Arizona: Tries to cut off poor but reopens Grand Canyon, effort to stop welfare

Just when it seemed the state of Arizona couldn’t sink any lower, it became the only state in the union to stop welfare checks due to the federal shutdown. The decision came in the face of assurances that the money would be reimbursed once the shutdown is over.

As if to add insult to injury, the state couldn’t wait to reopen the Grand Canyon National Park on Saturday, using $651,000 in state funds. This sum will keep it running only for a week. There is NO guarantee that Arizona will be reimbursed for those funds.

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After days of protests by Democrats and advocacy groups, Brewer finally reversed her order to halt the welfare checks. The Arizona governor said that ‘just’ 3200 families failed to receive their checks for October because of her action.

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Of course, the disparity doesn’t end there. If the shutdown isn’t over by next Saturday, Arizona will pay $93,000 a day to continue keeping the Grand Canyon open, but continuing welfare payments is still a question mark, as Brewer was eager to make clear. She said:

If the federal government remains at a stalemate come November, Arizona may be faced with catastrophic budgetary challenges and choices as we figure out how to salvage TANF and other critical programs.

The idea of denying essential benefits to the poor, and only the poor, is beyond immoral; it verges on the criminal.

Arizona: Tries to cut off poor but reopens Grand Canyon, effort to stop welfare