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Missouri has long since been known to be a racist state, a state that oppresses the poor, and a state that favors the privileged. However there is an interesting twist in the motive and intent to the law that takes effect on January 1, 2016.
In April 2015, our state legislators overrode our Governor's veto of Senate Bill 24. It is the systemic welfare reform Bill, that strips thousands upon thousands upon thousands of Missouri citizens of TANF payments and food stamps, and eliminates the right of receiving waivers allowed for by federal law.
Portions of the money saved by depriving the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits is going to be used to fund alternatives to abortion -- not sure how legal that is going to be. Moreover, another motive to depriving TANF and food stamp benefits is to force women (YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT) to FORCE WOMEN TO GET MARRIED in order to have a home, food to eat, and the ability to take care of their children.
Insofar as food stamps, the law is RSMo 208.244.1, which takes affect on January 1, 2016, and while confusing because of a specific word used in the state law, it will strip thousands upon thousands of citizens of their food stamps because our legislators decided that Missouri citizens are not entitled to the exceptions that are allowed under federal law.
So many people face enormous barriers to getting jobs and for many more, getting a job is impossible due to their disabilities, criminal conviction, age, race, gender, and so on. At the top of the list of ex-felons is, of course, sex offenders. This new law will adversely affect them and those who have children.
It is estimated that (2015) Senate Bill 24 (enacted by overriding our Governor's veto) will seriously hurt 6,500 children immediately in our state. Naturally, the focus gravitates to children, rather than focusing on the larger picture that it is going to have serious adverse impacts on adults, as well
More and more legislators across our nation, and in all levels of government, take the stand that we need to punish people who are poor because they are poor -- so that the rich can keep getting richer.
In April 2015, our state legislators overrode our Governor's veto of Senate Bill 24. It is the systemic welfare reform Bill, that strips thousands upon thousands upon thousands of Missouri citizens of TANF payments and food stamps, and eliminates the right of receiving waivers allowed for by federal law.
Portions of the money saved by depriving the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits is going to be used to fund alternatives to abortion -- not sure how legal that is going to be. Moreover, another motive to depriving TANF and food stamp benefits is to force women (YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT) to FORCE WOMEN TO GET MARRIED in order to have a home, food to eat, and the ability to take care of their children.
Insofar as food stamps, the law is RSMo 208.244.1, which takes affect on January 1, 2016, and while confusing because of a specific word used in the state law, it will strip thousands upon thousands of citizens of their food stamps because our legislators decided that Missouri citizens are not entitled to the exceptions that are allowed under federal law.
So many people face enormous barriers to getting jobs and for many more, getting a job is impossible due to their disabilities, criminal conviction, age, race, gender, and so on. At the top of the list of ex-felons is, of course, sex offenders. This new law will adversely affect them and those who have children.
It is estimated that (2015) Senate Bill 24 (enacted by overriding our Governor's veto) will seriously hurt 6,500 children immediately in our state. Naturally, the focus gravitates to children, rather than focusing on the larger picture that it is going to have serious adverse impacts on adults, as well
More and more legislators across our nation, and in all levels of government, take the stand that we need to punish people who are poor because they are poor -- so that the rich can keep getting richer.
I specifically work at the food pantry. So, I know of some of these people's situations and I can give numbers and stats as to how many use the pantry and the average family size etc.
I'll tell ya who uses the pantry, it's the working poor, the elderly, and the disabled. Only about half of them overall get SNAP and many of those get between $16-$100/mo. Oh, and the average family size is roughly 2.7
As for people (in my state at least) who get TANF, they have to be volunteering 20 hours a week or in the Work Ready program unless they're caring for a small child or one with special needs. And in our county only about 200 families get TANF.
So, yeah, I'm sick of the war on the poor
So what's gonna happen in Missouri is that agencies like mine will habe to stretch already thin resources even further. That's just lovely
You said, "Portions of the money saved by depriving the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits is going to be used to fund alternatives to abortion..."
