Alabama Republicans File Bill To Take Away Food Stamps If You Own A Car

[KamaAina]

http://occupydemocrats.com/2016/03/17/alabama-republicans-file-bill-take-away-food-stamps-car/

Alabama Republicans are escalating their war against the poor, wasting precious state resources in a relentless campaign to make life harder for the people of Alabama. Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has just proposed a new bill that would prevent people from receiving food stamps or financial support if they own cars and caps the number of years for assistance from five to three. “We want to get people working back in the workforce and not hanging out for public benefits because they can” drawled Orr, perpetuating the cruel myth that welfare recipients are simply lazy moochers – where in fact, two out of three welfare recipients are children, single mothers, or elderly. It would also require new photo IDs for EBT cards, the cost of which would run more than $10 million, and adds another layer of hoops for potential recipients to jump through before they can receive benefits – so much for small government.

The astonishingly heartless move was met with horror from Senate Democrats, one of whom, Sen. Roger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) was literally pounding the table in fury. “I’m going to do whatever I can to stop this. I am not going to let you do this to these people. I am not going to let people starve” he railed.

It’s particularly hurtful because it would force families to choose between being able to take their kids to school or being able to feed them. Worse, the bill assumes that people are simply waiting for jobs – but with a state 6.2% unemployment rate and some county rates reaching a shocking 15.3%, the jobs simply aren’t there. Possibly because – shocker – Republican rule has utterly gutted the budget with tax cuts and they now face a $200 million hole, which they are now trying to fill by cutting public services (like closing 31 DMVs in black areas) and killing government jobs.

Kimble Forrister, the executive director of nonprofit Alabama Arise points out that the bill won’t actually save any money, and does nothing but shame the poor and make their lives worse. “If you save money on benefits, all you can do is spend the money on other TANF recipients” she said.

Oh well, they can always ride the bus to work. Oh, wait a minute, Alabama forbids spending gas tax money on transit (a relic from the Rosa Parks backlash), so some fairly sizable cities have none at all!

[Uben]

1. Look, if you're going to take something away from people......

...you gotta take it away from the ones who don't have anything, that way, we who do have, won't have to suffer! Yeah, that's the ticket!


/sarcasm

[dchill]

16. I doubt that there's any /sarcasm...

in the Alabama Republican Party.

[jtuck004]

39. "we who do have, won't have to suffer" They are doing it just to be mean, nasty little people. They

know the actual amount in comparison to the state budget for other "expenses" is not that meaningful.

They are just doing it to be bullies to people who are weaker. And everyone else in that state who let them do it would be spineless cowards. The kind of people I would teach children to avoid, like pedophiles or many people in marketing.

[missingthebigdog]

2. While this is despicable, it's not entirely accurate

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/politics/southunionstreet/2016/03/14/bill-limiting-public-assistance-creates-strong-reaction/81767846/

This link provides a little more context.

The bill would not put a time limit on food stamp recipients- food stamps are not time limited under federal law. It would reduce the amount of time a family can receive cash assistance from 5 years to 3.

The problem with this is, and always has been, that the job training and placement services available suck. There is no incentive for agencies to succeed in placing clients- they can just run out the clock. There should have to be clear evidence that a client failed to avail themselves of services, and that an actual job exists for that client, in order for benefits to be cut off.
And we really need some kind of minimum guaranteed income, but don't get me started on that.

[madinmaryland]

4. "minimum guaranteed income" That is the issue. People lose good paying jobs

with benefits, and then the are stuck with a minimum wage job with erratic hours and trying to make ends meet. What have we become as a society that we cannot assist these people as they go through a rough time (I've been through this, also). What does taking their $1,000 car away from them accomplish? Just one more thing to humiliate a hard working person who has been let go from a good job.

I like the idea of a minimum guaranteed income that would provide all working adults a living wage. Having someone working at a full-time job making minimum wage ($8.05 I think) and still being able to collect food stamp is a damning condemnation of our economy. Pay them twice that, get them off government assistance will provide an incredible boost to this country's economy. Of course that would mean a sacrifice by the millionaires and billionaires in this country.

Edited to add: I was out of work several years ago on unemployment and one of the things I had to do was go to a "career" learning class. It was an eight hours "class", which told me exactly what was just fucking obvious to basically anyone looking for a job. What was funny was I already had a job offer, but in order to collect the paltry unemployment comp, I had to go to the class. I accepted the job offer and collected another four weeks of unemployment until I started my new job. The job was 500 miles away, so I could not just leave on a whim.

