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Title: So that's what they mean by the “War on Poverty”
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URL Source: http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/ ... hats_what_they_mean_by_the.php
Published: Mar 18, 2011
Author: PZ Myers
Post Date: 2011-03-22 17:25:22 by CadetD
Keywords: cashless, society
Views: 964
Comments: 91
Minnesota is leading the way. Our Rethuglicans have figured out how to end poverty: by making it illegal to have money if you're poor? Wait, that makes no sense. 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. Lest you think our most contemptible lawmakers have no heart at all, consider that this is the generous version of their earlier plan. This represents a change from their initial proposal, which banned them from having any money at all. I'm not sure what they're thinking. If they're so poor, the only way they could have any money is if they stole it from a rich guy? Or something? Maybe they're just setting up a perfect Catch 22: now the police can roust someone who looks poor, and if they've got no money, send them to jail for vagrancy; if they've got more than $20, arrest them for possession of illegal currency. Some people don't believe me. Here's the link to the proposed legislation. They want to give all benefits via a debit card so they can restrict and monitor purchases. And if this is their sole source of income, that means they're only allowed a cash allowance of $20/month. Control, control, control. Section 1. [256.9870] ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER DEBIT CARD. Subdivision 1. Electronic benefit transfer or EBT debit card. (a) Electronic benefit transfer (EBT) debit cardholders in the general assistance program and the Minnesota supplemental aid program under chapter 256D and programs under chapter 256J are prohibited from withdrawing cash from an automatic teller machine or receiving cash from vendors with the EBT debit card. The EBT debit card may only be used as a debit card. (b) Beginning July 1, 2011, cash benefits for programs listed under paragraph (a) must be issued on a separate EBT card with the head of household's name printed on the card. The card must also state that "It is unlawful to use this card to purchase tobacco products or alcoholic beverages." This card must be issued within 30 calendar days of an eligibility determination. During the initial 30 calendar days of eligibility, a recipient may have cash benefits issued on an EBT card without the recipient's name printed on the card. This card may be the same card on which food support is issued and does not need to meet the requirements of this section. (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), EBT cardholders may opt to have up to $20 per month accessible via automatic teller machine or receive up to $20 cash back from a vendor. Poster Comment: http://wonkette.com/440932/minnesota-republicans-to-outlaw-poor-people-having-money; Link to legislation: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H0171.1.html&session=ls87
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#1. To: CadetD (#0)
You cannot make up this shit. Beyond Onionesque!
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.
I get behind welfare recipients at the grocery store, their basket is filled with cuts of meat that I can't afford. They have candy, soft drinks, ice cream to the top of the basket. They pull out their "Lone Star" card and bingo!, it's on me. Then they set their cigarettes, beer and wine up and pull out cash to pay for that. All the time they are chatting on an IPhone that costs at least $300.00. I guess I don't really have a problem with what's being proposed. Welfare recipients should ONLY have access to healthy food, nothing else, and if they can afford beer, wine, cigarettes, etc, they can afford their own food.
The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions. - George Carlin
There should be a special line for Lone Star Card mooches. (but that will never, ever, happen)
Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot.
From each, according to his ability....God bless you, and Rick Perry thanks you for doing your part to lift up the downtrodden from the depths of poverty to a life of semi-respectability. ;-)
__________________________________________________________ The free ride is about to be over and it's about time. Stealing from one group of people, to give to another, is an abomination we have played into for far to long.
I agree with all of your responses....couldn't resist posting this for the sheer entertainment aspect; not that I feel sorry for the schmucks.
Then they should ALSO prohibit ALL food and drink which contains Aspartame, MSG, High Fructose Corn Syrup, genetically modified corn and soy, artificial colors, artifical flavors, and preservatives. If you want them to eat healthy, then at least eliminate the REAL poisons which are present on grocery store shelves. Oh and BTW, MANY working families collect foodstamps, so don't think they're all "welfare recipients". BTW, do you feel as strongly about this for oil companies who get billions of dollars in subsidies (ie. corporate welfare) and tax breaks each and every year? Should we restrict them to only making a $20 profit over cost each month?
Perhaps politicians should only be paid $20 a month, and simply volunteer their time for the greater good.
Maybe one of these days you and your family will be part of that group, and people can laugh at you and make it illegal for you to have money.
I meant how insane this legislation is, which would mean that I'd think the policy cruel. However, you do see how others here are offended by the idiocy of welfare recipients buying junk food, etc. Geez!
Welfare, state sponsored welfare, should be eliminated. Period. That's the job of the churches, not the government. The churches are close to the population. They know who needs assistance, and who's looking for a free ride. I do missionary work in Central America. Those people don't have welfare! They feed their families by working, whatever, where ever, whenever, however. Real work, HARD work. By comparison "Merikan welfare recipients are rich beyond belief! Corporate welfare? There is no "To big to fail". Let the business compete. They don't make a profit, they go bankrupt.
