single mom getting threats from the taxman

[J’raxis 270145]

But I won't back down from the position that the original post sounds like a plea for help in resubscribing to public assistance.

It does—and like I said, they cut her off while she was still dependent on it, but trying to get off of it at the same time. Taxpayer-funded assistance programs shouldn't exist. But I don't necessarily have a problem with someone using it, if they're already aware they shouldn't be, and they're working to get off of it. Especially when the alternative seems to be her dealing with her abusive husband, fleeing the state potentially illegally, or starving.

Again, I could use a drug-use analogy: Smoking is very bad for you; if I knew someone who was trying to quit smoking, I'd rather see them try to wean themselves off of it (even though it means continuing to poison themselves for a few weeks or months), rather than quitting cold turkey if that was too traumatic or stressful for them to handle.

I'll also say again that telling someone who's absolutely dependent on social assistance to get off it and go beg her abusive husband for money instead, is practically the stereotypical image of libertarians most leftists have of us.

[Beth221]

Thank you J'raxis for understand this whole thing. Apparently I got the one asshole on this whole forum, just as I was giving it a second chance! 

What I have a problem with, and I know you see, is the feds are trying to bully her, threaten her, and interfere with the state.  She needs the public assistance, and is trying to get off it, and I have faith in her, to get on track, hence why we have opened her eyes to liberty. 

If she gets cut off welfare, then she will living on what welfare I give her, by opening my house to her.  The feds are punishing her with the threats, for disobeying the system. 

THanks again!

[Dan]

Whoa!!!  We don't know sandm000 enough to make judgement calls, at least he HAS owned up that he was mistaken on some points, which shows a lot of character for a 25 karma netizen of nhfree.

So far, at best, he is a principle libertarian playing devil's advocate which furthers the discussion at hand for all to enjoy.

Or he's a troll.  Don't feed the trolls.

[J’raxis 270145]

Whoa!!!  We don't know sandm000 enough to make judgement calls, at least he HAS owned up that he was mistaken on some points, which shows a lot of character for a 25 karma netizen of nhfree.

So far, at best, he is a principle libertarian playing devil's advocate which furthers the discussion at hand for all to enjoy.

Or he's a troll.  Don't feed the trolls.

I don't think he's a troll. I just think there are places where being almost dogmatic can backfire. I'm sort of trying to help both sides here—this woman doesn't need a lecture at this point, and I was trying to explain to sandm000 how he's living up to a bad stereotype.

[Rosie the Riveter]

Beth, Dan, Jeremy,

I can vouch for sandm000. He is not a troll, he is my friend. I can understand his response as I too had a similar negative response to the welfare part of the story when reading the initial post, but knowing Beth, I assumed the best and just did not post.

Now after reading this entire thread I understand the situation better and I do hope that you and others are able to help your friend.

I am sorry though that I do not have any good suggestions -- All I keep thinking about is -- as a mom myself, if I were in this situation, I would be so fearful of losing my children to the state, that honestly, I would just bow to the feds.

I know, I know, some "enemy of the state" I am.

My heart goes out to her.

[sandm000]

Thanks to those of you who realize I am not trolling.

I did in fact recant on some of my statements, and more importantly offered what advice I thought would be effective.

Now, with all that said, I have a question.  Why is it wrong for me to suggest that the fathers of the children take care of them?

[Beth221]

i wanted to keep this private, but i might have mentioned it, one dad, is in jail, and she refuses to chase after him for childsupport, when he is out, which will be a while.  the other, he has partial, and SHE pays child support to him, (i am not sure why..) he takes her for half the week, including the weekend, and is pushing for her to pay for private school.  Like that is going to happen. 

there is a part of the story, with the dad in jail, he refused to sign the B.C, and she refuses to have contact with him, for past reasons..  Both men were abusive. 

[Kat Kanning]

Maybe there's some voluntary way she could be helped?  A fundraiser?  Help her find better work? 

[J’raxis 270145]

Maybe there's some voluntary way she could be helped?  A fundraiser?  Help her find better work? 

sandm000 had a couple of good ideas on how to help her get up here:—

Perhaps you RI porcs could pitch in for a couple tanks of gas (~$50) and send her and her kids up here in their car, with what food, diapers, and only those other things that they need.  Once here there are a couple of places she could stay. http://www.asafeplacenh.org/weHelp.html is in portsmouth and run by the united way.  http://www.divorcesource.com/shelters/newhampshire.shtml this is a list of shelters around the state. After that she could start looking for day labor positions, or she could advertise on craig's list the jobs she is suited to do (possibly day care, seeing as she already has two children, she could possibly take in a couple, but that is in the long term)  Until such time as she has enough money for a place of her own.

[KBCraig]

It sounds like she's going to have trouble with her custody situation, if one of the fathers has joint/partial custody and she has to pay support. Moving to NH would mean leaving that child behind.

[Beth221]

You got it!  She is working on a plan now, as the dad of the little girl wants to move to Mass, which may make it easier to move to southern NH.

As of right now, with the custody agreement, she can not move out of RI.

[sandm000]

You got it!  She is working on a plan now, as the dad of the little girl wants to move to Mass, which may make it easier to move to southern NH.

As of right now, with the custody agreement, she can not move out of RI.

Now that we know the rest of the story, I think it will be easier to offer advice.  I suggested earlier that she fill out all of the returns to the best of her memory.  It is the only way, currently, to get the feds to leave her alone.  Even if she only writes in earnings of $1100, they will still probably asses a penalty.

If she argues that she doesn't have to file, she will have to prove that she earned less than $800 (I think).  If they can prove she earned more than that, they WILL send her to jail.

Cave in, on this one, because the situation is so sticky.  If she tries to run, they will pursue her for kidnapping.  So her only recourse as I see it, is to succumb.

However you could take the, "I didn't make more than $800, so I didn't have to file", route if it goes to court.

[error]

Sharon tells me that the main things she needs in order to get up here to NH are babysitting for her 2-year old boy and time to get a job and re-establish herself.

[Dan]

That's pretty much my take, too.

She's got skills and training in various jobs.  It just takes time away from the kids to find them.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Whoa!!!  We don't know sandm000 enough to make judgement calls, at least he HAS owned up that he was mistaken on some points, which shows a lot of character for a 25 karma netizen of nhfree.

I for one, would be willing to forgive him if he would change his, disturbing picture thingy