Thursday, January 22, 2015

Scott Walker's Capitalistic Adventure To Save Us All From Welfare Fraud

Word broke today that Scott Walker is indeed going to be going after government assistance users in the form of drug testing. While this is a clear and present constitutional privacy violation, it's also a major waste of tax payer money. Florida is the perfect example of how this doesn't work and the theory of it is rooted in racist, bigotry and obsessive love of capitalism. Of course, the only reason the GOP's current boy wonder is doing this is due to his presidential aspirations, as laughable as they are. But when we look at who this will hurt, I wonder if Scott Walker realizes that a lot of his base will be the ones affected by it. Some of the most red counties in Wisconsin tend to have the highest amounts of drug use.

I moved to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin a little over two years ago when my husband and I were dating. Prairie itself is conservative, while Crawford county is blue. Eventually, after the culture shock of no longer being in a big city wore off, I got into the small town swing of things and have met wonderful people and friends. It's down to earth atmosphere and friendly attitude are reasons alone to live here. The Mississippi river runs between here and Iowa, making for some of the most beautiful natural scenery I've ever been privy to see. So why am I explaining this? Because not only is Prairie du Chien conservative, it's also become a hot bed for methamphetamine production and use and an elevated rate of welfare and food stamp assistance. For the point of this post, I'm going to be using Crawford county, the county in which Prairie du Chien is, as my example.

According to FARC, the Food Research and Action Center, data collected on Wisconsin SNAP users between 2007 and 2012 shows a serious uptick in the amount of people collecting benefits. Their data shows that in 2007, Wisconsin had 393,943 SNAP users, while that number climbed a high 848,832 users in 2012, a 114% increase. To put a small silver lining on those numbers, when the they are looked at over a one month period, between October 2012 and November 2012, it drops from 849,574 people to 848,832 people. A microscopic 0.1% change. Go team. And of course, Republicans will spin that to suggest it had everything to do with President Obama. Unfortunately for Scott Walker, that's not a viable excuse. While he's been out telling us Wisconsin's economy has improved, he has yet to provide much in the way of explanation for the increase in government assistance.

Crawford county has a 13.2% participation rate in the SNAP program according to Madison's most recent numbers. That's a lot in a population of only 16,617 people, a lot of whom are incredibly conservative Walker supporters. I'm eager to hear the reaction of this legislation from people around town. How can Walker and his GOP controlled legislature explain 13.4% of just ONE Wisconsin county on SNAP during his first two years in office? Walker has been selling us the same tired story that we're in the midst of a Wisconsin comeback. People are getting hired, the economy is improving and everything is roses and puppies. But the data doesn't lie. This graph, courtesy of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, doesn't lie. The hungry kids, unemployed parents and struggling citizens don't lie. Walker however, does lie. And he does it with no remorse. Interesting though, how the numbers were much lower under Gov. Doyle.

An overview of how SNAP has grown in the state due to failed Walker economic policies.

And what is Walker going to do with all the money he'll be saving the tax payers from having to spend on SNAP? Open rehab clinics so that people can get off drugs and get jobs? Oh wait, haha, that means he'd have to be helping people! My mistake! We all know Scott Walker is interested in helping one person - Scott Walker.

We could talk numbers and stats until our eyeballs fall out from having to look at math (I hate it passionately.) So I'll get right down to it - the point I'm trying to make here is that while Walker is on his anti-drug, anti-welfare crusade, he maybe doesn't realize (but doesn't care regardless) that he's hurting his own loyal base. Some of Wisconsin's reddest counties have some of the highest usage of drugs in the state. I grew up in Ozaukee county, and while the use of government benefits isn't nearly as high as it is the rest of the state, the usage of heroin has become epidemic. I knew several kids I went to high school with either died from usage or had come close to it. And the most important thing of this entire issue is who it's really hurting - babies, kids, teenagers and the sick. Can Scott Walker, a man from the "family values" party, really take food out of a kid's mouth? Can he look them in the eye and explain that due to a capitalistic love of money and power, they don't get to eat? Of course he can.

37 comments:

  1. Credit the Food Stamp president. "The number of Americans receiving benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as “food stamps,” as of September 2014, the most recent month for which the government has released figures ... the total stood at 46.5 million people, or about 1 out of 9 Americans — more than 45% higher than the month before the president was first sworn in. Obama’s legacy is almost certain to include a stubbornly large increase in the food stamp rolls. — FactCheck.org January 2015. http://www.factcheck.org/2015/01/obamas-numbers-january-2015-update/

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    1. Nope, Scott Walker gets the credit. The national economy has recovered wonderful. State economy, not so much. Walker gets to take this one, sorry to burst your right wing bubble.

