US = Food stamps nation and is growing and growing and...

[thestrangebrew1]

I have never been on any types of government freebie program so excuse my lack of knowledge. Are you saying SNAP is not "use it or lose it"? If you have some left over at the end of the month, you can add them up onto next month amount?

$200/month for 4? Yike. How do you do that? I thought I was pretty good for $150-$200/month just for me. And that did not count eating out, it was just for home cooking meals only.

Correct. It is not use it or lose it. So whatever you do not use, it gets added on to the next month's allotment.

$200/mo groceries for 4 isn't too bad, we just can't afford to buy ribeyes once a week except on occasion. I take my lunch almost everyday, my wife rarely eats out as well, and we buy the basics, lunch meat, chicken, we eat a lot of pork which is usually cheaper, and I eat a lot of ramen lol.

 

[nehalem256]

And what do you do with all the people who made "poor life choices"?

Well if we listen to liberals we can trust women to make choices for their families so there should be no problems with children starving. :sneaky:

And if an adult starves because there own poor life choices that will serve as a lesson for others.

 

[zephyrprime]

5. households on food stamps have the potential to eat healthier & better overall than your avg middle-class hh. but because the recipients take this for granted, they buy junk. CA spends tons of cash trying to educate recipients on buying healthy foods but recipients couldn't care less because its an endless stream of resources for them.

It's not because it's an endless stream of resources. It's because eating healthy is the only way of eating they know and the way they prefer best. Even if they weren't receiving food stamps and had tons of their own money, you can bet they would still be eating junk.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Well if we listen to liberals we can trust women to make choices for their families so there should be no problems with children starving. :sneaky:

And if an adult starves because there own poor life choices that will serve as a lesson for others.

You don't strike me as being very compassionate nor appreciative of what starving people are capable of when survival instincts kick in.

 

[nehalem256]

You don't strike me as being very compassionate nor appreciative of what starving people are capable of when survival instincts kick in.

I do not have compassion for people who want to do whatever they want and want me to pay for the consequences.

It sounds to me like you are the kind of person who gives into extortionists.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I do not have compassion for people who want to do whatever they want and want me to pay for the consequences.

It sounds to me like you are the kind of person who gives into extortionists.

I'm a pragmatist who grew up understanding what it's like to be dirt poor.

What kind of person are you?

 

[nehalem256]

I'm a pragmatist who grew up understanding what it's like to be dirt poor.

What kind of person are you?

Someone who understands that negotiating with extortionists breeds more extortionists.

I propose that if people wish to be treated like "children" by the government we treat them exactly that way. Of course no sane person lets their children run around without rules.

 

[1prophet]

They had to. That's where all the money was going. People were warned this what would happen if we kept buying all that imported crap. Now it is politically convenient to blame corporations when corporations are just chasing the money. America demands people get paid a decent wage and have safe work environments but have no problem buying crap made in countries that pay atrocious wages and have very unsafe work environments. Blame it on corporations if that makes you feel better but we did this to ourselves.

No they didn't have to, that is one of the biggest lies pushed about outsourcing, it was all about short term immediate profits under the guise they are doing it for the stockholders while the executives reaped their bonuses while getting ready to jump ship for the next corporation.

With great power comes great responsibility and those at the top have the tools and resources to manipulate the masses (as shown by Edward Bernays)

Corporations pushed for thing like NAFTA and GATT while using the advertising media to brainwash Americans that cheaper is better, it's all about me and I got to have it now is the new way of thinking,

ironically a billionaire by the name of Ross Perot told everyone of the inevitable outcome.

 

[Moonbeam]

Id be open to that, my main point is as long as lobby has a say, neither of our ideas will get traction.

I suppose you realize that lobbying is a Constitutional right and that to change that would require a Constitutional amendment that nobody with any sense would pass. There are millions of Americans that lobby for just and valuable things.

 

[Engineer]

The uber-wealthy moved all the nice middle class paying blue collar jobs overseas. It wasn't easy, they first had to buy off the politicians to make it happen. They are now taking shots at the nice middle class paying white collar jobs. What we have left in America is a growing pool of McJobs and dwindling pool of real jobs. Our corporate leaders and politicians have flushed our future down the toilet.

/thread

 

[IBMer]

I've seen this already.

If I go to the store this week I'll take photos of said labeled welfare food.

