Florida Bans use of EBT (welfare) cards in strip clubs

[jagbender]

Bad news for Florida LL


The Florida House has banned the use of welfare recipients' EBT cards at "adult entertainment establishments" like strip joints, casinos and bottle clubs. The House on Thursday passed a bill (HB 701) by an 89-26 vote. EBT cards standing for electronic benefit transfer are like debit cards. Welfare recipients use them to draw down their benefits.

Democrats fought against the bill. They said it was paternalistic and offensive to poor people.



Bill sponsor Jimmie Smith explained that voting against his measure was like "voting for lap dances on taxpayer dollars."


Read more at LiveLeak.com - Bad news for Florida LL

 

[dogsoldier]

'bout time.

 

[The Prototype]

Big surprise

 

[Standard Donkey]

"paternalistic and offensive to poor people"

 

[DOMS]

The very definition of libtard:

Democrats fought against the bill. They said it was paternalistic and offensive to poor people.

 

[Zaphod]

I'm interested in knowing how often EBT cards are used at strip clubs. Is it an actual problem or is it just another non-issue thrown out there to keep our eyes off what is really happening?

 

[Zaphod]

This one says about 1% of transactions are from places considered inappropriate for people on welfare.
Who’s On Welfare In New Hampshire, What Are They Buying And How Much Should You Care? | StateImpact New Hampshire

Here's a better link with actual dollar amounts.

Tax dollars withdrawn at liquor stores, strip clubs - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida

I don't agree with people on welfare using their funds for alcohol, cigarettes, strip clubs, casinos, etc. but is the cost of enforcement less than the amount spent in those places? Will enforcement cost more than $191,000 per year? Seems to be a non-issue to me with the dollar amounts involved. Look at facts, people, not emotions.

 

[ctr10]

It should have been that way from Day 1

 

[LAM]

I'm interested in knowing how often EBT cards are used at strip clubs. Is it an actual problem or is it just another non-issue thrown out there to keep our eyes off what is really happening?

have you ever known the GOP to ever fix anything?

JP Morgan has the contract on something like 26 states. ultimately they are the ones deciding where the EBT cards can be used. since 2007 the state of FL has paid Morgan almost 90M just in the small fees charged with each transaction. and with all of the states combined something like 560M in fees since 2004.

3 company's control all of the transactions for 49 states. JP Morgan, Affiliated Computer Services (ACS a subsidiary of Xerox) and And eFunds Corporation, a subsidiary of Fidelity National Information Services.

 

[Zaphod]

My thing is it isn't a problem that needs fixing. Fixing it will cost more than the problem. It's like buying a new car because the one you have right now needs an oil change.

With the $190,733 that is spent on less than legitimate things I'd be willing to bet money that cost less than the cost of just getting the legislation together alone. Nevermind enforcing it.

Like I said before, I don't condone that kind of spending with welfare money but is the fix going to actually save money or will it cost more than the problem? Like what Florida did with drug testing for welfare recipients. The drug testing cost far more than the savings in welfare not going out to those that were popped for drug usage.

 

[Bowden]

One dollar of tax payer provided benefits money spent by welfare recipients on strip bars, cigarettes and booze is one dollar too much of tax payer money.

For some reason some of these welfare recipients on welfare for years consider welfare benefits their money.
Clue:
If you didn't work for it and the government redistributed to you someones money in taxes , then it's not your money to do with what you want.
It's someone elses money you are living off of and it's not yours to do with it as you will.

Don't like it?
Then tough.
Either don't accept welfare benefits or be more responsible with them.

 

[DetMuscle]

"land of the free" doesnt mean "take all you can for free".

 

[LAM]

My thing is it isn't a problem that needs fixing. Fixing it will cost more than the problem. It's like buying a new car because the one you have right now needs an oil change.

With the $190,733 that is spent on less than legitimate things I'd be willing to bet money that cost less than the cost of just getting the legislation together alone. Nevermind enforcing it.

Like I said before, I don't condone that kind of spending with welfare money but is the fix going to actually save money or will it cost more than the problem? Like what Florida did with drug testing for welfare recipients. The drug testing cost far more than the savings in welfare not going out to those that were popped for drug usage.

as long as the wealth continues to flow upward the "system" is working in their eyes, it needs no fixing.

political posturing works well for the GOP it's an easy sell for them.

because if you actually think about the "problem" its education. just looking at peoples diets in the US (and forgetting about the low wages) a simple look around any US supermarket shows what we eat as a nation, crap and lots of it. getting people to change their diets is one of the hardest things in the world i've found. that's why when I worked in personal training years ago I would only work with athletes that just needed some fine tuning.

if they wanted they could limit what people buy with those EBT cards but they don't as that would effect the profits of US large firms. but with enforcement of regulations and laws come other expenses so it's always the old catch 22.