The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions. - George Carlin
Public service should be that "Service". Not a road to riches. The Congress makes more than 95% of the population! Let them make a "living wage", whatever the average income is for the average tax payer. No Perks. No free haircuts. No more than Joe Bananaballs on the street makes. If the average wage goes up. so does theirs. They get into Social Security, no exception. No free insurance. Oh yes, and they can retire at 65 with just exactly what Ol' Joe gets, not after two terms with a free ride for the rest of their lives.
The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions. - George Carlin
I think one poster in one breath said he was a bit jealous that the people with the EBT card in front of him at the store were buying cuts of meat that he was too cheap to buy for himself (ie. they were going to cook it to feed a large family perhaps), and in the other he said "welfare recipients should ONLY have access to healthy food". Are Encore frozen dinners made with artificial "meat" what he had in mind perhaps? Myself, I think the bankers and corporate shysters are ripping off EVERYONE, and if anything, we need to focus on stopping THEM first. THEN we can go pick on the kids who get free milk and stuff at school, if so inclined. But they should NOT be the FIRST group of people seen as the "problem", they are where they are DUE to those who steal TRILLIONS of dollars. As far as those who don't belong here in the first place, they should be denied ANY assistance whatsover except for whatever charity they can get from their church of choice, but for Americans who are simply down on their luck, now is not the time to strip of them of what little they have.
If ALL assisstance were cut off, what do people do, rob banks and mug people in order to feed their families? I'm not talking about the career welfare cases, I'm talking about those who have been laid off and can't find meaningful work that can provide enough income to support themselves and their families. If it were eliminated altogether and the economic situation doesn't improve immediately, forcing people to starve and live in the street, there'd be widespread chaos, turmoil, and anarchy.
That's right! Let them eat cake. After all it's not like we have more important thieves to worry about like the banksters and the matter of 17 Trillion plus. After all those guys at Goldmine Sacks earned those multimillion dollar bonuses and NYC is just sooooooooo expensive. To hell with the food stamp recipients - who cares if they can't find anything with the unemployment rate, the real rate, hovering around 22% (and higher in my area). After all there are a lot of good garbage cans to raid.
That'd be me. Picking up top drawer steaks, for a large family! YGBSM! There are many cuts of meat that will feed a large family at a lower cost, and a higher volume, than steaks. Also, Sorry, I miss spoke, I can afford pretty much whatever I want, because I planned for a crash. Bankers. Simple. Dump the Non-Federal/No Reserve if a paper currency is used it is backed by gold and silver. AND not the SDR or another Amero type thing. Illegal aliens. Only Lawyers and Politicians don't understand the work "illegal". They should get a one way trip back to the border. The border should be secured.
The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions. - George Carlin
Exactly. And the really sick thing is employers are intentionally avoiding the long term unemployed for whatever strange reasoning. Based on the numbers that are not fudged the overall unemployment rate is somewhere around 22%. In Oregon, where I live, it is closer to 25%. There are not even many minimum wage jobs, and places that would previously willing to hire someone with respiration, like Blockbuster, now are demanding experience for a minimum wage counter job.
Something for you to consider. This nation wasn't built on "having a job", it was built on creating a job, doing a job, not working for some multinational corporation. I have faith in the people in this country who want to work, not the parasites. Blockbuster "demands"! Phucque'em!
The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions. - George Carlin
I do not disagree. However, how many of the small business licenses, taxes, restrictions, and zoning laws existed while this country was building? No, it is not impossible for someone to start a business, but it takes a lot of knowledge of the bureaucracy and stupid laws to keep one alive. I don't like welfare, I don't like forced hand-outs. I also don't like seeing people grubbing in garbage cans and children starving on the side of the road. The laws we have now have been set up to FORCE people to work for someone else. To work for those multinationals. Except that now, like a sick game of musical chairs, the jobs have all been shipped out of the country - intentionally to set up this situation. A knee jerk reaction is not a solution. I don't have an easy solution, politically, that is going to solve it. Ideally taxes would be cut to a tenth of what they now are and most of the stupid counterproductive rules and regulations done away with. Realistically, do you honestly see a way to do that quickly so that we don't wind up with hundreds of thousands of children starving to death?
It's fairly clear to me what they are doing. They are inciting civil unrest, hoping to usher in martial law.
Thing is, back when this country was "built", there was land for the taking. With that land, one could grow food, build a house and a barn, and raise livestock. For the more industrious, more food could be grown than needed, and sold to the people who didn't grow their own. If coal were found, whoever found it could dig it up and sell it. There was practically no limit as to what one could do back when this country was first founded, a person could take whatever land they wanted, as long as they were willing and able to defend it. Well there WAS the little problem with the fact the people who were here first, the Native Americans, had ALREADY claimed that land, but that didn't stop the early settlers from taking it anyways. And oh yeah, almost forgot to mention that the British crown wanted their share of whatever was worth having.
