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The cost of ASDs to the taxpayers

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Apple_in_my_Eye
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13 Oct 2011, 6:33 pm

Todesking wrote:
I bet there is a good number of autistic people on SSI/SSDI that would not be on it if it was not for NT bullying causing them to become even more autistic or destroying their will. :x


Yeah.

I forget who it was, but someone here (WP) once made a post about that when she gets her SSD/I check, she looks at it and thinks about all the ass**** co-workers who gave her so much sh** for so many years, and how they're still slaving away at those crappy jobs and how she now has part of their paychecks. :lol:



Ambivalence
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13 Oct 2011, 6:36 pm

Sandpaper wrote:
I am a high functioning Aspie.

I do not trust you because you've opened your posting career with a provocative and largely unsubstantiated post in the General forum.
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We can't have 1 in 20 adults who are not able to work.

Wrong.


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13 Oct 2011, 6:40 pm

Sandpaper wrote:
I am a high functioning Aspie. I am very fortunate to be high functioning, and I have one of the best 'disabilities' a person can have. That being said, I often wonder with the prevalence of ASDs, (now up to 1 in 75 people falling into some part of the spectrum) what kind of burden does this pose to the taxpayer of any given nation?

One of the worst aspects of autism and Asperger's is that there is no cure for the condition, and no real cure in sight. At the rate that new diagnosis are being discovered, we may eventually get to 1 in 20 or 5% of the population that has an ASD. Then what? We can't have 1 in 20 adults who are not able to work. As it is, many of the 1 in 75 adults have difficulty getting and keeping a job.


1. So am I unfortunate to not be HF? I like the who I am and how I am. I'm working on my weaknesses and building on my strengths. I have a lot going for me. What's wrong with being anything other than HF?

2. The statistic I read says that about 1 in 5 aren't able to work. So 1 in 20 isn't anywhere close to reality.

3. Keep your cure. It's not for me.



nirrti_rachelle
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13 Oct 2011, 6:50 pm

MrXxx wrote:

Oh dear. I was just going to let this go, but then noticed you're a moderator. Good grief, this is quite a biased post coming from a moderator. But then, I guess you all are as entitled to your opinions as the rest of us. I'm just a bit disappointed that you wouldn't display a bit more (how should I put this?), balance(?) in your remarks?


It's not their fault they can't see there is something different about me, other than what they do see and perceive as "purposeful behavior." They don't know any better than I did before I learned about AS. Why blame them? How could they know?


Please. The world is not fair or balanced, especially if you have a disability.

Even when they do know that someone has an ASD, they will still ostrasize someone for it. Most of these employers Do Not Care whether it's that person's fault or not. If they can hire an NT over someone with an ASD, mental illness, wheelchair, whatever, they will. And in this economy where so many people are searching for work, they can be even more choosier over the NTs and leave those with disabilities out all together.

We need to hold employers more responsible in offering truly equal opportunity to those on the spectrum. Not only will it make our lives better, it will enable us who can to contribute to the economy.

I wonder what the heck these people who whine about our being a "burden" on their precious tax dollars really want. It seems they want two dynamically opposed outcomes: One in which they can discriminate against us while at the same time denying us disability benifits because "There's nothing wrong with you."



Oh, and I am Not a moderator. I don't understand why Alex continues to leave that marker as part of my posts.


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MrXxx
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13 Oct 2011, 7:37 pm

Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
twich wrote:
It won't be disabled people who cause the economy to fall. Our taxes will get higher to boost the economy and try to get it up again, etc. Even without a growing number of diagnoses of autism and asperger's.

Sometimes society needs to modify itself to help the disabled help society and themselves, but they won't, because some bigot refuses to be tolerant somewhere.


The argument about disabled people dragging down the country is eternal, and a fantasy. It's always used because politicians and others who are actually responsible (i.e. bankers), know the usefulness of a scapegoat without a voice or sympathy. It's not that much of the budget, especially compared to other things. There are simply some people who believe that anything above 0% of the national budget is too much, and so they are always against it (ideologues).


Now there's something I've silently thought myself many, MANY times, but have not, as yet felt the courage to say straight out.

POW! ZING!

Truth!

Love it.


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twich
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13 Oct 2011, 8:50 pm

MrXxx wrote:
Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
twich wrote:
It won't be disabled people who cause the economy to fall. Our taxes will get higher to boost the economy and try to get it up again, etc. Even without a growing number of diagnoses of autism and asperger's.

Sometimes society needs to modify itself to help the disabled help society and themselves, but they won't, because some bigot refuses to be tolerant somewhere.


The argument about disabled people dragging down the country is eternal, and a fantasy. It's always used because politicians and others who are actually responsible (i.e. bankers), know the usefulness of a scapegoat without a voice or sympathy. It's not that much of the budget, especially compared to other things. There are simply some people who believe that anything above 0% of the national budget is too much, and so they are always against it (ideologues).


Now there's something I've silently thought myself many, MANY times, but have not, as yet felt the courage to say straight out.

POW! ZING!

Truth!

Love it.



Ok, so I'm having one of those nights where my brain just isn't letting me understand things. I *Think* I'm being agreed with, but I just wanted to make sure. Just in case- I don't believe it's disabled people dragging society down in any way, and the last bit was more to enable disabled people who feel like they're a "burden" because they can't work (because there are a large amount thanks to people belittling them,) because we all do, even people on disability, contribute to society in our own ways.



glider18
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13 Oct 2011, 9:06 pm

Well...I have so far not cost the taxpayers anything for my autism. I even paid out of my own pocket the complete cost of my diagnosis process although my wife's insurance would have covered it. I have been very lucky so far---I have held a job from the same employer now going on 24 years. But I can see the potential for some tricky times ahead. I am not sure how I would deal with it. But I have some tricky times in the past too---but I got through it with some luck. So...if things continue to go well for me, I will not cost the taxpayers anything. But if things turn bad for me...who knows.


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Apple_in_my_Eye
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13 Oct 2011, 9:14 pm

twich wrote:
Ok, so I'm having one of those nights where my brain just isn't letting me understand things. I *Think* I'm being agreed with, but I just wanted to make sure. Just in case- I don't believe it's disabled people dragging society down in any way, and the last bit was more to enable disabled people who feel like they're a "burden" because they can't work (because there are a large amount thanks to people belittling them,) because we all do, even people on disability, contribute to society in our own ways.


Yeah, I definitely agree with that. (I guess I did veer off into my own rant there, so I can see how that might not have been clear.)



Aaod
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13 Oct 2011, 9:17 pm

Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
Todesking wrote:
I bet there is a good number of autistic people on SSI/SSDI that would not be on it if it was not for NT bullying causing them to become even more autistic or destroying their will. :x


Yeah.

I forget who it was, but someone here (WP) once made a post about that when she gets her SSD/I check, she looks at it and thinks about all the ass**** co-workers who gave her so much sh** for so many years, and how they're still slaving away at those crappy jobs and how she now has part of their paychecks. :lol:

That is pretty much what I think about whenever I feel bad about being on it. I think about that and how massively the school system failed me and let me slip through the cracks., Plus it isn't enough to live on on your own so I feel nowhere near as bad.