Should we make it harder for the working poor to get FOOD STAMPS? (programs, rates)

[MTAtech]

What I've noticed here is that those that want to diminish Food Stamps (SNAP) are claiming that it's because the poor are lazy and don't want to work. Note, that there is no evidence showing this. But we do know that over the last 30 years there has been growing income inequality, where there was much less prior to 30 years ago.

So, what happened? Did Americans suddenly get lazy, stupid and get a liking to living in trailers? No, the public policy over the last 30 years has tilted toward coddling the rich with low tax-rates at the expense of everyone else. Moreover, anti-labor policies sure didn't help the middle-class, who have been economically stagnant for three decades while the top 1%'s income rose 276%.

[waterboy7375]

Originally Posted by MTAtech

What I've noticed here is that those that want to diminish Food Stamps (SNAP) are claiming that it's because the poor are lazy and don't want to work. Note, that there is no evidence showing this. But we do know that over the last 30 years there has been growing income inequality, where there was much less prior to 30 years ago.

So, what happened? Did Americans suddenly get lazy, stupid and get a liking to living in trailers? No, the public policy over the last 30 years has tilted toward coddling the rich with low tax-rates at the expense of everyone else. Moreover, anti-labor policies sure didn't help the middle-class, who have been economically stagnant for three decades while the top 1%'s income rose 276%.

You seem pretty qick to leave out the fact that the American consumer loves cheap products. That is the #1 reason for jobs going overseas. Its the loss of those jobs that are hurting us the most.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by Taratova

Now that is the smart way to make the food budget stretch.When I was growing up I watched my mother and listened to her how she had limited funds for food , I learned to stretch every dollar and I have a mind set to consider every purchase , if it is a good deal.

Thanks. I learned from my parents as well. My dad was self employed for 40 years and sometimes money was tight but we always ate well. I also learned how to garden and can foods from my grandmother. Still do that too.

One day, just for the heck of it, I didn't need anything from the store but thought I'd go through and maybe buy some things that I usually pass on. As I was going through I found myself STILL saying "No" because of the prices. lol Old habits do, indeed, die hard.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Very few people work "full-time" at Walmart. One of the ways they control costs is by hiring everyone as part timers so that they don't have to pay health insurance.

This also brings to light another huge issue, full time Walmart Employees may have an average wage of $12 or $15/hour. But the average part time wage is minimum wage and maybe a dollar or two higher.

Once again I feel I need to defend Walmart. lol I work there so I know whereof I speak. Walmart does NOT hire part timers so they don't have to pay health insurance. When you apply for a job YOU tell THEM what your availability is. You apply for full time or part time. They don't decide which you will work. You also have the choice to have health insurance or not. You also have the choice to invest in the 401k plan, profit sharing, life insurance, etc., or not.

It's true that when you first start you only make just above minimum but the raises come regularly and are based on performance but generally in the .50 hour range. It does add up. The only people I know making $15 hour have been there for ten years. In my first year I received two raises and one promotion. We also get bonuses every three months and those are based on store performance, asset protection, inventory, etc.. My store always gets decent bonuses. My last one was over $300. We have had as high as nearly $1,000.

People who don't know diss Walmart all the time but, evidently, the people I work with are happy there...as am I. We have people who've been at this same store for 20 years. If it was so bad they wouldn't stay and we have upwards of 400 employees at my store alone.

[MTAtech]

Originally Posted by waterboy7375

You seem pretty qick to leave out the fact that the American consumer loves cheap products. That is the #1 reason for jobs going overseas. Its the loss of those jobs that are hurting us the most.

Which is pretty easily solved by punishing China for currency manipulation, a provision in Obama's jobs bill.

[waterboy7375]

Originally Posted by MTAtech

Which is pretty easily solved by punishing China for currency manipulation, a provision in Obama's jobs bill.

Damn shame we need legislation to do what americans refuse to do on their own.

