Posted on 05/04/2015 2:26:35 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
MADISON—Under Republican Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin has seen a nearly 12-fold increase in the number of people suspended annually from the state’s food stamp program for fraud.
The suspensions for “intentionally violating program rules” are part of a larger get-tough approach to people receiving federally funded nutrition assistance, called FoodShare in Wisconsin. Walker has also introduced new work rules for some FoodShare recipients, and proposes to seek a federal waiver to begin requiring all adult participants of the program to undergo drug testing.
In 2011, Walker’s first year as governor, 102 people were suspended from the FoodShare program for violating program rules, according to DHS. That number has increased each year, to 1,184 in 2014.
“We’ve shown more intention and intentionality in preventing fraud and abuse,” said Alan White, appointed in 2011 to a newly created position of inspector general within DHS (Department of Health Services). He cites more workers, better training, and new strategies for finding fraud using social media. Also, “We’ve become more aware of the types of fraud that take place.”
White thinks Wisconsin’s efforts to step up enforcement serves as deterrent to potential cheaters: “They see that we are serious about preventing and detecting fraud.”
But advocates for FoodShare recipients say the state is being overly aggressive, punishing needy people who make innocent mistakes.
“There’s a lot of judgment going on by white, middle-class people and a lot of assumptions and disqualifications based on these assumptions,” said Pat DeLessio, an attorney with the Milwaukee office of Legal Action of Wisconsin, a federally funded nonprofit agency......”
[SNIP]
...White confirmed that his office looks for certain patterns, like large purchases, as “flags” of potential FoodShare fraud....."
(Excerpt) Read more at lacrossetribune.com ...
".....Walker's drug test isn't simply a play to restrict the number of people who will be eligible to receive welfare, it's also a giant step forward in changing unemployment payments from helping freeloaders live off of the work of others to payments which will actually help others prepare to receive employment.
Walker's reasoning is solid. Most, if not all, employers will require a drug test for new employees and by letting people know that unemployment and welfare are just a stepping stone for those who want to receive funds...."
Obama has been giving it away to the Takers with both hands, while he has screwed our military (pay, retirement, medical), their families, and given Social Security recipients pittance of increases per inflation.
But the EBT crowd? The sky is the limit.
By the way, I just read this weekend by a black journalist that calling someone a “thug” is the equivalent of the “N” word. Also that discussing Food Stamp fraud is “racist.”
If you care for the poor, you want the frauds stopped, not have money wasted on those who don’t need it
"..Contrasting his successful reforms in Wisconsin with President Barack Obama’s desire for more federal overreach, Walker called Washington, D.C. “68 square miles surrounded by reality” and blasted Obama for believing that “you grow the economy by growing Washington.” Walker said that success should be measured not by how many people are dependent on government but by “how many people are no longer dependent on government.”
Pointing out that America celebrates the Fourth of July and not April 15, Walker said that America is exceptional because we “celebrate independence from government, not our dependence on it.”.....
excellent!
I really, really dislike that type of graphic. It drastically misleads people about the rate of increase.
Drug testing for welfare I’m not impressed and not surprised that it hasn’t shown particularly good results in the states where it has been tried. Now if Scott proposed going to Congress with limits on the types of food that could be purchased with government money that would be a huge step in the right direction.
Post hoc ergo promoter hoc, I think is the name of the logical fallacy, after that therefore caused by that. Anyway, since it is to the advantage of Dems’ welfare entitlement constituents, they should feel happy to vote for him.
Propter, dastardly autofill.
Did you forget the S/off tag?
Shirley, you jest.
Agreed about this being a misleading graphic, a la Newsweak or Time.
Oldplayer
Yes, but we are supposed to be upset when a politician wants to root out welfare (or voter) fraud. The left is despicable - absolutely beneath contempt.
Instead of whining why not describe what it is about the graphic you disagree with.
Nope. Did you notice where the baseline is? It’s not at zero. The timeline also starts only shortly before Obama took office, rather than at a somewhat earlier point that allows some comparison about the rate of increase. Did the rate of increase go up dramatically under Obama? It did, but you simply cannot tell that from this graph.
The casual, non-math literate person looking at the graphic will get the impression that usage has increased by 15x or something, rather than by the rather less dramatic 32M to 44M that is the case. That’s an increase of considerably less than 50% during his presidency.
I work with graphs and know all the tricks to misuse them and object on principle to that misuse.
For example, I could show a similarly spectacular chart if the increase in usage under Obama had been 1%, simply by manipulating the chart.
I agree the rapid expansion of this program is a big problem. But I greatly dislike misusing data to exaggerate (or minimize) problems.
BTW, everybody does this, and I dislike it whoever the culprit.
Thank you. I get so tired of those who think misleading people is right and proper in a good cause. Even when I agree with the cause.
This is awesome.
How is this anti-white statement NOT considered a macroaggression?
It's being implied in a lot of the Left's commentary, or directly stated like this quote, and it is going to come back and bite them in the butt at the polls.
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