New Mexico rule restricts use of welfare cards

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico rule restricts use of welfare cards
Published 10:53 AM MDT Apr 14, 2014

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —A new state rule implemented by Gov. Susana Martinez's administration bars welfare recipients from using their cash assistance cards at gambling establishments, liquor stores and strip clubs.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the rule took effect when it was published March 31 by the state Human Services Department.

The state House during the 2013 session approved a bill with the same restrictions on cash assistance cards, but the legislation died without a Senate vote.

Human Services Department spokesman Matt Kennicott says the administration decided to enact a rule rather than again seek legislation.



Read more: http://www.koat.com/news/new-mexico-rule-restricts-use-of-welfare-cards/25468118#ixzz2ytBXyF8u

[7962]

1. They needed to pass a LAW to make this illegal??

Why the hell would it have ever been OK??

[Scootaloo]

2. Why should it be?

Seriously, give me a reason - not Sunday School parables - about why adults should not be using cash assistance to proide themselves with entertainment?

[7962]

5. "Sunday School parables"? You see nothing wrong with public money going to a strip club?

Its shit like this that gives plenty of ammunition to those who would like to end all welfare. If you're so poor you need public assistance, you spend that assistance on food and housing and other living expenses. Its not the states responsibility to provide booze and strippers and pulls on the slot machine to the less fortunate. Lets send them on trips to Europe, too! Very educational!

Or more likely, you've just yanked my chain and succeeded.

[Scootaloo]

10. Actually I don't

Once the money is put in someone's account, it becomes their money. Oncethey money is spent, it does what spent money always does - economic stimulation. it is re-taxed, and returned to the pool.

You sound just like one of those anti-Welfare people who insist that food stamps are "your money," and argue that people on assistance should be wearing sac-cloth and eating Soviet-grade lentils.

People need a life outside working and sleeping. Entertainment is a living expense. And if these people are spending all their rent on strippers (big "if" this law sounds a lot like claims of welfare recipients always being on drugs or what have you - a law designed to push an agenda rather than stop an abuse) then.. .well, they'll be out of a house 'cause the landlord doesn't give a shit either way, you pay or you're out.

[Sammy Glick]

14. Food Stamps are a subsidy for agribusiness.

That's why the program is run by USDA, not HHS. Helping poor people is a side effect, or "collateral benefit."

[leftyohiolib]

18. well then it's good youre not in charge of distributing welfare money

that money is for bills , clothing utility mortgage , you want a stripper get off public assistance.

you know what else is economic stimulation buying groceries buying clothes stuff like that - they can do economic stimulation that way. people needing a life as you describe it can get off public assistance and buy all the hookers and blow they want

"you sound just like one of those anti-Welfare people who insist that food stamps are "your money," and argue that people on assistance should be wearing sac-cloth and eating Soviet-grade lentils." childish bullshi it's not anti-welfare, if you can afford gambling you dont need public assistance. let someone who is having trouble meet debt obligations have it but someone who wants to blow it on black jack

it's dumbass-ed beliefs like this that give dems a bad name - public assistance for gambling omg

[Scootaloo]

20. It absolutely is anti-welfare

You sound exactly like the typical republican shitting your pants over someone buying seafood with an EBT card. "OMG WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE NICE THINGS, THEY'RE POOR!"

You know why people might want a drink? because they're depending on government largesse to keep a fucking roof over their heads.

Know why they gamble - which I assure you, is the state lottery, not high-stakes baccarat? Because they're fucking poor and looking for a payout so they can get off the dole. Lotteries siphon almost all of their take from the poor, lower-income people for this reason.

This is outrage over the poor not living like anchorite monks.

And of course, the reality that this is being implemented by an anti-welfare Republican administration and is highly likely to be written purely to incite dumb motherfuckers who think the poor live the high life, rather than to deal with any actual issues.

[7962]

26. Your last sentence says it all. And he thinks they're just playing the lottery at the casino.....

And this is a big problem. Too many people on the left have a knee jerk reaction to ANY controls on ANY kind of govt program. And when the average voter sees the extent of abuses like this, they'll be more likely to support cuts, which is exactly what the gop wants. I had a similar argument a few months back when a story ran about abuses of the disability program; people getting checks who were not disabled defrauding the system. I had so many responses accusing me of wanting to shut down the program simply because I agreed that there should be punishment for those people.

