The Richest Man on Welfare

"It's free.  I have Medicaid." 

I used to think the symbol of all that was wrong with the world today was the Deep Fried Twinkie.  Talk about overindulgence.  I mean, who would’ve thought you could make something unhealthier than a Twinkie?

Fourthmeal by Taco Bell eventually came along and dethroned the Twinkie, but that's a topic for another post.

If the Deep Fried Twinkie and Fourthmeal are top contenders, the guy I'm going to tell you about gets a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Leroy Fick, a food stamps recipient, won a $2 Million lump sum payment in a Michigan lottery.  (I’m not even going to touch the issue of people on food stamps playing the lottery.)  Even though Fick has his millions in hand, he continues to use his state-issued food stamps card. 

How is this possible, you ask?  Here’s a quote from the article:

"Department spokeswoman Gisgie Gendreau said that, under federal guidelines, if a person receives a lump-sum payment, the winnings are not counted as income. The money is considered income if the person receives regular, ongoing payments.”

The article focused on the fact that Fick refuses to feel guilty for using his entitlements, despite being a millionaire. 


While Fick is a world-class dirt bag, he is far from the only person in this country who would take advantage of such a situation.  In my 11 years as a Firefighter, I've come across dozens of people who have made milking the system a way of life.

Years ago, while working in Tucson as a Firefighter/Paramedic, we encountered a disciple of Fick’s philosophy.  At 1 a.m. we were called to a house for a woman who had been sick for three days.  I’m not talking Cardiac-Patient-Sick or Unbearable-Abdominal-Pain-Deathbed-Sick.  She was I’m-Tired-Of-Having-This-Virus-Sick.

We show up and the woman meets us at the door with her purse and keys.  She's ready to go.  The conversation that follows goes like this: (I’ve placed parenthesis around the comments we wished we could make, but didn’t actually say.)

Us: What’s the emergency, Ma’am?

Her: I just need a ride to the hospital

Us: What’s the problem?

Her: I’ve been sick for three days.

(So why couldn't you call at 1:00 in the afternoon instead of 1:00 in the morning?)
Us: Have you seen your doctor?

Her: No.

Us: Maybe you could go to the clinic.

Her: They’re not open.  I have to go to the Emergency Room.

(Oh, I see.  You have to go to the ER.  In that case…)

Us: Can you drive yourself in?

Her: No.  I don’t want to pay for the gas.  It’s so expensive.

(As opposed to the ambulance ride which will cost taxpayers a measly $750.  Not to mention depriving this part of the city of speedy ambulance response times for the next hour and a half.)
Us: Is there someone else that can give you a ride?

Her: Yeah, but it’s pretty late.  I don’t want to wake anyone up.

Us: How about a taxi?

Her: They always want cash.  I don’t have to pay the ambulance.

Us: The ambulance isn’t free either, Ma’am.

Her: Yes it is.  I have Medicaid.

(So you’d rather have the rest of us pay $1500 for your sniffles than spend $5 in gas to drive yourself to the free clinic?)

At this point we realized we were dealing with a Master Looter.  We were clearly out of our league.  She got her $750 taxi ride in an ambulance. 

Yeah, it's from the UK, but you get the idea.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm happy to help someone in need.  We get "I've fallen and I can't get up" calls all the time, and they can be extremely satisfying.  But most people only call us when it's necessary.  When no one else can help them.  And most importantly, they say 'Thank you'.  It's not that I want a medal for doing my job, but gratitude is a sign that someone appreciates the emergency services our society provides as opposed to expecting the collective 'THEM' to provide for their whims.

Politics aside, listen to these two short interviews regarding where the money comes from:

It's Obama money!

That's right, a portion of the thousands of dollars you pay in Federal taxes each year goes to people with no concept of gratitude and who care nothing for your work and toil.  Looters. 

The next time you wonder why a simple ER visit costs you or your insurance a thousand bucks, think of the Looters who use the ER as their personal clinic and 911 as their personal limo service.  (Come back next week for my rant on The Looters.)  The next time you're tempted to see how much Uncle Sam took out of your paycheck, I recommend just being thankful you have a paycheck.


There is a scourge sweeping across our great country and across the world.  Call it selfishness, indifference, or a Gimme attitude, it is more prevalent than we realize.

So to you, Richest Man on Welfare, I salute you as a World-Class Looter.  We, the hard-working tax payers, are glad to pick up your lunch tab. 

After all, it's just Obama money.