Some stores follow the rules, some don't there must be loopholes or something because you can probably shop until you drop in a Walmart with foodstamps. However smaller stores I've seen turn people down because they were trying to get certain cereals or something they weren't allowed to have.

WIC is not the same as EBT and every store has to follow WIC to the tee or they don't get any money back. WIC is a great program as it never gives any money, its all for specific food down to the type and ounces the baby food can be.

 

[marincounty]

I was hoping Obama would have fixed everything by now....maybe he will during his next 4 years, but I don't see any real effort in this area. Raising taxes appears to be his #1 priority. Blaming Bush is so passe...perhaps it's time for you to get a new schtick.

Bush cut taxes in a time of war, that wasn't too smart, was it?
Raising taxes appears to be the only way to pay back the money that was spent, seeing as how congress is unable to cut anything of value.

His ownership society, he wanted to privatize social security, everything he touched was a disaster.
Blaming Bush is passe for some, but the real damage he caused will be with us for some time.
Things have been slowly getting better with Obama in charge, in spite of Republican obstructionism. More Americans agree with my understanding of the situation, hence the reelection of Obama.

 

[raildogg]

I see people with food stamps playing lottery. So we have government food stamps paying for government run lottery. And both programs seem to be growing. Is this helping anyone but the people who are in the government? Not from what I see.

These same people want to tax the heck out of cigarettes are now helping to expand the e-cig industry. So will the e-cigs get taxed next? I'm sure our clever business people will invent some other nicotine product to evade taxes. It's a never ending cycle but it's so wasteful.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

I see people with food stamps playing lottery. So we have government food stamps paying for government run lottery. And both programs seem to be growing. Is this helping anyone but the people who are in the government? Not from what I see.

These same people want to tax the heck out of cigarettes are now helping to expand the e-cig industry. So will the e-cigs get taxed next? I'm sure our clever business people will invent some other nicotine product to evade taxes. It's a never ending cycle but it's so wasteful.

Just a bit of factoid. JPMorgan has a huge position in the food stamp industry because they are the ones who clear and process the bulk of EBT transactions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eYRG9f5F4gw#!

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Things have been slowly getting better with Obama in charge, in spite of Republican obstructionism. More Americans agree with my understanding of the situation, hence the reelection of Obama.

That's certainly one way to look at it. However, using your logic, the same can be said for Bush in 2005...he was reelected to a 2nd term by the American people who believed our economy was getting better after 911 and the Clinton tech bubble collapse. Bush was reelected in spite of all the Democratic obstructionism he had to deal with.

Hopefully you can see that this kind of "might-is-right logic" is actually irrelevant in judging the effectiveness of a President. Time will tell. I personally believe history will not be kind to either Obama or Bush.

 

[Matt1970]

No they didn't have to, that is one of the biggest lies pushed about outsourcing, it was all about short term immediate profits under the guise they are doing it for the stockholders while the executives reaped their bonuses while getting ready to jump ship for the next corporation.

With great power comes great responsibility and those at the top have the tools and resources to manipulate the masses (as shown by Edward Bernays)

Corporations pushed for thing like NAFTA and GATT while using the advertising media to brainwash Americans that cheaper is better, it's all about me and I got to have it now is the new way of thinking,

ironically a billionaire by the name of Ross Perot told everyone of the inevitable outcome.

Sorry, but the all mighty dollar has the final say and America opted for cheaper goods no matter the long term cost. It wasn't like American made products just vanished from the shelves one day and got replaced with cheaper imports.

 

[Geosurface]

Maybe a bunch of people starving is (unfortunately) inevitable.

Maybe the only question is, is it a shit ton now... or an ultra, mega, fuckload shit ton later?

 

[SheHateMe]

I see people with food stamps playing lottery. So we have government food stamps paying for government run lottery. And both programs seem to be growing. Is this helping anyone but the people who are in the government? Not from what I see.

These same people want to tax the heck out of cigarettes are now helping to expand the e-cig industry. So will the e-cigs get taxed next? I'm sure our clever business people will invent some other nicotine product to evade taxes. It's a never ending cycle but it's so wasteful.

Then those stores they are buying those tickets from are committing welfare fraud. Unless these people are withdrawing cash from their cash credit on the EBT to buy these tickets.


