Pennsylvania bill would ban use of welfare benefits to buy alcohol

[OnePimpTiger]

Pennsylvania bill would ban use of welfare benefits to buy alcohol

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a bill that would bar welfare recipients from using taxpayer-backed benefit cards to buy alcohol.

The measure, which also bans use of child support payments for alcohol purchases, unanimously passed the state House last week. It now heads to the state Senate, where a spokesman for Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, says he believes it has general support.

And a few choice quotes from the Welfare Admin:

Others say [the proposed law] perpetuates a stereotype that people who receive government assistance are irresponsible...

..."We are not by any means advocating that people use these funds to go to a liquor store," department spokeswoman Stacey Witalec said. "However, when should government play a role, and where is it intruding on grounds where personal responsibility should be playing a stronger role?"...

..."It perpetuates the stereotype that women on welfare are irresponsible and immoral and can't make appropriate decisions," said Carol Tracy, executive director of the Women's Law Project in Philadelphia.

You don't say! We certainly would hate to present the image that people who require government assistance just to live are irresponsible in any way...

The proposed law would prevent the state liquor stores from accepting welfare electronic benefits card. The liquor stores already turn away these cards based on an agreement between the liquor board and the welfare admin, this would just make it law. Also, you can go around it by simply withdrawing money from an ATM with the card and buying your liquor with cash.

So it really doesn't stop welfare recipients from buying alcohol and a similar measure is already in place...what's the big deal about making it a law? The welfare admin already has an agreement with the liquor board to not accept them, so they've already made the point that they think people on welfare are irresponsible if that's the message.

And above all else, whether you think welfare recipients are responsible or not, why would you be against banning taxpayer money from buying anyone alcohol?

[shamrock77s]

I don't care what stereotype is creates. Welfare benefits and child support should be used to put clothes on the back, shelter over the head, and food in the mouths of people who use it's assistance. Welfare specifically should only be given on the qualifying condition that the people who want to use it have to attempt to obtain a job and take care of themselves and their families.

[xnamyeknomx]

when i used to live in CT we have 2 casino's there and they put out something saying that they would cash HUGE amounts of welfare checks so the people could go gambe it all away. If I am paying for people to get the $$ they should be responsible with it. It's sad but i knew of plenty of people who would use their food stamps to buy drugs!! Or take their monthly check and head to the clubs for the weekend and spend it on a new outfit and then the rest at the bar. Also knew people who could not take care of their kids, BUT they had a nice ride and nice TV. All Im saying, is that if I am putting my hard earned $$ into the system that it should be spent on what it was meant for. IMO of course.

[OnePimpTiger]

when i used to live in CT we have 2 casino's there and they put out something saying that they would cash HUGE amounts of welfare checks so the people could go gambe it all away. If I am paying for people to get the $$ they should be responsible with it. It's sad but i knew of plenty of people who would use their food stamps to buy drugs!! Or take their monthly check and head to the clubs for the weekend and spend it on a new outfit and then the rest at the bar. Also knew people who could not take care of their kids, BUT they had a nice ride and nice TV. All Im saying, is that if I am putting my hard earned $$ into the system that it should be spent on what it was meant for. IMO of course.

And I don't see how anyone can say that's too much to ask for.

They should institute a three strikes policy. You get caught spending welfare or other government assistance on drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc three times, no more assistance for you...ever.

[xnamyeknomx]

and i don't see how anyone can say that's too much to ask for.

They should institute a three strikes policy. You get caught spending welfare or other government assistance on drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc three times, no more assistance for you...ever.

agreed!!!

[RedGoneWILD]

I remember streicher said before that he saw people buy cigs & alcohol with "food stamps"...and I challenged him about that since we both live in Pennsylvania and never got a response. I said the only way that would happen is at mom & pop type corner stores or bodegas who would accept pretty much anything as payment.

I do agree with most of the comments so far. This article however is referring to cash assistance, and it even says that while it's not law, it's not permitted either. In PA, cash assistance & food stamps both go on the same card. But food stamps can only be used for groceries or cold foods, and cash assistance can be used for whatever.

My question is this...if a person is receiving cash assistance or food stamps, are you against that person spending their own money that they earn at a job on alcohol? A good friend of mine was receiving food stamps while he was in college, and he still would go out to the bars on the weekend. He was not receiving cash assistance, so whatever he spent was his own money. Just curious to hear everybody's thoughts on that scenario.

[OnePimpTiger]

If someone needs assistance from the government, whether cash or food stamps, they should be using that money or the money they earn on their own wisely...which does not include spending it on alcohol or lottery tickets. In your friend's case, if he had money to go out to the bars, couldn't he have applied that money to groceries and needed less food stamps? Going out to the bars can be expensive...I know.

I know not every situation is that cut and dried, but the way I see it, if you require your fellow taxpayers to pay your way, you should be living on only the essentials and for as short of a period of time as possible. That's just the way I look at things though. Right now, my family is living paycheck to paycheck, very literally. I would be ashamed to ask for help from my neighbors if I hadn't already cut out every luxury I possibly could. I think people receiving welfare shouldn't have cel phones or high speed internet or things like that. Those are luxuries...if you have those, you're not to the point of needing someone else to pay for you.

[RedGoneWILD]

hmm...i think cell phones are pretty much a necessity at this point in the game...and if you're a college student, you're crazy not to have high speed internet.

as far as my friend goes, he only went to the welfare office so he could get some sort of health coverage, and when he told them he was living on his own, was not a dependent of anybody and told them how much money he made, they said he's crazy if he doesn't apply for food stamps. I think he only qualified for about $75 a month. Now he's graduated and found a decent job, pays tax into the same system, and no longer needs to collect food stamps. So it was temporary. I also think that the money he did receive went exactly where it was supposed to...on groceries. I had never seen him in a grocery store before that...he was a dollar "menunaire" as they say. the money he was given for food when right back into the system.

I do agree with you for the most part though...just disagree on what is a luxury item i guess.

[OnePimpTiger]

How is a cel phone and high speed internet a necessity? Life can easily be lived without them and, in fact, was until just in the past few years. I'm fine with a cel phone (basic plan only) if they don't have a land line, that happens a lot now. But there's no need for two phone numbers and paying for two phones. And high speed internet? That's even more of a luxury than cel phones. The vast majority of things online can be done via dialup no problem...it may not be instantaneous, but it will work just fine. And for the students who have homework or a project that needs highspeed, most schools have a library with high speed connections.

[RedGoneWILD]

How is a cel phone and high speed internet a necessity? Life can easily be lived without them and, in fact, was until just in the past few years. I'm fine with a cel phone (basic plan only) if they don't have a land line, that happens a lot now. But there's no need for two phone numbers and paying for two phones. And high speed internet? That's even more of a luxury than cel phones. The vast majority of things online can be done via dialup no problem...it may not be instantaneous, but it will work just fine. And for the students who have homework or a project that needs highspeed, most schools have a library with high speed connections.

i dont know very many people with a land line anymore. in fact, the only people i can think of off the top of my head is my grandparents. I thought land lines were pretty much extinct. But I do agree text plans and all the other crap you can get with your phone are not necessities.

high speed internet is not a necessity...regular internet is not a necessity. But if you're going to be a college student, and want to have the ability to complete assignments on your own time, then you should probably have internet access. But you're right that you could do it at school libraries or computer labs. Cable TV is not a necessity either, but i bet most people on welfare have it.