There's an experimental program going on in Germany (just into a couple hundred folks)....where if you arrive and get inprocessed as a migrant, with a temp-visa....they still give you food-money (monthly allowance)....but it's not a cash thing anymore. The experiment is.....a cash-card (ATM-type card, with Visa).
Well....various people had opinions of how this would work and it seems that migrants (more than half of those 'herded' toward this) aren't readily accepting this.
The chief problem? The card is designed for regular grocery use (like normal grocery stores in Germany). You can use it at bakeries and deli shops as well. What you can't use it for? Well....booze for example. If you wanted cannabis or illicit drugs? No....your dealer won't accept the card.
My wife (German in nature) and I got into a discussion last night about this.
She voiced the idea that most migrants appearing country (certainly not all of them)....were mostly male, and between the ages of 18 and 25. If you handed them a card loaded with 500 Euro for food....they'd shake their heads because there's no cash for drug use, and the card can't be used for beer, wine or hard alcohol.
I countered....well....folks don't come to Germany for booze or drugs as a priority (me, being the practical American). I'll admit....American GI's since the 1950s....have hyped the legend of Germany....being the premier beer-capital of the world.
What the journalists don't tell you....out of the 25-percent who do accept the card....are they mostly women or family units? If ALL of the accepting folks were families or single females....there would be a massive story to lay out and tell people.
But I doubt that you'd want to admit....the bulk of migrants being men....need, or want the cash option.....for fun-time.
The remaining German states eyeballing this experiment and likely going to a cash-card by the end of 2024? I would imagine by spring of 2025....all sixteen states will go this direction. As for the consequence....suddenly the male population of migrants skipping Germany? Well....you just wonder about that.
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