Something's brewing...

I've got a picture loaded on another computer, that I've been meaning to upload for the past two days. It's all a matter of the state of our (local) government. How technologically advanced our culture has gotten over the past decade.

I recieved a letter from the State regarding changes in filing for unemployment (yes, I'm currently on the dole). This letter wasn't about being accepted or denied, but rather how you recieve your benefits. No longer do we have to wait in a bread line or at City Hall. We are in the age of computers and internet ready phones. We can get our checks either mailed to us or direct deposited in to whatever bank account we choose. I've always chosen the former. I've learned my lesson from previous jobs that require one to solely direct deposit. Not only was I withdrawing money on a weekly basis, I was a tad leary about the process of never seeing a live check. At any rate, back to this letter. Instead of getting a (live) check from the State, your options are either direct deposit or a Mastercard Debit card. Options were live check or DD. They cut out the middle man (you going to the bank) now. The options are them directly putting the money in your bank, or you getting a debit card with the money on it.

Now, forgive my lack of knowing how debit cards work, but doesn't the word debit card defeat the purpose of saving or using a check to pay a bill? How will this transaction be used to go into a checking account, let's say, and then be turned over to pay the electricity bill? Yea, you can use a credit card to pay bills now a days and people use their bank's ATM cards all the time online, but I'd think that this card will make people spend their cash on useless things, rather then necessities. People see another card they can swipe at the mall and not worry about paying it off because the money came not from their hands, but the government's pocket.

Call me naive, call me stupid in my thinking, but I don't understand why this is the new way to pay the unemployed. It's like asking all hell to break loose and never expect a lick paid back. More people are going to wind up on the streets because they went hog wild with this debit card and bought unnecessities, than what we've currently got in the foreclosure market.

It just doesn't make sense...

I'll upload the photo tomorrow. Maybe someone can help me make ends of it...

Til then,