Really? This needs to be a law?

[hentob]

Why would you be able to do this in the first place?


Proposed law would ban unemployment debit card use at Pennsylvania casinos


http://republicanherald.com/news/pr...it-card-use-at-pennsylvania-casinos-1.1007372

 

[MushyMushy]

It's not that I don't think people should be wasting what little money they have in casinos when they're unemployed or on welfare, but I personally think that actually writing this law and enacting it is a big waste of taxpayer money and resources. They're debit cards. Folks who want to go gamble with that money are going to go to the Sheetz down the street and get money out if they feel like it. Or walk next door to the nearest hotel lobby. This law has no bite.

You can't legislate stupidity.

 

[MushyMushy]

I also wanted to comment on this:

Boscola said the issue recently came to her attention when people told her they see unemployed Pennsylvanians using the debit cards to withdraw cash at ATMs to spend in casinos.

Seriously? I wouldn't know by looking if the person using an ATM was unemployed or not. I have a hard time believing this senator got complaints like that.

 

[dejr_8]

Along this idea. Why do we need a secondary currency - food stamps - for people that need government assistance. Just give them the money because if they want to find a way to use food stamps for other things - they do.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Unemployment isn't welfare -- it's insurance. I pay in every month and if something happens where I need that money, I get it back. It's just like life insurance, health insurance, or other non-means tested forms of income.

Calling it "other people's money" and trying to limit how people spend it is offensive. If I go to the doctor, spend only $10 because I have an HMO and a co-pay, and then drop the $100 I saved on a new pair of shoes, should that be disallowed as well? If someone dies and I'm the beneficiary of their life insurance, should there be rules that I have to spend it in a "appropriate manner"?

It's insurance.

 

[powellrj]

I guess I have no idea what an unemployment debit card looks like and if you are close enough to see what kind of card someone is using at an ATM, you are too close.

Thats not to say I think people should be allowed to use debit ATM unemployment cards, but I just wonder how people would know????

I know my DS had a plasma donation debit card that looked just like the temporary card when he opened a new account so I wonder if unemployment cards are the same type of thing.

 

[happygirl]

I guess I'm in the minority I could care less if people use there uemployment money to go gambling. This is money they have paid in. It's there to use. Do I think it the best use of there money NO. Its there choice

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I guess I'm in the minority I could care less if people use there uemployment money to go gambling. This is money they have paid in. It's there to use. Do I think it the best use of there money NO. Its there choice

ITA. Unemployement is not welfare. It's people who actually worked & it's an insurance program. They can spend it how they want.

 

[kathie859]

ITA. Unemployement is not welfare. It's people who actually worked & it's an insurance program. They can spend it how they want.

If someone chooses to spend their unemployment money on filet mignon or bingo--who am I to tell them it's wrong? It's THEIR benefit.

I think this law is another case of government butting in where they have no business.

 

[sunnyday123]

I dont' see the big deal. If that's how they want to waste it, so be it. It does run out eventually -like 2 years now, I think-so eventually it'll stop. If they choose to gamble instead of eat, they're no different than anyone else who blows their paycheck gambling.

 

[hentob]

I dont' see the big deal. If that's how they want to waste it, so be it. It does run out eventually -like 2 years now, I think-so eventually it'll stop. If they choose to gamble instead of eat, they're no different than anyone else who blows their paycheck gambling.

Yes, and if the choose to gamble instead of eat, we as the taxpayers will just pay for their food via welfare.

I think it is a pretty big deal.

Do you REALLY pay in the FULL amount that you are receiving for 2 years on unemployment? Does 100% of it come from the unemployed person's pocket?

 

[msjprincess]

Yes, and if the choose to gamble instead of eat, we as the taxpayers will just pay for their food via welfare.

I think it is a pretty big deal.

Do you REALLY pay in the FULL amount that you are receiving for 2 years on unemployment? Does 100% of it come from the unemployed person's pocket?

I don't think you can qualify for welfare if you're collecting unemployment. How is it any different than someone with a job gambling their money away.

As far as how much comes from the unemployed person's pocket it depends. I was at my last job for 20 years. So I'm sure I paid way more into it than 2 years worth of unemployment.

