Wisconsin Rep. Will Card Poors For Food At Their Separate And Unequal Welfare Groceries

The Midwestern states sure do seem to be having a contest right now, over who can fuck the poors the baddest and the longest! Missouri gave it a shot, what with that dickhead rep who just wanted to make sure people receiving public assistance couldn't waste it on seafood. But then Kansas totally took the lead, by passing a bill to ban poors from doing all kinds of things with their precious government-funded riches, like take Caribbean cruises. Gov. Sam Brownback signed the bill because DUH, everybody knows that poor people are always like "Oh I am busy that week, I'm going on a cruise." But Wisconsin Rep. Jesse Kremer (R-You Knew That) has come up with some shit so demeaning to those struggling with poverty that we are kind of actually dumbfounded, which doesn't happen often!

See, Kremer decided it was time for him to take the Republican version of the SNAP challenge, which is where they look at the tiny sum poor people get for food per week, and try to find a way to hate-jizz all over them some more. Kremer has two things to offer -- a bill and a BIG IDEA.

Yeah, I'm going to need to see your ID ...

Kremer is at the moment looking for a cosponsor for this bill he'd like to pass, which would force people receiving food benefits to show a photo ID, just to verify that they're qualified to eat food under the law in Wisconsin. Why? Oh of course, it's because of all the fraud! Apparently the poors in Wisconsin are just cold passing their EBT cards around, taking YOUR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS and, uh, we don't know, eating. BUT IN UNAPPROVED WAYS. This is a problem that must be dealt with forthwith!

The bill, currently being circulated for co-sponsorship, would require the state Department of Health Services to submit an implementation plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for approval to issue electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards with photo identification to participants in FoodShare, the state's successor to the food stamps program. Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, is the Senate's lead sponsor.

It would also require DHS to submit a waiver request to the USDA, to allow DHS to require FoodShare recipients to show their photo EBT card when making purchases.

The Cap Times points out that this is kinda sorta ridiculous, since, by federal law, anybody in the family receiving benefits is qualified to use the family's EBT card. We guess if the kids are hungry, they'll just have to wait until the appropriate parent gets off from their third job and can take them to pick up some food. Or maybe they could do family portraits on the cards! Kremer does acknowledge that this might possibly cause a tiny problem, the way his bill is written.

Regardless, we don't want those EBT cards to fall into the wrong, hungry hands! Apparently this happens ALL THE TIME, if we are to believe Rep. Kremer! Did you know that there is a huge black market for EBT cards? Appalling, all the food-eating that may be going on, right under our noses!

Kremer says Democrats should totally vote for this, since known commie libtard states Massachusetts and Maine have similar systems, but surprise, the USDA says this legislative move actually cuts benefits for those who need them the most:

A December letter from the USDA outlined "significant concerns with regards to client access to program benefits." A key problem is that food stamp benefits typically go to entire households, meaning any family member is supposed to be able to use the household debit card, not just the person whose photo is on the card. The USDA has similar concerns about Maine's new photo requirement and has threatened to cut administrative funding to the state.

At the federal level, wingnuts in Congress are trying to pull similar moves, but instead of putting the photo onto the EBT card itself, they want poor people to have to show a SEPARATE form of ID. We are trying to remember if there are any problems that arise when poor people have to show ID for things, wait, wait, don't tell us ... oh yes, voting! Because the poor don't always have a driver's license, or a passport (except for the Kansas ones, they have to for their Aruba trips), voting is often much harder. And now Republicans are coming up with fancy ways to use that fact to make EATING hard. Seriously, fuck these guys.

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But wait there's more!

As we mentioned, Rep. Kremer has another big floating shit log of an idea, which is not in this bill, but maybe one day if we can get everybody to hate poor people EXTRA good, it could happen! You know that thing where you're at the grocery store and there is a person at the checkout who has an EBT card and it ruins your day? No, you don't know that thing? We don't either, but that's because we're not real Americans like Rep. Kremer, who submitted a "term paper" in late 2014 to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, outlining all the things he believes and wants to get done. Kremer is SO MAD that poor people are spending all their welfare riches at the casino, and also "to purchase steaks for their dogs because dog food is not covered." So he wants to make sure dog food is included, right? Haha, no, fuck those dogs, his idea is better. Make it so the poors can't just waltz into any old grocery store and buy food to put on their families! They should have to go specially designated food pantries, so the government may help them decide what they are and are not allowed to eat! From his term paper:

I would love to see government oversite of privately run food pantries that would be the only authorized places to use the Quest cards. I feel that the state should be allowed to reap the benefits of the fraud savings from the feds. ln an attempt not to irritate the grocers, they could even be the ones allowed to set up these pantries on their own property. No junk food, no liquor, no cigarettes, etc. Yes, it may be humbling to go into the pantry to purchase "needed items", but as I mentioned earlier, most people understand that this is meant to be a crutch and not a lifestyle.

He doesn't want to "irritate the grocers," so maybe there could just be a separate section at the Kroger, for the poors, maybe with a different door, in the back, so the Good Americans can't see them! It is sweet of him to be concerned about his idea being "humbling" to them, but they should be humbled! After all, it's their fault for ending up in poverty, right? They forgot to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, probably! And what of those who end up, due to tragic circumstances or the worker-fucking policies of the state of Wisconsin, being "humbled" for long periods of time? Meh, they're probably lazy welfare queens.

It's still early, but we think it's safe to say that Rep. Jesse Kremer will at the very least be nominated for Wonkette's coveted Legislative Shitmuffin Of The Year prize for 2015.

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[ The Cap Times   via   Crooks and Liars ]