I knew the word "abortion" had to be in there somewhere. To some politicians, nothing else matters except the abortion issue. In Oklahoma we have made every effort to defund abortions and make it impossible for women to have one, even though it is legal. In this state, they don't care if all the citizens starve as long as they can prevent abortions.
I don't have a real opinion either way on abortion, but I do know this-----if they make it illegal, women will STILL have abortions. A law will not prevent women from making a decision that an abortion is in her best interest. What will making abortion illegal do? It will cause many young ladies and women to revert to a time when abortion was illegal and submit to abortions using coat hangers in back alley type situations.
It will also create a black market for abortion so that people with no medical training will become butchers. Whether a person is pro-life or pro-choice----and I can see both sides----outlawing abortion will probably create more problems.
You said, "Moreover, another motive to depriving TANF and food stamp benefits is to force women (YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT) to FORCE WOMEN TO GET MARRIED in order to have a home, food to eat, and the ability to take care of their children."
Force women to marry. We know the overzealous Bible people are probably behind this portion of the pending legislation.
If we would stop legislating morality in this country, maybe we would have time to pass some legislation that would benefit everyone. I realize marriage is a sacred institution and is important, but many of the young mothers are in no position to get married. The father of the child may have left and has no intention to marry her. Marriage is not for everyone, as in some situations it is just not feasible. But I suppose we have to push for it since it is based on the Bible.
You said, "It is estimated that (2015) Senate Bill 24 (enacted by overriding our Governor's veto) will seriously hurt 6,500 children immediately in our state."
What happened to the "for the children" mantra we always hear when they want to pass some ridiculous form of legislation? Have they forgotten about "the children" in this bill??
The truth is this-----these lawmakers don't give a damn about the children in this country. If they truly cared, they would be passing laws so our children would have better health care and better educational opportunities to better their lives. Teachers are still having to spend some of their own money to buy supplies because of inadequate funding toward the education of our children.
The lawmakers only use "for the children" to get a law passed.
I have also noticed there is a lack of education in this country about the issues and the candidates running for office. For this reason, I see many people voting against their own self interests. For example, there will be a candidate that has previously put a bill forward that helps the rich or a bill that is harmful to women and minorities, but someone on food stamps or women will vote for that same politician. This is just crazy.
We have to hold our lawmakers accountable. We need to all vote. Vote these politicians out of office if they are not doing their job by passing laws that will benefit the people of this country.
rewdiazepam
@ rewdiazepam: Actually, it's not "pending legislation" but rather it is now actual state law that takes affect on January 1, 2016.
What's ironic is that on the wall of the Senate Chambers is a quote from President Abraham Lincoln that says "what is morally wrong cannot be politically correct." I would say this new law certainly qualifies as being morally wrong at the barest minimum. It is something you would expect Hitler to do, rather than American lawmakers.
Of course, the fingerprints of the Right-Wing Religious Rich is all over this Bill, or at least, the earmark of federal funds to force poor people into marriage and strip rights involving abortion. However, I very much doubt that doing these things is constitutionally permissible.
Surprisingly, many state legislators spoke out on how the new law is going to harm children in serious and far-reaching ways, and our Governor vetoed the Bill because it will harm children.
Guess what -- not one single person would answer my questions as to people would receive written notice that their public benefits were terminated, who is going to be effected by the law that attacks food stamps, and whether people will still be able to claim standing under the limited exceptions allowed under federal law, 7 U.S.C. Section 2015(o)(3) in that of physical or mental disability, age, or pregnancy.
I have always known that way too many legislators rubber-stamp legislation by simply voting for it to pass, yet, never really knowing or understanding what the legislation says and how it will play out on the people, but this one there is no excuse because the Republicans fought to override our Governor's veto of the Bill. Thus, they darn well should have answers when citizens come knocking on their door with questions about what they are doing to them.
Really pathetic!!!!
