EBT Cards...

the safety net has turned into a hammock

 

Well put

 

I guess it depends on the state, I don't know what Louisiana does but I work in a close enough field in KY that I know that if someone receives benefits they shouldn't have they have to pay it back.

I think this particular Walmart store should be penalized because they were abusing tax payers money as well. It takes a whole lot of ignorance to work in retail and believe that someone receives enough benefits to pay for 8 carts worth of food.

 

Nice idea but it doesn't work as this would effectively lower the pay of the other butchers/cashiers/workers over time and disincentive those on welfare to continue in the job search market. IMO, there needs to be a multi step approach to fixing the welfare system....

*Decrease the welfare benefits. It's harsh, but if you "can live" but not live comfortably on welfare then there's less incentive to be on it.

*EBT cards should have owner's name on it and enforce retailers to ID. Seems obvious but these should work more like credit cards. This would lower the abuse of people on food stamps selling them for cash.

*Government holds job fairs. Bring those looking for work and those hiring. If on welfare, participation should be mandatory and person should need to apply for a minimum of 5 opportunities.

*People need to report welfare fraud! WE THE PEOPLE are not doing our part to fix this. Every state has an online mechanism for reporting someone committing welfare fraud. It sux to be "that guy" but I'm a firm believer that the opposite of good is not evil, it's apathy.

Kudos to OP for getting a civil convo about welfare started... doubt it'll last tho.

 

And I, having 2 jobs, is their fkn cabana boy..

 

Here in MA the EBT can also be used to pull $$ at an ATM. So in theory, someone can take the money and spend it on anything they please. I heard of someone who did that and would buy beer and smokes, then hit the food pantries saying she couldn't feed her kids. Reasons like that are why I don't donate to them anymore.

I see welfare as something you should make so people don't want to be on it any longer than they have to, not unlike jail. Instead of hooking people up in apartments, why not have a few of them share a place? Maybe then someone is home to do housework and mind kids while another goes and works.

 

In MA they are talking about getting rid of toll takers (who get paid about $70k a year or more) and going all automated, at a significant cost to us all for the equipment.

My thought..require welfare recipients to spend 15 hours a week doing the job. If they can hold their hand out for a check, they can do it to earn their keep. Never know, some might just feel good about giving back...plus you stop paying toll takers that insanely high amount for what is a largely unskilled job

 

Another issue of abuse if the fact that retailers are only supposed to allow certain items to be purchased with ebt but that let people buy what ever they want with it.

Ive seen crab houses in Baltimore that allow people to buy steamed crabs with ebt. I dont know about you guys but i work 2 jobs and im eating frozen pizza for dinner, not fresh steamed crabs.

Ive seen large groups or families at walmart buying all kinds of crap with ebt, not just essential foods. When the cashier attempted to stop the transaction the group started to threaten and circle around the cashier, the manager then told the cashier to just ring up the order and accept the ebt.

 

In MD the lazy turds get a "cash spending limit" along with the food stamps, so they go to a atm and get some pocket cash, you know some nice walk around spending money because they earned it. Then go to the store and buy essential foods to feed their government kids. Except they dont buy essential foods, they are able to purchase extravagant things do to glitches explained above.

The next time you see somebody using ebt/food stamps do one simple thing, look down, at their shoes. I bet you are stairing at a fresh pair of nikes,jordans or similar.

You will also be fond to know in Baltimore people get free cell phones and there is no limit or way to monitor the free cell phone hand outs, you see people with half a dozen free cell phones walking around.

 

I was told by someone it's none of my business..well excuse me, but if I can't afford something or it's considered a luxury and I work 2 jobs, how is it not my business when you supposedly can't provide for yourself and I have to.

Kills me is that it's not like years past when you had to send people a check. The technology exists, use it.

I used to donate to food pantries till I heard about some of the abuse. I changed my approach several years ago. A friend of ours was laid off and took advantage of free schooling to enter the medical field. I'd instead give her $50 or so here and there to buy food. I also knew they would buy staple food, not prime rib. Later on that person helped my family caring for my father in law as well.

 

Hahahahahahah, i just googled "how to report food stamp abuse" it took me to a government website that doesnt work because of the shut down

 

God I fucking hate ebt. Maybe 20% of the people on it actually need it, or at least need most of what they are allowed.

I think the things people can buy with ebt should be heavily restricted (only nutritious and staple foods)

And people on it should be heavily audited. If you are getting free money from the govt to buy food every other luxury should be sold off. You should not have a nice car, a nice phone or a nice house. If you can't afford food you need to liquidate some assets to cover your fixed costs.

 

So then the next question is how did we as a country get to such a state? I talk to a lot of people both in person and other about similar issues. I can't find a single person who supports any of the stuff noted above. How is it we've put ourselves in a position to be so used? Are Tacoma owners and my circle of friends that out of step with the other citizens of the USofA?

 

^THIS^ God this whole shitshow pisses me off so bad... and the shitty part is, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it.

 

The simple fact is, we (hard working taxpayers) are against it because we are the ones suffering the consequences while they (the leeches of society) support these bullshit programs because they reap the benefits. The reason u cant find anyone who supports it is because u probably surround yourself with likeminded people. Unfortunately there are so many leeches around these days the benefits and programs stay in place.

 

Write to your congress man I guess.

 

Fuck that pisses me off just to read... I thought the restrictions worked fairly well from what I've seen with EBT getting denied for alcohol and energy drinks (people still load up on junk food, but whatever) because the cashiers didn't bend over for them. If we reduced it enough they'd be forced to only buy essential shit anyway

Typical...

If you haven't noticed, TW members trend toward more conservative views on things. I wouldn't say we're an accurate sample of the entire population of the country's opinions

 

I don't even care about the phone. I figure it could be something they had or was given them, and if they have their own phone I'm not also giving them the free phone. Car and house, that's totally different.

 

Newest iPhone 5 type stuff
I work at a grocery store. I see this shit in all it's beauty

 

All we're doing is throwing money at the problem. If we take time to improve the schools in poor areas and lead these youngsters to believe they can do something other than be poor that would greatly help.