Michele Bachmann: Welfare Recipients Getting Lap Dances A Bigger Issue Than Unemployment Benefits

The House and Senate both approved a payroll tax cut bill on Friday that would extend unemployment benefits through 2012.

But according to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), the extension is hardly the bill's crowning achievement.

"They're extending unemployment, too, but the big thing that we get is no longer can a welfare recipient walk into a strip club and get money out of an ATM machine to pay for a lap dance," she told conservative radio host Mark Levin on Thursday night. "Now, I'm not making this up. That's the big thing that we get out of this bill."

According to the bill, welfare recipients won't be able to use government-issued debit cards to get cash through ATM's at strip clubs, casinos or liquor stores. The ban is similar to one included in a House bill proposed earlier this month by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.).

Questioned by Levin whether this use of welfare funds was a major problem, Bachmann replied, "Welfare recipients across the country, Mark, have been using their welfare cards -- they look like credit cards, it's a debit card. They get these debit cards, they can walk into a casino, they can walk into a liquor store, they can walk into a strip club and if there's an ATM machine in there, they can use their welfare card, draw down the money and use it to pay for gambling, lap dances."

Bachmann, who is running for a fourth term after dropping out of the GOP presidential race, called the issue "unbelievable."

"People need to be outraged by this, because we are literally going into hock and reducing our standard of living to keep this kind of ridiculous spending up," she said. "That's a problem."

10 more election stories from outside the presidential field:

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Herman Cain To Campaign With Pete Hoekstra [Talking Points Memo]

Scott Brown Surges In New Poll [National Journal]

Illinois Democrats Undecided In Kenilworth Primary [Patch]

Connie Mack Struggled With Personal Debt, Records Show [Miami Herald]

Candidate For D.C. 'Shadow Senator' Is A Convicted Felon [The Washington Post]

George Allen Lays Out Blueprint For Comeback [The Roanoke Times]

Earlier on HuffPost:

Comments

[Buller]

06:52 PM on 04/17/2012

I can't wait for Michelle to turn over her share of the people's money she spent campaigning. Any day now Michelle will announce that all government healthcare is wrong and that she has cancelled her taxpayer financed health insurance. She will on that day also pay back the tax payers for all the travel expenses incurred flying back and forth to her home state. In fact, in the interest of not further wasting tax money, Michelle will now return her salary and resign from Congress!

[Buller]

06:33 PM on 04/17/2012

Question: Does anyone here know exactly how often people on welfare use their debit cards at strip joints and liquor stores? I'd really like to know, because when ever I see someone at the grocery store using their state issued debit card they are buying groceries. The cashiers always separate the non-food items from the soda pop, beer, and cigarettes. How are they able to use their debit card for liquor if they can't buy beer? Are they really able to draw cash at an ATM? I was under the impression that the cards are only accepted at state approved stores.

[devlinld]

12:25 PM on 03/04/2012

Are Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman sisters? Are they in a race with each other to see who is dumber or more hateful? Why are they even getting press?

[angry in ct]

04:48 PM on 02/29/2012

Something tells me Ms. Flakemann is trying out pole dancing as a new line of work once she gets trounced in November.

[Big0725]

11:19 AM on 02/27/2012

Seeing Shelly and her fruity husband (?) are on the public dole, I want a line-by-line record of every cent of government money they receive.

[Selene Sweck]

05:06 PM on 02/21/2012

This isn't the only thing that Americans should be outraged over, how about welfare giving cell phones and paying the bills every month. I understand basic needs for people who find themselves in temporary financial straights, but in no way is a cell phone a necessity nor should my tax dollars go to pay for this luxury item.

[Big0725]

11:15 AM on 02/27/2012

What's the difference between a cell phone and a regular phone? I know someone that had a subsidized cell phone and that's all he had. And he used it for emergencies and contacting prospective employers. And he gave it up after he secured employment.

I wonder if you are as adamant in your desire to control an oil corporation getting a tax break as you are making sure a welfare recipient isn't getting a free cell phone?

[Selene Sweck]

07:05 PM on 02/28/2012

In my opinion, my tax dollars should not pay for the luxury of a free cell phone and payment of the monthly bill. A basic land line today is inexpensive and can easily be paid out of monthly welfare or title 19 payments.
Certainly, it is your prerogative to disagree with my opinon; however, your are out of line to presume that you know anything about how I feel about the oil industry and the complexities associated with their tax structure.

[devlinld]

12:16 PM on 03/04/2012

I would worry more about all of the monies to slaughter people in other countries than help for welfare recipients. I'm not going to waste my time looking up your claim but if you don't have empathy for people getting help when needed from us then who are you?

