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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsProstitution for the price of a Happy Meal: Consequences of Food Stamp bans
http://www.salon.com/2012/12/27/prostitution_for_the_price_of_a_happy_meal/Carla walked into my office with despair in her eyes. I was surprised. Carla has been doing well in her four months out of prison; she got off drugs, regained custody of her kids, and even enrolled in a local community college.
Without much prodding she admitted to me that she had retuned to prostitution: I am putting myself at risk for HIV to get my kids a fing happy meal.
Despite looking high and low for a job, Carla explained, she was still unemployed. Most entry-level jobs felt out of reach with her drug record, but whats worse, even the state wasnt willing to throw her a temporary life preserver.
You see, Carla is from one of the 32 states in the country that ban anyone convicted of a drug felony from collecting food stamps. With the release of the Global Burden of Disease Study last week, it bears looking at how we are perpetuating burdens among the most vulnerable Americans with our outdated laws.
atreides1
(16,094 posts)That this is a "Christian" nation...
bongbong
(5,436 posts)Give her a gun and let her hunt.
(that's sarcasm, in case anybody didn't know) (I'm looking at you, Delicate Flowers)
gollygee
(22,336 posts).
sammytko
(2,480 posts)The kids can still get food stamps
former-republican
(2,163 posts)gollygee
(22,336 posts)It isn't like the mom can just not eat. Giving food stamps to the kids but not the mom reduces how much money there is for the family to eat. She has to eat or she can't take care of them.
Edited to add link: http://americaswire.org/drupal7/?q=content/food-stamp-bans-under-review-many-states-seek-prison-savings
This ban disproportionately affects women and children, by far the overwhelming proportion of recipients of such benefits, Mauer said at the hearing. The impact of the ban means that a woman returning home from prison who may gain temporary employment but is then laid off during a recession is left with no safety net. And further, children are essentially punished for the acts of their parents.
Although children of felons remain eligible to receive public assistance, restrictions for felons mean that benefits decline for an entire household.
Its unrealistic to think that the restriction will only reduce the quality of life of the parent while maintaining the rest of the familys overall level of comfort, Farid says.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)They LIKE their work!!111!!!!!
Its EMPOWERING!!!111!!!!
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)But I have my doubts that her price is really $1.99. I think she is just saying that she gets a sum of money which she uses to buy things like Happy Meals and thus says "I am doing this to get my kids an effing Happy Meal".