Naive Schwarzenegger appears shocked and amazed at welfare abuses

Naive Schwarzenegger appears shocked and amazed at welfare abuses

blogs .ajc.com

The first question one might ask of the governor is, “when you give welfare recipients a debit card that empowers them to make cash withdraws from ATMs, and some of them decide to withdraw cash at casinos, what the heck did you expect?” Are these government officials so naive themselves that they actually believed that in issuing virtually unrestricted debit cards to people on welfare, they would use the cards only for purchasing bread, milk and eggs?

Schwarzenegger’s spokesman Aaron McLear is quoted in the Los Angeles Times as concluding that the behavior exhibited by these Califor

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Maybe Arnold will fire himself?

just kidding but im not surprised if people buy alcohol cigarettes or cash out there money to go buy something else or gamble.

And he is surprised about this? I wonder what they will do now? probably stop giving them debit cards..









blogs .ajc.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 1-7-2010 by pavelivanov22]

The EBT cards were intended to replace paper "food stamps" that people would sell at face value to others and then use the cash to buy non-food items. The electronic payment processing systems were supposed to filter out non-food purchase and prevent those from being charged against the card. Sounds to me like something went wrong on the back-end of things resulting in this abuse.

If you ask me, the gov't should go after those who abused the systems and sanction the equipment manufacturers (and related companies) by either pressing criminal charges against the fraudsters and those who facilitated it, witholding the amount people obtained from future welfare disbursements and witholding any payments due to those operating the machinery.

reply to post by abecedarian


EBT cards didn't stop the abuse. Now people will go to the grocery store with someone else, or even give the other person the card along with the 4 digit PIN number, buy groceries with the card, and then get cash money in return for the groceries. At least with the actual food stamps, sometimes a cashier would ask for the identification document assigned to the food stamps recipient, from the purchaser using the food stamps.

Did that make sense? It did to me until I typed it out. lol

Meanwhile, can one place the sole blame for this upon the Governator?
The system was in place before he took office. Yeah, no excuse. I guess.
Every elected executive office holder knows EVERYTHING that is going on.



Just like all police officers and all judges know all the statutes.

Well, what is there to say? Arnold had this brought to his attention and now he is seeking a remedy to the abuse. Isn't that cool?

Whoa you mean soon my strippers wont accept food stamps?
Friggin politicians alway saltin mah game.

Arnold's office has just reponded.

This video message is for anyone who would dare to break the contract between welfare recipient and state. Where it clearly show's what allocated money should be used for.

i think this might be what the guy up there was trying to say:

over here where i live kids look for receipts on the ground or in the trash in front of grocery stores, then they go into the store and purchase whatever items are on the receipt (has to be cash receipt) with the EBT card and then just "return" or sell the item back to the store, and receive the cash equivalent to what was on the receipt.

156 dollars a month in california, they just hangout in front of stores and maxout the entire thing.

its the easiest thing in the world to get here too you just fill out a few forms and go to 2 "interviews" and then you basicly have one for life. they give you a certain amount every month that you can pull out as cash or spend on clothes and stuff too like a debit card.most people spend that on drugs and alcohol.

you have to tear up your receipts people... its sad

The US system is very confusing to us Canadians. Aren't there any regulations? Is a debit card down there the same thing as a credit card? Up here, everyone with a bank account receives a debit card, but if you have less than $25 in the bank, you cannot make a withdrawal, because money comes out in $20 bills only. If you are making a purchase, there still has to be a minimum of $10 in the bank After the transaction, or the transaction won't go thru the machine.

If someone is on welfare, they get the cheque, or direct deposit, and when the money runs out, too bad, they have to wait til the next month for more. Doesn't matter what they wasted it on.

Sure we have abuses of the system too, but no one gets more than their monthly cheque, and they learn not to starve. Sure some turn to learning particular crimes to make/earn money, but at least it isn't extra from the welfare system.

It seems the US system leaves itself open to so many abuses, with no rules or regulations. It is much more "socialist" than Canada if they are able to get any extra money/food stamps when the monthly money has run out.

well in California you can only spend it on food. its not a debit card, its like a debit card, in that it stores the money on the card.

however, being that it isnt a bank card, nor is it real money, you can only use it at places that accept "EBT" cards. and you can only spend the money on certain food items. it wont even let you purchase alcohol with the actual card. which is why people do the receipt thing, or various other work-arounds, to turn the "ebt money" into real money.

the stores just get reimbursed by the state. so essentially they are just getting free cash from the state, that mostly gets spent on booze and drugs.

i could be wrong on this part but the EBT card does allow like 10 dollars of the monthly 156 to be pulled out as cash, but thats it.

theres no credit involved, and once you've spent your monthly amount, its gone untill the next check.

[edit on 1-7-2010 by LurkerMan]

The way the money stuff is handled in these two countries is so different. I kind of like the way they do it up here, one cheque, once a month, done. Set rate. No matter what your rent is, same amount for everyone, rates for 1 person, 2 persons.....etc and more per child. Seems easier and cheaper on the system. I think it teaches honest people better budgeting, and how to find cheap housing.

How can Arnie be so naive as to think the system wouldn't be abused whenever possible? I think a lot of economics are going to have to be redone soon. I watch American news more often, because more happens down there, and it sort of affects us up here.

Obama is sure not an economist either :shk: I really feel for you guys. The next couple of years could be a bumpy ride....

let's see:

You guys are freaking out over a dirt-poor family converting some welfare money to cash to buy some unauthorized stuff.

Did it ever occur to you that perhaps the cash was being used to pay bills like rent, electric, water, etc? Or buying necessities that aren't covered?

Meanwhile, banksters accepting billions in welfare are buying parties, vacations, luxury items, hookers, etc and you want to focus on a few people misusing (perhaps) a few tens of dollars?

Please, get a life, get perspective, and get off your high horse.

Focus attention on where the truly big fraud is.

But I suspect you either lack the moral fiber to do that, or you are trying to divert attention from your own misuse of government handouts to your class of people.

"Welfare fraud" on an individual basis is completely penny-ante.

On the corporate level it runs into billions.

[edit on 1-7-2010 by apacheman]