Victims get 2k cards...

[AVSTANG02]

What the **** happened to Coupons and gift certificate and vouchers?

 

[Range Rover 10+ year member]

I still think they should get installment plans..

So they dont binge on goofy crap..

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[UndercoverPunk 5,000+ posts]

Are they going to give drug dealers knuckle-busters too?

 

[HiAmplidude 10+ year member]

What the **** happened to Coupons and gift certificate and vouchers?

Totally agree.

... anything that will curb the "buy a Gucci bag or hot Nikes instead of food for the kids" factor.

 

[Range Rover 10+ year member]

Why you can cash food stamps..

Then you can buy your new Nikes..

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[Bake 10+ year member]

The sad thing is, that like so many other government funded programs, the people will demand more because "2 grand just isn't enough". Then the card will likely become another tax payer funded form of welfare with no guidelines or limits.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Don't leave the buying up to them. If the Gov't handed them each $1000 before the storm hit, and said "take this and get the hell out of dodge, 'cuz it's gonna blow"... how many of those people would have actually used the grand to evacuate? They'd still be in this same situation (with some exceptions of course).
Organizations need to think for these people and spend the money for them in the best way to ensure their comfort and survival. If we leave budgeting to the extreme poor who have no idea how to [budget], it's basically throwing the money out the window, and then we're still left responsible for feeding, transporting them when they run out.

Re: your first paragraph. If the government did that, and those people still stayed, well, tough shit. Being handed the keys to your freedom and choosing to do nothing about is a conscious choice...it would be different if the government expected people to leave and not provide the means for them to do so.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

i wouldnt issue the cards until they made it through a program that sets them up to survive after this. mainly sets them up for housing jobs and clothing. you dont pass it and set up you dont get your money. basically my idea costs more to start but will cost alot less in the long run. during this time if you fail or get caught with drugs you can be set out to fend for yourself (lol yuh right) basically you gotta show people how to better themselves and once its done im sure a majority will. that percentage will be the amount it saves us over the long haul.

 

[chinny 5,000+ posts]

23-30bill

 

[Bake 10+ year member]

people have known how to better themselves for years. They choose not to because it is eaiser to sit on their a$$ and let someone else take care of them.

 

[HiAmplidude 10+ year member]

Here's a question on a related topic:

How long do we think it will take for the general feeling of Americans to turn from "help those people out, darn it!" to: undue burden from those people?

I wonder if our lovely gov't is taking that into consideration. Because, at some point the "burden" will certainly hit us harder, but it will be significantly amplified by the state of the economy and very quickly rising costs that may or may not be related to the hurricane, and aren't related to the victims at all. I think if public opinion, on how much they're carying the after-load, turns -- bad stuff will be brewin'.

I donated a significant amount of money to the relief efforts through Red Cross. No way in hell would I hand (more of) my money over the same people responsible for not taking care of the situation properly in the first place. It was their lack of [so many things] that made this so much bigger of a mess, than it could've been, in the first place.

I resent my tax dollars more and more every day.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

How long?

Less than a month //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[AVSTANG02]

Wtf do they need 2k for?

Everything these people could need, is and has been donated.

 

[singlesubsetup 10+ year member]

I heard this today on fox news... I'm surprised it's not MORE... 2k is really not very much money to say ok, here you go your own your own now...

Granted *IF* the money is/was given to help with food, clothes, basic necessities then are'nt they getting that all ready with the massive amounts of donations??? 2k is alot *if* they don't have to find housing, and food and clothes. If they dont need that stuff (because of all the donations they will receive) why even get the money???

I'd say give them 5k and tell them if you take this 5k your on your own. No more assistance till you have a home and a job... (hell I could take 5k and move anywere, with 1st/ last month rent, some cheap furniture, a beater (car) ....

But just to give them 2k and they dont have to do anything except "say" there going to buy food, clothes ect is kinda stupid. There getting that for free NOW! I have a feeling that money is going to go on stuff other than necessitys... I hope not but we'll see what happens in time

 

[HiAmplidude 10+ year member]

There are, what, a million displaced people??? That's a HUUUGE number. Perhaps a better route to go, would be to consider each level of situation. There exist varying degrees of displacement and financial status for these folks. Some have a little money in the bank, some have relatives that can put them up for a while until they get on their feet, and some are a$$ broke and homeless for a living, and have been for a very long time. Some have already been treated to a responsibility-free life with gov't care, and some may have been small business owners. The fact remains that $2k means something different to each and every one of those million folks, whether it's more than they've seen in cash spanning many years, or whether it's just a drop in the bucket for what they really need to get going.

This "$2k for everyone" way of thinking is just wrong from every angle.