USA becomes Food Stamp Nation

[Zorkorist]

I'm not going to say there isn't abuse, but this is a very extreme case and as such not a very good example:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/government/ss/Lobster-Steak-Food-Stamp-Receipt.htm

Purchaser resold items at a profit
On the face of it, the case does seem too flagrant and over-the-top to be true — and now we know why. According to the Menominee County Sheriff's Department, local and state investigators have discovered that the reason the cardholder bought such large quantities of lobster, steak, and soda was not to "dine like a king," as some have characterized it, but to resell them for profit. And that is illegal. The accused, one Louis Cuff, has been charged with welfare fraud and faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

It only goes to illustrate, Government excess.

Do you doubt that Food Stamps are used to pay for $40 meals? $40 bottles of booze?

That they are available to a criminal, to pay for lobsters for resale... should tell you something.

-John

 

[BarneyFife]

So some bitch is taking food stamps and complaing about it while living under mOm's roof?

Get a fucking job! If that one isn't good enough, then get another one!

What the hell is wrong with these people?

Any openings at your Taco Bell?

 

[Zorkorist]

It must vary by state, because in Illinois there are quite a few restrictions on what you can buy via food stamps.

I was behind a lady who couldn't buy a can of beans because the salt content was too high. She had to walk back to the isle and find a different, less salty, can of beans.

I will agree that the amount given for food can be a little high. In Illinois for a family of 4 the maximum is $668/month. I am able to feed a family of 2 for less than $300, and I eat quite well, if needed I could get that down to $150-$200 really easily.

Tell her she can go cash her food-stamps, at the nearest corner store.

-John

 

[spidey07]

Any openings at your Taco Bell?

Every place I go I see help wanted signs.

 

[Uhtrinity]

It only goes to illustrate, Government excess.

Do you doubt that Food Stamps are used to pay for $40 meals? $40 bottles of booze?

That they are available to a criminal, to pay for lobsters for resale... should tell you something.

-John

I don't doubt that there is abuse, but on the other hand the example provided was poor as the person is being prosecuted. From my experience working in a homeless shelter for 6 years abuse like that is far from typical.

Also, as someone else posted there are restrictions on food stamp use that vary from state to state.

 

[blinblue]

Also, as someone else posted there are restrictions on food stamp use that vary from state to state.

Actually I was mistaken, it must have been a WIC purchase (which does have dietary restrictions), but that's different from SNAP which has basically no restrictions.

They really need to put restrictions on SNAP, and you can't even argue it would be too difficult for the stores because they already have stuff in place for WIC.

 

[BarneyFife]

Every place I go I see help wanted signs.

Yeah at $8 hour and multiply it by 30 hours and thats $240 a week. Take out taxes and you are at under $200 a week. Forget about getting a second job because not only are they hard to find, the only reason you got your first job is because you are available 7 days a week/24 hours a day so your schedule changes every week. On this $240 a week, you expect people to live somewhere, have transportation, buy health insurance, feed themselves, cloth themselves etc..

 

[Zorkorist]

I don't doubt that there is abuse, but on the other hand the example provided was poor as the person is being prosecuted. From my experience working in a homeless shelter for 6 years abuse like that is far from typical.

Also, as someone else posted there are restrictions on food stamp use that vary from state to state.

On the other hand, I know people that I have worked with, that have actively tried to go on the Government dole.

-John

 

[BarneyFife]

So is the the new fall guy the poor person in this country? The banks and corporations are not to blame for all of this. Its the lazy no good American. Seriously, what are you guys trying to prove? That Joe 6 pack is the reason this country going down the drain. It has nothing to do with manufacturing moving overseas and GE paying no taxes.

 

[Phokus]

That's great news for Democrats who believe we can print and spend our way into jobs and prosperity.

Tell me what libertarians and republicans are proposing. Lowering taxes? Cutting spending during a recession? Yeah, that'll bring the jobs back.

 

[MovingTarget]

Wow, you people that think food stamps means filet mignon and lobster are severely delusional.

The problem isn't that so many working people are on food stamps, its that those jobs pay so badly that working full time there pays them so little, making them qualify. The "get a second job" thing is a piss-poor thing to say about the problem, because there are huge masses of people without even one job. Not everyone is cut out to simply pick up and move or start their own business.

If both spouses in a family take jobs and they still can't make ends meet, then we have more serious problems as a nation than "OMG XXX-million people are on food stamps!" If anything, one full time job should be enough to sustain a family of 3.

 

[MovingTarget]

Every place I go I see help wanted signs.

Well, there you have it! Employment problem solved! :thumbsup:

 

[Zorkorist]

We've already discussed that, Moving Target.

People that work, are paid a "living wage" or a "minimum wage"

This is the excuse you guys use to make me pay employees more...

Now you say that's not enough?!

-John

 

[rchiu]

Yeah at $8 hour and multiply it by 30 hours and thats $240 a week. Take out taxes and you are at under $200 a week. Forget about getting a second job because not only are they hard to find, the only reason you got your first job is because you are available 7 days a week/24 hours a day so your schedule changes every week. On this $240 a week, you expect people to live somewhere, have transportation, buy health insurance, feed themselves, cloth themselves etc..

Well depends on who you talk to. Some new immigrants will tell you they can feed a family of 10 on $240 a week. Compare to where they come from, that's already decent money and they know how to tough it out. For other American with their entitlement attitude, $240 is of course not enough with their daily steak and lobster dinners.