What we have now doesn't work. It can't be sustained, economically or morally, and the planet can't sustain it. So. we suck it up and take the pain. It won't be easy, however, the longer it goes on, the worse it ultimately will be. Those who have the will to survive, will survive. They will find a way. Creative, imaginative humans will survive and prosper. I really enjoyed Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". Maybe it was prophetic. Perhaps that's the answer.
The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions. - George Carlin
I always like your input on these type topics. adds a dimension often missing on 4um. Myself, theoretically i'm all for stopping gov handouts...the MOMENT that the .gov stops stealing our $ thru compulsory "income taxes". Before that point, F 'em.
"if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." 1 Cor 12:31—13:13 The GOPee Pees have no problem with millions of their cheap labor illegals getting welfare. When is the Civil War gonna finally come?
There are few people here that have not benefited from some government give away program.
Luke the spook is well named. Yes I see it all the time the wellfare folks buying booze and cigs and rib eyes. And chatting on their I phones!!! You betchea. Wink. What a load of crap.
Yes indeed. The Koch brothers are trembling.
That´s the ¨free market¨. HaHa.
O spare me you made up Bull shit.
I enjoyed Atlas Shrugged too! At the time it was written Ayn Rand identified the capitalists as "Atlas" and had them shrug off the worthless socialistic society that was feeding off them, by packing up their operations and disappearing. Today, it is the other way around isn't it? We are slaves to the corporations. Granted there are those losers who feed off the workers, but we are all slaves and the Federal Reserve is cracking the whip. To-day, the workers are "Atlas," and we need to shrug off the corporations with their unending culture of greed and corruption. If we all went on strike and disappeared into the wordwork, the whole dirty system would collapse.
I want either less corruption or more opportunity to participate in it. Ashleigh Brilliant
After all it's not like we have more important thieves to worry about like the banksters and the matter of 17 Trillion plus. After all those guys at Goldmine Sacks earned those multimillion dollar bonuses and NYC is just sooooooooo expensive. Hank Paulson, one year after he was Sec of Treasury made FIVE BILLION DOLLARS . No problem with Luke the Shill with that. Hes pissed that maybe some smuck got a quart of beer that he was not legal. What a fucnnnk ass.
the legislation proposed in the original article above would never be upheld because it's illegal & no cop could enforce it anyway. they cant walk around demanding to see what's in people's wallets. that is absurd.
"if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." 1 Cor 12:31—13:13 Bankers. Simple. Dump the Non-Federal/No Reserve if a paper currency is used it is backed by gold and silver. AND not the SDR or another Amero type thing. Illegal aliens. Only Lawyers and Politicians don't understand the work "illegal". They should get a one way trip back to the border. The border should be secured. Boot to the head.
Asshollllle spooks work for the Mom and Pops. HaHa. wxposed assssholllle.
I agree. seems Luke likes the idea of America becoming a third world nation, with him wearing the spurs.
Get some depth, read more than shallow romantic comic books. And experience some real life.
And of course he "earned" all of that and it was not a payback for official favors. And Ted Bundy was a poor misunderstood kid. I would be just as happy to see it go back to the way it was before food stamps. The USDA Food Program supplied US Grown Products that were surplus in sufficient quantities that kept people from hunger. It wasn't fancy but it was edible and nutritious - no Doritos and No Beer. However, it was decided that the Food Stamp Program cost less and required fewer government workers to administer it. So, the USDA Food Program was replaced with food stamps. I do have quibbles. I don't think it should be possible to buy junk food on food stamps, but otherwise I don't favor starving people to death either.
A great book that goes over the heads of the leftist peebrains
"The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor" - Ronald Reagan
Damn Straight! Ayn Rand - "All for Me and Me for Me". Unidimensional, limited vision, and a great saleswoman. While Capitalism has its virtues, and is much superior to socialism, it is not without flaw. And the type of tunnel vision of Ayn Rand appeals to a certain class of shallow thinker who does not look beyond their own personal advantage.
Rand would call that a looters point of view,(and not to be patronizing) but I know you're smarter than that. I'm pretty sure you've read the book, right? That's all you got out of it?
"The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor" - Ronald Reagan
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#2. To: CadetD (#0)
#3. To: Luke The Spook (#2)
#4. To: Luke The Spook (#2)
They pull out their "Lone Star" card and bingo!, it's on me.
"This man is Jesus,” shouted one man, spilling his Guinness as Barack Obama began his inaugural address. “When will he come to Kenya to save us?"
-Schweizerische Schuetzenzeitung (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#5. To: CadetD (#0)
#6. To: Freedomsnotfree (#5)
The free ride is about to be over and it's about time. Stealing from one group of people, to give to another, is an abomination we have played into for far to long.
