Massachusetts governor's welfare card restrictions would still allow purchases at nail salons and jewelry stores
BOSTON – Following the Massachusetts Legislature's move to restrict welfare purchases, Gov. Deval Patrick has countered with his own set of recommendations that would ban electronic benefit transfer card purchases at certain businesses, but not on certain items.
As an amendment to state budget legislation signed Sunday, Patrick cut the Legislature's list of businesses that cannot accept EBT card purchases. Among the changes, Patrick would still allow the cards to be used at nail salons and jewelry stores -- points of purchase lawmakers wanted to eliminate.Point of contention: In MA, EBT cards are not given for unemployment benefits. These cards are being given to people to purchase the very basics: shelter, clothing, etc. Why on earth nail salons would be allowed is beyond me - unless, of course, one is pandering for votes. It's simply beyond the pale, though, that the Governor would go over the (90% Democrat-controlled) MA legislature to pass this specific exemption. This exclusion is but the smallest token of trying to reduce fraud, and Cadillac Deval wants no part of it.
Now, Patrick isn't running for re-election, and a move like this solidifies that choice. He's not a stupid man, by any means; some of his moves have been particularly tone-deaf, but it strikes me that there has got to be a reason behind him thumbing his nose at his own party for this one. There is, quite frankly, no reason whatsoever for the EBT card - allegedly given to the neediest of families - to cover something as frivolous as a nail salon. It's puzzling why he would choose this particular hill to die on - if the legislature overrides his veto, they're essentially calling him done before he's out of office.
I'm also thinking that he's not planning on running for higher office, because Deval "Welfare for Nails" Patrick just gave any future opponent his own "Dukakis in a tank" moment...
That is all.
7 comments:
Devils advocate - If you are on EBT you are likely un- or under- employed. A haircut and tidying up is a must for a job interview.
Yesterday, I found out a delicious little tidbit of info I had not known, and that you seem to be more than willing to glom over; specifically, that Governor Cadillac was born and raised in... CHICAGO. Delightful. I am sorry, Jay, but I giggled.
How did I find out? Jesse Jackson, Sr. was on the noon news, babbling about the Rainbow-PUSH convention that was pending, and the news anchor brought up Patrick. Jesse said he was "Very proud" of Deval, and what he has been doing in Mass.....
Nail salons and Jewelry stores??? WTF???
The Democrat party has always been the party of slavery.
In the past it was cotton the slaves farmed, now its votes.
I have no independent verrification on this, but on the radio this morning they were talking about the various unexpected places you could use an EBT card, and they mentioned gun stores. That was very unexpected, and I would say I have mixed feelings about it.
From a principled stand, I want to support that being permitted, but at the same time, it makes me a little uncomfortable.
Thoughts?
Ah, found some details:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2904578/posts
So apparently he signed the part prohibiting use of EBT cards in "gun shops", but vetoed the part that specifically made guns a prohibited item.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/09/massachusetts-governor-welfare-card-restrictions-would-still-allow-purchases-at/
Fox refers to not "gun shops" but rather "Firearms Dealers", so I suppose any sort of Dicks Sporting Goods loophole would not apply here.
Since dealers are out, and I don't think private individuals can accept EBT transfers, it seems like a more or less moot point that guns are not explicitly banned.
When I was a very small child, my aunt was on welfare. At the time, she was taking care of six kids--her five and me. The checks were very, very small and sometimes she couldn't make all of her bills with them. It was not a luxurious life by any stretch of the imagination. (The first time I ate at a Cracker Barrel, I couldn't understand why they thought kerosene lamps were merely for decoration.)
While I am certain you get more for TANF now, I'm sure it's not very much (I have no idea how to peek at the numbers), and even with the requirement to work 20 hrs/week adding to your income, I really doubt you're going to ever get much traction if you're spending your welfare at JoJo's Nails.
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