[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Maru

Politics is a sport of judgement, so we tend to equate the worst views with left/right aspects. I think many more people are centrist than they are right/left if we were just to judge that definition by it's worst views. Being right-leaning is not a "bad" word... maybe it is different in the UK, but here, it just means you stand for more traditional values, for self-responsibility, for a laws and an economic system that reflects this... but charity is encouraged

I don't know any politician here that has spoke of removing disability. Vicky, I am with you. We have a movement disorder in our family (unknown at the time) and I could never see their care stripped away. I think some welfare is reasonable and actually in society's interest.

They don't outright say it, that would be political suicide. But they are chopping and chopping away at support for people like me. They changed DLA to PIP in an attempt to, not help the disabled, but cut down how many people were on the benefit. My cousin was on a lifetime DLA award as he has a progressive illness that specialists have said will never ever be cured and it affects his life in a huge way. When being 'transferred' over to PIP, his award was stripped away completely. The 'assessor' was an ex midwife, with no experience in his illness at all and they lied left right and centre ontop of that (this is a common experience for these assessments). He is now having to go through tribunals and stuff to get any award.

With DLA, you got the higher rate if you could not consistently mobilize over 50m. PIP has changed this to 20m. So these people who have had it cut away, they are still as ill as they were, just the government has randomly decided that they do not get the help. That kind of thing.

Honestly, if not for the treatment of the poor and disabled, I could maybe bring myself to vote Tory.

But right now, I am politically homeless for the first time in my life.

I cannot vote for Labour with Corbyn in charge..unless he sorts his **** out
And I cannot vote Tory for personal reasons
Any other vote is a waste, but all other political parties bar UKIP support this ridiculous 'self ID' (changing sex by ticking a box on a piece of paper) thing. I could not vote UKIP as I disagree with them on most matters too

I agree that most people are probably centre. I think people feel like they HAVE to pick a 'side'.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

They don't outright say it, that would be political suicide. But they are chopping and chopping away at support for people like me. They changed DLA to PIP in an attempt to, not help the disabled, but cut down how many people were on the benefit. My cousin was on a lifetime DLA award as he has a progressive illness that specialists have said will never ever be cured and it affects his life in a huge way. When being 'transferred' over to PIP, his award was stripped away completely. He is now having to go through tribunals ajnd stuff to get any award.

With DLA, you got the higher rate if you could not consistently mobilize over 50m. PIP has changed this to 20m. So these people who have had it cut away, they are still as ill as they were, just the government has randomly decided that they do not get the help. That kind of thing.

Honestly, if not for the treatment of the poor and disabled, I could maybe bring myself to vote Tory.

But right now, I am politically homeless for the first time in my life.

I cannot vote for Labour with Corbyn in charge..unless he sorts his **** out
And I cannot vote Tory for personal reasons
Any other vote is a waste, but all other political parties bar UKIP support this ridiculous 'self ID' (changing sex by ticking a box on a piece of paper) thing. I could not vote UKIP as I disagree with them on most matters too

I agree that most people are probably centre. I think people feel like they HAVE to pick a 'side'.

This sums up how I feel about it all right now. If there was a general election tomorrow I would have to write on the ballot paper, none of the above.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

They don't outright say it, that would be political suicide. But they are chopping and chopping away at support for people like me. They changed DLA to PIP in an attempt to, not help the disabled, but cut down how many people were on the benefit. My cousin was on a lifetime DLA award as he has a progressive illness that specialists have said will never ever be cured and it affects his life in a huge way. When being 'transferred' over to PIP, his award was stripped away completely. The 'assessor' was an ex midwife, with no experience in his illness at all and they lied left right and centre ontop of that (this is a common experience for these assessments). He is now having to go through tribunals and stuff to get any award.

With DLA, you got the higher rate if you could not consistently mobilize over 50m. PIP has changed this to 20m. So these people who have had it cut away, they are still as ill as they were, just the government has randomly decided that they do not get the help. That kind of thing.

Honestly, if not for the treatment of the poor and disabled, I could maybe bring myself to vote Tory.

But right now, I am politically homeless for the first time in my life.

I cannot vote for Labour with Corbyn in charge..unless he sorts his **** out
And I cannot vote Tory for personal reasons
Any other vote is a waste, but all other political parties bar UKIP support this ridiculous 'self ID' (changing sex by ticking a box on a piece of paper) thing. I could not vote UKIP as I disagree with them on most matters too

I agree that most people are probably centre. I think people feel like they HAVE to pick a 'side'.

That's ridiculous. You are actually screwed no matter which way you go then..

I can't say I can vote right-leaning across the board, as I tend to vote independent, but it is on a candidate versus position kind of deal. Sometimes it's a "no confidence" write-in, but it really depends.

The US does try to get people taken off disability, but it's not really a political platform, it's always been designed that way. It is also difficult to get in. Takes at least a year and a half and fighting almost certain soul draining appeal after appeal to get in. My family had a difficult time due to their disorder not being in the official list. But the US/state came back several years later and retroactively added them out of the blue, so they paid them what they were owed over the course of that time. They were lucky to have family care for them in the meantime, but they've been in since, so nearly 30 years.

We can't have any sort of income over a certain number if we apply. I think it is like $300/gross monthly... but they want you to see doctors so you can provide all sorts of documentation. That's why a lot of people get lawyers to expedite the process, but not everyone can afford them. They do it to reduce fraud from people applying because they are pregnant, have an ingrown toenail, etc, but it obviously has the effect of creating all kinds of hardship.

The one thing I like about the US being so geographically diverse and separated in powers per state versus federal, is that if we wanted to ignore national, we easily could (and many do). I just focus on local politics/matter, where my vote really counts... whereas national is just a grudge match and we are unwilling participants of that cockery.