So what do you all think about the Octuplet Births?

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 3:07 am

I read that she receives food stamps and children's Supplemental Security Income. The latter isn't welfare, but is available to children and adults with severe physical and/or mental disabilities, so her spokeperson is correct as far as that goes. One of her neighbors said a while back that one of Suleman's children is autistic, which would qualify him or her for SSI provided that the mother's income wasn't too high (and I'm sure it's not).

Tanzanite · Post by **Tanzanite** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 4:17 am

You're right that technically SSI is not welfare, however, it is still using "public dollars" funded by taxes. And if any of the octuplets have physical or mental disabilities then they too, will be receiving tax dollars (via SSI).

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 4:24 am

[quote=""Tanzanite""]You're right that technically SSI is not welfare, however, it is still using "public dollars" funded by taxes. And if any of the octuplets have physical or mental disabilities then they too, will be receiving tax dollars (via SSI).[/quote]

Yep. You got it.

And she is getting food stamps, which is another way to suck the system dry. She's a gem.

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 4:51 am

[quote=""Tanzanite""]You're right that technically SSI is not welfare, however, it is still using "public dollars" funded by taxes. And if any of the octuplets have physical or mental disabilities then they too, will be receiving tax dollars (via SSI).[/quote]

True. But as a mother of an autistic son, I can tell you that the day he was diagnosed, I didn't run up and down the streets screaming joyfully, "Yippee! Now I can collect SSI! To the contrary, I was devastated, and I was also scared to death that my newborn daughter might turn out to be autistic as well.

Of course, we could always just save the public a lot of tax money by disposing of anyone with a disability so severe they can't work. But wait--didn't a chap named Hitler have the same idea already?

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 4:56 am

I'm guessing that some of us watched that interview on NBC tonight. I was appalled, still appalled, by this woman -- it was very interesting to watch, but she really doesn't have a clue as to what she was and is doing. Using her student loans to pay for her children? Having an idiotic belief that things will be 'taken care' of financially? And finding out that one of the six older ones has autism? This woman intends to milk the system for as long as she thinks she can get away with it. And plastic surgery?

Sigh.

It's people like this that give some of us who have paid into the system and have the unfortunate happen a very bad name. (I have SSD, but not SSI) She's in denial. Sadly it is her children that pay the price.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 12:13 pm

I watched 3 min of it and I wanted to strangle her. With current eco times the way they are no one wants to watch some moron saying how things will be OK, even though we know she will suck off the system as long as she is allowed.

Personally I think she is the perfect example of how the system is flawed and I think there should be a time limit on it, otherwise for the next 18 years she will be on it.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 1:34 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]True. But as a mother of an autistic son, I can tell you that the day he was diagnosed, I didn't run up and down the streets screaming joyfully, "Yippee! Now I can collect SSI! To the contrary, I was devastated, and I was also scared to death that my newborn daughter might turn out to be autistic as well.

Of course, we could always just save the public a lot of tax money by disposing of anyone with a disability so severe they can't work. But wait--didn't a chap named Hitler have the same idea already?[/quote]

That is an excellent point about SSI, although that still doesn't excuse her going out and having more children when she's needing assistance with the ones she already has.

**Edited** Here's a new editorial opinion from the LA Times.

In the meantime, the Kaiser Permanente hospital where the eight newborns remain under care reportedly has applied to the state for assistance with its expenses under the Medi-Cal program.

Dateline has the interview up now, but this is really really special - Nadya has her own website up where you too can click and leave a donation (credit cards accepted).

Rowan · Post by **Rowan** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 2:03 pm

I had a friend once who's son had autism. Correct me if I'm wrong, boswell, but don't autistic children need extra attention? If so, how does she provide the necessary extra attention/care? I mean under the best of circumstances - having 14 "normal" children - two parents are hard pressed to give every child the attention he/she diserves.

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 2:44 pm

[quote=""Rowan""]I had a friend once who's son had autism. Correct me if I'm wrong, boswell, but don't autistic children need extra attention? If so, how does she provide the necessary extra attention/care? I mean under the best of circumstances - having 14 "normal" children - two parents are hard pressed to give every child the attention he/she diserves.[/quote]

I should have made it clear--I don't have any sympathy for the mother, and I think she made a stupid and irresponsible choice. I don't think any of the children are going to get adequate attention--at least, not from her. So far, she seems to have saddled her own mother with a lot of their care.

What I object to is equating SSI, or Social Security Disability, with welfare. It's an insult to the many people who, through a sheer accident of fate, have to depend on it. One drunk driver or one careless co-worker could inflict a disabling injury on anyone on this board.

As Telynor said, the victims here are the children, who if the mother can't manage them might well end up in the care of social services. And that's a grim place for any child to end up.

This is a tragedy waiting to happen.

Leyland · Post by **Leyland** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 2:56 pm

[quote=""Misfit""] Nadya has her own website up where you too can click and leave a donation (credit cards accepted).[/quote]
It's as if she's decided to put herself and all her kids out in the world as some sort of internet carnival or sideshow. Not that the kids are 'freaks', but that the single-mother-choosing-invitro experience resulting in 14 kids is one to be milked for all she can get. Poor kids - what a developmental nightmare they will face.