I had an interview yesterday at the Capitol Hill CSO for food stamps. One, the ambiance sucked. I…read morewasn't vibing with it, anyway. The waiting room's smelly and shabby with no signage. Initially, I had no idea how to check in. This is terra incognita for me, and I imagine for others, so they really need clear signage to direct ppl. Two, Fox News blared from a smallish TV. Why choose a right-wing network? It confounded me. Even MSNBC or CNN would be preferable. It seemed grossly insensitive to their demographic/clients, most of whom are more than likely Democrats and migrants. C'mon. Fox doesn't advocate for THAT demographic, i.e., folks like me on general assistance. Unless they're masochists, I can't imagine CSO clients related to the famously imbalanced and uneven Fox content or their immigrant/minority bashing tone.
Additionally, while I received a food stamp debit card, when I tried to use it at my local corner store, the system declined it. (I had been smoothly assured yesterday that it would work today, October 1st.) I went home, immediately and called Capitol Hill CSO. I was put on hold for 5 minutes only to find out that the civil servant that helped me had failed to finalize my card. Apparently, he forgot to initialize it or something, an important last step that actually activates the card. Is it THAT difficult to process an application for food stamps? The records are digitized, so all he had to do was punch in my social security number. It's all automated, so what's the big deal? It's a pretty straightforward process with clear protocols, I imagine. How could he mess it up? I hope he's simply inept. I can live with that.
Frankly, I don't expect Michelin rated service at DSHS, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he was on a power trip. I experienced a similar problem with DSHS when I applied for and received assistance two years ago. I had to return to the CSO twice to get my card activated, so this clearly wasn't an isolated incident. How sad. Yet another petty bureaucrat, little better than his clients, kicking the proverbial dog. How cliché and lame! As well, at the downtown CSO, I noticed how the workers preen and act self-important. You get the picture. They have the keys to the kingdom when in reality they're a civil servant providing, you guessed it, a service. Why can't they just do their job with minimum fuss and not afflict clients with Fox News? You'd think they worked for UPS or FedEx, the top of the dung heap. I'll try my card, again tonight. Hopefully, it'll work, or I won't eat unlike the bureaucrat that "helped" me.