How do you propose we make sure the only people who have welfare are people who actually NEED it? (drugs, Reid)

[Theliberalvoice]

How do you propose we make sure the only people who have welfare are people who actually NEED it?

Here's a few stories that have been bothering me lately.

It bothers me so much when I work at my two jobs and see people buying Xbox 360 accessories and games and CD's and MORE and then hand a Bridge (Welfare) Card to "pay" for it.

It is against like...my morals... to let that card go through. I point out that that the Bridge-Welfare card is for FOOD and CLOTHING *ONLY*. You know? Things you NEED not WANT...like Xbox 360 and games. You know what they do? They YELL at me saying it worked at the other Target. I want to so badly ask them "So you tried this at ANOTHER Target and used more of my tax dollars to buy stuff for your pleasure? Give it back to me! I could use a Xbox 360. You are using my TAX money to buy it anyways. Technically it is mine!"

Instead, I have to call the manager over. Then my manager and I attempt to tell this person why we refuse to put the card through. He gets mad and says "FINE!", takes out his VISA and calls his friend (on the IPHONE ) to rant about how we would not let the bridge card through but it worked at the other Target.

Last time, I had a women who could not speak English. She did not even know what I meant when I told her that the total is "179.38"! But yet..she..has..the Bridge-Welfare card? How? HOW? How did she fill out the forms? But no doubt she wanted to "buy" all the CD's and cardboard games on the Bridge-Welfare card! I call my manager again and of course, we have to go through the process. She then takes out a MasterCard and takes out her BLACKBERRY phone and TALKS in her language. Probably cussing me and my manager off.

My second job..Bath and Body Works. Let me tell you something. If you are on welfare, you should be nowhere near this store. Jacked up lotions/shower gels/perfumes prices. You name it. We got it..jacked up. Lady comes in..buys one hundred dollars worth of shower gels and lotions and then hands me the Bridge-Welfare Card. Excuse me? Do I look like I OWE you something? I WORK at Bath and Body works and even I don't get free stuff. EVER. So why should you? Big mess once again. My manager tells me not to swipe it through. The lady leaves angry. At least she did not pull out an expensive phone!
________________________
So my question to you all is how do you think we can tighten up requirements of Welfare Card?

Don't get me wrong. There are people out there who need help and I believe they should be helped. Some people are simply not fortunate enough to have things they need.

Mind you all, I also attend college full time while working two jobs so why do these people get these things for nothing? It makes me so mad!

I think what I would do is propose a fixed amount of money a year. I don't care how many kids you have. If you are on welfare, you should not be sleeping around and having children just to get more money. Seriously, you ought to be out looking for a job..or TWO like me...

I also think we should limit welfare time. Meaning like we tell the person that you will be on welfare for 2 years. Then you are on your own! I bet these people would find a job knowing they would not have welfare anymore. I also think that ANYONE found buying ANYTHING other than things you NEED should be banned-no questions asked. You abuse the system, then you get out!

PS-Sorry for the rants, you guys. It is just !

[sailordave]

One thing to do is mandatory drug testing on people who receive welfare. If they can afford drugs then they don't need welfare. If they pop positive then they're cut off for 6 months.

[Theliberalvoice]

Originally Posted by sailordave

One thing to do is mandatory drug testing on people who receive welfare. If they can afford drugs then they don't need welfare. If they pop positive then they're cut off for 6 months.

Sounds excellent!

I say forget 6 months. I say make it longer than that. This is serious business. How do these people get things for free while people who work hard like you and I have to pay?

[macmeal]

Milton Friedman some years ago criticized the Wall Street Journal for its editorials, saying "You can't have free immigration (open borders) and a Welfare State".

Your post shows why.

You can have ONE...or you can have the OTHER....but you can't have both.

Milton, sounds like you were right........

[LesleyDuckworth]

You know what you should do and what I hope you will do? You should mentally remember that person's name and call and report them. You can always do a report like that anonymously. I know its not much but it is a start and social workers sure could use the help in finding frauds like you are describing.

The sense of entitlement in this country is absolutely amazing.

[LesleyDuckworth]

Originally Posted by Theliberalvoice

Sounds excellent!

I say forget 6 months. I say make it longer than that. This is serious business. How do these people get things for free while people who work hard like you and I have to pay?

In North Carolina, they do some drug testing for welfare folks. I'm not sure if it actually works though but I know they do random testing on people who get money checks.