 

[Little Wing]

so people will pay a shit ton o money so the ebt card can be used to withdraw cash elsewhere and the person can go the stripclub afterwards. brilliant.

 

[Zaphod]

One dollar of tax payer provided benefits money spent by welfare recipients on strip bars, cigarettes and booze is one dollar too much of tax payer money.

For some reason some of these welfare recipients on welfare for years consider welfare benefits their money.
Clue:
If you didn't work for it and the government redistributed to you someones money in taxes , then it's not your money to do with what you want.
It's someone elses money you are living off of and it's not yours to do with it as you will.

Don't like it?
Then tough.
Either don't accept welfare benefits or be more responsible with them.

I agree completely that welfare money should be spent on what it is meant to be. But is enforcing a law more cost effective than letting less than one tenth of one percent be spent on things it isn't meant to be?

 

[s2h]

So this EBT card can be used to withdraw cash?..and now it can't be used to debit or withdraw cash in adult entertainment establishments?

 

[Zaphod]

So this EBT card can be used to withdraw cash?..and now it can't be used to debit or withdraw cash in adult entertainment establishments?

That solves everything.

 

[IronAddict]

Great, EBT cards being used improperly.

But in the grand scheme of things, is this really the problem ?

I say no, the billions of dollars being wasted & stole everyday from tax payers by those who are supposed to look out for you, makes those welfare fraud cases look like chump change.

 

[Little Wing]

i think the collective gaze is deliberately being focused on the wrong things by people with power that don't want you to see it's really them with their cock in your ass. not so sure why that's so hard to grasp.

 

[Zaphod]

When it's constantly being beamed into everybody's head that the poor are the scourge sucking the life out of everyone else it's only fitting that so many will begin to believe it.

 

[Little Wing]

a shit load of taxes are collected on alcohol and tobacco so why would the government really give a shit where that money comes from? the truth is they don't. anyone with common sense knows the right thing to do would be to implement a system where benefits could not even possibly be spent on alcohol or tobacco... it COULD be done. why hasn't it been done?

 

[Zaphod]

a shit load of taxes are collected on alcohol and tobacco so why would the government really give a shit where that money comes from? the truth is they don't. anyone with common sense knows the right thing to do would be to implement a system where benefits could not even possibly be spent on alcohol or tobacco... it COULD be done. why hasn't it been done?

Because doing that would cut into the revenue from alcohol and tobacco.

 

[LAM]

So this EBT card can be used to withdraw cash?..and now it can't be used to debit or withdraw cash in adult entertainment establishments?

only for those that get cash benefits which is about 2.5% of the US population. those benefits are limited to the lifetime maximum payout of $400 a month 60 months per the 1996 Welfare Reform legislation.

those that SNAP (food stamps) can not withdrawl those funds with the EBT card. same basic principle as a credit card that allows a maximum cash with drawl limit.

 

[Little Wing]

Because doing that would cut into the revenue from alcohol and tobacco.

who would lose money? powerful companies that sell death and powerful companies that sell medicine and healthcare. powerful companies that influence politicians. so much money could be saved if the poor could be forced to eat healthy food and avoid, or greatly limit even, alcohol and tobacco.... but no fucking way is this common sense things going to happen and the policy makers are laughing all the way to the bank. it's not real change that will make any difference just to make a cash benefit recipient withdraw money at a different location. it's a smoke n mirrors issue.

 

[maniclion]

With Similac being one of the top black market items in our country, next to cigarettes is this really an issue?

 

[Little Wing]

Most Shoplifted Items? Infant formula now under Lock and Key - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com

There is a black market out there for infant formula. The item can be stolen and sold to a mom in need for half the retail price. This does happen but it is not the most common use. Infant formula is often used in the drug world. Drug dealers use powdered baby formula to cut the strength of cocaine and heroin. According to a recent article in Chicago's Journal Standard, "the popular powdered baby formula is primarily used in the drug world to dilute heroin and methamphetamine or to stretch the product when supplies run low." Special Agent Joanna Zoltay states that, "The consistency and the way it looks is what makes it a good cutting agent," Zoltay said. Infant formula is non-toxic and relatively safe to cut with any number of drugs.

interesting but not real surprising. jeeze.

 

[oufinny]

as long as the wealth continues to flow upward the "system" is working in their eyes, it needs no fixing.

political posturing works well for the GOP it's an easy sell for them.

because if you actually think about the "problem" its education. just looking at peoples diets in the US (and forgetting about the low wages) a simple look around any US supermarket shows what we eat as a nation, crap and lots of it. getting people to change their diets is one of the hardest things in the world i've found. that's why when I worked in personal training years ago I would only work with athletes that just needed some fine tuning.

if they wanted they could limit what people buy with those EBT cards but they don't as that would effect the profits of US large firms. but with enforcement of regulations and laws come other expenses so it's always the old catch 22.

This is a very well made point.