Life, Liberty, and No Swimming Allowed!
Also in the news—welfare recipients in Kansas are barred from movies, camps, and
amusement parks—BUT they can buy a gun.
Kansas bans welfare recipients from seeing movies, going swimming on government’s dime
Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed House Bill 2258 into law April 9. The measure means Kansas families receiving government assistance will no longer be able to use those funds to visit swimming pools, see movies, go gambling or get tattoos on the state’s dime. The measure also limits TANF recipients from withdrawing more than $25 per day from ATMs. HELLO! What if you need to repair your car? If like most people your TANF goes into the same bank account as your direct deposit—then how can the government really have a say in how you spend your money.And, when was the last time you saw someone on food stamps buy lobster? Ever?
It sounds like wishful thinking.
But my point is, as a writer and someone who honors the written word, how do they do it: calling the bill the HOPE Act? Advocates for the bill defend it by saying it helps families to spend more responsibly—really? Not when you take away their choice, not when they are restricted. The HOPE Act “provides an opportunity for success,” Brownback said in a statement after signing the bill. “It’s about the dignity of work and helping families move from reliance on a government pittance to becoming self-sufficient by developing the skills to find a well-paying job and build a career.” Others say: “This is about prosperity. This is about having a great life.” REALLY? Who comes up with this stuff?! This spinshit!
Jon Stewart contrasted the bill with another Kansas bill Brownback signed that relaxes some restrictions on gun owners. “You’re poor, but you’re still an American,” Stewart said. Under the new welfare law, TANF recipients can still spend their benefit money on guns, the Wichita Eagle reported.
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