They need to bring back the stamps, so that recipients can no longer hide the fact they’re on welfare.
We’ve gotten rid of every stigma of shame in this country.
And maybe we could deliver benefits but keep cash out of people’s hands. For example, isn’t Section 8 rent paid directly by the government to the landlord for people on public assistance? Use the same concept so that people can go grocery shopping, and draw down an account set up for them at a supermarket chain, but don’t give them actual money. Set up similar accounts at Wal-Mart so they can go shopping, but again, don’t give them access to the actual cash money.
There’s got to be a way to deliver aid to the poor without all the scams and problems and using the money for other than the basic necessities of life.
the “bridge card” in MI is very distinctive, so there’s still a little bit of the stigma attached to it’s use.
but wait! that can be fixed.. http://bridgecardsticker.com/ here’s a company that makes stickers specifically designed to cover up that distinctive image to make you look like less of a pariah. and you can even use the card to buy the sticker!
I don't know about elsewhere, but I do know that, at least in this part of Virginia, folks using the food stamp card really can't hide it because it shows up on the cash register display as FOOD STAMP PAYMENT.