Food Stamps.

[Plaidman]

The dreaded food stamps. A good idea, in theory. People that can't work, for disabities, accidents, etc, SHOULD be able to eat. However, I think that the country, needs to do a MUCH more througho job of tracking people who use it. I'm so damn sick of people coming in, buying 60+ dollars on candy and soda, then spending 200+ dollars on beers, cigs, and lotto, and it gets better with Cash cards, because then people spend THAT on beer and cigs!!! I think that people that are on it, need to send full recipts, on everything they buy, rather it be cash card, food card, credit card, etc. If they don't, they lose the benifits, and if they are found guilty of abusing it, by say, buying easily 100 dollars on junk food, then they not only lose it, but can't ever get it again, and pay for all the crap they abused it for.

Also, what would work better, is if they use WIC system, which I hear can only be used for certain items. That way all candy, soda, and crap can't be used for it.

Milk, soups, rice, ramen, bread, fruits, veggies, cooking stuff, (Like oil, salt flour) should be used on it, not king jumbo takes ten days to eat candy bars, 3 liters of soda, etc.

Now, I understand the sweet tooth on top it, but maybe put a limit on it, like 5 bucks a week. Thats more then enough to get a six pack and a candy bar.

I could go on and on, but I already feel my blood boiling for the rampat abusers I get. All of them don't need it, if they just didn't spend all their damnable drug money on beer and lottery, all would be well.

Your thoughts?

[powerboy]

I think that Welfare is a good idea. But only for the ones, that are needing it. As you mentioned about disabilities. But what I hate is the people, that just will not work, get it.

They should have a way of tracking the ones who use it.

[blas87]

I do think that welfare, as a whole, should be all entirely on a debit like card (like a foodstamp card) and can only be used for certain things. That way, with whatever money they get per month, it will be reloaded every month, and they will not be able to purchase tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets, jewelery, rims for their tires, subwolfers and other audio equipment, etc. If they want to smoke and have that fancy stuff, they can work for it like the rest of us do.

Having said that, it's easier said than done. It SEEMS like it would be just that easy to give everyone a welfare debit card that does not allow certain purchases. But besides the obvious no-nos, there's still grey area that needs to be covered.

Foodstamp cards have come a VERY long way. Nowadays, since it's a card with restrictions on it, they can't blow the bank in one trip, and they can't get cigarettes or booze with it. Back in the day when they were stamps, they'd trade with people for cash for cigarettes.

I do agree with you though. We just need to think of a way to impliment it.

[rahmota]

I'll agree that welfare is definately something that is needed in this country or any "advanced" capitalist country.

Ohio already uses the debit card system for their food stamp program. We call it the direction card and all participating stores must have their systems programmed to sort out items that are not authorized by the state. Which makes it more difficult to use in fraudulent ways.

[AFPheonix]

I don't see Oregon Trail cards super often in my neck of the woods and when I do, people are using the cash side to buy medicine and other medical goods.
I imagine one could be set up like an FSA (health savings account) card. Our system in my chain flags stuff that can be bought with them and will only charge those flagged items to the card, leaving the rest to by bought with a different tender.

[rahmota]

Yeah thats exactly how the Ohio Direction Cards work. (Not sure why they're called direction cards, or which directionyou're supposed to be going in) All authorized pruchases are rung up and the system pulls up a seperate total of other tender items such as books, cigs meds etc... A very effective system in and of itself. though it doesn't stop the buying cases of candy bars or other oddities like that. Supposedly there is a class at the begining of the assignment of the cards to teach people what they should be spending it on but I doubt that anyone pay attentions.