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House bans welfare recipients' money from strip clubs, liquor stores

jamesrage

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I support this.But I think wiring housing assistance money to the land lords bank account and the bank account of utility providers would save money.And instead of giving out food stamp cards why not something similar to wic vouchers?

House bans welfare recipients' money from strip clubs, liquor stores - Political Hotsheet - CBS News
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that prohibits welfare recipients from using their government subsidy in strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos.
The measure easily received the necessary support of two-thirds of House members, with 395 voting in favor and only 27 opposing.
 
LOL - what are people doing - whipping out their TANF benefits card? LOL

For the most part - I agree that utilities (etc) that are covered by the state should be done directly - and is done so in some states. But they would still allow some cash-flow so you can get gas and a few other perceived necessities.
 
LOL - what are people doing - whipping out their TANF benefits card? LOL

From what I understand in some states they put welfare and food stamps on the same card and you can make cash withdrawls.
For the most part - I agree that utilities (etc) that are covered by the state should be done directly - and is done so in some states. But they would still allow some cash-flow so you can get gas and a few other perceived necessities.

Then why not a gas card that requires the purchaser to show ID when buying gas or buss passes?
 
When my exwife an I first got married and I was just an E-5 in the Army and she wasn't working, we were at Ft. Polk. One Saturday night, we decided to splurge and go buy 15 pounds of boiled crawfish. To most of you that doesn't sound like a big deal, but crawfish is a delicacy and it's not cheap--15 LBS.s runs about 40 bucks and that sounds like a lot, but it's not.

Anyway...while I was waiting, a dude came in and bought 60 pounds of live crawfish--uncooked--and I-be-damned if he didn't whip out a welfare card to pay for it. I was so damn mad I could have knocked the rest of his teeth out of his mouth.
 
When my exwife an I first got married and I was just an E-5 in the Army and she wasn't working, we were at Ft. Polk. One Saturday night, we decided to splurge and go buy 15 pounds of boiled crawfish. To most of you that doesn't sound like a big deal, but crawfish is a delicacy and it's not cheap--15 LBS.s runs about 40 bucks and that sounds like a lot, but it's not.

Anyway...while I was waiting, a dude came in and bought 60 pounds of live crawfish--uncooked--and I-be-damned if he didn't whip out a welfare card to pay for it. I was so damn mad I could have knocked the rest of his teeth out of his mouth.

This why a WIC voucher like system should be implemented.
 
When my exwife an I first got married and I was just an E-5 in the Army and she wasn't working, we were at Ft. Polk. One Saturday night, we decided to splurge and go buy 15 pounds of boiled crawfish. To most of you that doesn't sound like a big deal, but crawfish is a delicacy and it's not cheap--15 LBS.s runs about 40 bucks and that sounds like a lot, but it's not.

Anyway...while I was waiting, a dude came in and bought 60 pounds of live crawfish--uncooked--and I-be-damned if he didn't whip out a welfare card to pay for it. I was so damn mad I could have knocked the rest of his teeth out of his mouth.

I see this ALL the time.
 
When my exwife an I first got married and I was just an E-5 in the Army and she wasn't working, we were at Ft. Polk. One Saturday night, we decided to splurge and go buy 15 pounds of boiled crawfish. To most of you that doesn't sound like a big deal, but crawfish is a delicacy and it's not cheap--15 LBS.s runs about 40 bucks and that sounds like a lot, but it's not.

Anyway...while I was waiting, a dude came in and bought 60 pounds of live crawfish--uncooked--and I-be-damned if he didn't whip out a welfare card to pay for it. I was so damn mad I could have knocked the rest of his teeth out of his mouth.

Maybe the House bill should have been for liquor, strip clubs and mud bugs.
 
I see this ALL the time.

Really? I've lived in big cities all my life and I've never seen it. Not once. Maybe it's a rural phenomenon.
 
I love the idea behind this law, but must confess to being confused as to how they think they will enforce this-- how are they going to track it, what are they going to do with violators?

I think a better idea would be to issue welfare benefits on special debit cards-- like SNAP-- that can only be used with approved vendors. Or, at least, that can be audited.
 
I love the idea behind this law, but must confess to being confused as to how they think they will enforce this-- how are they going to track it, what are they going to do with violators?

I think a better idea would be to issue welfare benefits on special debit cards-- like SNAP-- that can only be used with approved vendors. Or, at least, that can be audited.

