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I think my idea would at least bring a degree of decency to a well intened program that has gone way off course over the years. It's amazing in America that generally the poorer you are the more overweight you are likely to be as well. That just proves to me that whatever those EBT cards are buying....the buyers aren't making very good choices....so let's "help" them make wiser choices since it's our tax money buying it we should have a say in the matter.
Once, I saw this article in the paper about Thanksgiving turkeys being given out to needy families. In the picture, it showed a mother carrying the turkey in one hand, and her other hand was holding the hand of her toddler son, who was overweight. I thought, he's not hurting for any food!
Once, I saw this article in the paper about Thanksgiving turkeys being given out to needy families. In the picture, it showed a mother carrying the turkey in one hand, and her other hand was holding the hand of her toddler son, who was overweight. I thought, he's not hurting for any food!
You're mixing apples and oranges. A Thanksgiving turkey given out charitably has nothing to do with food stamps.
Also, just because a little boy is overweight, his family shouldn't have a turkey for Thanksgiving? How Scrooge-y of you.
Back when food stamps weren't in the current debit card format, and you could tell it was food stamps, I was at the cash register, behind this woman who had nice highlights in her hair, nice acrylic French manicure, nice clothes and accessories, and there she was, paying with food stamps! So she's try'na tell the gov't (taxpayers, actually!) that she cannot afford her groceries, while she had more money than most people I knew to pay for all those costly salon visits!
Sometimes I wore earrings when I was on FS. I wonder if people judged me for that too. Maybe she has a friend who works at a salon. I got those earrings for a dollar. I had some other nice earrings I got at a point in my life when I wasn't on FS. Oftentimes I dressed up because I was trying to get a job. I had two very nice dresses, one I got second-hand for $4 at Goodwill and another I got as a gift from a friend. I wonder if people judged me for that too. "Look at that woman, she has such a nice dress and earrings on. Why is she on FS? She doesn't need FS!" When I got a job, I had a few church friends take me out shopping to celebrate and so that I would have more nice outfits to wear (customer service job, had to look presentable.) But as the only source of income--a part-time job at $9/hr and with 3 mouths to feed and rent, it wasn't enough and I still needed some FS for awhile to supplement our income. I wonder, when I got off work that day in my nice customer-service clothes and dropped by the Target to pick up some V8, how many people were judging me?
The judgment here is so overwhelming.
Last edited by nimchimpsky; 08-15-2011 at 06:56 AM..
For over 40 years I was gainfully employed and never once begrudged my tax dollars going to help those in need. I'm more pissed about paying for wars than helping people in need of food. Now all of sudden our country is in the worst depression in living memory and the hate is disgusting. Many of us are "newly poor" and the rise in SNAPS(food stamps) is now in the 47 million range...why because of our high sustained unemployment and crap economy.
I live in rural NE GA an area hit really hard, even today my state has a 10+% unemployment rate and my county has a sustained 11+% unemployment rate.
When I ran out of unemployment benefits I qualified for SNAPS and have been on them for over a year, I have to visit or call my case worker often to continue them and now after 3 1/2 years I finally got a job that pays minimum wages with no benefits and no guaranteed hours so as of now, I'm still on SNAPS. I can earn up to 1100 GROSS per month and still remain on SNAPS. Many of us in rural areas don't have food choices that urban areas do and often our food costs are much higher btw. Oh and btw, while I was getting my unemployment checks taxes were deducted, so I was still paying taxes.
I also get sick of hear about "my tax dollars going to pay for food stamps"...I paid taxes for 40+ years have you Next, many of us are the "newly poor" and some of us have paid for "fancy cars" I don't, but I've seen several people who do, they can't sell them for a fair price so their stuck with them. Also, about the woman with the hair highlights and nails...I ran into my beautician in the store the other day and she's now on SNAPS (so embarrassed) and yes she had fancy hair and nails but after all she's a walking advertisement for her business - since our economy tanked she's fallen on hard times because many like myself, cut our own hair, and fancy clothes could well have been purchased prior to job loss.
I'm 60 years old, and I find it a real insult that the food Nazis think they should dictate what I eat. I've been making food choices for longer than most of you have been alive. I'm greatful for the help, I'd have starved long ago without it. I'm also greatful that the food Nazis aren't in charge of making my food choices for me, there are plenty of restrictions already. Last week I had a hankering for some cake so gasp I bought a 1/2 a cake instead of buying all the stuff to make a cake that would go to waste because I only eat cake on rare ocassions...shame on me, several weeks ago I bought a very small hunk of smoked salmon that would be considered gourmet...naughty naughty...certainly not on the food Nazis list.
I laugh when I see "what about charities/churches", we have 1 church in our whole county that does a food pantry 1 day a week and in order to qualify you have to be a member of that church and even then they run out of food. Recently I was doing one of my volunteer gigs with the Red Cross at this church and saw what they were providing - day old bread and cakes/pies, cookies and off brand sodas- no canned goods or 'real food' so most of it you would consider "junk food" and there was very very little of it anyway.
I've yet to see all these massive abuses of the system that you all claim to see, so my suggestion is quit whining about it and do something...follow them out of the store, get their license plate number and call the local Welfare office...play detective dick and be part of the system that stops the abuse you claim is happening instead of whining about it. The majority are not abusing the system and would never endanger themselves of loosing the little assistance they get by doing so. Also, since many of you don't like our food choices why don't you go to the Welfare office and VOLUNTEER to teach a nutrition class to help those who you think are making bad food choices.
Oh and btw, a small stipended for Toilet Paper would be nice
For over 40 years I was gainfully employed and never once begrudged my tax dollars going to help those in need. I'm more pissed about paying for wars than helping people in need of food. Now all of sudden our country is in the worst depression in living memory and the hate is disgusting. Many of us are "newly poor" and the rise in SNAPS(food stamps) is now in the 47 million range...why because of our high sustained unemployment and crap economy.
I live in rural NE GA an area hit really hard, even today my state has a 10+% unemployment rate and my county has a sustained 11+% unemployment rate.
When I ran out of unemployment benefits I qualified for SNAPS and have been on them for over a year, I have to visit or call my case worker often to continue them and now after 3 1/2 years I finally got a job that pays minimum wages with no benefits and no guaranteed hours so as of now, I'm still on SNAPS. I can earn up to 1100 GROSS per month and still remain on SNAPS. Many of us in rural areas don't have food choices that urban areas do and often our food costs are much higher btw. Oh and btw, while I was getting my unemployment checks taxes were deducted, so I was still paying taxes.
I also get sick of hear about "my tax dollars going to pay for food stamps"...I paid taxes for 40+ years have you Next, many of us are the "newly poor" and some of us have paid for "fancy cars" I don't, but I've seen several people who do, they can't sell them for a fair price so their stuck with them. Also, about the woman with the hair highlights and nails...I ran into my beautician in the store the other day and she's now on SNAPS (so embarrassed) and yes she had fancy hair and nails but after all she's a walking advertisement for her business - since our economy tanked she's fallen on hard times because many like myself, cut our own hair, and fancy clothes could well have been purchased prior to job loss.
I'm 60 years old, and I find it a real insult that the food Nazis think they should dictate what I eat. I've been making food choices for longer than most of you have been alive. I'm greatful for the help, I'd have starved long ago without it. I'm also greatful that the food Nazis aren't in charge of making my food choices for me, there are plenty of restrictions already. Last week I had a hankering for some cake so gasp I bought a 1/2 a cake instead of buying all the stuff to make a cake that would go to waste because I only eat cake on rare ocassions...shame on me, several weeks ago I bought a very small hunk of smoked salmon that would be considered gourmet...naughty naughty...certainly not on the food Nazis list.
I laugh when I see "what about charities/churches", we have 1 church in our whole county that does a food pantry 1 day a week and in order to qualify you have to be a member of that church and even then they run out of food. Recently I was doing one of my volunteer gigs with the Red Cross at this church and saw what they were providing - day old bread and cakes/pies, cookies and off brand sodas- no canned goods or 'real food' so most of it you would consider "junk food" and there was very very little of it anyway.
I've yet to see all these massive abuses of the system that you all claim to see, so my suggestion is quit whining about it and do something...follow them out of the store, get their license plate number and call the local Welfare office...play detective dick and be part of the system that stops the abuse you claim is happening instead of whining about it. The majority are not abusing the system and would never endanger themselves of loosing the little assistance they get by doing so. Also, since many of you don't like our food choices why don't you go to the Welfare office and VOLUNTEER to teach a nutrition class to help those who you think are making bad food choices.
Oh and btw, a small stipended for Toilet Paper would be nice
Great post!
By the way...I agree. I volunteered at the Red Cross for 2 years and even as a certified instructor for CPR/First Aid, I couldn't get more than a handful of chips as donation food. Hardly enough to live on. The Red Cross is really hurting. They're basically doing as many blood drives as possible and not giving out a whole lot. They wouldn't even pay for my braille materials, even though it was a great investment. (More instructors means more classes means more income.) I ended up having to pay out of pocket.
A lot of the churches and charities people relied on before are hurting themselves right now. Plus, anyone knows that if you go to a food bank every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they will start turning you away. You can't live off charities/food banks.
For over 40 years I was gainfully employed and never once begrudged my tax dollars going to help those in need. I'm more pissed about paying for wars than helping people in need of food. Now all of sudden our country is in the worst depression in living memory and the hate is disgusting. Many of us are "newly poor" and the rise in SNAPS(food stamps) is now in the 47 million range...why because of our high sustained unemployment and crap economy.
I live in rural NE GA an area hit really hard, even today my state has a 10+% unemployment rate and my county has a sustained 11+% unemployment rate.
When I ran out of unemployment benefits I qualified for SNAPS and have been on them for over a year, I have to visit or call my case worker often to continue them and now after 3 1/2 years I finally got a job that pays minimum wages with no benefits and no guaranteed hours so as of now, I'm still on SNAPS. I can earn up to 1100 GROSS per month and still remain on SNAPS. Many of us in rural areas don't have food choices that urban areas do and often our food costs are much higher btw. Oh and btw, while I was getting my unemployment checks taxes were deducted, so I was still paying taxes.
I also get sick of hear about "my tax dollars going to pay for food stamps"...I paid taxes for 40+ years have you Next, many of us are the "newly poor" and some of us have paid for "fancy cars" I don't, but I've seen several people who do, they can't sell them for a fair price so their stuck with them. Also, about the woman with the hair highlights and nails...I ran into my beautician in the store the other day and she's now on SNAPS (so embarrassed) and yes she had fancy hair and nails but after all she's a walking advertisement for her business - since our economy tanked she's fallen on hard times because many like myself, cut our own hair, and fancy clothes could well have been purchased prior to job loss.
I'm 60 years old, and I find it a real insult that the food Nazis think they should dictate what I eat. I've been making food choices for longer than most of you have been alive. I'm greatful for the help, I'd have starved long ago without it. I'm also greatful that the food Nazis aren't in charge of making my food choices for me, there are plenty of restrictions already. Last week I had a hankering for some cake so gasp I bought a 1/2 a cake instead of buying all the stuff to make a cake that would go to waste because I only eat cake on rare ocassions...shame on me, several weeks ago I bought a very small hunk of smoked salmon that would be considered gourmet...naughty naughty...certainly not on the food Nazis list.
I laugh when I see "what about charities/churches", we have 1 church in our whole county that does a food pantry 1 day a week and in order to qualify you have to be a member of that church and even then they run out of food. Recently I was doing one of my volunteer gigs with the Red Cross at this church and saw what they were providing - day old bread and cakes/pies, cookies and off brand sodas- no canned goods or 'real food' so most of it you would consider "junk food" and there was very very little of it anyway.
I've yet to see all these massive abuses of the system that you all claim to see, so my suggestion is quit whining about it and do something...follow them out of the store, get their license plate number and call the local Welfare office...play detective dick and be part of the system that stops the abuse you claim is happening instead of whining about it. The majority are not abusing the system and would never endanger themselves of loosing the little assistance they get by doing so. Also, since many of you don't like our food choices why don't you go to the Welfare office and VOLUNTEER to teach a nutrition class to help those who you think are making bad food choices.