[Selene Sweck]

07:48 PM on 03/04/2012

What in the world are you talking about? Slaughter people in other countries? I give much to help other people who are in need both of my time and money.
I do not belive that we owe a cell phone to welfare recipients. That is a luxury and should not be a general freebie given out to people receiving government assistance. You may disagree and that's your right but it is inappropriate of you to make any supposition about who I am.

[akeough35]

07:49 PM on 02/20/2012

How the hell has anyone ever been able to take her seriously? Im VERY concerned about how the hell she was elected to begin with! She had to have paid someone off for votes...cant imagine ANYONE seriously voting for her of their own free will...god willing this will be her last term!

[Mcl1150]

04:20 PM on 02/20/2012

I'm from The Netherlands. We just had a laugh when we saw Rick S on TV, telling some horrific story about euthanesia in NL. 10% of all people dying here, being 'killed' by means of euthanesia. Half of them against their will. What a nut. Just recovered, i read this Bachmann story.... Lot's of success with the 2012 elections, OMG! I really hope that the black guy gets a second term.

[keith1963]

07:01 PM on 02/21/2012

Mc, thank God we only have a small percentage in this country that believes the stuff that comes out the Republicans/TeaNuts' mouths. Bachmann is just truly insane. Obama went to India a couple of years ago and she went on TV saying the cost of the trip was 20 million per day.

[Madtek]

10:33 AM on 02/20/2012

And just how does she know this?? Has she been monitering the ATMs at certain establishments or has she been following someone around??

[morbius]

10:20 AM on 02/20/2012

And your proof of this can be found where, Michele? No proof = hot air! And if I had my way, it would be a prosecutable offence.

[akeough35]

07:42 PM on 02/20/2012

yes, as usual she does not have the facts to back up her statement. just another jab at the downtrodden. hopefully this is her last term...the sound of her voice makes me want to vomit.

[Selene Sweck]

05:16 PM on 02/21/2012

Yes she does! Go ask the States where this is a problem, Mississippi, Lousianna, Connecticut, Nevada. These are the ones that I know. Strips clubs, I'm sure it's easy to track.

[Passenger57]

10:05 AM on 02/20/2012

Left unsaid: just because the ATM was in a strip club doesn't mean they actually got a lap dance- or a bottle of booze from the liquor store the ATM was in. It probably means that ATM was closer...

[Selene Sweck]

05:18 PM on 02/21/2012

Excuse me? Don't be naive.

[Passenger57]

08:57 PM on 02/21/2012

Ah...so there's an ATM in the liquor store a block away, and a stand-alone ATM eight blocks away. You're going to walk past the closer one because it's in an icky liquor store?
There's an ATM two blocks away at the strip club, and a stand-alone ATM three blocks away. You going to hike that extra block because you don't want to be seen going in the strip club? I'm pretty sure the machine isn't on the stage. Factor in weather, and yeah, people will go to the closest one...

[BeBop33]

09:59 AM on 02/20/2012

just when you think the fruitcake can't get any nuttier...

[collprof]

09:54 AM on 02/20/2012

To think that there are actual, real people who think this women is some kind of leader. Is this an example of our intelligence?

[Selene Sweck]

05:25 PM on 02/21/2012

Ignorance is simply a lack of information. Stupidity is refusal to accept facts as they exist. The Bill was written based on provable facts with input from those States who have really been effected. To put someone down or call someone unintelligent because you disagree or don't believe what they say, is rather silly. First, you should understand that there are "facts" that negate your statement. Call Representative Boustney from Lousianna to garner the statistical data. If you refuse to accept facts as they exist well then who has the questionable intelligence?

[Big0725]

11:18 AM on 02/27/2012

And you're doing nothing to change my opinion.

[juliet marilynne]

02:06 PM on 03/09/2012

should welfare recipients be getting lap dances or liquor with their funds? NO!

and since all those transactions are electronic, it would be VERY easy to track the locations of each atm and said transactions.

what's galling however is the hypocrisy! who's going to monitor all these transactions? yet ANOTHER chip in the 'smaller government' stone. [and let's not forget, this is ultimately unenforceable because a recipient can just get a cash withdrawl ANYwhere and THEN go to the liquor store or wherever.]

[devlinld]

12:19 PM on 03/04/2012

It's an example of our electorates intelligence. Scary isn't it.

[CymroTramor]

09:24 AM on 02/20/2012

michelle,,,who????

[colinmincy]

09:13 AM on 02/20/2012

So much for conservatives staying out of people's private lives...lol.