And hey..I have no problem with these people playing the lottery because that money is coming right back where it came from. Plus, if they actually do hit the lottery its going to be taxed to hell...they are going to blow all the money on "stuff"...the money will come right back where it came from.

 

[chucky2]

You have no problem with people who cannot take care of themselves and have to suck off the government teat, which is paid for with your tax dollars, from blowing their personal money on non-necessary expenditures while the government gives them aide paid for with money taken from you?

Tell you what? Send me $30 a month please, I promise to put it towards food (heck, I'll actually even buy proper food with it). I also promise for every dollar you send me to go blow an equal amount of mine on BS expenditures. I have no problem helping you help me finance my personal lifestyle.

Deal?

Chuck

 

[nehalem256]

Then those stores they are buying those tickets from are committing welfare fraud. Unless these people are withdrawing cash from their cash credit on the EBT to buy these tickets.


And hey..I have no problem with these people playing the lottery because that money is coming right back where it came from. Plus, if they actually do hit the lottery its going to be taxed to hell...they are going to blow all the money on "stuff"...the money will come right back where it came from.

Well I think this explains why liberals don't think there is any fraud going on with welfare/foodstamps.

They don't see a problem with poor people blowing their government money on lottery tickets.

Probably the only thing they would have problem with them spending the money on is guns

 

[bshole]

It appears that liberals in general blame corporations and politicians for moving the jobs overseas.

It appears that conservatives in general blame the poor (who no longer have any meaningful employment opportunities) for not quietly starving to death.

 

[SheHateMe]

Well I think this explains why liberals don't think there is any fraud going on with welfare/foodstamps.

They don't see a problem with poor people blowing their government money on lottery tickets.

Probably the only thing they would have problem with them spending the money on is guns

I just admitted there was fraud going on, everyone knows that. I was making a statement (jokingly,obviously) about how it probably isn't so bad to spend Government money on a Government lottery. The money is going back to where it came from.


I do realize though that people like you will take whatever chance you can get on Anandtech to call someone a Liberal. That's the most overused insult on this forum.

 

[nehalem256]

It appears that liberals in general blame corporations and politicians for moving the jobs overseas.

It appears that conservatives in general blame the poor (who no longer have any meaningful employment opportunities) for not quietly starving to death.

Actually I think if you read the thread you would see a large number of conservatives blaming politicians for jobs going overseas.

EDIT: And also if you looked at reality you would realize that outsourcing is not the only cause of poverty. Liberal family values lead to a 5x increase in poverty.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

It appears that liberals in general blame corporations and politicians for moving the jobs overseas.

It appears that conservatives in general blame the poor (who no longer have any meaningful employment opportunities) for not quietly starving to death.

Further proof that I'm a liberal.

 

[Geosurface]

It appears that liberals in general blame corporations and politicians for moving the jobs overseas.

It appears that conservatives in general blame the poor (who no longer have any meaningful employment opportunities) for not quietly starving to death.

Why can't a person do both?

I have no love for the corporations and politicians moving jobs overseas. Or importing cheap labor to do the jobs illegally.

At the same time, what you said about the poor quietly starving to death? That's very, very simplistic. The fact is... there are a lot more poor BECAUSE of the programs to help them. Some tragedies happen when you don't have those social programs in place, but having them in place is just creating a huge, enormous tragedy bubble which will make the slow trickle of tragedy had we never implemented them, seem like child's play by comparison.

With those programs removed, a lot of people get a fire under their ass to improve their situation! The ones who don't, shouldn't be around breeding!

It's exactly the same reason they tell you not to feed wildlife at Yellowstone, or they tell you to spay and neuter your pets... you may get a little burst of warm fuzzy feeling when you feed a bear, or when you see a new litter of kittens... but what you aren't considering is the greater misery being created by over-population of cats and dogs, or the other stuff that happens "off camera" like the bear mauling someone and having to be shot because it became too comfortable around people, or starving because it became too dependent on human food.

We've got so many people now floating around in this dreamworld, and that dreamworld is going to come crashing down in spectacular fashion when reality catches up to it, as it already is doing. What we need are hard-nosed realists, people with a strong streak of asshole in them. Those people build and sustain civilizations.

It is a damned shame this country moved away from the eugenics movement, there are too many people sticking their fingers in their ears and pretending heritability doesn't exist, because magic.