Only second hand clothing for Foster kids? All part of Republican vision of America.

Dickensian is too kind a word to use for the current crop of authoritarian Republican sociopaths, especially those empowered in the state of Michigan.

The following is so unimaginable, especially coming from a fellow human being in a country like the United States, that I think at this point the message is pretty clear where Republicans want to take our country.

His explanation? “I never had anything new,” Caswell says. “I got all the hand-me-downs. And my dad, he did a lot of shopping at the Salvation Army, and his comment was — and quite frankly it’s true — once you’re out of the store and you walk down the street, nobody knows where you bought your clothes.” 

Under his plan, foster children would receive gift cards that could only be used at places like the Salvation Army, Goodwill and other second hand clothing stores. 

Michigan League for Human Services, executive director Gilda Jacobs, had this to say:
“Honestly, I was flabbergasted,” Jacobs says. “I really couldn’t believe this. Because I think, gosh, is this where we’ve gone in this state? 

Casswell says the plan will save the state money, though it isn’t clear how much the state spends on clothing for foster children or how much could be saved this way.

Thank god for a suggestion from a constituent, that altered the plan:

A proposal by Hillsdale County Republican Sen. Bruce Caswell has been amended. After a suggestion from a constituent, he plans to draft an amendment to the proposal that would direct the state to work with major retailers to create a gift card program 

What a big heart. Can you imagine stores trying to configure their system computers to accept these cards? Not likely.