[sailordave]

My wife was recently approved for disability after over a year of trying. She's had multiple spinal surgeries and lives in constant pain daily. My big fear is one day her pain will be more than she can handle and she'll kill herself to finally be free of the pain. And yet our neighbor collects disability for her back and we saw her at an empty trailer lot using a shovel to lift concrete blocks out the soil and load them up into her van and then unload them onto her trailer lot. She also works doing office cleaning "on the down low". My 5 foot tall, 125 lbs (thanks to cortisone shots) wife is reduced to a steady diet of Flexeril and Lortab. She tries to go as long as she can without taking either of the two. Sometimes she'll manage 2 or 3 days and then she has to take 2 lortab and she's out for the day. We still haven't gotten her first check yet. That money will be used mainly to help pay for medical bills so that she can hopefully become pain free or at least have her pain reduced.

Friend use to drive an ice cream truck. In one neighborhood the kids ran up with food stamps. When he told them he couldn't take food stamps they left and came back with $20, $50, and $100 bills they got from their drug dealing parents.

[cajun24]

I suggest you apply for a job at the Welfare office. They are probably always looking for social workers. Otherwise, you shouldn't worry about it. (even though I think you're lying).

[HubbleRules]

Originally Posted by Theliberalvoice

How do you propose we make sure the only people who have welfare are people who actually NEED it?

Here's a few stories that have been bothering me lately.

It bothers me so much when I work at my two jobs and see people buying Xbox 360 accessories and games and CD's and MORE and then hand a Bridge (Welfare) Card to "pay" for it.

It is against like...my morals... to let that card go through. I point out that that the Bridge-Welfare card is for FOOD and CLOTHING *ONLY*. You know? Things you NEED not WANT...like Xbox 360 and games. You know what they do? They YELL at me saying it worked at the other Target. I want to so badly ask them "So you tried this at ANOTHER Target and used more of my tax dollars to buy stuff for your pleasure? Give it back to me! I could use a Xbox 360. You are using my TAX money to buy it anyways. Technically it is mine!"

Instead, I have to call the manager over. Then my manager and I attempt to tell this person why we refuse to put the card through. He gets mad and says "FINE!", takes out his VISA and calls his friend (on the IPHONE ) to rant about how we would not let the bridge card through but it worked at the other Target.

Last time, I had a women who could not speak English. She did not even know what I meant when I told her that the total is "179.38"! But yet..she..has..the Bridge-Welfare card? How? HOW? How did she fill out the forms? But no doubt she wanted to "buy" all the CD's and cardboard games on the Bridge-Welfare card! I call my manager again and of course, we have to go through the process. She then takes out a MasterCard and takes out her BLACKBERRY phone and TALKS in her language. Probably cussing me and my manager off.

My second job..Bath and Body Works. Let me tell you something. If you are on welfare, you should be nowhere near this store. Jacked up lotions/shower gels/perfumes prices. You name it. We got it..jacked up. Lady comes in..buys one hundred dollars worth of shower gels and lotions and then hands me the Bridge-Welfare Card. Excuse me? Do I look like I OWE you something? I WORK at Bath and Body works and even I don't get free stuff. EVER. So why should you? Big mess once again. My manager tells me not to swipe it through. The lady leaves angry. At least she did not pull out an expensive phone!
________________________
So my question to you all is how do you think we can tighten up requirements of Welfare Card?

Don't get me wrong. There are people out there who need help and I believe they should be helped. Some people are simply not fortunate enough to have things they need.

Mind you all, I also attend college full time while working two jobs so why do these people get these things for nothing? It makes me so mad!

I think what I would do is propose a fixed amount of money a year. I don't care how many kids you have. If you are on welfare, you should not be sleeping around and having children just to get more money. Seriously, you ought to be out looking for a job..or TWO like me...

I also think we should limit welfare time. Meaning like we tell the person that you will be on welfare for 2 years. Then you are on your own! I bet these people would find a job knowing they would not have welfare anymore. I also think that ANYONE found buying ANYTHING other than things you NEED should be banned-no questions asked. You abuse the system, then you get out!

PS-Sorry for the rants, you guys. It is just !

You have a perfect right to be bothered... those stories you relate are clearly abuses of a system meant to help people in need buy food and clothing - not electronics....

I think you should do as another poster recommended (if it won't get you in trouble at work)... jot down the person's information - and complain to the agency that issues the Bridge card about what these people are buying with it...

And I fully agree with the Milton Freidman quote above...

[The Dissenter]

One idea is too see how they get to the welfare office in the first place. If they are driving a newer car or Expedition that is registered to them, no nothing! I see a lot of nice looking cars in the projects of Alexandria.