[dragon_fly_12]

[SIZE=2]http://new.whtc.com/news/articles/2010/m....e-card-reform-/

(Lansing, MI - WHTC News) - A quest by Dave Agema is gathering some steam in the State House.

The outspoken Republican from Grandville is one of six lawmakers who have sponsored a package of bills aimed at reforming what they say is waste, fraud and abuse problems in Michigan’s welfare system. Agema is already on record in wanting photo ID placed on the Bridge Cards used for food assistance.

Two other Lakeshore legislators are also participating in this effort. Bob Genetski of Saugatuck wants a parent behind in child support to be ineligible for a Bridge Card. Holland’s Joe Haveman’s contribution is a measure that would clamp down on Bridge Card abuse by college students who don’t really need such help.

Other initiatives included in the package include stopping prisoners from receiving Bridge Cards; requiring merchants to verify proper identification of Bridge Card users; prevent Bridge Cards from being used to buy tobacco and/or alcoholic products, as well as lottery tickets; and requiring random drug testing of welfare recipients. [/SIZE]

[Driller1]

Good news. I get asked a few times a year to buy funds from a bridge card.

From my understanding 1/2 price is the going rate.

[MICoastieMom]

Oh, geez, and here I thought this was a thread about Manny Moroun. Talk about needing some bridge reform!

[northstar22]

Good news. When I was in college, I knew many students who used the Bridge Card to buy steak, filet mignon, lobster, and other luxuries that they wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. Ridiculous.

[DesperateInMichigan]

I also heard on the news that you wouldn't be able to withdraw money from an ATM. Now for someone like me that is going to hurt bad. I get cash assistance for disability, having PTSD and some agoraphobia, without being back to withdraw from an ATM I wont be able to pay my rent, or do laundry. I feel for all the tax payers paying for people who abuse the system but not all of us do, and making those who don't become homeless because they can't withdraw their rent money, or even try to get a job because they don't have clean cloths because all of us do not have the luxury of having a washer or dryer and have to go to the laundry mat, which does not take bridge cards to use the machines, you need cash, this is completely unfair . I already don't make enough to live off of, $265/mo split into two payments, and now the only place I managed to get I might lose? If I don't pay rent I lose all assistance, if I can't get cash off my card , I can't pay rent. I'm sorry some people abuse the system and some of the ideas are good, but don't punish everyone because some crack heads abuse the system. You can't control everyones actions, the best you can do, is to punish those who do abuse the system. Whatever happened to being innocent until proven guilty? This bill is assuming we are all guilty and the honest ones are the ones that suffer the most. If the drug addict can't buy drugs with government money, they will just rob you, either way , they are not going without a fix, but honest people go without a home or clean cloths, which in turn does turn some into drug addicts. Look at the surge of armed robbery's? Do you think its a coincidence? People are desperate, these are not just acts of addicts but once hard working people, and now you want to take away the little they may have because of the mis management of a few?

[DesperateInMichigan]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

Good news. When I was in college, I knew many students who used the Bridge Card to buy steak, filet mignon, lobster, and other luxuries that they wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. Ridiculous.

Even with a bridge card, most people still can't afford that stuff. My cash assistance is $265/mo over 2 months, rent is $71 out of that. If I can't withdraw cash, I can't pay rent and I'm certainly not buying lobster.

College students who do have financial aid from parents and stuff shouldn't get it, but how do you really tell? That can be the tricky one, and sometimes to catch and punish the abusers you hurt those who really do need the help, and would rather not have to get the help, but circumstance's forces them to.I know i"d rather work, I'd make more even at a minimum wage job, and not go hungry when my food stamps run out in the middle of the month because food cost is doesn't add up to what I get, and I'm a cheap shopper, just the basic necessity's, no junk food or frozen food.

[summer22]

Originally Posted by chance2jump

[SIZE=2]http://new.whtc.com/news/articles/2010/m....e-card-reform-/

(Lansing, MI - WHTC News) - A quest by Dave Agema is gathering some steam in the State House.

The outspoken Republican from Grandville is one of six lawmakers who have sponsored a package of bills aimed at reforming what they say is waste, fraud and abuse problems in Michigan’s welfare system. Agema is already on record in wanting photo ID placed on the Bridge Cards used for food assistance.

Two other Lakeshore legislators are also participating in this effort. Bob Genetski of Saugatuck wants a parent behind in child support to be ineligible for a Bridge Card. Holland’s Joe Haveman’s contribution is a measure that would clamp down on Bridge Card abuse by college students who don’t really need such help.

Other initiatives included in the package include stopping prisoners from receiving Bridge Cards; requiring merchants to verify proper identification of Bridge Card users; prevent Bridge Cards from being used to buy tobacco and/or alcoholic products, as well as lottery tickets; and requiring random drug testing of welfare recipients. [/SIZE]

Do these Republican lawmakers ever sit down face-to-face with low-income people and listen to their concerns? Do they represent these citizens at all?

[Sparrow_temp]

When you're living off the largess of others (the taxpayers), you should take what you're given and be grateful. If you're truly disabled that's one thing, but if you're simply poor -- why is the state government taking care of you?

How is rent $72/mo for somebody unless you're living with 10 other people (and I'm not talking your own children)?

The state should make getting handouts as difficult and humiliating as possible to basically encourage those receiving them to stop or move out of state to somewhere with larger coffers. Too many people receiving them feel no shame and rather a sense of entitlement. We need to change the ratio of people paying to receiving and if we can't do that by growing the economy in the state then we should do it be reducing those who are doing the taking. I'm hoping the Republicans work on both sides of that ratio to improve things.

Originally Posted by summer22

Do these Republican lawmakers ever sit down face-to-face with low-income people and listen to their concerns? Do they represent these citizens at all?

[jeeg]

Their rent is subsidized by the government, that's how it's so low.

[us66]

Can they also outlaw energy drinks being purchased with food stamps while they're at it? There's a certain gas station I end up in every now and then...person in line in front of me almost invariably has a Monster or a Red Bull being paid for (at convenience store prices) with my tax dollars. At least get them at Aldi where their brand costs half the price, gosh.