Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick vetoes ban on purchasing tattoos, manicures, porn with EBT
Published: 12:22 PM 07/09/2012
By Caroline May
Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick has vetoed the state legislature’s attempt to ban the use of EBT cards — or food stamps — to purchase items such as tattoos, porn and jewelry.
Patrick vetoed the reforms Sunday while signing the state’s $32.5 billion budget.
According to the Boston Herald, which first reported the veto, the governor berated the legislature’s stab at banning the purchase of specific items like manicures, tattoos, guns, porn, body piercings, jewelry, and bail by saying the move was “political grandstanding” at a time when such reforms are already on track elsewhere.
“I’m not going to do anything that makes vulnerable people beg for their benefits. This notion of humiliating poor people has got to be separated from how we make a program, and frankly separated and disposed of, from how we make a program work and work well,” Patrick said, according to Wicked Local Hanson.
Patrick allowed bans on the use of EBT cards in establishments known for the sale of seemingly controversial items — such as tattoo parlors, gun shops, casinos, cruise ships, and adult entertainment facilities —- to stand.
House Minority Leader Brad Jones pointed out, however, that the items slated to be banned — such as porn and guns — could still be purchased at other facilities.
The Massachusetts governor based his decision on the independent EBT Card Commission’s ruling that banning specific items was, among other reasons, difficult to enforce, according to The Herald. He did however, veto bans on the use of EBT in places like nail salons and jewelry stores.
The vetoed reforms were reportedly a bipartisan effort out of both houses of the state legislature.
Democratic state Rep. Russell Holmes said that there remains support for real change to the EBT program.
“It is still something that’s very much a priority for the Legislature. Clearly we’ve gotten this far,” Holmes told the Herald.
you can't make this crap up, last night I was watching Idiocracy seriously that movie set 500 years in the future was way ahead of its time and really in 500 years we will have self destruct anyway but wow it fits. How is it humiliating to make sure that the "poor" only use the benefits as they are supposed to be. Granted I don't mind that they allow them to be used for things like toilet paper, shampoo and diapers that makes sense, but let me tell you something as someone who has been dirt poor, tattoos, jewelry, piercings, gambling, porn are not necesities and would never have enter my mind. Why would I care about luxuries while trying to feed my kids on minimum wage?
that's about the size of it....