[supertrucker212]

Originally Posted by Konraden

You're nuts. If you want this country to be a third-world hell hole, you'll have it soon enough by constantly cutting everything workers the past 200 years have been righting for: the 40 hour work week, minimum wages, child labor, unionization, time off, benefits.

Keep believing what you're rich owners tell you to believe. You're a disgrace to the working man. If you want work 70 hours, good for you, I hope you do well. But if the standard to survive in this country is working 70 hours, I hope you lose your house.

My owners? Excuse me, no one owns me. I'm a disgrace to the working man? How many hours do you work a week? Since I'm paid by the hour and work seasonally that thing called overtime is how I make my money. I don't think anyone believes you can survive on minimum wage anymore. I'm all for child labor laws, unionization, time off and benefits. I have damn good benefits as a matter of fact. On a side note, it's pretty much impossible to only work 40 hours a week in my field anyway. Someone like you needs to either move to Europe, blow your nose and get the nonsense out, grow-up, or all three. Quit thinking your life should be like Hollywood and the world owes something You're one of these people that think life should be a like a John Lennon song where everything is just happy, peaceful, and flowers all the time. I'm all for what Obama said about an economy where everyone gets a fair share, but there's also a such thing as DOING your fair share

[orogenicman]

Originally Posted by Konraden

Obviously it's possible to be a communist-fascist baby-scum eating Nazi. Also the new character of my comic book.

Interesting. So I can expect a bliztkrieg from myself against myself any day now. Thanks for the heads up.

[Nite Ryder]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

I actually did have a $9 a hour job stocking shelves, but was laid off as it was a seasonal position. Did I think that it was a poor match for my abilities? Yes. Did I think I was lucky to have a job at the time? Yes. I've applied at all kinds of places, from car washes to property management to administrative assistant positions, and am obviously still searching. I would be elated if I could work even one $10 an hour job. Landing a job, especially an "entry-level" or menial one in a good economy is relatively easy. But even the most menial jobs have a lot of competition in today's economy.

And I was in the process of applying for graduate school when I happened to have a seizure before class, which led to the diagnosis and subsequent partial removal of a malignant brain tumor, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, MRIs, and chemotherapy. Don't tell me about your suffering and slaving away, because I assure you, it probably pales in comparison to my experiences.

In a just society, those best able to bear it bear the burden for those who (justly) are not able to. If I live long enough to make $100,000 or $200,000 a year, I will have no problem paying a relatively small part of my income to support those who, like me, need it. It is a Christian teaching, and one grounded in common sense, that the wealthy have a grave obligation to use their superfluous wealth in a way that benefits the needy.

You are dead wrong! The wealthy are not obligated to do anything they don't want to do. That is only in your thinking. I'm not wealthy, but if I were I would donate to who I want to donate to. As long as I have no control over what the government does with the tax money I pay, then I'm not going to give my money away to someone who can't find a job. I realize that education costs money, but if you work while you are going to school you don't have student loans to pay off. My whole problem with welfare, food stamps, and all the rest of it is the fact that so many people de-fraud the system and get away with it. People who shouldn't be getting welfare work the system. It needs to be fixed, before I believe it is a good thing. I have a right to spend my money on what I want to spend it on, and I don't want to spend it on some un-deserving person.

Why there are fewer jobs in the United States is another thing you would struggle with to understand. Why should the government be able to tell someone who is providing jobs, how much they have to pay per hour? Why is that the governments business? When government controls get tough enough it is easy to move your business to a place where the government can't tell you what you must do. The problem with that is, the jobs in the United States are lost, as we all see they are. Add the unions into this mix and you have more of a problem with other people trying to control your business. No wonder business owners move off shore.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by waterboy7375

You seem pretty qick to leave out the fact THAT AMERICAN BUSINESS HAS CONVINCED AMERICANS that the American consumer loves cheap products. That is the #1 reason for jobs going overseas. Its the loss of those jobs that are hurting us the most.

Fixed that for you.