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Missouri welfare usage (food and atm withdrawals) have been traced to the major tourist destinationa..California, Florida and even Hawaii.
Links to the Missouri reports in the article. When contacted, the Missouri govt declined to comment.
Yup..there is abuse. And you can probably bet it's not just happening in Missouri. I say end the ATM withdrawals and only allow the welfare card to be used "in state". That should help reign in some abuse indirectly.
Missouri welfare usage (food and atm withdrawals) have been traced to the major tourist destinationa..California, Florida and even Hawaii.
Links to the Missouri reports in the article. When contacted, the Missouri govt declined to comment.
Yup..there is abuse. And you can probably bet it's not just happening in Missouri. I say end the ATM withdrawals and only allow the welfare card to be used "in state". That should help reign in some abuse indirectly.
The problem you have is the automation of these payment represents a HUGE cost savings to the states. Ending them would represent a huge cost which most states are not in the position to undertake right now.
Could welfare "cash" be given in the form of a script of some sort with stipulations on what it could purchase (gas, clothing, heat etc.)?
Been there, done that.
Food stamps are called "food stamps" because they were actually "stamps;" a sort of Monopoly money script with dollar denominations marked on the stamp from $1 to $50.
Stampers would send in a shill to a grocery store or market to see what was in the cash register, and if the cash register was devoid of food stamps, they'd go in and buy something for $0.37 and pay with a $50 food stamp knowing that the cashier would have to give them real US Dollars back.
The real cash was then used to purchase alcohol, drugs and prostitutes.
Some states started printing only $1, $5 and $10 denominations, but it didn't help. Using the "debit" card was supposed to eliminate fraud, but food stamp cards now have 50% of their value. Come to 12th and Race Street in Over the Rhine in Cincinnati the first 3 days of any month and you can purchase a $200 food stamp card for $100 (in Ohio a single person with no dependents on food stamps gets $200/month).
Originally, you could only purchase raw meats/vegetables and canned meats/vegetables, milk, cream, and fruit juice, but Coca-Cola lobbied States to allow the purchase of soft-drinks back in the 1980s, and now you can purchase almost anything except non-food items.
If the States wanted to, they could limit withdraws to in-State only, plus they could also limit daily withdraws to no more than $50 per day. That might mean some would have to grocery shop 3-4 times per week, but they have have plenty of time, that would introduce them to a new concept called "time management," and it would further reduced fraud and abuse.
In addition to food stamps, most States offer General Assistance, which is an actual cash allowance. In Ohio its $115/month and if you are single with no children, you can only get it if you're claim to be an alcoholic or drug abuser. Ohio residents who are working stiffs and lose their jobs and are having trouble paying rent and utilities with their paltry $235/month in unemployment benefits can get General Assistance, because I just told you the secret to getting General Assistance (claim you're an alcoholic or drug abuser and you'll get it -- if you don't then you won't get it).
I wouldn't worry about it. Bankrupt States will have to implement austerity measures soon enough, and that will include drug testing, and people will have to bring in statements from their cable/satellite and cell-phone providers showing services were canceled in order to get any benefits, and then when the US implements austerity measures it'll be a done deal.
Could they be at those tourist locations looking for work? Missouri has a huge problem with unemployment, and MO's only real tourist area--Branson--pays TERRIBLE wages, and most of the jobs are filled. Tourist destinations hire unskilled labor in big volume. Before you jump to conclusions, it's always good to actually look at the issues. If they're spending their public aid money on "vacations", how are they eating? People go where the jobs are...
Could they be at those tourist locations looking for work? Missouri has a huge problem with unemployment, and MO's only real tourist area--Branson--pays TERRIBLE wages, and most of the jobs are filled. Tourist destinations hire unskilled labor in big volume. Before you jump to conclusions, it's always good to actually look at the issues. If they're spending their public aid money on "vacations", how are they eating? People go where the jobs are...
People on welfare going to Hawaii to look for work ?
That's a stretch.
People on welfare going to Hawaii to look for work ?
That's a stretch.
I know people from here who go to Hawaii in the winter to work the resorts--I'm dead serious. Most of them do seasonal labor on farms, and they spend the winter working as grounds keepers or handymen while it's cold here. They don't have to pay winter heating bills that way either. There's no agricultural work in the winter (unless you can tag in to one of the big corporate farms) because family farmers don't raise much livestock anymore--the market is controlled by the big guys. I've been on vacation in Hawaii and it wasn't cheap. How would you pay for a "vacation" with welfare benefits (or even the airfare) if you weren't trying to get work, or had work lined up?
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