Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Give drug felons food stamps, many states now say
Associated Press ^ | Apr 18, 2016 11:55 AM EDT | Grant Schulte and Scott McFetridge

Posted on 04/18/2016 4:20:55 PM PDT by Olog-hai

Nebraska is desperate to stop the runaway growth of its prison population, but doing so depends a lot on people like Ronald Tillman. Tillman, 54, a paroled drug dealer who suffers from bipolar disease and a debilitating back injury, has lived since his 2013 release solely on his monthly $733 disability check. When his food runs short, he faces a choice that has costly implications for the state — if he gets caught.

“Sometimes when you need food, you have to steal it,” said Tillman, a Navy veteran. “I’ve shoplifted a couple of times, just to eat that night and maybe the next morning.”

Nebraska is among a dwindling number of states that still enforce a lifetime ban on drug offenders receiving food stamps. If Tillman had been convicted of robbery, burglary or another crime, he could be eligible for the federal assistance. Now, Nebraska is wrestling with whether it can still afford the restrictive policy even though many residents take a dim view of giving public benefits to drug felons.

Eager to help more drug law convicts stay on the streets without committing crimes — those offenders can account for more than a quarter of those released — Alabama, Texas and a number of other states have decided in recent years to end or scale back the federal food stamp ban, which each state has the option to do. …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: drugfelons; ebt; felons; foodstamps; liberalagenda; wod
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last
If this is a pic of Mr. Tillman, he does not look like he needs to steal food.
1 posted on 04/18/2016 4:20:55 PM PDT by Olog-hai
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

From an accounting standpoint, my liability never ends.


2 posted on 04/18/2016 4:21:57 PM PDT by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gorush

I was just carjacked by one of those types(attempted). Weighed 275 lbs. Don’t think he needs food.


3 posted on 04/18/2016 4:27:43 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

For the love of -—, when are we going to end this idiotic “war on drugs” i.e. Prohibition II? It serves no purpose other than to line the pockets of corrupt politicians and cops. The only other beneficiaries as far as I can tell have been organized crime syndicates, the prison industry and the funeral industry.

It has not even slightly dented the rate of dug abuse/addiction in these United States. Drug abuse is a public health problem. Trying to turn a health crisis into a crime is not just stupid, it is immoral.


4 posted on 04/18/2016 4:27:53 PM PDT by NRx (It's sad when there is no one running for President that I can vote for with a clear conscience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gorush

I believe in every state there are food banks available, usually provided by the churches. Humble food, boxed macaroni, rice, canned spam and tuna.

Heck, I donate to them and probably the rest of you do, too.

I generally have a large stock of canned goods and often donate them. In Washington, though, the food banks have gotten a bit uppity and will not accept expired canned food.

This is utterly silly. I eat expired food out of my pantry all the time, are the folks in need now little snowflakes or something?


5 posted on 04/18/2016 4:28:34 PM PDT by angry elephant (Endangered species in Seattle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai
flag is backwards, screw-em...
6 posted on 04/18/2016 4:29:30 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -w- NO Pity for the LAZY - Luke, 22:36)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Yes let the law abiding now formally subsidize the felon class.

They call it the “Lunch Money for Bullies” program.


7 posted on 04/18/2016 4:31:25 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

All’s good. Drug dealers are more than happy to take fully charged EBT cards in lieu of cash, at a discount, of course.


8 posted on 04/18/2016 4:31:35 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Wonderful idea, now more of their money can be used on buying black market guns....

Just wonderful...


9 posted on 04/18/2016 4:31:38 PM PDT by GraceG (The election doesn't pick the next president, it is an audition for "American Emperor"...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

“You want to know what this was really all about? The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

-Former White House Counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon.


10 posted on 04/18/2016 4:32:31 PM PDT by NRx (It's sad when there is no one running for President that I can vote for with a clear conscience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Wow we need to get that guy on an exercise program. It would surely help his bipolar mood problems and likely his bad back also.


11 posted on 04/18/2016 4:34:30 PM PDT by nascarnation
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

Ooops that quote was from John Ehrlich man. I included his title but not his name.


12 posted on 04/18/2016 4:36:12 PM PDT by NRx (It's sad when there is no one running for President that I can vote for with a clear conscience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai
If Tillman had been convicted of robbery, burglary or another crime, he could be eligible for the federal assistance.

I've got to admit, that doesn't make sense.

13 posted on 04/18/2016 4:38:07 PM PDT by Hugin (Conservatism without Nationalism is a fraud.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Ahhhh, the famous “back injury”.


14 posted on 04/18/2016 4:50:47 PM PDT by glorgau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

There are no concequences to bad behavior.
Jail is day care.


15 posted on 04/18/2016 4:51:25 PM PDT by sasquatch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Give them food stamps but require drug testing.


16 posted on 04/18/2016 4:52:44 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Liberals are the Taliban of America, trying to tear down any symbol that they don't like.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Begin deporting.


17 posted on 04/18/2016 4:53:12 PM PDT by Bon mots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx
when are we going to end this idiotic “war on drugs
It's actually a war on the people. Civil forfeitures against people who have not been convicted of any crime whatsoever fuel this monster. Who has stolen more from the citizens than the gubmint? Nobody. Add up all the robberies and they don't total what police have confiscated.
18 posted on 04/18/2016 5:03:36 PM PDT by BipolarBob (I'm so open minded that you should only think like me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: angry elephant

You are so right, this idea that food stamps (or any monetary assistance alone) will somehow elevate a criminal to a higher moral standard is ridiculous.

What they want is this: food stamps to buy their groceries so they can use their ready cash for beer and cigs. I never could have even imagined that until I saw it with my own eyes. And they have no shyness about it either!


19 posted on 04/18/2016 5:07:10 PM PDT by opus1 (This is all getting rather confusing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Somebody I am trying to help get back on their feet used to do drugs and is now getting ssi payments. They are always out if food and myself and others who know them help them and their kids out...but they get penalized for our help if it goes above a certain amount by deductions from the ssi check. They also get penalized if they earn more than eight five bucks a month. And if they earn 1130 in a particular month they are off the program. Their skills are not worth much atm so they work under the table for people that rip them off by paying them a hundred bucks a week for full time work...and often not paying them at all. But they keep working and are always hungry. They want to get on their feet and go legit but the way they are scared of losing ssi then getting fired and not eating at all.


20 posted on 04/18/2016 5:10:30 PM PDT by AndyTheBear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson