People don't seem to like the $2k debit card idea

[yankeedem]

Everywhere I go, I hear about the $2,000 debit cards that may/will/could be distributed to the victims, and they voice their "concerns" to me.

-Who is making sure they REALLY are victims?

-Who is making sure they spend it correctly (not on liquor and cigarettes)

Are you hearing this too?

This is about the most racist/classist thing I've heard, and unfortunately I've heard it from a lot of people that should know better.

I don't give a damn how they spend the money. Isn't it the Republican mantra that people should be able to spend money however they want? Apparently that doesn't extend to poor black people. Not to mention, out of any population, some people will be stupid with it, but most will spend it to get themselves back on track.

And why is there such handwringing over a measly $2,000, and none over the $9 BILLION that the Pentagon can't find (Psssst- you can look on Haliburton's bottom line).

[idiosyncratic]

1. That is $2000 per family. An individual gets far less than that.

Don't forget that fact . . .

[rodeodance]

4. I wonder if gay couples are considered 'families"

[Karenina]

10. And what's in the fine print?

A waiver to indemnify the gubmint from any further responsibility?

[Rex]

2. Liquor and cigarettes?

Yeah that is some bullfucking racist shit. Racist fucking scumbags. The WHOLE thing is racist and demoralizing to our entire country! Wake the fuck up people! George Bush hates you! 2,000 dollars sounds like Iraqi blood money.

[katinmn]

3. 9/11 survivors recieved $ 1 million each

I didn't hear any bitching about that.

[China_cat]

6. I did.

Many people said it wasn't enough.

[lindisfarne]

5. It's too bad these people aren't asking the same questions about the $200

billion spent in Iraq.

[toey]

7. i just heard on our local news that FEMA is renegging their offer

Said they're only going to offer them to those in Texas...

[louis-t]

8. The money should come out of RNC funds

after all, * is just buying a few more votes.

[bliss_eternal]

9. My concern w/the debit cards, was w/the govt. not the spenders..

I was concerned that they would give it to a family. Then when (or if) a family applied for FEMA aid, they may say--oh we gave you $2,000 already, so we are deducting that amount, blah, blah. Or that they would get into asking, how they spent the money (like that matters)...so I didn't like the idea on that basis.

I want them to be monitoring them less--helping them more. If that makes sense.

Giving them a debit card, felt to me, like it could lead to more monitoring--as opposed to more help. Didn't like the idea...

Glad to hear they've reneged the offer.

[tcholt]

11. From a good source

who has family who lost everything said that when people go to get these cards they have people there telling them they qualify for some loans and try to steer them toward those. How ridiculous to do this to people who have lost everything.