This dateline is in my own back yard of my homestate of New Hampshire. Last week, elderly woman got fired from a convenience store. The fireble offense? A 20 year old man was attempting to use his Electronics Benefit Transfer or EBT card to pay for cigarettes. The use for EBT cards in New Hampshire is supposed to be prohibited for purchases of cigarettes, booze and other things that aren’t a need so to speak.
In her words, to the local press, Jackie Whiton told the Union Leader on June 28th:

“‘What happened was, a young man came in and wanted to buy cigarettes and I asked him for his ID and he handed me his EBT card. I told him he couldn’t them with the card and he said yes he could’ The following day, the foster mother of the man, who Whiton estimates to be about 20, came into the convenience store to complain. Whiton still refused to accept the EBT card for cigarettes so the woman went to her boss, she said”

She also said to the Union Leader this:

“The next day, I got a call from the home office and they said I have to sell to him and I said at 65 years old, I have do anything I don’t want to do. I said I would bow out gracefully and gave my two weeks’ notice. The next day, they fired me.”

However the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services told the same paper that EBT benefits can be used to purchase anything. Theoretically, these “benefits” is used for spending money since if others are receiving Social Security benefits. From what I know, the media has wrongfully made public benefits very glamorous, while many are in fixed incomes, with disabled people, and people with autism having a cap of $700 a month of revenue in order to receive benefits and for their adult services programs as well.
Now the man was kinda arrogant. The EBT card is not a valid ID. Now in the defense of the State, its their responsibility to say no or cancel purchases on ciggies or booze. Says Terry Smith, the head of the Division of Family Assistance: “if the state were to enact restrictions on how cash assistance is spent, DHHS would have to set up a costly infrastructure to monitor use, We’d need more staff and travel budgets”
Of course they have no budgets – just look at the whole Managed Care drama over the last year! Obviously various bureaucrats and pols have been on the attack of ANY public assistance.
Now for Ms. Whiton, her stance is questionable both on legal and just plain wrong as a customer service perceptive. Yes, the question for ID is right on, but to deny it because the EBT card prohibits that, when in fact the DHHS said it’s ok – thats wrong part. (I am just being fair and honest.) She said to the Union Leader “I am not against EBT grocery cards. I am not. But a woman cant even buy toilet paper or tampons with those.”
Now Jackie Whiton has applauded by the feel-me-good-tough-love-excessively emotional conservatives and has made appearences on the Howie Carr Show, a column from Carr on this story and she appeared on the Fox News Channel and other outlets as well.
But this story hitting close in my home state, when the next legislative session starts this winter, I won’t be surprised to see legislation to not only limit funding for an agency that has had the bone cut, but more zero-government approaches of our ignorant legislatures to the New Hampshire General Court and the bureaucrats of the State of New Hampshire.