Everyone needs to get out and vote against the politicians who support this kind of legislation. I understand that people are apathetic and feel as if their vote no longer counts, but it does. If nothing else, your one vote can nullify the vote of someone who supports this ridiculous legislation.
Some people in the middle class my think to themselves, "I am not on food stamps so it does not affect me." Maybe not yet, but trust me, if the political climate in this country continues as it is right now, there will be legislation that will affect ALL the middle class, not just those on food stamps.
It is only moral and right that we, as a society, protect the poor and downtrodden of this country. Anything else is unAmerican.
rewdiazepam
https://represent.us/action/theproblem-4/
Moreover, when I read reports from Huffington Post that discuss how Congress has just paved the way for even higher rates of corruption to occur in government, I am angered.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-silver/5-horrible-things-congres_b_8844734.html
When I read reports from Ozark Public Radio that points out how food and money is to be held hostage to advance the Right-Wing Religious Reich agenda, I am angered.
http://ksmu.org/post/cut-welfare-benefits-vetoed-nixon-now-halfway-becoming-missouri-law
All across our country politicians think only of themselves -- how they can get more power, more money, and more fame and glory -- at the expense of the low-income people. People who are all too often barred from the so-called "American Dream" because of their sex offense status, physical or mental disability, lack of necessary College degree, and so on.
People really need to start understanding that when we attack the low-income class it most certainly affects everyone. And those in the low-income class need to understand that when they sit silently to say nothing, they become part of the problem and not part of the solution.
Specifically "A provision buried on page 472 added the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from taking any action to reign in the political activity of 501(c)4 organizations. These organizations, which enjoy significant tax exemptions as nonprofits, weren't originally supposed to engage in political activity at all. In recent years, however, they've become a favorite of anyone who wants to buy political influence without attracting attention."
---Which makes donations (bribing) even less transparent.
Good job law makers! I hope you all choke on candy canes!!!
You said, "Overzealous bible people". You would be correct, because here is what GOD says in HIS word about it. As a level-headed Christian I offer this:
"8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 1 Corinthians 7:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
What Paul was writing to the Corinthian people was in his opinion and not a "mandate" from God ("But 'I' say..."). However, it is safe to say that Paul indeed was filled with God's Spirit (as all are that accept Jesus into their lives) and could speak on things of God unless otherwise directed from Him.
In the above scripture it CLEARLY states that if you are unmarried that it would be good if you remained single Like Paul, because then you are more focused on the things of God or rather the Kingdom of God:
In verses 32 through 35 of the same book of 1st Corinthians CLEARLY explains this:
"32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. 34 There is[a] a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction."
As you can see it clearly states that you shouldn't be marrying for what... a few food stamps??? C'mon people [overzealous bible people]!!!!!!!!!!!!
If there is a woman who made a mistake and had s exual relations out of wedlock, she is forgiven if she asks for it "if" she has a relationship with Jesus Christ, AND can STILL SERVE CHRIST DESPITE HER PAST ERROR(S) JUST LIKE WE ALL CAN. Beyond that this is why it is important for Christians to stay in the word and not make it say things that you want it to say.
It is FOOLISH to make people marry just for a few food stamps!
Now that the marriage fails because your marrying for the wrong reasons... now we have another divorce statistic and we have someone who cannot feed themselves or their children. God gets another black mark on his reputation...and He didn't even do anything wrong!
What kind of Christian witness is that? I will tell you. IT IS THE WRONG ONE!
C'MON [overzealous] BIBLE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GIT YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR REAR ENDS!
And our Governor could make it so federal funds are passed though, and even make it so that non-profits and schools are exempted and get funds....the way the State police and liquor stores do. But no, he's holding the poor hostage. Guess he's okay with being a one term Governor cos I can't see anyone wanting him for another term.
Some towns are now threatening to withhold taxes that have been collected and I think they should
Likewise, people have a fit over using tax dollars to fund abortions and pay planned parenthood, yet, it seems to be okay to use tax dollars to force poor people not to have an abortion by holding their money and food stamps hostage.