CA drug felons may get food stamps

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- People who are convicted of drug-related felonies could soon be collecting California food stamps.

The state Assembly approved legislation Monday to lift the ban that prevents drug felons from receiving the federal benefits, known in California as CalFresh.

AB828 passed 46-30 with support only from Democrats, though some voted against the measure. It now heads to the Senate.



www.sacbee.com/2011/05/23/3648711/bill-allows-drug-felons-to-collect.html


Just what we need, more people on the dole when we're $25B in the red.

[Deleted]

Drug felonies disqualify you in AZ, also, for food stamps. The whole system is a mess. RE. drugs....real hard to get a job with a drug conviction. I've driven lots of people that got out of jail, tried to behave, get a job, and ended up dealing drugs again to survive. Same with low level sex offenders. Hard to figure out what to do with people that have done their time and no one wants to hire them.
I don't know what the answers are, just that we have not yet found them. Possibly a time frame-- you remain clean, on the good side of the law for X amount of time, then back to court for a review? But, even then-- review-- "You are unemployed? No, we will not excuse your crime so you can get a job."
Issues like this food stamp thing are coming up without addressing the main issue, which I see as some people that want to work are viewed as unemployable after some offenses. IMO that should be addressed. No matter what the written laws say, in reality some people are stuck in a one strike you're out thing in society, even if they never before or since did a bad thing.
What to do? I have no idea, but tagging people as drug dealers or sex offenders forever is not helping the economy much if harmless people end up on the gov't teat forever regardless of whether or not they are willing to work and harmless to society. Laws vary state to state, but background checks can go back forever now, even if time no longer shows an offense. I sure don't want more people on gov't aid, but don't want them dying in the streets or returning to crime, either.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

There's something wrong with a system that doesn't let drug felons get food stamps when rapists, murderers, child molestors, drunk drivers, and people convicted of fraud CAN. Yes, it has saved the government money ... but it seems like an additional punishment on drug felons that's not being placed on other felons.

The system is broken.

[Deleted]

Food stamps are Federal.

Yes, the system is broken. Too much "protection" in some ways. Some of the people, not all, but some, that we are being "protected from", are not dangers to society. People often see massive wounds when there is only a scraped knee. I think all people should be judged on their individual merits, and demerits, not as a black/white systemic pass/fail. We have just not figured out yet how to do it. It is only going to get worse as the police state mob mentality grows. I've driven young women that are stripping because a drug conviction keeps them from finding real work and they need money. Of course, stripping is NOT a good way to stay off drugs or work toward the future. Cab driving can be depressing at times......
And, yes, murderers and bank robbers can get food stamps. Very tricky system we have. Sorry, Dawg, I am tired and feeling thoughtful tonight.
Oh, NOZE!!!!!

[hello fromWarsaw]

;D

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

My biggest concern isn't who gets them, but how it's going to be paid for. I do know CA pays at least a portion of it for refusing to enact welfare reform.

[Deleted]

Well, I thought it was just Fed. CA sure can't afford one more anything. Not that Fed can, either. Explain-- Ca didn't do something, so they have to pay for part of food stamps now?

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

Yeah, they refused to go along with at least part of the Clinton era welfare reforms. It costs us billions to make up what the Feds won't cover.

[Deleted]

Wow, I did not know that. Wonder if AZ is the same? Or many states? I'll have to look that up.

[Deleted]

Wow, Dawg, look around this. What a scam. Food stamps are seen as a stimulus program.....the more the better.... this country has gone insane. Some people here will read all this and see nothing at all strange.. I had NO idea of how huge this food stamp thing is.. funded in the Farm bill...... yearly...... WTH?
Can't find anything about CA, in particular, but it says states split the administration cost with Feds.

OOPS!! Told you to look, then forgot the link. Here it is.
frac.org/federal-foodnutrition-programs/snapfood-stamps/

[pappyjohn99]

Those poor criminals. How horrible that they have to live with the choices they made. I think I will just go in and work another 10 hours of overtime this week and donated my labor to the "Hungry criminal fund". Oh wait, I won't have to donate since some bleeding heart liberal will take my money and give it to them for me. What a great society we've created for ourselves.

Swanson's bill would cost the state nothing, but draws down federal dollars to feed approved applicants.

Read more: www.sacbee.com/2011/05/23/3648711/bill-allows-drug-felons-to-collect.html#ixzz1NSuYxLLq

Thank goodness this decision won't cost the fine people of California any more money.

[Deleted]

But-- if, example, some guy/girl gets out of jail at age... 26... and is unemployable due to the offense, then what? Sure they should have NOT done the crime, but that does not answer the question of THEN WHAT?? That's a whole lot of years left to live. Who is going to keep that person alive if they can't get a job? Either they go back to crime, or become a burden forever to the people that are so quick to jail them, unless they are lucky enough to know somebody that will hire them.
Another thing to consider... if a person IS a danger to society, and also unemployable, then starts floating from friend to relative to the streets and all over the place, they become invisible just like illegals, with no way to track them by SS#, utility bills, nothing. Now THAT could be a risk to society. As it is the only criminals or former criminals that ARE traceable are the ones that have found some legit way to live and are no danger to anyone and do not need to be watched, so what good does it do that they are compliant, while the really bad ones are out there somewhere, and no one knows where. Just a thought.

