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I am NOT opposed to the food stamp program per se. However, I have several concerns:
1) What controls are there to ensure that people who are collecting food stamps actually qualify? Is eligibility being audited?
2) Since the goal of the program is to supplement nutrition, why are there few limits to the food that can be purchased with them? It seems to work well with the WIC program where participants can only use the product for nutritious foods.
3) I think that there should be some asset limits on who can receive food stamps. That is, people with assets but very limited income, should NOT receive them.
I will admit that the Department of Agriculture has made significant strides on reducing fraud. Gone are the days when I would shop in the City of Detroit and be offered for food stamps for $0.40 on the dollar.
I am NOT opposed to the food stamp program per se. However, I have several concerns:
1) What controls are there to ensure that people who are collecting food stamps actually qualify? Is eligibility being audited?
2) Since the goal of the program is to supplement nutrition, why are there few limits to the food that can be purchased with them? It seems to work well with the WIC program where participants can only use the product for nutritious foods.
3) I think that there should be some asset limits on who can receive food stamps. That is, people with assets but very limited income, should NOT receive them.
I will admit that the Department of Agriculture has made significant strides on reducing fraud. Gone are the days when I would shop in the City of Detroit and be offered for food stamps for $0.40 on the dollar.
Craigslist is full of the same formula for sale. Coincidence ?
I am NOT opposed to the food stamp program per se. However, I have several concerns:
1) What controls are there to ensure that people who are collecting food stamps actually qualify? Is eligibility being audited?
2) Since the goal of the program is to supplement nutrition, why are there few limits to the food that can be purchased with them? It seems to work well with the WIC program where participants can only use the product for nutritious foods.
3) I think that there should be some asset limits on who can receive food stamps. That is, people with assets but very limited income, should NOT receive them.
I will admit that the Department of Agriculture has made significant strides on reducing fraud. Gone are the days when I would shop in the City of Detroit and be offered for food stamps for $0.40 on the dollar.
Of course people have to qualify. You have to submit your IDs and Tax Records. You don't think they just give them without verifying need do you?
Give a man a fish, he eats for a day....Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.
Not sure why its so hard to simply walk outside, put plants in the ground and eat from them? We should be giving out garden space, shovels, seeds. Not this garbage 'food'. Where are the classes teaching people to can and preserve food? How to cook? How to raise chickens? But no, we're all on welfare because we feel someone ELSE should feed us.
Also, aren't subsidies a bigger handout than food assistance? Do you eat corn? Then shut up. Do you fill your ridiculous overpriced vehicle with gas? Again, please shut up. Even though I don't particularly agree with welfare, I think its small potatoes compared to subsidies....GMO corn is 'junkfood' btw. But every day you eat it and fill your tanks you vote for it....
I wrote it. I know what I said. I'm more curious of what YOU read exactly??? Why should I subsidize Walmart's workforce? Why should we not expect the billionaire Walton snobs to pay their own damn employees enough to eat? And once again, it isn't about the money, it's about the principle... What happens when my boss turns around and tells me I should work for $8/hr because food stamps will take care of the rest? After all, that seems where the private sector is going in this country.
Andy, While I applaud this post, you do realize it is considered a progressive (liberal) ideology? Nothing frustrates me than someone claiming so and so shouldn't get paid that much, but the CEO of company x (JC Penny) gets 68 million for a year and he earned it, really? At a time when the American middle class is heading for its demise we need to honor labor, and a worker who can provide for a family without governments assistance.
When our government penalizes those who work (by confiscating significant amounts of their income), there will be less of that activity.
When government rewards (pays) those who either will not work, or who cannot, to the point that they can have as many children as they want and live lives similar to workers, there will be more of that activity.
Of course people have to qualify. You have to submit your IDs and Tax Records. You don't think they just give them without verifying need do you?
25 years ago, I worked in a federal government office where applicants had to "prove" need before getting the hand-out (in this case, a $5,000 grant to help with housing expenses). It is very easy for applicants (who are VERY skilled in working these systems) to simply not disclose various sources of income. Most never filed tax returns because they weren't working, or worked under the table (tax filing is not required unless you earn a certain amount of income).
Furthermore, those directing and administrating these give-away programs WANT to give away the money, to enhance their own careers and show that the many give-aways are vital and necessary. I personally was ordered to only enter into the file information that would result in an approval. In the time I administered this particular program, we gave away about $2 million (from a tax on mortgages and refinances that personally cost me over $1,500) and NOT A SINGLE application was denied.
I agree with you on that. All the talk about "job creators" this and "job creators" that during the last election made me sick. While Wal-Mart isn't the only one sucking down government subsidies, they are certainly one of the biggest offenders and the most non-repentant about it, and state and local governments just keep falling for it.
Hopefully, your concern about working for $8 an hour never occurs, but I can see corporate America giving it a shot.
if the government gives walmart "breaks" that is on the government.
there is no law mandating that.
I have always said that we need more SMALL business creation, but unfortunately we don't have an environment friendly to that.
we need less regulation, less fees, less "health mandates", less start-up costs-- and we need americans back to work again.
all government assistance is just replacing the private sector assistance that isn't there-EVERY single government job is sucked out of the private sector payroll-don't forget that. What we have now is an unhealthy high government payroll (not to mention pensions which won't be kept) and shrinking private sector.
When you have a healthy economy, you don't need or want all these government programs.
...although now, in desperation, the government has chosen (via the FR) to just print money and that isn't going to end well.
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