New Hampshire Representative Timothy Horrigan (D-Durham) is outraged over what he describes as “a blatant violation of the Second Amendment.” The violation? People on public assistance cannot use EBT cards to buy guns. He is objecting to legislation barring the use of EBT cards for this purpose and denying people on welfare to hunt and defend themselves with guns.
Any person who receives public assistance is prohibited from using an EBT card or cash obtained with an EBT card to gamble or to purchase tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, lottery tickets, firearms, or adult entertainment.
Horrigan presumably wants the reference to “firearms” deleted.
Horrigan does not appear to be a gun advocate but rather believes that welfare recipients should be able to use the money without such limitations. He simply used the second amendment argument to make this point. He opposed the two Bush campaigns and has a low rating by the NRA. His website also notes that he is looking for a job.
Putting aside the firearms issue, do you believe that public assistance recipients should be able to use their cards like cash for any purchase?
ORIGINAL MESSAGE!
Let Them Eat Ammo: New Hampshire Rep Calls For Allowing Citizens To Buy Guns With Food Stamps
1, May 8, 2014 by jonathanturley
New Hampshire Representative Timothy Horrigan (D-Durham) is outraged over what he describes as “a blatant violation of the Second Amendment.” The violation? People on public assistance cannot use EBT cards to buy guns. He is objecting to legislation barring the use of EBT cards for this purpose and denying people on welfare to hunt and defend themselves with guns.
SB 203 states:
Any person who receives public assistance is prohibited from using an EBT card or cash obtained with an EBT card to gamble or to purchase tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, lottery tickets, firearms, or adult entertainment.
—————————————————————
Mr. Stanley: wrote
” Mabel,
I don’t know where you get your information, but you cannot buy guns with food stamps. There are no real “food stamps” any more. The “stamps” are actually debit cards, and can only be used for food. No cash advances. Because everything is electronic, all purchases can be tracked digitally. The system disallows purchase of non-food items such as tobacco ”
——————————————————
My Answer
Mr. Stanley, in case you forgot the original message, I copied part of it for you above and unless my eyes have failed me, it states that Representative Horrigan is outraged and wants the law changed to read that FOOD STAMPS(EBT cards) be used to buy guns and Ammo. That was his point. The message also stated what the card is and will buy.
THE QUESTION FOR US: “…. do you believe that public assistance recipients should be able to use their cards like cash for any purchase?”
Mr Stanley, my question to you is:
Why tell me what Food Stamps are or were, I have lived long enough to know what they are for and who got them. I also remember my granny getting commodities when she lived on the farm. Although I have no need for such, believe it or not, I actually know what they were and what they could buy.
My comment pointed out that “Food Stamps” now known as EBT cards should not be used for anything other than the purchase of food. Albeit I have witnessed such cards being used to purchase more than food while standing in line at a store here in a town where I shop. This is illegal and refutes the very reason for people to have the cards. It is fraud which is happening today contrary to what people may think. Such purchases may be traceable but by the time this inefficient government finds the fraud, are they really going to go after a few million dollars here and there. They haven’t attempted to do so in my lifetime. Since when has this govt. been efficient in any endeavor when it comes to the use of the public’s money.
MY MAJOR POINT being that I believed that the Representative’s outrage is a little late in coming as the cards have been around for awhile and his outrage seems a little questionable and quite possibly may be a call to all the drones of this administration to rally around to get the law changed so that guns and other items could be purchased with the cards. If enough of the loyal followers of Mr. Obama make sufficient noise and protests, it would give him reason to once again bypass congress and use his trusty “Pen” to make a small change to accommodate his followers. The result, an armed body of people loyal to him who votes and would do his bidding. He has changed signed laws in the past, he is not going to stop now.
Does that answer your question?
Mabel,
I don’t know where you get your information, but you cannot buy guns with food stamps. There are no real “food stamps” any more. The “stamps” are actually debit cards, and can only be used for food. No cash advances. Because everything is electronic, all purchases can be tracked digitally. The system disallows purchase of non-food items such as tobacco.
Has anyone stopped to ask why in heaven’s name would people be able to buy guns with Food stamps? Food stamps are for folks who cannot afford to eat after paying all the necessities that keep going up every month. Folks on SS and those who cannot find work, have to have sustenance. Therefore, if they need money for guns and Ammo, then mow the elderly neighbor’s yard, go to grocery for them, or other small jobs since they have free time. I say work and earn it. However, this might just be a link to make people start thinking about whether or not the Govt. should actually allow it. A little seed for the drones to think about and demonstrated and demand so the Pres. would have to sign into law.
If anyone here reads most of the Bills this administration has passed, I do remember ( but can’t remember which Bill it was) it was a very long Bill that passed right after Obama was elected ( and signed by him. It contained a line that stated that the President needed his own army. Now, none of our friends could understand why we needed another army with all the divisions we have in the US. But, What better way to get his own army and loyal voters. Mission accomplished. Now it makes sense that our govt. has stockpiled guns and ammo.
Just thinking that this could be the seed that will eventually get him his army and secure more voters. It is possible that the N.H. Rep has a diff motive in mind. There seems to be no limits to the lengths that this administration will go to get votes. Guns for Food ……….far fetched but highly possible.
Paul, Some have audio alternatives I think? And, some are really difficult visually and some not so. I surmise one can designate the degree of difficulty. I also surmise this spam assault is not a coincidence.
Of course there will come a time not to far in the future when the spambots will be able to solve capture puzzles.
Professor, get that CAPTCHA box. No task is more demoralizing than deleting SPAM/
I agree that we are in need of the captcha, CM. I have extremely high level people working on it (aka my oldest son).
jonathan – I really wish you wouldn’t add the captcha, it seriously affects those of us with already bad eyesight.
Nancy,
“One way around all of this food stamp fraud is a return to the ‘commodity store’”.
Yeah, I miss those commodity company stores. Ya know, where everyone knew everyone, and you could throw a bomb in the window of a house that refused to pay your prices.
“. . . the pre ‘War on Poerty’ days.”
I hear ya, those were good times.
“People could get the staples they needed – flour, sugar, eggs, chicken, etc.”
Don’t forget the Crisco!!
“They might pick up trash, dig ditches, do filing [sic], watch children in daycare, etc.”
Sounds strangely familiar, though I can’t quite put my finger on why.
Nickodomus,
“As Maynard G. Krebs would say, “Work!!!”
How high?
As Maynard G. Krebs would say, “Work!!!”
Nick – for Maynard it was “Work???!!!!”
One way around all of this food stamp fraud is a return to the ‘commodity store’.of the pre ‘War on Poerty’ days. People could get the staples they needed – flour, sugar, eggs, chicken, etc. Assistance to those in need was done at the county level. If someone lost their job and was unable to find work, they could sign on for financial assistance from the county. In return, they gave the county ‘x’ number of hours. They might pick up trash, dig ditches, do filing, watch children in daycare, etc. They weren’t given anything. They worked for the money they received.
So, here it is again (paraphrasing from prior deleted comment):
Nickonos,
You obviously don’t know how Captcha works. It’s meant to reduce automated responses. This might include or exclude you.