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What factors determine if you get the restricted vs. unrestricted card?
There are two types of benefits, one exclusively for food, the other cash that can be spent however the recipient decides (of course, I don't think cigarettes are a good use of any kind of money). As far as I know, EBT Cash and Food (SNAP) benefits are on the same card, and the type of benefit to be spent is determined by the recipient at the register. At least, that's what I have seen here in Arizona.
Bravo to her for standing her ground, but was it really worth loosing your job (in this economy) over it? I get (and agree with) the outrage, but in order to change it you have to support legislation to do so, or heck run for office yourself and make the change. The easiest way out of this one is the fact that the customer seemed to be underage, therefore simply refuse to sell him the cigarettes based on his age (unless there were state laws which allow minors to buy tobacco).
Bravo to her for standing her ground, but was it really worth loosing your job (in this economy) over it? I get (and agree with) the outrage, but in order to change it you have to support legislation to do so, or heck run for office yourself and make the change. The easiest way out of this one is the fact that the customer seemed to be underage, therefore simply refuse to sell him the cigarettes based on his age (unless there were state laws which allow minors to buy tobacco).
If Im not mistaken he was 20 . 18 is legal age for smokes.
First off, why is an able bodied 18 year old man receiving assistance? Go get a job!
Secondly, why is someone on public assistance smoking? IMO, if you are in such dire straits financially shouldn't luxury items like alcohol, cable and CIGARETTES be the first things you give up? Heck, I recently gave up smokes and cut way down on my social drinking because I felt I couldn't afford those things and I have two jobs (TBH health reasons aslo played a role in my decision).
Please, feel free to tell me how racist and cold hearted I am.
First off, why is an able bodied 18 year old man receiving assistance? Go get a job!
Secondly, why is someone on public assistance smoking? IMO, if you are in such dire straits financially shouldn't luxury items like alcohol, cable and CIGARETTES be the first things you give up? Heck, I recently gave up smokes and cut way down on my social drinking because I felt I couldn't afford those things and I have two jobs (TBH health reasons aslo played a role in my decision).
Please, feel free to tell me how racist and cold hearted I am.
My take tells me he does not receive assistance, and therefore was not using HIS card and HIS assistance. George Gilder (Wealth and Poverty) would have the same take on this; in the book he says that able bodied men (like this one) in the welfare subculture won't go anywhere near assistance for themselves (plus historically they've never been eligible). Of course, it's possible that that subculture has gone further south over the past 30 years, as is suggested by some other guy's claim (perhaps early in this thread) that he's entitled to taxpayer-paid cigarettes.
Also, tobacco is usually the LAST things these people give up; homeless people getting private assistance (e.g. soup kitchens, shelters) are famous for not giving it up. (Number One rule in private assistance organizations: Do Not Give Them Money or Cigarettes When They Try To Hit You Up. Perhaps this was the inspiration for a Clapton album title.) Whatever scant resources they muster on their own (e.g. panhandling) go toward their vices, because they know that in a crunch, they will not be denied necessities such as food.
Last edited by freemkt; 06-29-2012 at 11:30 AM..
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