#7. To: Luke The Spook (#2)
Welfare recipients should ONLY have access to healthy food, nothing else, and if they can afford beer, wine, cigarettes, etc, they can afford their own food.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#8. To: CadetD (#0)
(Edited)
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#9. To: CadetD (#6)
couldn't resist posting this for the sheer entertainment aspect; not that I feel sorry for the schmucks.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#10. To: FormerLurker (#9)
Maybe one of these days you and your family will be part of that group, and people can laugh at you and make it illegal for you to have money.
#11. To: FormerLurker (#7)
Oh and BTW, MANY working families collect foodstamps, so don't think they're all "welfare recipients".
#12. To: FormerLurker (#8)
Perhaps politicians should only be paid $20 a month, and simply volunteer their time for the greater good.
#13. To: CadetD (#10)
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#14. To: Luke The Spook (#11)
Welfare, state sponsored welfare, should be eliminated. Period.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#15. To: Freedomsnotfree, FormerLurker (#5)
The free ride is about to be over and it's about time. Stealing from one group of people, to give to another, is an abomination we have played into for far to long.
#16. To: FormerLurker (#13)
I think one poster in one breath said he was a bit jealous that the people with the EBT card in front of him at the store were buying cuts of meat that he was too cheap to buy for himself (ie. they were going to cook it to feed a large family perhaps), and in the other he said "welfare recipients should ONLY have access to healthy food".
#17. To: FormerLurker, Luke The Spook (#14)
If it were eliminated altogether and the economic situation doesn't improve immediately, forcing people to starve and live in the street, there'd be widespread chaos, turmoil, and anarchy.
#18. To: Original_Intent (#17)
#19. To: Luke The Spook, FormerLurker (#18)
Something for you to consider. This nation wasn't built on "having a job", it was built on creating a job, doing a job, not working for some multinational corporation. I have faith in the people in this country who want to work, not the parasites.
#20. To: Original_Intent (#17)
Exactly. And the really sick thing is employers are intentionally avoiding the long term unemployed for whatever strange reasoning.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#21. To: Luke The Spook, Original_Intent (#18)
This nation wasn't built on "having a job", it was built on creating a job, doing a job, not working for some multinational corporation.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#22. To: Original_Intent (#19)
Realistically, do you honestly see a way to do that quickly so that we don't wind up with hundreds of thousands of children starving to death?
#23. To: FormerLurker (#7)
"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him"
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
#24. To: CadetD (#0)
#25. To: Original_Intent (#15)
#26. To: Luke The Spook (#2)
I get behind welfare recipients at the grocery store, their basket is filled with cuts of meat that I can't afford. They have candy, soft drinks, ice cream to the top of the basket. They pull out their "Lone Star" card and bingo!, it's on me. Then they set their cigarettes, beer and wine up and pull out cash to pay for that. All the time they are chatting on an IPhone that costs at least $300.00. I guess I don't really have a problem with what's being proposed. Welfare recipients should ONLY have access to healthy food, nothing else, and if they can afford beer, wine, cigarettes, etc, they can afford their own food.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" 
#27. To: Freedomsnotfree (#5)
The free ride is about to be over and it's about time. Stealing from one group of people, to give to another, is an abomination we have played into for far to long.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#28. To: FormerLurker (#7)
BTW, do you feel as strongly about this for oil companies who get billions of dollars in subsidies (ie. corporate welfare) and tax breaks each and every year? Should we restrict them to only making a $20 profit over cost each month?
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#29. To: Luke The Spook (#11)
I do missionary work in Central America. Those people don't have welfare!
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#30. To: Luke The Spook (#22)
I really enjoyed Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". Maybe it was prophetic. Perhaps that's the answer.
#31. To: Original_Intent (#15)
That's right! Let them eat cake.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#32. To: Cynicom (#25)
"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him"
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
#33. To: Luke The Spook (#16)
. Also, Sorry, I miss spoke, I can afford pretty much whatever I want, because I planned for a crash.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#34. To: Luke The Spook (#18)
b, doing a job, not working for some multinational corporation.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#35. To: Original_Intent (#19)
outs. I also don't like seeing people grubbing in garbage cans and children starving on the side of the road.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#36. To: Luke The Spook (#22)
I really enjoyed Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". Maybe it was prophetic.
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
#37. To: tom007 (#31)
Hank Paulson, one year after he was Sec of Treasury made FIVE BILLION DOLLARS .
Hes pissed that maybe some smuck got a quart of beer that he was not legal.
#38. To: Luke The Spook, Original_Intent (#22)
I really enjoyed Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged".
#39. To: Flintlock (#38)
#40. To: Original_Intent (#39)
Ayn Rand appeals to a certain class of shallow thinker who does not look beyond their own personal advantage.
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