Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for January 02, 2014

Ever heard the sarcastic expression, “funny as a rubber crutch”? This is one time a rubber crutch would actually be funny!

Oh, come on, Rat. You don’t have to be that creative. Tell him you’re an alcoholic or, like my brother-in-law, too nervous to work.

I was away last night so please forgive me if I am a little late in wishing a very happy new year to all comics lovers!

Disability, liability, it’s all the same, right?

“Dr. Pig” is too much Pig and too little doctor. Rat should have known that!But, a kudos {the word is singular, Greek; Cartoon-Boy should know that) for the SSA guy who disapproved Rat’s application!

I give this comic a bilabial fricative.

I hope we get to see more of Dr. Pig.

If only there was a way to steal from widows, orphans and those with disabilities. True, they don’t have that much, but if you can make it a volume business by bundling them all into one pool, you should be able to do quite well.

Have we forgotten “affluenza” so soon?

True story. Had a co-worker who quit because he said he was allergic to clothes.

It’s the economy. People who’s unemployment has run out are trying to get disability.

Waaaaay long ago, me and a couple of buddies put on a (very short) fundraiser in High School for “TF”..Catholic Charities was grateful for our “donation”.

So very SAD!

@Sisyphos"But, a kudos…"

Ah, but the word means “glory” and doesn’t take an article, unless you mean the candy bar.

My flatula works fine.

His flatulence was so thick you could part it with a spatula.

It’s not even a bone and if it was, it will heal and you’ll be just fine. Now get back to work!

Move to NH Rat. I can remember back in the ’90s that NH has the highest number of “handicapped” people out of any state in the nation based on the number of drivers with permanent handicap plates. All folks had to do was go see their doctor and convince them they needed a handicap plate and nine out of ten got it.

Pig is about as great a doctor as Dr. Patrick trying to treat Spongebob’s case of the suds. (Couldn’t find a playable version on YouTube because of copyright laws.)

Not all disabling conditions are visible. Can you tell by looking if a person has such serious fear of people that she can’t go outside? Or he has such severe depression that he cannot even take care of himself?

While I agree there are people who abuse the system – there always are – many people who are receiving disability truly deserve it – and many more who should be getting it, cannot because their illnesses are not physically apparent.

Gee whiz!

xxx

Pastis and the rest of you are seriously misinformed about the Social Security disability benefits programs, and the strip is a silly reference to news programs and articles that have been thoroughly discredited, including by several former SSA Commissioners. Those would be individuals who were responsible for administration of these claims, and fbjsr apparently has major issues with his siblings. He is also plain wrong that attorneys’ fees are paid by “taxpayers,” and not the claimant – there are only very limited circumstances in which the SSA pays fees, and most are deducted from the claimants’ benefits when they are paid.

It all depends on the state (even though it’s a federal program). I’ve known seriously ill people—one who had a stroke—who could not get Social Security Disability in California. A friend of mine who worked for Social Security at their headquarters was shocked by how strict the California offices are.

Should have said he had a bifurcated septum. They never check that.

I wouldn’t trust that doctor with my life.

I remember when comics weren’t so analyzed.

Maybe he means patella.