Posted on 03/23/2011 10:00:16 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB
Republican legislators think they have a way to keep Minnesotans on welfare from spending their benefits on booze, smokes and lottery tickets: They'd keep them from taking more than $20 in benefits in cash. Right now, welfare recipients can use their electronic benefits cards to withdraw much of their monthly allotment in cash. The proposed legislation would require more people on welfare to get a second card to use for cash withdrawal, and would limit that to no more than $20 a month.
(Excerpt) Read more at kare11.com ...
EYEWITNESS NEWS Investigation: Benefits Bonanza - Taxpayers Foot Bill for Liquor, Travel, Tattoos http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1830297.shtml...
It's a benefits bonanza that might leave you shaking your head: cigarettes, alcohol, lottery tickets - even tattoos - can be bought with your money.
A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS INVESTIGATION found welfare cash can be used for all sorts of things never intended, from the Twin Cities to the U-S Virgin Islands.
And it's all legal.
Watch our investigation, led by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Reporter Mark Albert, that has some lawmakers calling for welfare reform. --------------------------------------------------------
This society worked better when the church was allowed to give to the needy and poor, instead of government. Government WASTES and allows CHEATS to beneifit, while they STEAL our money to do it.
I hear in some states you can use food stamps at restaurants. That sounds crazy. You should only be able to use them at the grocery stores.
That is just stupid!
About as stupid as letting them buy a honking big $58 birthday cake (& ice cream) from Sam's Club like I witnessed last Saturday.
At least these drones have to get creative and do a service for someone.
I hear in some states you can use food stamps at restaurants. That sounds crazy. You should only be able to use them at the grocery stores.
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Don’t forget the Casino.
How mean of us hard-working taxpayers; to deny the poor the use of a welafre card at a casino.
I think part of this is that food stamps and welfare checks have been replaced by these “debit card” clones in many places. So now people can use them anywhere, just as you would use a credit or debit card.
There were similar reports here in California, about Calif. welfare beneficiaries using their cards at Disneyland and Vegas casinos.
They need to bring back the stamps, so that recipients can no longer hide the fact they’re on welfare.
We’ve gotten rid of every stigma of shame in this country.
And maybe we could deliver benefits but keep cash out of people’s hands. For example, isn’t Section 8 rent paid directly by the government to the landlord for people on public assistance? Use the same concept so that people can go grocery shopping, and draw down an account set up for them at a supermarket chain, but don’t give them actual money. Set up similar accounts at Wal-Mart so they can go shopping, but again, don’t give them access to the actual cash money.
There’s got to be a way to deliver aid to the poor without all the scams and problems and using the money for other than the basic necessities of life.
But again, that just allows people to hide the fact they are on welfare. We need to make welfare a stigma again.
Is there any stigma associated with anything anymore? Our culture is so into the self-esteem and being non-judgemental and all that, that now it’s like we can’t make any critical judgements.
the “bridge card” in MI is very distinctive, so there’s still a little bit of the stigma attached to it’s use.
but wait! that can be fixed.. http://bridgecardsticker.com/ here’s a company that makes stickers specifically designed to cover up that distinctive image to make you look like less of a pariah. and you can even use the card to buy the sticker!
the govt does nothing about it....
[i]We need to make welfare a stigma again.[/i][p]
Yeah, let’s destroy what little dignity is left to those who are disabled and have no choice but to turn to what little is available to keep them alive. Have a little consideration for your fellow man. I’m so sick and tired of this unchristian attitude on display around FR.
Liberal judge finding this policy to be RAAACIST in 3.....2.....1....
Oh please, you want real poverty, go to Haiti. We have no real poverty in America.
doesn’t matter. you can get around anything.
people around here will use their card to buy food for friends and family, then trade for alcohol, cigarettes, cash, etc.
Furthermore, the point of stigmatizing welfare is to make people want to get off of it, and find their own dignity. Nobody can give you dignity.
you’re kidding, right?
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