[Deleted]

People who are convicted of drug-related felonies could soon be collecting California food stamps. The state Assembly approved legislation Monday to lift the ban that prevents drug felons from receiving the federal benefits, known in California as CalFresh.

In a way it might be a good thing. If you escape they could track you down at whichever casino you were at. Oh, CA, nope there is no positive. CA let's people go & doesn't put them in jail unless they have to. Duh.

[Deleted]

What bugs me about this happening in CA is that it will be lots of illegals, and will this have precedence over any other laws about illegals qualifying for food stamps?

[EVT1]

May 26, 2011 12:50:28 GMT -5 @krickitt said:

But-- if, example, some guy/girl gets out of jail at age... 26... and is unemployable due to the offense, then what? Sure they should have NOT done the crime, but that does not answer the question of THEN WHAT?? That's a whole lot of years left to live. Who is going to keep that person alive if they can't get a job? Either they go back to crime, or become a burden forever to the people that are so quick to jail them, unless they are lucky enough to know somebody that will hire them.
Another thing to consider... if a person IS a danger to society, and also unemployable, then starts floating from friend to relative to the streets and all over the place, they become invisible just like illegals, with no way to track them by SS#, utility bills, nothing. Now THAT could be a risk to society. As it is the only criminals or former criminals that ARE traceable are the ones that have found some legit way to live and are no danger to anyone and do not need to be watched, so what good does it do that they are compliant, while the really bad ones are out there somewhere, and no one knows where. Just a thought.

Damn Krickitt, you sound like a democrat. ;D

You know the republicans never ask 'then what'. They just pretend the problem isn't there- too bad for the criminal and nevermind the societal implications. If they want to work we need to put them to work- otherwise we will be paying for them. I am not against some of the programs that reward employers willing to hire ex cons- way cheaper than the alternative. Work release programs work well too.

[pappyjohn99]

Put these people to work doing the jobs that "Americans won't do". Then march the illegals out at bayonet point. If they walked in, they can walk out.

[Deleted]

I don't hide that I have some liberal ideas. BUT-- in this economy this is tricky. Lots of clean people that never did a thing wrong looking for jobs at the same time as the ex-cons.
I'm not soft on crime, but I do believe in forgiveness and rehabilitation of the spirit and soul, which is an INSIDE job, not a court ordered one. It conflicts... but does not, with my mainly conservative moral system.

[Deleted]

, pappy!!! I posted an article on my illegals thread last week about illegals making $100 a day picking onions. YES-- put them to work. $100 a day pays rent and utilities, buys food, and who can hurt anyone picking onions??? Problem SOLVED.

[pappyjohn99]

The best thing about draconian drug laws is all the money it creates for racketeers

You got that right tough. How would street gangs survive without drug money?

But think of all the special agents that would lose their Government jobs if we decriminalized. Wouldn't that be terrible?

[Deleted]

Especially the drug testing for pot, since it stay in your system for so long. A crackhead can test clean in 3 days, and be the most F'd up person you know (I knew one, went through GOOD jobs like crazy and always passed drug tests) but a person that smokes pot like others drink beer will flunk a drug test for MONTHS.

[EVT1]

Nothing wrong with a second chance. I do hate the fact that on job applications people have to list convictions for minor crimes- there should be a limit on how far back employers can go. Nothing worse than filling out a great job application and having a decades old weed conviction stand out- and you get passed over. Sorry-we can't hire you because you got high in college and got caught.

[Deleted]

Yep-- it would shrink gov't to stop the drug war. Don't want to shrink gov't, do we?

[pappyjohn99]

Ron Paul has it right. Decriminalize everything and treat it as a health care issue rather than a criminal one.

[Deleted]

Background tests are not fair, really. Many people screw up once. Why should they then be unemployable forever? I know to be FACT that even after a time has passed and a crime is officially not on someone's record-- a background check under current methods still catches it.

[EVT1]

May 26, 2011 18:02:38 GMT -5 pappyjohn99 said:

Ron Paul has it right. Decriminalize everything and treat it as a health care issue rather than a criminal one.

Yep- once you start selling cocaine at Walgreens again you can say goodbye to the drug dealers, smugglers,etc. and a whole lot of wasted money on law enforcement that doesn't work.

[EVT1]

A crime is always on your record unless you have it expunged- and it is still there in reality.

[EVT1]

Even worse are arrest records- they hang around no matter what the disposition.

[Deleted]

The idea is WAY too radical for many to consider, but it IS a fact that the war on drugs has failed.

[pappyjohn99]

Ask any kid. It is way easier to get a blunt than to get alcohol. Go figure.

[pappyjohn99]

Many have had their lives ruined by "blunts" too, especially poorer folks.

Hmmm. Not so many I think. Lots more lives impacted buy a weed conviction than harmed by smoking a little, IMHO.