Our automobile companies are asking for billions of dollars to bail them out of debt, while they continue to ride in their corporate jets, wear their expensive clothes and eat their steak and lobster.

Our president is concerned with building a gym in the White House to practice basketball and doing away with the bowling alley already built in the White House and what breed of dog the family will have to “keep up with the Bushes.”

And I’m concerned that there are children and seniors in homes without heat on a cold winter day, like today when the temperature outside hovers around 15 degrees or perhaps without proper nutrition. And why??

As for most seniors, most receive only enough money to pay rent and utilities. But too much to receive a food stamp card. As a result, some have to choose between food and their medications.

As for our children, well, they must depend on parents or guardians to care for them, for they can’t care for themselves.

I am prompted to write this letter because of something I learned just this past week about families on WV assistance. I had seen individuals use something that looked like a debit card to pay for food and even to obtain cash and I was curious to know more about this so I asked a worker from WV Division of Human Services and was told the following.

A card is issued to those who are eligible with “X” amount in cash and “X” amount for food (food stamp program). I then asked what the cash was to be spent for and was told anything they need to use it for.

They can go to a bank and draw it all out at once if they like and spend it on drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, tattoos and still have their food allocation. Well, I was livid to say the least. If the taxpayer is going to give the money to the less fortunate, it should stipulate what it should be spent for – like rent, utilities, clothing – for the children in the household. After all, most wouldn’t be eligible if they didn’t have children.

I’m most sure not everyone abuses the program, but a lot do. I’m interested in comments. What is wrong with our lawmakers?

Dianne Hostutler

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