[missingthebigdog]

5. A 1,000.00 car wouldn't matter.

IIRC, the resource limit is 2,500.00. And only the equity is counted- so if you are financing it, it usually doesn't count.

That really doesn't matter though- this particular provision hurts the recently poor more than those who have been poor for a long time. A mom who has a nice car that is paid for, but lost her job, and whose unemployment has run out, has to sell the car before she is eligible for food stamps. That assures that she will be on them for a LONG time.

[madinmaryland]

6. I don't disagree with you. As you say, it really hurts those

who have been unemployed and run out of those benefits (meager as they are) and cannot continue to live off whatever savings they have left (another double whammy). What is a forty or fifty year old to do? Go back to school and start back at square zero?

What pisses me off is that there are these draconian laws because there have been one or two people (well off, no doubt) who have gamed the system. All the honest workers who have been screwn by corporate american are left out to hang.

[Cassiopeia]

12. In that situation that person is far more likely to go get a title loan

at a predatory rate anywhere from 100% to 300%, than they are to give up their car.

It's really sick what we do to those with the least and recently poor. We are not the best country in the world. Not by a long shot.

[jwirr]

18. I don't know if the rule still exists but even MN with its good

programs used to have a value of $2500 for a car if you are on food stamps. But at least you could have a car.

[dixiegrrrrl]

46. She won't be on them for a long time

if the bill passes.

[Person 2713]

3. Repuke solution ? Eat your car

[pnwmom]

7. This is just plain evil. nt

[Dont call me Shirley]

8. I am so sick of this Austerity, punish the poor and working poor shit!

[Cassiopeia]

9. I imagine some of those politicians still own cars.

They should have their salary eliminated as well since they're so well off. Why should they get to leech off of the taxpayers when those with the least won't be able to stay afloat with a paltry food stamp allowance.

[jalan48]

10. This must be stealing like crazy at the top if they are worried about this.

Isn't that the way it works? People who lie and cheat think everyone else is lying and cheating?

[raccoon]

42. Amen.

People who lie and cheat think everyone else is lying and cheating?

[elmac]

11. Sociopath fascists

AKA republicans get a kick out of kicking people who are down.

[bullwinkle428]

13. No question in the world that RW talk radio is totally driving Republican

legislative policy at the state level these days.

[KamaAina]

14. Actually, it's ALEC.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Koch brothers.

[21st Century Poet]

15. Why kick a poor man when he's down?

Why and how do some politicians come up with such heartless and brainless policies? Don't kick a poor man when he's down, for God's sake. If you do that, he might never be able to stand up again.

[certainot]

25. because that's what republicans do

[ohnoyoudidnt]

37. Someone has to be the bad guy.

And they sure as hell aren't going to go after their corporate overlords. So they attack the poor and the gullible GOP voters eat that shit up.

[jwirr]

17. Food stamps are a federal program - won't this end up in

the SCOTUS? First they make a law that says they have to get a job and then they take them off a program because they have a car. And while some may be able to ride a bus if there is one - many people in rural areas have no other transportation.

These are the kinds of people who make Trump possible.

[AllyCat]

19. You must remain poor forever

No land of opportunity for THOSE people.

[Jitter65]

20. Yes, because you need a car to get to work. nt

[Jitter65]

21. Getting ready for the GE. HRC needs to make some ads about this.

Because every white person I know outside and inside my family who is on food stamps owns a car and uses it to get to work or to and from their military base.

[kag]

22. I hate to sound ignorant, but...

Can someone explain something to me? I thought food stamps were a federal program. Is it just "administered" through the states and so the states get to make the rules or something?

That said, I agree with all of the commenters. And even the $2500 limit on the equity in your car doesn't mean much. A $3000 car probably costs as much to keep running every year as the food stamps are worth. They should be getting MORE assistance, not less.

Fuck the fucking republicans. (On second thought, don't. They'd just enjoy it, and besides, we wouldn't want any procreating going on there.)

[Gormy Cuss]

41. States can make some rules on eligibility and allotments

but the Feds administer broader prgram aspects.

So yes, a jackass in one state can include a rule that recipients can't own cars or that recipients can't buy steak, for example.

[kag]

44. Thanks.

[TexasBushwhacker]

23. Considering AL is 72% white

Did it occur to them that plenty of those families they want to cut off are white?