A buisness has to be approved in order to let people use foodstamps in thier establishment. It doesn't just happen automatically or even easily. We have a gas station in our town that attempted to get approved in order to let those with foodstamps use em at his store. He eventually gave up because the process was long and difficult.
 
When my exwife an I first got married and I was just an E-5 in the Army and she wasn't working, we were at Ft. Polk. One Saturday night, we decided to splurge and go buy 15 pounds of boiled crawfish. To most of you that doesn't sound like a big deal, but crawfish is a delicacy and it's not cheap--15 LBS.s runs about 40 bucks and that sounds like a lot, but it's not.

Anyway...while I was waiting, a dude came in and bought 60 pounds of live crawfish--uncooked--and I-be-damned if he didn't whip out a welfare card to pay for it. I was so damn mad I could have knocked the rest of his teeth out of his mouth.

So a person on foodstamps doesn't deserve crawfish? You have no idea what this persons normal spending habits are and yet you condemn em for buying what might have been a "splurge" the same as yours.

I absolutely hate this mentality that if someone is on foodstamps/welfare then they shouldn't be allowed ANYTHING but the most basics of basics.
 
A buisness has to be approved in order to let people use foodstamps in thier establishment. It doesn't just happen automatically or even easily. We have a gas station in our town that attempted to get approved in order to let those with foodstamps use em at his store. He eventually gave up because the process was long and difficult.

There are a few stores in another town near me that will take food stamp cards for beer and smokes.
It's messed up, but it does happen.
 
There are a few stores in another town near me that will take food stamp cards for beer and smokes.
It's messed up, but it does happen.

I agree it does happen and it is messed up. If I lived around there I would report the company for fraud.
 
I agree it does happen and it is messed up. If I lived around there I would report the company for fraud.

Everyone already knows about it.
Hell you can go into these places and gamble your pay check away.
Those video slot machines, they have those.

It's illegal to pay out cash, supposed to be store credit only, but they do and no one cares.
Not even the police, city council, county, etc.
 
Everyone already knows about it.
Hell you can go into these places and gamble your pay check away.
Those video slot machines, they have those.

It's illegal to pay out cash, supposed to be store credit only, but they do and no one cares.
Not even the police, city council, county, etc.

You don't go to the local authorities for something that is federal. You go to the appropriate state or federal authority. If you get ignored keep going up the chain of command until you get someone that will do something about it.
 
Great move by the House of Representatives. Now they just need to change the food stamps program so you show up and pick up bags of groceries rather than being given carte blanche to purchase whatever you want. "Ok Mrs. Smith, you've got a family of four so here's your food allotment for the week, and since your son is lactose intolerant, we've replaced the appropriate items. See you next Thursday."
 
Great move by the House of Representatives. Now they just need to change the food stamps program so you show up and pick up bags of groceries rather than being given carte blanche to purchase whatever you want. "Ok Mrs. Smith, you've got a family of four so here's your food allotment for the week, and since your son is lactose intolerant, we've replaced the appropriate items. See you next Thursday."

Yep, thats really keeping the spirit of America shining! Good for you!

/sarcasm
 
Yep, thats really keeping the spirit of America shining! Good for you!

/sarcasm

I'd favor that over the current 'buy cigs and energy drinks - nevermind the food' - my solution to this issue is to have stores that offer goods which are all pre-approved and foodstamps would be in-store credit at these stores only.

I see more people buying that than apples and oranges. . . hence why congress and state governments have woken up and realized what's going on.

People abuse the privilidge and freedom given so it gets taken away.
 
Yep, thats really keeping the spirit of America shining! Good for you!

The American Spirit dies in a person the moment they start taking money from the Government to begin with, so that's a moot point in this discussion. I'm much more interested in ensuring these wastes of flesh and oxygen aren't spending any more of my money (via taxes) on crap than is absolutely necessary.
 
I'd favor that over the current 'buy cigs and energy drinks - nevermind the food' - my solution to this issue is to have stores that offer goods which are all pre-approved and foodstamps would be in-store credit at these stores only.

I see more people buying that than apples and oranges. . . hence why congress and state governments have woken up and realized what's going on.

People abuse the privilidge and freedom given so it gets taken away.

