Cigarettes for the poor: No. Religious schools for the rich: Yes

by David Safier

Craig already posted about this, but it's mouth-dropping enough, it deserves a second look.

"The Welfare Queen" stereotype is back, courtesy of Southern Arizonans like Antenori, Melvin, Gowan and Stevens as well as some of the Maricopa madmen who've taught our local legislators all they know.

They've written a bill saying if people getting food stamps or government funded health care buy a pack of cigarettes or a beer, they can have their benefits taken away.

Meanwhile, the House Ways and Means Committee said rich people can continue to have their private school tuition paid for by backdoor vouchers — otherwise known as tuition tax credits. Not only that, the amount of tax credit money people can give should be raised from $500 to $750 — every penny of which is totally refundable, meaning it's all state revenue.

Since 80% of Arizona private schools are religious, a huge chunk of that government money goes to send rich children to religious schools.

To recap: Government money to send rich kids to religious private schools: Good. Government money for food and health care to a poor person who smokes: Very, very bad.

When Antenori spins out his "Welfare Queen" scenario, he purposely ignores the children in the picture. He doesn't want us to envision children being denied food and health care because of their parents' minor (or major) vices.

These "good, God-fearing folks" love the New Testament quote, "the least among you," but they think it only refers to fetuses. My understanding is that it refers to the hungry and the thirsty, and to born children who need food, shelter and adequate care.

Maybe children attending religious school on the government dime can set their un-Christian parents straight on this issue.