ones that are elderly and we will all be elderly one day, so it is important to educate our loved ones and ourselves about scams being perpetrated on the elderly. Perhaps something you read in the resources below will prevent you or your loved ones from being scammed.

Affinity Fraud

Fighting Fraud 101: Tips for Older Investors

Living Trust Offers - How to Make Sure They're Trustworthy

Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number

FCIC Scams and Frauds

Fraud: Recognize It. Report It. Stop It.

Who's Calling? Can You Recognize a Phone Scam?

FTC's List of Telemarketing Scams

Home Equity Loans- Borrowers Beware

How to Avoid Internet Investment Scams

Fraud Target: Senior Citizens

Home Improvement Scam Alerts

USA.gov search results on scams committed on the elderly

Consumer Protection for Seniors on USA.gov

Resources & More Reading:

Where Are Our Tax Dollars Really Going? Part 1-Millions of Our Tax Dollars Are Being Scammed by Inmates"

Search where our tax dollars are going here: USASpending.gov

Dozens charged in largest Medicare scam ever

Big Journalism.com

Consumer Fraud Guide website:http://www.fraudguides.com/

Protect the elderly from fraud sites:

Affinity Fraud

Fighting Fraud 101: Tips for Older Investors

Living Trust Offers - How to Make Sure They're Trustworthy

Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number

FCIC Scams and Frauds

Fraud: Recognize It. Report It. Stop It.

Who's Calling? Can You Recognize a Phone Scam?

FTC's List of Telemarketing Scams

Home Equity Loans- Borrowers Beware

How to Avoid Internet Investment Scams

Fraud Target: Senior Citizens

Home Improvement Scam Alerts

USA.gov search results on scams committed on the elderly

Consumer Protection for Seniors on USA.gov