Lavish tastes of card-carrying lowlifes

New York Daily News Online ^ | September 9, 2005 | Ben Widdicombe

[guitarnick40]

Profiteering ghouls have been using debit cards distributed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina - intended to buy essentials for evacuated families - in luxury-goods stores as far away as Atlanta.

"We've seen three of the cards," said a senior employee of the Louis Vuitton store at the Lenox Square Mall in affluent Buckhead, who asked not to be named. "Two I'm certain have purchased; one actually asked if she could use it in the store. This has been since Saturday."

The distinctive white cards were distributed by the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and carry a value of up to $2,000.

[R. Scott]

The sad part is that for many this would have been ideal. $2000 is enough to get a whole new wardrobe if you're shopping at a modest store, as well as get a start on furnishing an apartment.

I’ve had neighbors who would do the same thing. They have never had to plan ahead – Uncle Sam always did it for them. They have never saved a dime for the future. They had no concept of delayed gratification. A $2,000 gift would have been blown in one quick shopping trip.

[durasell]

Pssst, I can get you almost genuine Louie V down on Canal Street in NYC for $20.00

[GungaLaGunga]

And a Rolex chronograph for $35. But who are we to question the "wisdom" of those suffering masses?

[yer gonna put yer eye out]

This is a classic example of why leftist liberals Utopian dream of "redistribution of income" would never work.

The low brows will always be broke the day after payday....

[durasell]

It was a good idea that could have worked.

[gpapa]

Whoa! I didn't know Buckhead had a town named after him. How about that!

[R. Scott]

Yep.

[The Duke]

a $2,000 credit line out...

This was no credit line - it was a $2,000 gift.

[visualops]

FEMA has switched to direct deposit, saying it requires less manpower.
Storm victims will have to apply for expedited aid through FEMA's traditional route, by filling out information on its Web site or by calling a toll-free number.

[grjr21]

Excuse my ignorance, but where is "affluent Buckhead".
The only Buckhead I know is in Arizona .

[Fella Teme]

OK. So, if I steal your car and hand the keys over to...say...Jessie Jackson, it's a gift. Right?

[Fella Teme]

Actually, the 'affluent Buckhead' is simply a neighborhood north of Atlanta. Now, the REAL Buckhead is where I live.

[Nathan Zachary]

I wonder how many of NO's finest 'upstanding' citizens are using the names of dead people to get more than one of these cards.

[N. Theknow]

I heard that Barnes and Noble and Borders have been mobbed by people using these cards.

WOW! Those are the last places one would expect.

[lula]

Having been newly transfered to New England at the time, was behind a woman at the check out who was purchasing some of the biggest fresh lobsters I had laid eyes on. Remember thinking how I couldn't yet afford such luxury. To my amazement she paid with .......food stamps. Grrrrr!!!!

Same with these debit cards. It makes my blood boil, but you cannot expect everyone to do the right and moral thing. You cannot teach independence to your own children and keep coming to their rescue, they will only learn dependency. Many of these people are in their comfort zone, why should they work hard to achieve things, when if they wait long enough they'll get it for free.

I believe as a society we need to help the needy, but we failed them if we continue to pour funds into programs that do nothing but make the bureaucrats feel good about themselves.

There will always be a need to help people in disasters, whether at home or abroad. It's the right thing to do. Lets hope stories like these we hear are not the norm, there will always be those to play the system.

[garyhope]

Uh, I think it was sarcasm. As perhaps your comment is too?

[garyhope]

ROFL.

[N. Theknow]

Sarcasm?

Well, bookstores give extra discounts for "frequent readers" and I never figured for the card users to be such astute shoppers.

Guess I was greatly in error. Wonder how many clip coupons from the Sunday papers?

[Norman Conquest]

I heard that Barnes and Noble and Borders have been mobbed by people using these cards.

WOW! Those are the last places one would expect.

I think SOMEbody is missing the sarcasm here...

[Gosh I love this neighborhood]

No Card For You!! in my best "Card Nazi voice" :)