And, no big surprise, AL has the 14th highest teen pregnancy rate in the country and while the rate for black and latino teens is higher, there are actually about 1000 more white teens who become pregnant every year.

http://adph.org/healthstats/index.asp?id=1495

[KamaAina]

34. Actually, that is a big surprise

Only 14th?!

[TexasBushwhacker]

36. Actually, this chart has them at 15

http://m.livescience.com/45355-teen-pregnancy-rates-by-state.html

NewMexico is number 1, with Mississippi and Texas close behind. We're number 3! We're number 3!

[PatrynXX]

24. yeah that'll help

go from food stamps to being unemployed because you can't make it to work. hey I know lets have a bill that says Alabama State houses can only eat 500 calories a day. no more no less. and for sure can't get drunk

[rladdi]

26. This action really shows the Republicans are not fit for leadership. Taking away

the car, takes away any job or potential job. Republicans have just gone MAD, CRAZY. But it will only get worse as uneducated, senile people elect Republicans to office.

[rladdi]

27. Most job losses are the result of the Republicans.

[certainot]

28. and these 4 alabama universities will help the republicans

because they support 8 limbaugh stations

Auburn 3, Alabama 2, Southern Alabama 2, Troy 1

all the local blowhards on those stations will be helping the republicans get this through while flying the banners of those school sports teams.

and those stations would be doing something else like music pretty soon if those unis decided to reread their mission statements and started looking for apolitical alternatives to broadcast their sports. advertisers would flee.

[Erose999]

45. Its that wat in GA too. The Dawgs games are broadacst in the Rush Limpcock station. Every commercial

break has an advertisement for the cRush Pillsnort show.

[RandySF]

29. Oh FFS!

And what will they do if people can't get to a job?

[deathrind]

30. Republicans...

When will people realize the actual damage they do and say enough already.

[monicaangela]

31. I guess they don't realize the fact that

the majority of people using SNAP are working. How is taking food stamps away if you have a car going to help someone find work. So do they want people in rural areas with terrible public transportation to walk to work if they find a job that will more than likely pay them less than what it takes to get off of Food Stamps. Why are some of these same people that they are fighting so hard to starve still voting for them. What a crazy world we live in.

[marew]

38. Nobody ever said-

Republicans are deep thinkers! They would never have the brain power to see what they would be doing.

You cannot make this stuff up!

At the same time the GOP is so proud of themselves for their tax breaks they've given to Corporations and billionaires.

Then there's Wasserman Schultz who has sided with the GOP on their payday loan policy. This came out about 3 weeks ago. She is getting lots of flack and outrage from many DC Democrats. Not a word from Hillary, not one single word on this. Wonder why? Oh wait, I remember! Corporate hack!

"The Official Head Of The Democratic Party Joins GOP Effort To Protect Payday Lenders"
Payday lenders fearing modest federal regulations will cut into their vast profit margins have a new, high-profile ally in Washington: The chairwoman of the Democratic Party.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) is co-sponsoring legislation to delay and permanently muffle pending Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rules to rein in small-dollar lenders that are currently able to levy triple-digit annual interest rates on the nation’s poorest, the Huffington Post reports.
The bill would force a two-year delay of the CFPB’s rules, which are still being drafted. Last spring, the agency set out a framework for its rulemaking process that indicates it is taking a more modest approach than industry critics would prefer. But the bill Wasserman Schultz signed onto would both delay those rules further, and permanently block them in any state that enacts the sort of ineffectual, industry-crafted regulatory sham that Florida adopted in 2001.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2016/03/01/3755213/wasserman-schultz-payday-loans/

[doc03]

32. So if your home is your car they are going make you give that up

to get food stamps. I suppose you will get arrested for sleeping in the park too. Only in Amurika

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

33. When I was a young'n my Ma sold me a great car for $1.

She did that because I was poor, starting out in life. Thankfully, at that time in my life, the government didn't try to cut my balls off.

Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) .... you should immediately go fuck yourself.

[mnhtnbb]

35. It seems like Republicans can hardly restrain themselves from being mean. Uncharitable.

And it's almost like they want to have a contest to see which red state can be the most mean.

What is the matter with people? How can they vote for these a$$holes?

[liberalfromaustin21]

40. How callous and cruel

I guess the GOP would prefer us eating dog food, and living on the streets.

[B Calm]

43. This is as ridiculous as the GOP drug testing them.

[geomon666]

47. Just make it illegal to be poor already

and get it the fuck over with. I swear these people want another civil war so bad, they're willing to do anything to push people to the brink.