If rehabilitation is the point of our justice system, government agencies shouldn’t punish people who’ve paid their debt, and who are trying to do the right thing.

Altimont owns Carmen’s Corner Store in Hagerstown, Maryland, a community where around 20 percent of people rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy their groceries. But a federal agency decided that Altimont can never accept SNAP as a form of payment at Carmen’s.

That decision isn’t because Altimont has done anything wrong as a business owner, but rather because of unrelated crimes from 2004, for which he’s already served his time.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) permanently bans anyone with drug, alcohol, tobacco, or firearms convictions from participating in the SNAP program—a harsher punishment than the agency dishes out to those who have actually defrauded the program. That’s not just irrational, it’s also unconstitutional, which is why Altimont teamed up with our organization, the Institute for Justice (IJ), to file a federal lawsuit against the agency on Tuesday.

  • dragonflyteaparty@lemmy.world
    10·
    1 year ago

    You really don’t know how expensive it is to be poor, do you? There’s fees on top of fees on top of fees if you can’t pay on time or the whole amount at once. The idea of “just don’t be poor” doesn’t really work. It’s like saying if you want to be a billionaire, why aren’t you? Just do it.

    • Osirus@sh.itjust.works
      19·
      1 year ago

      I was poor. I’m not poor anymore. I went to college, 9/11 happened, went to the military immediately after college, paid off my college via the military, got into IT having never went to college for the field, killed myself to learn, worked 60+ hours for 8 years to excel in the field, now I’m comfortable. I’m working on being a millionaire first ;)

        • Osirus@sh.itjust.works
          16·
          1 year ago

          Yep grants work and my single mother cosigned for the rest. Hard to imagine when you are lazy and can’t do anything for yourself, I know. Got the rest paid when I joined the military, tho you could go to the miliary first to get there as well , if you weren’t all soft as baby shit, that is.

      • JamesFire@lemmy.world
        4·
        1 year ago

        I was poor. I’m not poor anymore.

        “It’s not a problem for me, so therefore it can’t be a problem for anyone”

        You… do realize how fucking stupid that sort of “logic” is right? Other people are allowed to have different experiences.

        • Osirus@sh.itjust.works
          22·
          1 year ago

          It’s not stupid, it’s proof that people can do it. You all just want “poor me” instead of taking accountablility and responsibility for your own situations. ANYONE who doesn’t have a physical deformity or extremely low IQ can join the military and pick a job that doesn’t involve getting your face blown off to get out of poverty. ANYONE. You guys are full of excuses.