Yesterday the Los Angeles Times reported that as of Monday afternoon, the use of state-issued welfare debit cards at casinos across the country and on cruise ships will be cut off. This decision was reached after the Los Angeles Times reported on the use of the cards to withdraw money in Las Vegas and on cruise ships around the world. Over $69 million of welfare money was accessed in every state of the United States other than California, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. The Times collected the data on this from the California Department of Social Services.
According to the article:
"Department of Social Services Director John Wagner said the move is part of the Schwarzenegger administration's commitment to "rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in these programs" and "to ensure these resources are going to the people they are intended for."
"In June, the state cut off access to benefits in California casinos and strip clubs after The Times reported that the Electronic Benefits Transfer cards worked in those businesses too."
And we wonder why California is going broke! I am not sure exactly what the solution to the problem of misuse of welfare money is, but I am reminded of how a friend of mine who is a Pastor dealt with street people asking him for money. He would take them to a nearby eatery and buy them lunch. He never gave money, he just made sure they had at least one good meal. In principle, that is what we need to do. I don't want to see anyone go hungry, but at some point we need to realize that there are people who live among us who do not handle money responsibly. To simply give these people money with no strings attached is folly. We are supporting alcohol, drug and gambling habits that are a drain on our society as a whole. We need to find a way to help these people rather than to subsidize their self-destructive behavior.
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