Welfare Abuse

It seems that some folks are taking notice that there's welfare abuse happening in the Gret Stet:

Take Wednesday, Sept. 7 of last year -- what were you doing just after midnight? At 12:04 in the morning, records show one person in the state's welfare system took $40 cash out of an ATM inside Little Darlings on Bourbon Street -- that's a strip club.

20 minutes later, the same person needed more cash and withdrew 20 additional dollars -- public dollars -- at a Bourbon Street strip club. It’s not the only example of someone removing cash at an adult nightclub.

“It would be very difficult for someone to sit there and argue why they needed to be able to go to a strip club with a welfare card,” says state Rep. Cameron Henry, representing parts of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes.

I agree, there is no reasonable reason for a welfare debit card to be used on Bourbon Street. My question would be, why is that person still drawing welfare? Take it away. As easy as it is to put the money in the account, any abuse should immediately drain the account. Indeed, any perception of abuse should drain the account. I don't mind helping someone down on their luck, but if you're in a strip club, or a casino, or in a cathouse, you damn sure shouldn't be getting welfare and any abuse should end it immediately.