Allegheny County Food Stamp Recipients Chart (middle-class, houses, private school)

[I_Like_Spam]

Fluctuations in the number of food stamp recipients aren't just caused by economic conditions.

There have been changes in food stamp policy, whose eligible and whose not which started about 2007-08 or so.

[JoeP]

more like out-of-town ghosts

the strategy of hyping pittsburgh comes from the top down

first put the city at or near the top of several nationally publicized lists (most livable, best all-American vacations, etc.)

second build a potemkin village of new hotels (monaco, ace, indigo, etc.) and new corporate headquarters (pnc, us steel, etc.)

third offer points one and two as evidence of economic strength and recovery from de-industrialization,
when the reality is there are more people in pittsburgh (and in the us) on food stamps than there were ten years ago precisely because making beds and lattes is not a living wage the way making steel was


more layoffs in local depressed manufacturing towns means more local food stamps recipients in the near future

"U.S. Steel will lay off 165 workers at its Irvin plant in West Mifflin, effective Sunday, the latest of a series of cutbacks the Pittsburgh steel producer has announced."

that's a lot of words to not respond to my points. I don't comment on Pittsburgh "hype."

I called out your illogical argument. Period.

[zip95]

I think food stamps are spectacular!

Firstly, because everyone should be able to eat... This is 21st century America after all.

Secondly, because it's good for the economy. Wal-mart and Giant Eagle employ thousands and earn billions. Food stamps are a significant part of that.

And finally, because people will survive one way or another. Either they get food stamps, or they get a gun and come to our nice clean neighborhoods looking for victims. We will pay one way or the other... I'd rather pay via taxes.

[gg]

Originally Posted by zip95

This is 21st century America after all.

Yeah, it is America alright. Talk about a totally fake economy! Massive spending and massive debt. Our government has been an embarrassment for a very long time. The best thing that could happen to our country is that we get tougher as people and spend WAY less money, but we are so selfish and want everything NOW! I would rather spend money on food stamps that moronic wars, but I would rather see less debt and more savings. We are truly a second class nation!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by zip95

And finally, because people will survive one way or another. Either they get food stamps, or they get a gun and come to our nice clean neighborhoods looking for victims. We will pay one way or the other... I'd rather pay via taxes.

Yes, heaven forbid they take a job with my company or with friends' businesses who also can't find anyone who wants to work hard for a living in order to put food on the table. This nation's "entitlement mentality" is an absolute joke.

[aw_now_what]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Yes, heaven forbid they take a job with my company or with friends' businesses who also can't find anyone who wants to work hard for a living in order to put food on the table. This nation's "entitlement mentality" is an absolute joke.

You sound like an overweight, unshaven 63-year-old white guy sitting in front of your tv, muttering in agreement with Fox News. You've claimed a high IQ in past posts, but your recent comments seem determined to refute that.

[sealie]

6 SNAP (Food Stamp) Myths | Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger

Myth #1: People who get SNAP don’t work.

FACT: The overwhelming majority of SNAP recipients who can work do so. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "Among SNAP households with at least one working-age, non-disabled adult, more than half work while receiving SNAP—and more than 80 percent work in the year prior to or the year after receiving SNAP. The rates are even higher for families with children—more than 60 percent work while receiving SNAP, and almost 90 percent work in the prior or subsequent year."

What's more, many SNAP participants aren't physically able to work. About 20 percent of SNAP participants are elderly or have a disability, according to the USDA.

[sparrowmint]

No room for facts here, it's just all lazy, entitled people who refuse to make minimum wage or below after independent contractor taxes and car expenses are taken into account (not including the health risk of driving around + delivering food, lack of benefits, etc). If I was going to take on that bad deal, I'd work for Uber instead.

How's your tax bill, SCR?

Almost like the board has had this conversation before.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by aw_now_what

You sound like an overweight, unshaven 63-year-old white guy sitting in front of your tv, muttering in agreement with Fox News. You've claimed a high IQ in past posts, but your recent comments seem determined to refute that.

Originally Posted by sparrowmint

No room for facts here, it's just all lazy, entitled people who refuse to make minimum wage or below after independent contractor taxes and car expenses are taken into account (not including the health risk of driving around + delivering food, lack of benefits, etc). If I was going to take on that bad deal, I'd work for Uber instead.

How's your tax bill, SCR?

Almost like the board has had this conversation before.

As an able-bodied individual I'd still work a dead-end job that most people would consider to be "beneath" them and maximize my hours there before taking one cent of a handout from taxpayers because I have something called PRIDE and a WORK ETHIC. Someone I know works full-time and receives government handouts that includes her baby daddy being compensated to baby-sit her kids while she works. Isn't that just called doing what you SHOULD be doing as a FATHER?

My tax bill? ~$4,000 altogether for Federal, state, and local taxes, after self-employment-related deductions were factored in and also factoring in a penalty for not filing quarterly and another penalty for being unable to afford health insurance. I have almost all of that saved and will be charging the remainder, paying it off by the end of the month as I did last year.

Uber/Lyft definitely wouldn't be a better deal. Having to ferry around strangers who may or may not tip you; may or may not puke in your car; may or may not mug you; may or may not be injured during the course of your transport, opening you up to a world of liability; etc.? This isn't even mentioning the stressful horror stories I've heard about having to attain and maintain a near-perfect rating to even remain affiliated as an independent contractor with either company.

[sealie]

anyway, the original argument was that since 13% of the population (the national average) is on SNAP, nobody should build upscale housing because they won't make money off of it. Some 15-20% is probably upper middle class or above although you'd never know it from reading CD. The upper middle class can afford nice hotels. A lot of us are in them on the corporate dime anyway. The existence of poor people does not negate the demand for luxury goods among people with a six figure household income. this is not rocket surgery.