Disabled, or just desperate? Rural Americans turn to disability as jobs dry up

[sinkingfeeling]

10. In my poor, red state, there's a whole network of doctors who will certify a disability

for a fee.
The mother of my son's child lives with a guy who has been on Social Security Disability since birth. He has a spinal problem, but is able to go ATVing, pushing them out of mud, etc. He supplements his income by pirating DVDs.
After the woman was in a car accident, she decided she was disabled due to back pain. Went to his doctors and low and behold, now has a handicapped parking sticker, a first floor apartment and is applying for permanent disability. However, she is able to sit at a bingo table for 8 hours at a time, drive, and carry in groceries. She is 27. I don't understand why she can't hold a job.

Arkansas has 8.4% of its population on SSDI, second to West Virginia.