Oh and btw, a small stipended for Toilet Paper would be nice
Great post..Glad some one sees sense as these righties seem to imply that every one on food stamps is a lazy good for nothing who just drives around in luxury cars going to get their daily supply of drugs..
These same righties would like nothing better than to see the food stamp program come to an end as they erroneously believe the program is a major cause as to why the country is failing., they dont give very good alternatives as to what the people that are on the food stamp program are supposed to do if the program got canceled, or think that someday they might be using that same program.
Its kinda easy for those with nice financially comfortable and for now secure lives to blame everything on those less fortunate, but remember most of those less fortunate were also once hard working and financially secure..
I forget the whole story but do remember the ending being "And then they came for me"
First eliminate all subsidies to oil companies and corporate farming- why do these industries get handouts from the govt. and you probably have no problem with that-at least this program helps poor people to eat. If they did not have this program they would probably resort to crime more.
I always hear people ripping into those on wlefare or food stamps with criticisms like-'they are on food stamps but can drive around in a such a such car' or some other such nonsense. The same people do not cry out when corporations that receive money in subsidies from the govt. pay their CEOs 50 million dollars and fly around in private jets. The hypocricy of the haters of the poor is so ignorant. They always say they want those on welfare or receiving food stamps to take drug tests, or think up other ways to humiliate those in need of help, but seem to worship the rich who recieve govt. money and never seem to cry out for the CEOS of banks and corporations receivin govt. money to take drug tests, and those are the ones who should be required to.
Great post..Glad some one sees sense as these righties seem to imply that every one on food stamps is a lazy good for nothing who just drives around in luxury cars going to get their daily supply of drugs..
These same righties would like nothing better than to see the food stamp program come to an end as they erroneously believe the program is a major cause as to why the country is failing., they dont give very good alternatives as to what the people that are on the food stamp program are supposed to do if the program got canceled, or think that someday they might be using that same program.
Its kinda easy for those with nice financially comfortable and for now secure lives to blame everything on those less fortunate, but remember most of those less fortunate were also once hard working and financially secure.. I forget the whole story but do remember the ending being "And then they came for me"
Thanks and that statement is from Martin Niemöller:
Quote:
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me.
I never thought I'd be unemployable, I'd worked hard all my life, yet 3 1/2 years ago I lost my job/profession and thought OK I'll go back to something else - I've got an education, talent and plenty of up to date skills and even then nada, I took a phlebotomy course (paid for out of my own pocket with the last of my savings) and got nationally certified - got a few interviews but no job. When the unemployment ran out and still no job it was frustrating, I'd applied to EVERYTHING in my area including fast food, retail and big box stores but with no prior retail experience I was standing in line behind hundreds who had retail experience in their past.
So for all those who don't think it can happen to them - think again - it could. Our economy is still in the toilet and your job/profession could be next. Nurses/Teachers/Gov't workers all thought they were immune - not anymore. If your self employed and "think" you have a bullet proof product - think again, there could come a day when it's no longer needed or has been outsourced or people can no longer afford what your offering. It can happen and gasp you will become poor or low income. I truly hope it happens to no one else, it's awful and I hate it, myself and millions of others struggle every day to figure out a way to dig ourselves out and it's not easy. It took me 3 1/2 years to get a part time PRN job with no guarenteed hours and no benefits at minimum wage at the only company in my area that's hiring and if I can hang in there for 6 months I can start applying to full time work- for many this is a new reality and it sucks.
I grew up with the words of "help those who are least among us" when "neighbor" meant more than the persons living next to you, compassion and helping hands were just part of being a member of the human race and a citizen of the USA. Now greed, selfishness and hate are the new mentality and it shows up every time there is a thread about food stamps, unemployment, welfare. Now the new word is "Entitlements" a word I've come to hate, it conjures up people who are less than human. They've even lumped social security and medicare into this bundle, something I've paid for out of every pay check for over 40 years with an expectation of getting some of it back when I turn 66.
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Look at that woman, she has such a nice dress and earrings on. Why is she on FS? She doesn't need FS!
, several weeks ago I bought a very small hunk of smoked salmon that would be considered gourmet...naughty naughty...certainly not on the food Nazis list
