"Kansas has found the ultimate way to punish the poor"

[Ben Kenobi]

The extra bank fees are waste. Welfare for low income single mothers isn't considered waste. People on welfare are not part of the government and this doesn't affect the salaries of government employees

You consider the government employees (who are by no means poor), not to be a waste of taxpayer dollars. Yet you consider that same money going to the bank to be a waste of taxpayer money.

I say that both are a waste of taxpayer money and that this is an ingenious way to reduce welfare fraud. It's been shown that if it were paid out in a lump sum every day rather than a cash payment every month, that more people are willing to get off welfare because it's "too much like work".

If the government actually reduces the welfare rolls in this fashion, I'm very supportive. If you're not willing to get up every day to go into the office to collect your welfare payment of 20 dollars, than you don't need the money enough to be on welfare.

[Ben Kenobi]

A lot of people use this money to pay for rent, which apparently tends to be cash-only in many places.

At various points in my life, I've had to work for my place to stay and saved up so that I could pay rent and move. Couple times I've been in that spot. And I certainly didn't have an ATM that I could hit up for 20 bucks everyday.

[Ben Kenobi]

Aren't these cards debit? It they can be used at point of sale that is probably 99% of their legitimate use so this is not the inconvenience the OP makes it out to be.

What would happen is this. Folks like me would buy those cards for 25 cents on the dollar. We'd then collect off the cards, while the actual recipients would spend their newly found cash every month, on cigarettes and booze. Say for a 600 dollar benefit, we'd offer cash on spot, probably about 100 dollars for the 20/dollars a day crowd. One of those and our rent's all paid off, every month thereafter. 100 dollars up front, would probably be enough. I'd get enough takers on that. The trick was to work up enough savings so I have enough left over after rent to cover all my expenses and the card.

You can get a surprising amount done with a couple hundred bucks in the right places, so long as it's all in cash and all together all at once.

They are going to get the cash out for drugs or whatever if it's somehow allowed and that's what they want regardless of how hard you make it (addicts rob/suck dick/sometimes kill for it I doubt hitting multiple ATMs will seem a high hurdle), so if you are going to make cash withdrawal available just let them have it.

So the best response to someone stealing from you is to keep your door open and your valuables labeled? No. Quite simply, the solution is to make it so that welfare is inconvenient and annoying and irritating so that folks who hate getting up every morning to pick up their 20 dollars get off of welfare and get out working. Yes, some people are on the rolls iegitimately. I can see this being done temporarily.

The real solution is to put people's pictures on their bennies card. Then folks like me can't raise capital quite so easily.

[Ben Kenobi]

MRT: You're a ****ty Christian
BK: Are you a Christian?
MRT: No
BK: Huzzah, then you're not allowed to criticize me!!!

No, it's more like this Loinburger.

"Loinburger on quantum physics, blah blah blah."
"MRT, how do you know how quantum physics works this way. Maybe it's like 'monumentally stupid yet popular and badly wrong pseudoscience"
"Loinburger - did you get a degree in physics?"
"MRT, no but I stayed at a holiday inn express last night?"

I find it intriguing that your first example is President Obama. Obama, last I checked had his salary paid by we the people. So every single American, great or small is entitled to criticize him.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm sure that if the government increased taxes accross the board by 20%

Then for those who aren't paying taxes like us working stiffs, welcome to the real world. It's only 20 percent because they aren't already paying those taxes.

Not to mention that comparing what government provides to what banks provide, if I paid 20% to each, I know exactly who is giving me the crappier deal.

Curious. So you're saying that since the government provides you more that makes it ok for them to rob you.

Also, right back at you: you constantly complain about how the government 'forces' you to 'pay for all sorts of things', but when suddenly lawmakers have it so that part of that money 'you' 'pay' gets diverted from poor people to banks, you think it's totally fine, and that they should complain?

I've stated previously it should be done away with and let people rely on private charity which is far more effective. No 20 percent take there, but they might make you go sober which is no fun.

[Ben Kenobi]

You don't even read scripture and you adamantly refuse to because it contradicts what you believe.

