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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,496
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From: Calgary Canada
Originally posted by haulingboat
Now don't tell me I don't know what abuse is. I see it all the time. I provided one example already. Appearantly that did not mean anything to you so hear are a few more.
Mechanic that works in the shop parttime was telling another about how they buy steaks, with food stamps, to feed their dog because the stamps won't buy dog food. I consider that abuse of the system.
The Grocery store is where I see it the most because thats were they use their Lone Star card, the replacement for stamps. A few weeks ago I was standing in line behind a lady that had Diamonds in her ears, and numerous large gold rings on her hands. She was also wearing an expensive designer suit and carrying a fancy purse, my wife pointed out the purse and suit.
I said to my wife joking, "watch this chick is going to pay with a Lone Star Card." We both almost hit the floor when she did. We hurried out the door to see what she was driving. We saw her pulling out of the lot in a Lincoln LS. If she can afford a Lincoln and all the expensive clothing and jewlery then she can damn sure afford to buy her own food.
Now don't tell me I don't know what abuse is. I see it all the time. I provided one example already. Appearantly that did not mean anything to you so hear are a few more.
Mechanic that works in the shop parttime was telling another about how they buy steaks, with food stamps, to feed their dog because the stamps won't buy dog food. I consider that abuse of the system.
The Grocery store is where I see it the most because thats were they use their Lone Star card, the replacement for stamps. A few weeks ago I was standing in line behind a lady that had Diamonds in her ears, and numerous large gold rings on her hands. She was also wearing an expensive designer suit and carrying a fancy purse, my wife pointed out the purse and suit.
I said to my wife joking, "watch this chick is going to pay with a Lone Star Card." We both almost hit the floor when she did. We hurried out the door to see what she was driving. We saw her pulling out of the lot in a Lincoln LS. If she can afford a Lincoln and all the expensive clothing and jewlery then she can damn sure afford to buy her own food.
My only question is, do you honestly believe that these two or three cases you've presented represent the majority of welfare recipients? Or do you think these are extreme examples. Do you think most people on welfare have diamonds and lincolns?
I can't even wrap my head around how that woman got a "lone star card" in the first place. Maybe that's your problem.
Do you think that, like I suggested, prosecuting these people for fraud would be the way to go? I do.
Waxy
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 723
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From: Spring, Texas
It is not just two or three cases. These debate has spilled out of FTE and into the office where I work. Our Service manager used to work for HEB, they are the only grocery game in town with 7 or 8 store in our city. Anyway he told of a man that would send his kid into the store with a food stamp worth $5. The kid would buy 1orange and recieve cash as his change. He would do this again and again until he had enough cash to go buy beer or anything else that the stamps don't cover.
I'm not making this stuff up.
I don't know what portion of the folks on welfare are legit and which are just milking it but I do know the more people in my part of the world I talk to about the problem the more stories of abuse I hear.
I hope that this abuse is rampant only in my area, and yes I feel comfortable calling it rampant. If that is the case, then we don't need reform we need a task force to clean up my area.
I'd be interested to hear from other regions.
BTW, If the problem is isolated to one or two areas then fraud prosecution maybe the answer.
I'm not making this stuff up.
I don't know what portion of the folks on welfare are legit and which are just milking it but I do know the more people in my part of the world I talk to about the problem the more stories of abuse I hear.
I hope that this abuse is rampant only in my area, and yes I feel comfortable calling it rampant. If that is the case, then we don't need reform we need a task force to clean up my area.
I'd be interested to hear from other regions.
BTW, If the problem is isolated to one or two areas then fraud prosecution maybe the answer.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 448
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How many stories detailing non-abuse have you heard of?
Have you ever heard anybody tell a story about the kids who walked to the store and bought a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread with food stamps? No? Those stories are not exciting, so why should people share them. But just because you don't hear stories doesn't mean they don't exist.
You use the word rampant. What ratio or percentage would you consider rampant? 1 fraud for every 9 legitimate cases? 1 fraud for every 49 legitimate cases? Or are the 250 cases in southern Texas indicative of rampant welfare fraud? Where is that line?
Whistler
Have you ever heard anybody tell a story about the kids who walked to the store and bought a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread with food stamps? No? Those stories are not exciting, so why should people share them. But just because you don't hear stories doesn't mean they don't exist.
You use the word rampant. What ratio or percentage would you consider rampant? 1 fraud for every 9 legitimate cases? 1 fraud for every 49 legitimate cases? Or are the 250 cases in southern Texas indicative of rampant welfare fraud? Where is that line?
Whistler
Last edited by whistler; Dec 17, 2003 at 01:37 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
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From: Nevada
Originally posted by haulingboat
I hope that this abuse is rampant only in my area, and yes I feel comfortable calling it rampant. If that is the case, then we don't need reform we need a task force to clean up my area.
I'd be interested to hear from other regions.
I hope that this abuse is rampant only in my area, and yes I feel comfortable calling it rampant. If that is the case, then we don't need reform we need a task force to clean up my area.
I'd be interested to hear from other regions.
Just the ticket, another wonderful federal enforcement agency.
Take any circumstance you desire, be it welfare, Medicare, insurance, retail etc. and you'll always have a certain percentage of 'abusers', regardless of the geographical location. In business, those circumstances are allocated and considered as a cost of doing business. When you report that abuse is rampant in your area, it sounds like you already have those demographic statistics and have condemmed X, or XX or XY people, regardless of their intent or requirements.
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