European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 10 October | 110 comments (110 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Europe (4.00 / 3)

How many more, George? Ruth Anim and Liam Barker - different disabilities, very similar situations - Comment - Voices - The Independent

Just over two weeks ago, I heard and wrote about the case of Liam Barker. Eighteen years old, paralysed since birth, he breathes through a ventilator.
His parents had just received a letter informing them that in order to receive Employment Support Allowance, he might have to prove he is unable to work by attending a Work Capability Assessment.
Just over two weeks ago, I first started wondering how many more Liam Barkers there would be.
I am sad to say that on Thursday, I heard of a case very similar to that of Liam Barker.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Tue Oct 9th, 2012 at 04:00:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (none / 0)

As many as it takes to make the bottom line look good.
Then whoever is left.

The WCA in itself is a farce, the way it's carried out by Atos is even worse. GP, specialist and other medical professional opinion over years of knowing the person makes no difference: what matters is a narrow 30-45 minute consultation with someone who may or may not have any medical training.

I can understand that a non-professional with a checklist can "miss" mental health problems. But obvious physical disability? Working for Atos (and apparently the DWP) seems to mean checking in your humanity at the door.

by Number 6 on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 05:17:52 AM EST
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Re: Europe (4.00 / 2)

A relative of mine was told that he had to bring all of his medicines with him, or fail the assessment. he was recovering from Back surgery

so they passed him fit for work because he could carry the carrier bag with the medicines in

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 08:38:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (4.00 / 4)

Show up with a child: clearly you can look after a child some of the time, extrapolate to 100% of the time --> you can work.
Show up with clean clothes: clearly you can look after yourself and get somewhere on time occasionally, extrapolate to 100% of the time --> you can get anywhere and talk to anyone, no health issues, you can work.
Show up alone or walking without aid --> etc.

The whole procedure is a distraction, just like the deficit.

Real goal: "We will spend less on disabled people."
Official statement: "We need to help those who can work get back to work."
Distraction: "This test will tell us something or other."
Result: Morons spend time criticising the tests.

Real goal: "We will shrink the state and lower taxes, mainly for the rich."
Official statement: "We need to save."
Distraction: "Deficit. Deficit. Exterminate the de-fi-cit."
Result: Morons spend time criticising the specific savings.

So angry. Apathetic. Where Sue Marsh and others get their energy to carry on I don't know. Maybe I'm not angry enough.

(Disclaimer: Not personally disabled or receiving any of these benefits. Have a job making above median salary. As Pratchett said: "indoor work with no heavy lifting".)

by Number 6 on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 09:23:07 AM EST
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Re: Europe (4.00 / 6)

This can only happen because ordinary people are bastards who will bully sick and disabled people and make them feel ashamed of themselves if they complain in public about their condition and not receiving help.

I distribute. You re-distribute. He gives your hard-earned money to lazy scroungers. -- JakeS

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 09:39:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (none / 0)

True.

If only there were a form of compassion/solidarity/whatever that wasn't susceptible to the usual attacks:

Leftist/Working class - "'it were terrible'? I think you mean 'it was'. Good day."
Leftist/Trotskyist student - "Get a hair cut. Stop smoking that."
Religious - "Yeah, fine, grandma, why don't you stick to the psalms and the knitting."

Compassion pays of for society over time. Greed pays off for the individual right now. (I have no solutions today. I yield the floor.)

by Number 6 on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 10:00:29 AM EST
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Re: Europe (4.00 / 4)

Another reason why the government can get away with this kind of thing is that cutting benefits is not so obvious a way of killing people off as beating them to a bloody pulp.

I distribute. You re-distribute. He gives your hard-earned money to lazy scroungers. -- JakeS

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 10:06:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (4.00 / 4)

well it would be obvious if the national broadcaster actually transmitted anything more than scrounger rhetoric.

for example theres a report today that GP's are suggesting that 1 in 4 disabled patients are considering suicide when faced with this scheme

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 04:40:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (none / 0)

Isn't the new BBC boss cutting down core staff? As in 'we'll just order "programmes" and let the market sort it out'?

by Number 6 on Thu Oct 11th, 2012 at 05:01:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (4.00 / 2)

One of the themes in Shock Doctrine was how the idea to shock a society was developed from brain washing experiments performed in USA and Canada. With enough electric shocks memory can be lost and a blank slate acheived upon which to build a new personality (except the latter part did not work so well) and an idea behind the shock theory is that enough shocks to a society will achieve a state were history is lost and a new society built on the new slate (except it does not work so well). Anyway, the result is fear, outrage fatigue and looking after one self.

Of course, she also documents how new movements handle it, in particular in Latin America where they have more experience then most.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 01:47:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 10 October | 110 comments (110 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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