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    2. The statistics are national statistics, Meg. As of September 2014. Wisconsin's unemployment rate is still below the nation's. Sorry to burst your Obama-love bubble.

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    3. Follow the money .....Gov Rick Scott of Florida a TP Brother of our esteemed Gov, Walker tried to pass a similar Bill in Florida.. When he owns one of the largest medical supply companies in the US ...he turned over his stock options to his wife he still failed.... Maybe his TP Gov. Brothers will help him out.... After all someone has to make a percentage on Human Suffering.

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    4. I love when grumpy neofascist morons like Waaaaaska pretend that someone who argues against the prevalent right wing delusions with actual facts about the current president or economy, somehow equates with supporting and/or loving for the current president. It doesnt, equate , Waaaska, but intelligent people can't help their desire to remain fact based. That being said: Hey Waaaaska, are all those people on wellfare because Obama didn't kick them off (like a real man would), or because the economy isn't better than when he took office (and no one's making money); or is it because some people are making money hand over foot but trickledown economics don't actually work? Do tell us won't you, sweetie?

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    5. It's easy for Walker to keep the unemployment numbers down when you prevent people from being enrolled into the system through understaffing the call center and putting obstacles in the way.

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    6. Ah Dave you neglect to mention the following "Food stamp enrollment has been rising for more than a decade. President Bush launched a recruitment campaign, which pushed average participation up by 63% during his eight years in office. " http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/news/economy/obama_food_stamps/

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    7. I think Dave is still not over the fact this his beloved GOP has failed consistently in their attempts to trip up Obama and make his presidency a failure.

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  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Pretty sure Blaska knows where you live: http://host.madison.com/daily-cardinal/news/new-website-provides-searchable-database-of-recall-petition-signees/article_c5f2aafc-69ad-11e1-a3a5-0019bb2963f4.html

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  3. Hey capper, why didn't you let the threat against David Blaska @ 8:04 stand? Are you pretending that you and your demented Democrat comrades who inhabit your fever swamp are any less vulgar and criminally violent than anon?

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    1. No threats to anyone should be allowed. Vigorous discussion, yes. Threats, no.

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    2. There was no threat. Just trolling from Anonymous 10:12P.

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    3. And as we know, trolling is all you right wing fools have.

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    4. Yeah, everyone knows how you all are each such class acts, Meg.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_RkyMZ9D9A

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  4. It infuriates me that Walker is doing this. The ones who will be hurt most by it, will be children! So, my niece, who is on food stamps, will have nothing. Hmmm. Will Walker give her a job? Oh, wait, there are no jobs! What about benefits like health insurance through an employer. Oh wait, he is busting the unions.
    The people who voted for Walker are fools. I can't wait until he runs for President and the press shows him for the self indulgent crook that he is.

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  5. Hate to burst your stupid bubble Blaska. SNAP participation rates vary greatly by state. It is a state administered program. Governor Pee in a Cup needs to take food out of the mouths of poor kids to improve his republican prez cred.

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  6. Missouri tested 33,000 aid recipients at a cost of $433,000 and had a total of 20 positive test results. Walker should take whatever money he's going to spend on testing and use it to job train the very people he wants to test as this would help people up and out of need rather than wasting money on peeing in a cup!

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  7. Guys, the statistics presented here are from 2007 to 2012 — a period of 5 years. Scott Walker was governor for only one of those years. If it helps, Minnesota had a greater rate of increase b/w Sept 2009 and Sept 2014 than Wisconsin. http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/snapdata2014_sep.pdf

    Boopnut, your niece has nothing to fear if she is drug-free, right? Let's also understand the cautionary effect that policing brings. You obey the law because you might get caught.

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    1. Obviously you didn't read it, since I pointed out the years in which Walker was governor. Keep it coming. Your baseless attacks and sucking up to Walker is hilarious.

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    2. Or if you're a child your parents might get caught. So choose your parents wisely, kids! That's what the Koch brothers did, and see how great everything turned out for them!

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    3. Since the Right-wingers Love FREEDOM and the Constitution-Bill of Rights, I am certain the 4th Amendment must prevail. Requiring reasonable suspicion for search and seizure (and being poor alone is not reasonable; just ask Rick Scott).
      Job training, supported employment, financial literacy, child care, and transportation, as well as (necessary nutrition) are much more beneficial to employinging people than punitive treatment to the poor.

