November 1, 2013 --

Benefits in New York from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP -- formerly known as food stamps) have been cut. This will probably be good news to Michael Savage who, in-between regaling his talk show listeners with tales of his restaurant haunts, lashes out at people receiving SNAP benefits. (LPR wonders if Savage would like SNAP benefits to be limited to purchases of bread and water.) By the way, Savage has taken to lashing out, as well, at our Founding Fathers. In response to the trashing by Savage of our founding legacy, LPR, below, sets forth some of the wisdom found in The Federalist Papers that is clearly of current relevance. (It must be noted that Savage is capable of egregious errors with his references to history. For example, he has told listeners that World War II started soon after the appeasement of Hitler by Great Britain, September 1938. In fact, Hitler did not begin WWII until September 1, 1939.)

LPR's proprietor, David R. Zukerman, qualified for SNAP Benefits by reason of his low income, which consists of a modest monthly Social Security check -- nothing else. No bank accounts, no stocks, no pension. Nada. In addition to getting a reduction in his SNAP benefits, David R. Zukerman, LPR's proprietor was recently informed that his health insurance would not cover a CT Scan and, in addition, a New York State surcharge was added to the bill.

Zukerman wrote to Gov. Cuomo and received a reply from the New York State Department of Health, pointing out that the surcharge is applied to help needy people, including adults.This reply perplexed Zukerman, because of his position near the bottom of the economic ladder. Zukerman does acknowledge that all his letters to Gov. Cuomo are acted on, even if the replies are sometimes perplexing. At this point, Zukerman will assume that his CT Scan cost problem is just a bureaucratic blip.

Zukerman cannot claim that it will be a bureaucratic blip that will have him suspended as a member of the New York bar. From the establishment's point of view, Zukerman is delinquent in his statutory requirement to remit a registration fee as attorney. The statute does not explicitly allow waiver of the registration fee, or installment payments, for impoverished attorneys who have no income other than Social Security,but wish to continue their pro bono service. Zukerman has submitted an affirmation in opposition to the motion to suspend him as a registration delinquent.