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The article in the OP makes it sound like they are preventing poor people from having more than $20 period... when in fact, it just limits the amount of ATM-style withdrawal from their "cash" benefits to $20/month. I don't see a problem with that.
Oh, I do. How do you pay the landlord? Or the co-pay at the doctor's office? Not everyone accepts debit cards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest
Lets leave those people alone and just end welfare and the resulting intrusion of government into their lives.
How about we leave those alone who are truly disabled, and those who receive short-term cash assistance ("safety net"), and concentrate on clearing the system of abusers?
Minnesota Republicans are pushing legislation that would make it a crime for people on public assistance to have more $20 in cash in their pockets any given month. This represents a change from their initial proposal, which banned them from having any money at all.
On March 15, Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee testified in front of the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee on House File 171. Buechner told committee members, “We would like to address the provision that makes it illegal for MFIP [one of Minnesota’s welfare programs] families to withdraw cash from the cash portion of the MFIP grant - and in fact, appears to make it illegal for MFIP families to have any type of money at all in their pockets. How do you expect people to take care of business like paying bills such as lights, gas, water, trash and phone?”
House File 171 would make it so that families on MFIP - and disabled single adults on General Assistance and Minnesota Supplemental Aid - could not have their cash grants in cash or put into a checking account. Rather, they could only use a state-issued debit card at special terminals in certain businesses that are set up to accept the card.
The bill also calls for unconstitutional residency requirements, not allowing the debit card to be used across state lines and other provisions that the Welfare Rights Committee and others consider unacceptable.
Let me make this clear, I'm not on welfare. I'm just wondering how this sort of law could even be enforced. They are not saying let's not give assistance to the poor, but rather they are not allowed to carry any cash.
How do they propose to enforce this? Random strip searches? Cash-sniffing German Shepherds?
Nobody should be having cash benefits. It's insane that any state would be handing out a welfare card for use at an ATM or providing some kind of cash withdrawals from a food stamp card, or whatever the case may be.
The people can pay their bills using CHECKS from their CHECKING ACCOUNT (i.e., money they have earned). It's not the gov'ts responsibility to pay for someone's rent or cell phone, etc. and it's not their job to worry about how people pay these items.
I have no idea how it could be enforced but I think it's a good idea. Too many of them are defrauding the system and do in fact spend their own money on things they shouldn't be (cigarettes is a big one).
Oh, I do. How do you pay the landlord? Or the co-pay at the doctor's office? Not everyone accepts debit cards.
How about we leave those alone who are truly disabled, and those who receive short-term cash assistance ("safety net"), and concentrate on clearing the system of abusers?
The taxpayers pay their housing, and Medicaid has no copay.
I don't understand why the welfare class is being handed cash in the first place. It simply invites them to buy drugs and booze.
Well, I looked up and found the actual proposal. Here's the link.
The article in the OP makes it sound like they are preventing poor people from having more than $20 period... when in fact, it just limits the amount of ATM-style withdrawal from their "cash" benefits to $20/month. I don't see a problem with that.
Ah, thanks for clarifying. I also have no problem with this...well, except that I don't think they should have cash benefits or ATM withdrawals at all.
Minnesota Republicans are pushing legislation that would make it a crime for people on public assistance to have more $20 in cash in their pockets any given month. This represents a change from their initial proposal, which banned them from having any money at all.
On March 15, Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee testified in front of the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee on House File 171. Buechner told committee members, “We would like to address the provision that makes it illegal for MFIP [one of Minnesota’s welfare programs] families to withdraw cash from the cash portion of the MFIP grant - and in fact, appears to make it illegal for MFIP families to have any type of money at all in their pockets. How do you expect people to take care of business like paying bills such as lights, gas, water, trash and phone?”
Moderator cut: Copyright Violation
Let me make this clear, I'm not on welfare. I'm just wondering how this sort of law could even be enforced. They are not saying let's not give assistance to the poor, but rather they are not allowed to carry any cash.
How do they propose to enforce this? Random strip searches? Cash-sniffing German Shepherds?
Oh, I do. How do you pay the landlord? Or the co-pay at the doctor's office? Not everyone accepts debit cards.
How about we leave those alone who are truly disabled, and those who receive short-term cash assistance ("safety net"), and concentrate on clearing the system of abusers?
So you think people should not have to earn their own way and pay their own rent? How about section 8? How about using SSDI payments? And yeah, doctor's offices all accept debit cards, not sure what kind of doctor you're going to who doesn't.
I don't think anyone here is referring to people who are disabled, this conversation is aimed at people who are on welfare, not disability. But if you want to talk about people who abuse the system, there is a good amount of folks who abuse disability as well.
Why is that not a problem? This is government micro-managing at its best.
So you think these idiots should be able to withdraw the full amount of their benefits for use on whatever the heck they feel like every single month? If they get $500/mo, you don't mind them spending that on frivolous and/or illegal things? Okay....
Why is that not a problem? This is government micro-managing at its best.
Yeah, the same government that doesn't blink an eye at confiscating the wages of the working people.
If you want to see micro-managing, check out the IRS where all this money to pay for the idle class must come.
Craigslist for example is a great source of baby formula - welfare momma's selling the baby formula to obtain some very nice cash. But what else could be expected? They are handed plentiful food stamps, WIC coupons on top of that, all living expenses paid, the free babysitting services called head start provide 3 meals to the children, are given cell phones and all the luxuries and even cash on top all that. To get more cash they simply rent out their food stamp card, or sell food.
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