Michigan man still on food stamps despite winning $2M

[H D]

...the Department of Human Services told him he could continue to use the card...

 

[Richard L]

I suspect that the card is like a direct deposit credit card...As long as the state keeps putting money in his account he can still keep using it?? Of course, the state lottery may not have notified the welfare department that he won a large sum of money.



It may also be possible that the money he did win after taxes is in the form of an annuity which he only gets a portion of the money each year. He spent the first check on his new Audi and not has little or no income for the rest of the year?



I suspect that the State of Michigan is currently looking into whether his use of the Food Stamps card in light of winning $2M is legal. If it is, I'll bet there are some red faced legistlators in Michigan, who will be making some changes to their welfare laws...:bwahaha:



...Rich

 

[H D]

I assume that they do know about his winnings based on the quote that I posted. Perhaps the clerk behind the counter just didn't want to look into it, didn't care and said not to worry about it.

 

[EddieS'04]

This would make wonder. How many other big winners are doing the same. Definitly stinky..

 

[Mark K 2]

I received an EBT (food stamp) card when I applied for Wisconsin's public option insurance. I didn't even ask for it. It just showed up in the mail one day. It's not much, but it's been handy while I try to get back to work. I have to have quarterly audits to maintain it. This last time, they threatened to cancel it because they somehow thought I was getting a tax refund. Not sure where they heard that, but they were wrong. If it's this difficult for me to get a half of a cart of groceries once a month, it should be at least ten times more difficult for a $2 million winner!

 

[Thomas Rogers]

As I suspected, there is more to the story (see link).



It seems Michigan bases need simply on income level, not total liquid assets. The lottery payout gave this guy a flush bank account, but didn't increase his income, so based on that criteria, he continues to be eligible (so I gather from reading the story).



Don't hate the player, hate the game.



TJR

 

[Rick Kent]

I disagree, hate the player for taking what he doesn't need.



Every trust fund baby and millionaire who inherited their money should be lining up for their handouts. Imagine the outrage if they all exploited this loophole.



This may be how the program was (poorly) designed but it does not change the fact the player is being a piece of crap for continuing to take the benefits. He could voluntarily turn the card back in like a good citizen but he chooses to perpetuate his burden on taxpayers.



I suspect the player has a selfish mentality so it probably never occurred to him. I also suspect the program will fail to correct this flaw in the system even though it has been brought to light and is an embarrassment to the state and the program.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

fkent,



What do you expect?



The way I see it is that the same bad decisions that led to this guy to buying lottery tickets and playing games of chance when he was essentially broke, were the same bad decisions, poor work ethic, and skewed value of money that no doubt led him to being broke in the first place.



I see it all the time. People paying for their groceries with food stamps, then hitting the scratch-off lottery vending machines on the way out of the store and pumping in $10, $20, $30 or more in cash...and maybe getting a "saver" or a $3 or $5 winner. Sure, play long enough and you can win $100, or $1,000, or more. But the odds are against you.



For the most part the lottery is a tax on stupid people who suck at math!



TJR

 

[H D]

I did an essay this past semester on the ethics of state sponsored lotteries. Short version, there is no ethical defense for states sponsoring lotteries.



While the lottery is unethical (at least in the sense of being provided by the government), at least it provides one thing welfare never has. Hope for a better future.

 

[Rick Kent]

TJR,



Sadly, I expect exactly what has occurred will continue to occur and not be addressed in any meaningful way.