State officials cancel access to welfare benefits on cruise ships and at all casinos

LA Times ^ | October 4, 2010 | Unknown

[Niuhuru]

California officials are cutting off use of state-issued welfare debit cards at casinos across the country and on cruise ships, in the wake of Times reports that the aid cards have been used to spend or withdraw millions of dollars in benefits at popular vacation spots including the Las Vegas strip and on ships sailing from ports around the world.

[Niuhuru]

Common sense in California, who knew!

[WayneS]

They can’t do that! That’s a violation of those people’s “rights”!

;-)

[Niuhuru]

At this point, I think the politicians are more worried about their careers and saving their skins from irate taxpayers! :)

[IrishCatholic]

It’s not common sense. It is a reaction to the furor caused when it was exposed. Common sense meant it would never have been allowed in the first place.

[Mark was here]

Just because someone is owed benefits by the State does not mean they can't go on a trip. This is discriminatory I say! /s

[Marty62]

Welfare receips taking cruises........wow what a State!

[murron]

That’s a good start, but they’re missing the bigger point. If you’re able to use welfare benefits on a cruise ship, then you obviously don’t need welfare in the first place!

[kezzek]

What!!!! They have a RIGHT to that free money.

[willk]

So are they going to go after the people who did this? Several years ago I saw a young healthy woman in line paying with food stamps in a grocery store and then put $5 into a lottery ticket machine.

[Niuhuru]

Only in America.

[murron]

That’s a good start, but they’re missing the bigger point. If you’re able to use welfare benefits on a cruise ship, then you obviously don’t need welfare in the first place!

[Niuhuru]

There’s no point on going after each and every one for the law. Cutting the benefits is the first, best step. Not goign after the people themselves, there are too many.

[Navy Patriot]

Oh, the huge manatee!

Think of all the California welfare voters that will be stranded and unable to get home to vote Rat,.......... repeatedly.

[Niuhuru]

I bet this will make them panic, actually losing their unearned perks.

[kezzek]

If you’re able to use welfare benefits on a cruise ship, then you obviously don’t need welfare in the first place!

Or could care less about what the law says about abusing those benefits. Too many people in this country have no sense or care about what is right or wrong - just about not getting caught.

[oh8eleven]

And it only took the ‘gubmint until 2010 to catch on. Damned fools.

[Sacajaweau]

Who woulld even think that you could use them on a cruise...which means it was a known for a long time.

These kind of folks will always find a way...they're scum...period.

[tcrlaf]

Have they canceled Political Donations by Welfare Debit Card, too?

[GnuHere]

Harsh of them!

But there IS the story today of the UK welfare mum who has never had a job and had 5 kids by 4 sperm donors to FINALLY get her bennies high enough to get a boob job. She also takes vacations abroad, b/c she deserves it!

[Niuhuru]

I think it’s the economy that is causing this. Instead of increasing the welfare perks, politicians are for the first time in ages facing an infuriated citizenry that is taking action and there is the high threat of the citizenry actually going into the politician’s neighborhoods and taking rope and torches with them. This is why the politicians are finally acting.