I don't care to discuss scripture with people who don't regard scripture as authoritative. It's a waste of time. If you're interested, absolutely, otherwise I'd rather spend my time doing more productive things.

Balls in your court, MRT. I'm happy to make secular arguments, but I'm not interested in discussing the bible with you, specifically.

I just don't have time for racists like yourself, MRT.

[Ben Kenobi]

Here's how you can get it:
1. Become a parent
2. Be poor enough to qualify for TANF*
3. Receive money

*I don't think illegal immigrants qualify

Obama's mucked it up so badly that I'd be on the bennies train if I had a kiddo in TX, and I was illegal, but not if I were legal with a kid or legal without.

[C0ckney]

I'm a firm believer in the efficacy of private charity rather than forcing people to give up their money so that the government can collect. I'm willing to bet they take a much larger chunk than 20 percent of all tax collection. The commies here are upset that the recipient is the evillll banks, not their union buddies.

And yes, I've never been rich. I laugh at rich folks like ming and rah accusing me of hating the poor. They probably call black people uncle Toms too. To their faces.

oh yes, i'm sure you strongly believe in private charity, especially if it's religious in nature - the church gave you a job after all.

and of course you're not rich. they at least usually have enough decency to hide their contempt for poor, whereas people like you can't help but spew out your, no doubt heartfelt, desire to see them suffer.

[giblets]

You consider the government employees (who are by no means poor), not to be a waste of taxpayer dollars. Yet you consider that same money going to the bank to be a waste of taxpayer money.

I say that both are a waste of taxpayer money and that this is an ingenious way to reduce welfare fraud. It's been shown that if it were paid out in a lump sum every day rather than a cash payment every month, that more people are willing to get off welfare because it's "too much like work".

If the government actually reduces the welfare rolls in this fashion, I'm very supportive. If you're not willing to get up every day to go into the office to collect your welfare payment of 20 dollars, than you don't need the money enough to be on welfare.

If someone was actually committing welfare fraud, making trips to an ATM would still be easier than working. What a stupid idea.

[giblets]

Obama's mucked it up so badly that I'd be on the bennies train if I had a kiddo in TX, and I was illegal, but not if I were legal with a kid or legal without.

Yeah, right

[Kidlicious]

Obama's mucked it up so badly that I'd be on the bennies train if I had a kiddo in TX, and I was illegal, but not if I were legal with a kid or legal without.

Illegals can't get TANF. Stop making stuff up. You're only harming your cause.

[Aeson]

As a net contributor myself, I see how the measure is intended to limit fraud.

What would happen is this. Folks like me would buy those cards for 25 cents on the dollar. We'd then collect off the cards, while the actual recipients would spend their newly found cash every month, on cigarettes and booze. Say for a 600 dollar benefit, we'd offer cash on spot, probably about 100 dollars for the 20/dollars a day crowd. One of those and our rent's all paid off, every month thereafter. 100 dollars up front, would probably be enough. I'd get enough takers on that. The trick was to work up enough savings so I have enough left over after rent to cover all my expenses and the card.

So you're supporting this as a way you can get into defrauding the government of money intended for poor single parents, all while claiming it's to limit fraud. You aren't just a bad Christian ... you're a scammer, thief, and liar.

[N35t0r]

At various points in my life, I've had to work for my place to stay and saved up so that I could pay rent and move. Couple times I've been in that spot. And I certainly didn't have an ATM that I could hit up for 20 bucks everyday.

Do you have a point? Why should we care about your poor excuse for a life, even if at this point we could take anything you say at face value? Why do you keep insisting on the 20 bucks per day? it only makes you seem stupid.

[Sava]

Can we launch him into the sun yet?

[Ben Kenobi]

Illegals can't get TANF. Stop making stuff up. You're only harming your cause.

If they have a kid they do. Things have changed, Kid. That's what was in that latest immigration bill. You have a kiddo, you get funded illegal or no. TANF, Food stamps, you name it you got it.

If you've signed all your lines and dotted your t's in coming over you get nothing whatsoever.