[leftyohiolib]

13. people seem to forget that the welfare pool is not bottomless and that there are alot of

people who need help with food clothing shelter etc. all gambling should be illegal while public assistance

[LoisB]

22. I don't know how anyone would use food stamps in a strip club or gambling casino

but I do know there are areas of Los Angeles where the closest place to get milk, bread, cereal, soup, etc. is the corner liquor store.

[7962]

25. I havent been to NM, but in GA no liquor store sells any of those items.

Unless you can mix it with booze, they pretty much dont sell it. Usually there's a convenience store (and their high prices) next door.

[leftyohiolib]

8. b/c it's taxpayer money designed to help them pay bills and keep their homes

not to get them drunk

[7962]

11. You said it better. nt

[leftyohiolib]

15. i think scoots might have been playing devils advocate

[7962]

16. I was hoping, but read post #10

[Politicalboi]

27. This solves NOTHING

So go to the bank before going to strip club, liquor store, drug dealer, or casino. It's now "their" money like you said. This law just stops them till they can find another ATM. Another waste of taxpayers time for a silly law. They probably spent more time and money on this law than is spent in a casino by thousands of poor people.

[fasttense]

29. Exactly, Instead of dealing with climate change, militarized police,

excessive prison population, state government corruption, disappearing middle class, burgeoning ranks of working poor and unfair tax laws, the legislature wasted money by solving a minor, problem that had already been solved.

Way to make it look like you are doing something while doing nothing.

[Judi Lynn]

21. There IS a law, already. From the article:

A 2012 federal law requires states to act to prevent the use of welfare cash assistance cards at gambling establishments, liquor stores and strip clubs or face a loss of some federal welfare dollars.

This is an opportunity for a Republican governor to pretend the law doesn't exist already, and mimic Ronald Reagan when he used to spew his "Welfare Queen" crap at any opportunity he got during campaigns, to fan and direct the fire of hatred within poor, white, ignorant trash against alleged "welfare cheats," he wanted to malign, make targets for his mentally disturbed followers, to pump up his "us against them" campaign storm.

It's designed to appeal to the dumbest, most ignorant reactionaries among us, bring them off the front porch, away from their moonshine, get them milling about with their exposed or concealed guns, looking for more trouble, clinging harder to the politicians they believe will "perteck" them from those who want to get more than "what they got."

[arcane1]

3. Does NM have state-run liquor stores? If not, that could be a problem.

Though I suppose it also depends on how one defines "liquor store." I buy quite a lot of my basic things at what some would call a liquor store. I use the term "convenience store" because I came from a state with state-run liquor business. If they are using the term "liquor store" the way it's used in California, this would be a huge problem for some people.

I would've assumed it was already illegal to use the cards at gambling establishments and strip clubs

[7962]

7. According to wikipedia, NM does not run liquor stores.

But according to Post#2, we still shouldnt have a problem with state assistance being used on booze, gambling and strippers

[arcane1]

12. Yeah, then that could be a problem.

At my corner liquor store, they sell everything. Cereal, milk, bread, meat, you name it. If the SNAP users had to trqavel to an actual grocery store to use their cards, that would be a huge (and arbitrary) burden.

[Liberal_in_LA]

24. Plus 100

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Has this sort of thing been a big problem in NM?

Have the strippers been filing workman's comp claims caused by the chafing of benefit cards stuck in their g-strings?

[7962]

9. HA

[jwirr]

6. I am a long term user of food stamps and now the EBT card. I agree with this law.

[jamzrockz]

17. If there is ever a point to meet

republicans half way, this is it

[FreedRadical]

19. Meet republicans half way...

Now that is a laugh. There is no such thing.

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. many poor have no cars, are in neighborhoods where liquor stores are the nearest

sources of food - chips, overpriced snacks, yes, but only choice for some

[Kali]

28. gotta stop those welfare queens from taking their cadilacs down to the strip club

and spending all of my money


for the idiots who are getting outraged by the bullshit:



scootaloo is telling the truth above and I agree totally. <<=== absolutely NOT sarcasm

THINK, people. jeebus

[hedgehog]

30. +1

[Mika]

31. Interesting argument. Bypasses the most obvious point. Wall Street shipped the jobs overseas.

Divide and conquer. Mission accomplished. Right here in this thread.