Now and then, the government makes a decision that serves the interests of the needy as much as the general public.
Last week, federal officials announced that paper food stamps are being replaced by electronic debit cards. That will lessen the stigma for nearly 24-million people who count on government assistance every month to maintain adequate nutrition.
But this is about more than making poor people comfortable in the checkout. Paper stamps have long been easily traded for drugs and stolen goods, and exchanged at black-market prices for cash. Embedding a food stamp balance into a secure debit card should reduce fraud and waste and help undo a parasitic economy that preys on taxpayers and the poor. Debit cards are also faster and cheaper for government and businesses to process. Efficiency with dignity - imagine that.
