Fixing America, One State at a Time

Commentary :: Civil & Human Rights
Fixing America,One State at a Time

Jan lightfootLane


Fixing America,One State at a Time


How many people must know about an injustice to the poor, before it is fixed?
Fixing America. Some people say the personal is political. Some people also say it is time to examine hometown governmental abuse.

If 50 people know how broken our so called safety net system was, it would stay without hope of being revamped. If just 1,000 persons knew that towns send away those who are in fact eligible for town aid or General Assistance(GA), there might raise a clamor to fix the devastated practice.

GA is suppose to help with lives basics heating rent food etc., to anyone with or without kids, whose income or lack their of qualifies them. It is called the program of last hope. It is based on state laws.

Too often those trusted officials applying state laws and towns ordinances size up those who ask for aid. The meek, those who stutters, or show other weakest, are declined the aid, they are QUALIFIED to receive according to state laws. The state law says “Anyone wishing to live in any town is to be considered a resident.

Local law or ordinances can compliment state law. It cannot legally contradict state law. Yet people are told by trusted public officials “If you are new in town, or have not lived there a year, You are not officially a resident.” This is made up, or whim-ful law. It is blatantly unconstitutional.Most people believe officials apply governmental programs fairly and compassionately. Such is not the case.

Disability lawyers find when a SSI denied claim, is appealed 50% of the cases win. But lawyers do not see Profit in going after the State or town when a “Mistake” is made in GA.

That is what the overseeing body of the Dept of Health and Human Service calls what appears as an intentional denial, of GA. “Bad training” The Dept. is one of the trainers. Perhaps Maine and all New England states need to pay lawyers fees from the towns themselves when they win a clients case in court. After all 30 years ago there were no disability lawyers, then they learnt they could have 1/3 of the clients back payments. And a line of disability lawyers pop up.

Perhaps that is what is required to make GA More fairly applied. That the poor can hire lawyers and the attorneys will get twice the amount the client wins. That could make town’s cities and villages more apt to fairly apply the law to all.

This would mean saving of taxpayer’s dollars in the long run. Preventing displacement saves 10 times+ the amount, that a preventable eviction costs. With just the population of a small city say 30,000 people their would not be just a clamor, there would be an out - cry for improvement.

Laws must be enforceable, before they mean anything. Lawyers are the people who will enforce the laws. Knowing the poor, can hire lawyers the towns will be more likely to fairly apply state laws rather than change them.Most people care about others, or at least saving money in the long run. The laws would evolve. Society would be uplifted.

Yet no Maine mainstream newspaper’s, wants their readers to know about this happening. Why? One reason is fear that it would upset their advertiser’s apple carts. The media does not look to the long term of everyone having more income means people can spend more, just to the short-term upheaval.It is a Human Right to have laws fairly applied.