Posted on 07/14/2010 5:35:45 PM PDT by Sneakyuser
...$4.8 million doled out to welfare patrons in gambling parlors and strip clubs has created such a buzz in Sacramento.
Politicians are up in arms over Times reporter Jack Dolan's reports that welfare recipients have been using their state-issued debit cards to withdraw cash from ATMs in tribal casinos, poker houses and strip clubs.
Other states began policing their ATM networks years ago. But in California, until our stories, Electronic Benefit Transfer cards could be used almost anywhere.
Now Democrats are promising to make sure all families are spending only "on the children." Republicans want to track the gamblers down and get the money back and to put ATMs off-limits in other "seedy" businesses.
...What's stopping us from going further? How about beauty shops, liquor stores, bakeries? Cookies are not a subsistence need. And we certainly don't want Mom getting hair extensions with the family's rent money.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.latimes.com ...
"Remember, it's welfare, electronic welfare. They give you money for doing nothing," KFI's Tim Conway Jr. blared. He was trying to rouse the ire of folks "who drive two hours each day to jobs they hate, while the EBTers" are lounging around, living large.
...I understand why the politicians jumped. It's a chance to blast waste, attack the bureaucrats and channel voter anger away from themselves. But I hope the revelations don't put a bull's-eye on welfare.
It would be a shame to toss struggling families overboard in a state where the safety net already is down to little more than a few flimsy strings.
That’s why they shouldn’t get money. If they’re hungry, give them food.
|
Given that welfare is a gummit program, it is run with all the competence and care of your typical DMV. The result being things like this. Banning use of bennie cash withdrawals at casino ATMs will only get them using it at banks and taking the cash to the casinos; it is like trying to wrap jello in string. Groceries can be re-sold. Ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
As an aside, there is oodles of private charity still out there, but it typically doesn’t get the limelight.
Some will angrily refuse the food, because they prefer to spend it on getting blind drunk.
Behind every EBT card, is a casino boarding pass.
“What’s in your wallet?”
“Other people’s money..”
NY welfare families used $140million stimulus intended for school supplies to buy beer and cigarettes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlKWLqXhvDA
Do you want them all living to 95 in government funded nursing homes? Letting them buy junk food, beer, and cigarettes is cheaper in the long run.
Something tells me they will find some other way to win darwin awards. What we call welfare used to be an utterly private function (churches, benevolent societies, etc.) and the government (i.e. our tax monies) didn’t get involved at all. That’s the best model. Short of that, don’t tax me to get folks blind drunk, that’s evil.
Most of the folks standing here in 100 degree heat holding a placard begging for money refuse the gift certificates from McDonalds. They want CASH. Nothing else. Once our fine local paper did an expose’ on them and the guy featured said it ruined his “business”. Maybe we should sic Obama on those kinds of underground begging businesses. I am sure there are regulations that the EPA and every other alphabet agency can think of to take every single dime the beggars get away. That would be priceless. An agency to determine the amount of money beggars on the road get. Call it the BUM agency.
It looks like vouchers for milk and free cheese again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.