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    4. Blaska - if Cog Dis was wrong, why would you waste your time on this blog? You spend a lot of time just refuting facts in this blog. Seems counterintuitive since you are trying to convince a base that doesn't support your views. So, I argue that you do this because you know that these articles are truthful. Who pays your salary Blaska? You are a disruption to progress and are as willingly negligent as your hero Scott Walker.

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    5. You are what Steely Dan called Pretzel Logic. I "spend a lot of time just refuting facts in this blog" because there are so many to refute. How that proves their truthiness makes sense only after one more bong hit. Toke up, my friend.

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    6. The problem with your argument, David, is that you don't have any facts to back up your squawking points. All you offer is debunked propaganda. That might be good enough for you, but it is insufficient for a thinking person.

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    7. benefits in 2007: 165,194
      benefits in 2010: 334,668
      benefits in 2014: 421,572

      seems to me that the vast increase happened prior to Walker even stepping foot in office.... There are some facts Crapper

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    8. Blaska - "pretzel logic"? Did you come up with that gem by yourself? Truly embarrassing. When I review your response, it presents no example of a point that you refuted because it wasn't factual. The other half of your post was insulting me by lying that I am a drug user. Blaska, I work in an industry like banking and make a very good living. I do not do drugs and I rarely have a drink except for a glass on wine when out to dinner. I find your rants to be hateful and unintelligent. You don't make compelling arguments, nor do you back up your arguments factually.

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  8. Well written and researched Meg.

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  9. I second what "advocate" says. I will be looking for Meg's editorials in the future.
    If there is any poetic justice, the Guv is peeing in a cup out in Palm Springs, part of a litmus to see if he is worthy for Charlie & Dave's handout.
    Drug testing, as the editorial pointed out, is not cost effective, will only prove a small percentage, maybe even smaller than Walker's poll numbers, will test positiver and only serves ALEC businesses that can profit from this exercise.
    As for Mr. Blaska's barely germane "blame Obama" posts, it only serves to put us on the defensive about "food stamps". The distraction about enrollment levels is pointless to this discussion, especially when the states taking the most SNAP money are all fire engine red in their voting, er, caging. The point of the discussion is strictly Walker and his strong distaste for the children, working poor and elderly of Wisconsin. If he really cared, he wouldn't poo-poo initiatives like a higher minimum wage.
    Come to think of it, really, if SNAP is so bad, then why is taking 50% off your tax bill for a three-martini business lunch more acceptable than a kid getting a quart of milk? (Leon Duquette)

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  10. Dear Governor Pee in a Cup,

    Those who have a drug problem won't pee for you. Basically, your premise is flawed. Winning the votes from the teabag element in Iowa is your consumate goal. Your strategy fails because you run so far to the right, the rest of the country does not buy your swindle. The emporer has no clothes.

    Respectfully,

    The Addicted


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    1. Has the Governor's kids been drug tested? Do they get any benefit - grant money perhaps? Let's drug test everyone who get an entitlement - Medicare, Medicaid, educational grants, WEDC tax credits, and public servants including our governor and legislators. If they are positive - no more bennies for you!

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    2. Blaska is on the hard working taxpayer dole - when will he be drug tested and have to take that dandy questionairre?

      Although I'm sure the Bradley Foundation would intercede on his behalf. Blaska may look and act a mess, but the Bradley Foundation isn't going to let one of their mouthpieces jump through the same hoops the rest of WI has to jump through.

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  11. Hey Blaska, we have not heard from your fat, overfeed state pension ass lately. Nothing more to say about your hero taking food out of the hungry mouths in Wisconsin to buy republican votes in Iowa?

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  12. Facts are George Bush threw the nation's economy into the Crapper. That increase the medicaid and foodshare rolls. Scott Walker "created" as many jobs in this state as new Foodshare cases during his administration. Now he wants to make it harder for Wisconsin residents to receive their federally established benefits. He is a mean spirited bastard who dislikes the poor and panders to Iowa republican voters at the expense of poor Wisconsin residents.

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  13. Blaska is the picture of what the WISGOP establishment despises. He is a pensioner and likes his entitlements. He doesn't dress very conservatively (clean cut), but rather looks
    disheveled and of low socioeconomic class. The 2 things Blaska has in common with the WISGOP
    1) He like entitlements for himself but not his neighbor and 2) He is seething with anger.
    Not much to be proud of. Blaska seems to have a rule book of his own.

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