 

[Gardener]

So start your own company.

Fuck, Im running three companies right now, two of them from my home computer.

You still drop shipping shit from China?

lmao.

 

[Zorkorist]

Wow, you people that think food stamps means filet mignon and lobster are severely delusional.

The problem isn't that so many working people are on food stamps, its that those jobs pay so badly that working full time there pays them so little, making them qualify. The "get a second job" thing is a piss-poor thing to say about the problem, because there are huge masses of people without even one job. Not everyone is cut out to simply pick up and move or start their own business.

If both spouses in a family take jobs and they still can't make ends meet, then we have more serious problems as a nation than "OMG XXX-million people are on food stamps!" If anything, one full time job should be enough to sustain a family of 3.

Food stamps are obviously for the non-working, under-class of American Society.

Now, go back and re-read original posters post.

-John

 

[Gardener]

Every place I go I see help wanted signs.

You suck at math.

 

[BarneyFife]

Well depends on who you talk to. Some new immigrants will tell you they can feed a family of 10 on $240 a week. Compare to where they come from, that's already decent money and they know how to tough it out. For other American with their entitlement attitude, $240 is of course not enough with their daily steak and lobster dinners.

Really? Break it down for me. On $1k a month for 1 person.

Let me start it off for you

$300 health care
$100 gas (that is without even going anywhere)

You got $600 left a month to pay for food, housing clothing, utilities, and misc expenses.

 

[spidey07]

Quick side story as I had a gentleman come to my door today to give me the sob story and how is is trying to improve his life. He was articulate and I felt he really was trying to improve himself. Once I heard his plea about not being able to find a job (if I only signed his pledge) the conversation went like this...

me - I hear ya man, it's tough, but I can't give any money or sign your pledge
dude - his attitude changed, thanked me for my time, and started to walk away, etc
me - hey man! You try moving furniture? I worked at this moving company up the street for 10 bucks an hour and got 10-20 hours of overtime.
dude - that's pretty good!
me - that was 10 bucks/hour 20 years ago, go apply and go get that job
dude - well I'm working on getting my masonry business going, I just need the money
me - buddy, you want to work or not? It's hard work but I know the owner
dude - well that sounds nice but I need a job
me - WTF? I'm giving it on a silver platter?
dude - Hey man, I got kids to feed!
me - WTF? You want a job or not? It pays well and plenty of OT!
dude - well I'm trying to make amends for poor decisions in the past
me - ? Come clean. You a felon?
dude - yeah
me - well that sucks, least you're trying to amend, can you get it off?
dude - I've tried. (excuses, but he seemed to be doing his best and is now caught up in this pyrimid scheme)
me - you want work? Go to *said moving company* and say I sent you, drop the name of *said owner*

You want to work? There is PLENTY OF FUCKING WORK.

I then told him that this was the work of Obama. He agreed.

 

[Slew Foot]

You still drop shipping shit from China?

lmao.

No from the US, and I make 50K a year working about 10 hours a week.

 

[Zorkorist]

Really? Break it down for me. On $1k a month for 1 person.

Let me start it off for you

$300 health care
$100 gas (that is without even going anywhere)

You got $600 left a month to pay for food, housing clothing, utilities, and misc expenses.

Barney,

Are you serious? Cause you just gave me a big lol.

Of course it starts with shelter..
then food,
then clothing,
utilities,
misc expenses...

THEN you get to health care, or gas.

-John

 

[spidey07]

Wow, you people that think food stamps means filet mignon and lobster are severely delusional.

The problem isn't that so many working people are on food stamps, its that those jobs pay so badly that working full time there pays them so little, making them qualify. The "get a second job" thing is a piss-poor thing to say about the problem, because there are huge masses of people without even one job. Not everyone is cut out to simply pick up and move or start their own business.

If both spouses in a family take jobs and they still can't make ends meet, then we have more serious problems as a nation than "OMG XXX-million people are on food stamps!" If anything, one full time job should be enough to sustain a family of 3.

Except democrats have destroyed the family and marriage. So your family of three is husband/wife/kid.

This was the goal all along, destroy the family unit of husband and wife and make folks dependent on government money.

Fuck be upon Obama.

 

[Infohawk]

We can afford this program. Let's not pretend we can't. If there's fraud, deal with the fraud don't destroy the program. For fuck's sake we put a man on the moon we should be able to feed our own people.

The underlying cause is low and underemployment among the middle and lower classes. The US economy doesn't really need them anymore as they've been replaced with immigrants and third worlders working for nothing. I see no reason to sell out my countrymen for a cheap iphone.

 

[BarneyFife]

Barney,

Are you serious? Cause you just gave me a big lol.

Of course it starts with shelter..
then food,
then clothing,
utilities,
misc expenses...

THEN you get to health care, or gas.

-John

So you want people to have no health care or transportation?

 

[Zorkorist]

We can afford this program. Let's not pretend we can't. If there's fraud, deal with the fraud don't destroy the program. For fuck's sake we put a man on the moon we should be able to feed our own people.

The underlying cause is low and underemployment among the middle and lower classes. The US economy doesn't really need them anymore as they've been replaced with immigrants and third worlders working for nothing. I see no reason to sell out my countrymen for a cheap iphone.

We cannot afford this, infohawk, morally or fiscally.

You seem ready and willing to avoid the moral dilema, and continue paying folks for doing nothing, but yet you take arms against paying illegal alliens for doing something?!

-John