LTTE “Entitlements out of control” Press-Enterprise, Riverside CA 9/10/12

[R. P. McMurphy]

4. In the mid 1980's I worked in a convenience store . . .

and experienced two similar incidents. This was before the EBT cards and people still used the denominated food stamps.

One patron insisted that the manager allowed him to buy beer with the stamps and wanted me to allow him to purchase from me also. On another occasion a couple waited outside and sent their three small children in one at a time with a one-dollar food stamp to buy a nickle candy. The parents then came in with the change from the food stamps and bought a six-pack of beer.

I have no doubt that the story above is true. There will always be a few bad apples that cheat the system. To me that's not really important though. I'm convinced the vast majority of benefit dollars go for the intended purpose of feeding those who might not eat otherwise. What should we do with the cheaters? If they have no one else they are responsible for then kick them out of the system. I'd like to believe, though, that the couple that bout the beer with the change still bought food for their children. I'd hate to do anything rash and have a little one go hungry.