Humiliation?

A few years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper stating my opposition to those on any sort of government assistance (welfare) from being able to profit from playing the lottery (gambling).  My premise was that the money spent (wasted) on playing the lottery actually was the taxpayer's money and any winnings should be forfeited to the State or Federal government from which the money to buy the tickets originated.  This policy would also have the additional benefit or discouraging those who were unable to provide for themselves the destructive and often addictive habit of wasting money playing the lottery.  It would be a simple matter to cross-check lottery winners with welfare receiptients.  Well, I got thoroughly raked over the coals for my efforts and had to endure several weeks of letters of rebuttal stating how insensitive I was and how I hated the poor for not letting them dream of sudden riches.

Now we have in Congress a debate on whether or not welfare recipients will be able to spend "their" money at strip clubs.   On Wednesday, the House voted 395-27 to pass a bill requiring states to block welfare debit cards from being used at casinos, strip clubs, and liquor stores.  Any sane person would see the problem with allowing welfare recipients to withdraw taxpayer money from strip club and casino ATMs. Alas, at least 27 members of Congress do not – despite the fact that California welfare recipients withdrew $1.8 billion from casino ATMs in 2010 (according to the Los Angeles Times).

The opponents' defense… "In many neighborhoods, the closest ATM is located in a nearby liquor store," Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore said when the bill was debated last December. Moore said the bill would "humiliate and marginalize" poor people.   I wonder if these welfare debit cards are used to buy booze, cigarettes, and other non-essential things?   The best intentions often have unintended resuts.