Strip clubs, casinos, liquor stores and welfare checks!

I love it when our state’s legislators come up with good ideas. It doesn’t happen very often, so when it does I think we should stand up and applaud them for using the common sense God (and only God) gave them. The first, and last, newspaper I ever worked for reported about a bill that would restrict the use of welfare cash cards at places like strip clubs, casinos and liquor stores. It’s similar to a bill passed by the US house last year.

From the Shawnee News-Star:

Sen. Rob Standridge has filed legislation that would disallow the use of any welfare cash cards in strip clubs, liquor stores, and casinos.

Senate Bill 667 states that no electronic benefit transfer card containing state or federal funds from programs including, but not limited to, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), may be used in such establishments.

Standridge said his proposal would work to ensure the funds are directed to their appropriate use – to provide support for the needy while they get back on their feet.

Now, last time I checked, strippers don’t take cards (Editor’s Note: Well, some do, but play along). Next time you go out for some adult entertainment, try swiping your card on a stripper. You will get thrown out, even if the card is from a real bank. Also, the only cards that slot machines take are the loyalty cards you get from the casino that keeps track of your spending habits. I suppose you could use your welfare card at a liquor store, which should be illegal. I don’t want my hard-earned tax dollars spent on anything fun. Which is why I propose that any and all legislators be banned from spending money earned from their position at strip clubs, casinos and/or liquor stores. If we are going to have the ability to give you our money, we should also be able to tell you how to spend it.

Continued from Shawnee News-Star:

“The aim of programs like TANF is to provide basic support for families while the recipient finds a new job,” said Standridge, R-Norman. “If these funds are wasted at strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos, then the programs can’t achieve their purpose. Taxpayers should never subsidize this sort of self-destructive behavior.”

In order for programs like TANF to work, Standridge noted, government must ensure recipients accept welfare under certain conditions. If not, funds that could put food on the table may be wasted in a manner that directly inhibits the recipient from getting a job, such as alcohol and drug abuse, gambling and other destructive behaviors.

“The misuse and mismanagement of welfare funds has a damaging impact on the families that need help the most,” Standridge said. “It contributes to child neglect and the deterioration of the family. As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to prevent this from happening.”

Let me tell you a little about State Senator Standridge, err, actually here a snippit from his website:

Always an entrepreneur at heart, Rob Standridge began his passion for small business in grade school going door to door throughout Midwest City selling anything he could sell.

Selling “anything he could sell”? That sounds like the behavior of someone that is involved in meth.

Oh, he also thinks government is too big and controlling:

Rob believes the size and scope of our government is out of control. We have gotten a long way from the ideals of our founding fathers, most notably the architect of our constitution, James Madison, who considered the necessity of government a misfortune. Government’s primary responsibility is to protect us from each other and from our common enemies. Sometimes through compassion but often for pursuit of power we have gradually drifted from the principles of government upon which we were founded. Rob does not believe in anarchy but believes we need to try to find our way back to the level of freedom our founders craved, risked their lives for, and won after much bloodshed. In our businesses and in our lives we are seeing government ever-encroaching further and further upon our freedoms and liberties.

I don’t know about you, but I want my government to be small enough to tell people how to spend their money, tell women what they are allowed to do with their bodies, make sure gay people aren’t allowed to marry, and to put one religion in all public schools. Yeah, that’s the small government I want!

OK, aside from all my snide remarks about Senator Standridge’s hypocrisy, I honestly think his bill does not go far enough. Why are those the only places that are being banned? I can think of a lot more places that welfare recipients shouldn’t be spending their money. They are as follows:

1) Tinsel Town

My tax dollars shouldn’t be wasted for some lazy, unemployed person to see a movie. Also, no more school field trips to see movies.

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2) Gun ranges

My tax dollars already go toward arming people. And those people are better armed and better trained than some dude who can’t say, “Obama Sucks!” without getting winded. Sidenote: Gun nuts are among the most patriotic people in America (at least they consider themselves so) but if there were a revolution, I hope they realize they would be murdering the “troops” they care so much about.

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3) Porn websites

I don’t really need to explain this one, do I?

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4) Chesapeake Arena

If you don’t have a job, you don’t get to enjoy the Thunder. Simple as that. Now go sit in the corner for five minutes.

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5) Church tithings

Listen, God would be very disappointed if he knew you were too lazy to work for the money you are giving to your church, the church that doesn’t have to pay taxes.

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That is my list of five places welfare money shouldn’t be spent. Leave me a comment and tell me some other places that I didn’t mention. And if you are on welfare, go spend your money on tobacco and liquor. They are heavily taxed items in Oklahoma, which means every time you purchase something with a tax, you are basically giving taxpayers their money back. So thank you for that.

Spencer can be found on Twitter at @SpencerLenox.