You can buy cigs with welfare?? No wonder the feds don’t want to give you an accounting.
Purchasing smokes, lots of smokes, with EBT cards should be encouraged for obvious reasons.
And our Dear Leader (the the Dept of Agriculture) is advertising for more people to apply while at the same time, it has ordered States not to divulge where these cares are being used or what the "recipients" are purchasing with them.
I have a part time job in the wine and spirits department of a large grocery store. Our card reader will not allow EBT cards to purchase tobacco products, beer, wine or liquor. Sadly I have frequently seen EBT users buy about $10 worth of junk food and then pay cash for about $20 worth of beer. What dismays me most about the EBT cards is that users can buy all sorts of junk food and even bottled water, large steaks and crab legs. If Michelle Obama or Mayor Bloomberg wanted to end obesity simply restrict EBT card purchases only to healthy food items similar to the WIC program.
Cigarettes and tobacco are not eligible. The clerk was fired for the "these other people probably don't want to buy your smokes" remark. The outcome might have been different if she'd said something like "that product isn't eligible for purchase on an EBT card."
Oh, and where did the stories go about Doctors taking early retirement if
Obocare is implemented? The Gov cannot force them to care.
In the book ‘Brave New World’ a drug called ‘soma’ was used to control the masses, especially the lower class castes that did menial labor and had room temperature IQs.
EBT (Obama bucks)is the ‘soma’ of today............
Obama’s America = EBT
we’re in the computer age that being said the cash register could be programed to kick out items when the card is used or swipe the card first and the item won’t ring up.
A common usage of the EBT card is to give it and the PIN number to the heroin dealer in exchange for product. The dealer then goes and gets all his steaks and lobster on it. He either gives it back or the user reports it stolen or lost and gets another.
I can also tell you that nearly every person I ever arrested that had an EBT card also had a casino card as well.
The a-holes who came up with the EBT claimed it would remove the stigma of using food stamps.
There should be shame for being a parasite.
The ‘Free State’ strikes again...any conservative that is in a position to flee the New England ‘police state’ should do so...while they still can. It’s only going to get worse...
thanks for posting
Howie Carr list ping
Someone needs to make an Indiegogo account for this little old lady since she lost her job. I bet a lot of people would donate what a pack a cigarettes cost. I don’t fault the store for letting her go, but I applaud her spirit in speaking out while so many don’t.
I worked in grocery for 4 years and people who aren’t on the front lines of this abuse of the system have no real idea all that goes on. This is commonplace.
I live in IL, one of the largest welfare states. We believed this to be illegal as well but getting a straight answer was very difficult. I tried calling the welfare office and you get put on a loop. I tried looking online, it’s not there either. It took one of our employees actually going to the welfare office to ask. Turns out they can buy “whatever they need”. This is what our employee was told. So evidently, cigarettes are now considered a “need”.
I actually ended up quitting because I found myself becoming so discouraged and even angry at the abuse I witnessed daily. But here’s a few things I want people to know that happens:
1. Each month recipients are issued a “food” balance AND ready for it... a CASH balance. Yes, that’s right CASH. No way to regulate how that is spent.
2. Balances carry over from month to month so if they don’t use it all that month it accumulates. I’ve seen balances at the END of a month at nearly $2 grand. Yeah, at the END of the month. So, if they are not using that much of what they get then they’re receiving more than they need in the first place. It’s not a savings account!
3. Recipients simply withdraw the cash off their cards, using it as an ATM card and by law we have to let them, then purchase their cigarettes, alcohol on a regular basis.
4. Many “immigrants” (many who don’t speak English) withdraw money from their cards and then wire the money via Western Union to other countries. Happens daily. So, our taxpayer money is being used OUTSIDE of our own borders. Also, money is frequently wired to inmates in Federal and state prison.
5. There are very few restrictions on what is considered “Food Stamp Approved” now. These people eat better than I do. I often saw them buying steaks, crab legs, you name it all the while carrying a Coach purse and smartphone with pretty nails.
6. Many of the cards are used by the “boyfriends” of these young gals that get them. It is totally lawful for them to give their card to someone else to use.
7. In IL, at my store at least I would say probably every 4th person uses a Link card.
Spread the word people. This has sort of become my pet cause because the abuse is so egregious and so many have no idea what really goes on.
you do realize there are two EBT cards
the SNAP=food stamps
walfare=cash assistance
wonder which one this deadbeat was trying to buy the smokes with?
The reality is that smoking is highly correlated with lower social-economic status. Tax payers are subsidizing cigarettes purchases... then they subsidize the health care when smokers get sick.
As everyone knows smokers die younger, so the costs are held down in that the subsides end at an early age.