 

[MushyMushy]

Yes, and if the choose to gamble instead of eat, we as the taxpayers will just pay for their food via welfare.

I think it is a pretty big deal.

Do you REALLY pay in the FULL amount that you are receiving for 2 years on unemployment? Does 100% of it come from the unemployed person's pocket?

Of all the things my tax dollars go towards that I get outraged about, food stamps has to be near the bottom of that list. I can't say what's at the top for fear of getting points for being political.

I just think this law is silly. It won't stop any gambling, it just makes them have to walk an extra couple of steps to do so. Or if they so desperately want to use their debit cards at the casinos, just go a hop skip and a jump across the border to a different state (NJ? NY? I know WV has some good casinos.).

 

[msjprincess]

and I agree that the law is useless

Like others have said, all someone has to do is take cash out before they go to the casino. It's not going to stop anyone from gambling so what's the point?

 

[Colleen27]

How ridiculous!

First of all, as others have said, if those who want to gamble can't use their UE debit card at the casino they'll just use it at the party store or gas station or bank on the way to the casino. The law is a waste of legislative time and, if passed, enforcement dollars.

Second, unemployment isn't welfare. You qualify based on employment record, not financial need. Some may be spending money they cannot afford to lose, but others may be collecting based on the loss of an income they didn't need to begin with.

 

[Colleen27]

Along this idea. Why do we need a secondary currency - food stamps - for people that need government assistance. Just give them the money because if they want to find a way to use food stamps for other things - they do.

Actually, fraud is minimal with the EBT-based food stamp program, but regardless...

It often gets overlooked that food stamps are a subsidy program not only for low-income families but also for the agricultural industry. That's why it needs to be a secondary currency - so that American farmers and food producers/processors/importers have a base level of demand that doesn't fluctuate with the economy. Even if the recipient family is committing fraud by trading food stamp benefits for cash or excluded products, someone, somewhere will eventually spend those food stamp dollars on food.

 

[msjprincess]

How ridiculous!

First of all, as others have said, if those who want to gamble can't use their UE debit card at the casino they'll just use it at the party store or gas station or bank on the way to the casino. The law is a waste of legislative time and, if passed, enforcement dollars.

Second, unemployment isn't welfare. You qualify based on employment record, not financial need. Some may be spending money they cannot afford to lose, but others may be collecting based on the loss of an income they didn't need to begin with.

Exactly. There are plenty of people that work because they want to work not because they need to work. Just because someone is collecting unemployment it doesn't mean that their family is broke and can't afford luxury items.

 

[S. C.]

If someone chooses to spend their unemployment money on filet mignon or bingo--who am I to tell them it's wrong? It's THEIR benefit.

I think this law is another case of government butting in where they have no business.

As far as how much comes from the unemployed person's pocket it depends. I was at my last job for 20 years. So I'm sure I paid way more into it than 2 years worth of unemployment.

I agree! I was at my last job for 30+ years.

Exactly. There are plenty of people that work because they want to work not because they need to work. Just because someone is collecting unemployment it doesn't mean that their family is broke and can't afford luxury items.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Do you REALLY pay in the FULL amount that you are receiving for 2 years on unemployment? Does 100% of it come from the unemployed person's pocket?

It's insurance, some people end up paying more than they get, and some less.

Like me, I've spent thousands of dollars every year of my adult life on health insurance, and never had more than maybe $500 in claims. I've spent quite a bit on car insurance and have never made a claim yet.

On the other hand, my son had one year where the insurance company probably spent $200,000 on him. My father died young, so my mother received more in life insurance from him than they had invested.

That doesn't mean that my mother and my son suddenly lose the right to spend their own money because they used their insurance? Does that mean I'm morally right because I haven't spent mine? Of course not, that's how insurance works.

 

[mrodgers]

Last I knew, unemployment maxed out at around $550/week. So, for 2 years, that is $57,200.

I pay in $1.41 per 2 week period. If I've worked for 30 years, that is a total of almost $1100.

I highly doubt you are paying in what benefits you would get fully after 30 years of employment.