Swinging the pendulum to the other extreme doesn't help anything either. They just need to go to a system where if the items are on a approved list you get it, and if they are not you don't get them or have to pay for them yourself. IIRC that would like WIC.

I like the idea as well where they wire the money directly to the apartment and utlilities.

The ATM card etc. is convenient, but obviously too convienient.
 
The American Spirit dies in a person the moment they start taking money from the Government to begin with, so that's a moot point in this discussion.

People get layed off due to jobs going overseas, injury, etc. or they are not trained or it takes a period of time to get another job.

If you are talking about those types of people where they have 3 generations on welfare that's a different story and I would agree with you.

Just because an unfortunate thing happens to someone, doesn't necessary reflect bad on someone to get help from the government.
 
Its called grand standing.
 
So a person on foodstamps doesn't deserve crawfish? You have no idea what this persons normal spending habits are and yet you condemn em for buying what might have been a "splurge" the same as yours.

I absolutely hate this mentality that if someone is on foodstamps/welfare then they shouldn't be allowed ANYTHING but the most basics of basics.

I think there's something inherently wrong with my boyfriend and I going to the grocery store and buying store-brand food, discounted meats (beef and chicken only, usually), and the cheapest toilet paper available and then standing in line behind a woman with two carts overflowing with brisket, name brand cereal, name brand ice cream, fresh lobster, etc and then paying with a food stamp card.

I have absolutely no problem with providing food assistance to families living near poverty. Hell, I was on food stamps and WIC when I was a child (or rather, my mom had benefits and I lived with her...but whatever). But I have a serious issue with my having to pinch pennies and sacrifice on food because I work hard to pay bills and go to school while food stamp recipients eat the best cuts of meat and better tasting cereal. A WIC program would be better anyway, since most children in or near poverty are nutrition deficient due to poor eating habits. A program that requires the purchase of specific food items and limits access to junk and "empty" foods would serve the kids much better than a program that lets an obese woman and her 5 obese children waddle into 7-11 at 9pm on a school night to load up on candy bars, ice cream, and soda....which is something I saw happen quite often during my short tenure at 7-11.
 
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People get layed off due to jobs going overseas, injury, etc. or they are not trained or it takes a period of time to get another job.

If you are talking about those types of people where they have 3 generations on welfare that's a different story and I would agree with you.

Just because an unfortunate thing happens to someone, doesn't necessary reflect bad on someone to get help from the government.

This, 100%. One of my coworkers is in the process of divorcing her husband and moved to Texas to be near her family. She brought two of her three children with her. Her paycheck pays for the rent and utilities and (mostly) keeps gas in the car, but she still struggles each month to buy food. She doesn't even want to apply for food stamps (which she qualifies for) but she's beginning to accept that it's necessary if she's going to be able to keep feeding two growing girls.
 
I support this.But I think wiring housing assistance money to the land lords bank account and the bank account of utility providers would save money.And instead of giving out food stamp cards why not something similar to wic vouchers?

House bans welfare recipients' money from strip clubs, liquor stores - Political Hotsheet - CBS News
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that prohibits welfare recipients from using their government subsidy in strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos.
The measure easily received the necessary support of two-thirds of House members, with 395 voting in favor and only 27 opposing.

Don't you conservatives ever have anything better to do than pandering to the stupidity of your base?

In 2010, the United States spent $19.9 billion on TANF and $2.0 billion on social service block grants. That means they spent $21.9 billion in a $3.6 Trillion federal budget on welfare. Here's a 2010 link for all the programs, except Food Stamps (SNAP) that are called welfare, so post the figures and prove what is spent on welfare is such a big deal:

http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/fas-10.pdf

Here's a link for what is spent on SNAP:

SNAP Monthly Data

If you consider unemployment welfare, get it from the BLS! Post the maximum amounts someone can make for any welfare program, the eligibility requirements and how much they can receive!

Do you really think those strip clubs are losing sleep over that bill? In the South, you can buy beer and wine in nearly any store, but in the North, you have to go to a liquor store to buy it. Since the South has more people receiving those social programs, how is that going to work out? How are you going to know the person is getting their money from the government and how could you know someone buying something in a liquor store is using their own money and buying it for themselves?

This is just meaningless gotcha legislation by a majority party in Congress, with nothing better to do as it's people suffer, because of their own stupid legislation in the past.

Take heed America and vote every Republican out of office!
 
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