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And you are able to gather this information from how many EBT users? People who make blanket generalizations are ruining America.
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Originally Posted by rissak234
Why do a lot of you people on food stamps have to spend every penny on junk food? As a cashier, I only see people with EBT buying complete junk... frozen pizzas, gushers and fruit by the foot, candy, ramen noodles, chips, sodas... And not one single vegetable item, no foods that need preparation other than a microwave or boiling water. Even the meats are already prepared and frozen, like Tyson chicken fingers. Is it that hard to just make food? It is cheaper to get veggies and fruits and raw meats anyway. You waste our tax payers dollars on complete junk, because to you, it tastes good and it's free. Lazy and greedy people is what is ruining America.
Usually that's taught to you by your parents.
There used to be Home Ec in HS where they taught you how to cook, sew and keep a budget but I guess it's too "passe" for today's youth
Baby boomers who grew up with TV Dinners weren't taught cooking skills. My high school didn't have a Home Economics class. Maybe they expected us to gain these skills through osmosis or something.
A lot of food stamp users do work and pay into taxes but still qualify for FS because they do not have enough income to support their household's eating needs.
Do they tell you how to live?
Food stamp eligibility is based on income as well as housing and medical expenses. Even in a booming economy more people might use food stamps when there are rising rents and stagnant wages.
Umm.. it's the same thing.
We hand money to these companies to "bail them out" and they just waste it.
We hand money to the "POOR AND UNFORTUNATE" who "can't" work...and they just waste it.
You will be happy to know that EARNED income is counted only 80% for food stamp eligibility, so a working person gets more food stamps than a nonworking person with the same income.
Absolutely they do. Every single day of my life. They FORCE me to pay more money in taxes, money I could use for me and my family, so they can stuff their faces with Twinkies and Ho Ho's. And before you start with: You don't know how they live, yes, I do. A helluva lot more they you will ever know.
Welfare and its free benefits (not free, funded by tax payer dollar) has increased the entitlement crowd in this country dramatically. There are GENERATIONS of people, great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and child, which have been brought up on welfare and have NEVER worked one day in their lives.
Why should they? Limp wristed liberals, such as yourself, give them everything they want for nothing. I see it every single day of my life. In fact, I'm about to see it for the next 12 hours.
What would happen if you got some of these people in a focus group and explored their thinking? Questions like, have you ever considered becoming a productive member of society?
For now I budget and occasionally get the fast food/junk food.
But when I go on food stamps you betcha I'm gonna load up on all the stuff I can't afford now
Just a matter of time before we're all on food stamps as the cost of food just keeps rising and rising while our salaries don't.
This is something I don't understand. Let's say someone (call him Joe or even Happy Texan) has a monthly income of $2000 and budgets it carefully.
Now let's say a year later he gets laid off and his income goes down to $800, and then he gets $100/mo food stamps.
How do food stamps allow him to load up on all the stuff he "can't afford now"?
The way to do this is to change the EBT rules. If EBT only paid for real food, and not for junk, the stores with a high percentage of EBT users would quickly figure out how to stock meat, eggs, and produce. As it is, they don't stock produce because they don't expect their customers to buy it.
It's supply and demand.
It's a chicken and egg thing. Ripoff stores that depend on EBT have such high prices on everything that any produce they do get won't sell, which naturally leads these stores to not sell it.
Why do a lot of you people on food stamps have to spend every penny on junk food? As a cashier, I only see people with EBT buying complete junk... frozen pizzas, gushers and fruit by the foot, candy, ramen noodles, chips, sodas... And not one single vegetable item, no foods that need preparation other than a microwave or boiling water. Even the meats are already prepared and frozen, like Tyson chicken fingers. Is it that hard to just make food? It is cheaper to get veggies and fruits and raw meats anyway. You waste our tax payers dollars on complete junk, because to you, it tastes good and it's free. Lazy and greedy people is what is ruining America.
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Originally Posted by beckycat
Not to get anybody mad but a lot of times the people who get food stamps don't live a healthy lifestyle. They may not know how to eat healthy, let alone cook it. OK, one or two of those items are acceptable but not the entire cart.
Maybe they should only allow healthy foods such as raw meat, fresh vegetables and fruit, rice and pasta to be purchased with food stamps. No soda, prepared cakes, prepared frozen foods or chips allowed. Those things are not only unhealthy but very expensive.
When they issue the card, they can give out a cookbook to go with it.
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Originally Posted by Zoro22
Do we teach food preparation and healthy food choices at high school or college?
No. I went to school in the late 70s. Home ec was an elective, and I was never chosen for the class. Friends told me they learned how to make a salad.
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Originally Posted by DavieJ89
I worked for Publix as a cashier for two and a half years and saw something totally different.
At the Hunters Creek Publix, people who had food stamps always bought fine steaks, organic fruits and veggies, and the most expensive products our store had, some went for those who were on WIC, and often times these people had a rotten attitude about it, as if that food was owed to them
What really made my blood boil seeing all this? Watching them drive off in Escalades, Infiniti's, Bimmers, Merecdes, you name it, if the car cost $35+, they drove it, meanwhile I was making $900 a month after taxes and was denied food stamps four times in Florida, and struggling to pay my rent, car, car insurance, gas, cell , and food
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Originally Posted by rissak234
Hahaha! And its not like these people go to school anyway!!!
BA degree here.
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Originally Posted by annerk
BS. I can put together a healthy, nutritious homecooked meal on the stove top in 15 minutes. Total cost $10 and feeds four adults. Chicken breast, tomatoes, spinach, olive oil, serve over whole grain pasta.
What if you don't have a stove? Many people don't.
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Originally Posted by LetsRock
Isn't that what is taught in Home Economics class in high school?
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Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson
When I was young the American educational system had a class called Home Economics where, among other things, they taught you the basics in nutrition as well as methods for cooking healthy meals.
Now days, Home Economics has been replaced with some impotent class called "Family and Consumer Science" which focuses on families and their interrelationships with the communities. Instead of giving people the TOOLS to live healthy lives, we are teaching them how to "interact" with "diverse" communities without offending someone or being politically incorrect.
Most people, especially "disadvantaged" people, do not have a clue what nutritional food even is, and most of them don't have a clue (or the desire, for that matter), to bother to find out.
If the government cared (which, of course, they do not), they would require ALL food stamp recipients to take a fundamental nutrition course. Mind you, that would not alter the fact that most of them are too lazy to bother cooking anything that you cannot throw into a microwave.
Instead of teaching their children about food, how to cook, etc., mothers of the 1960s and 1970s were too busy pursuing a CAREER, and now the chickens have come home to roost.
pity
20yrsinBranson
The 50s are calling - they want their poodle skirts back. Do you realize that throughout history at least a quarter of mothers worked? They farmed, or worked in the bakery, or made cheese, or worked as a seamstress, or had a cottage industry or assisted in earning an income in some way?
Really, how do YOU know when people are lazy? Do you have a crystal ball? ESP? Or are you just making asinine assumptions about what you think is going on?
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Originally Posted by nr5667
They're on food stamps because they're poor, most people are poor because they're stupid.
I think food stamps should be replaced with a box of generic food they can pick up at the post office.
Again, BA degree here.
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Originally Posted by ReturningWest
I'm poor but I'm NOT stupid, I see this is our weekly hate the poor thread. I'm on food stamps because after being unemployed for 3 1/2 years, the last year 1/2 without unemployment I qualified for food stamps/EBT. I try to make good choices, buy store brands when I can, but stretching those dollars do include some packaged food. We are not allowed to buy prepaired food BTW, like a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. I don't drink soda, nor do I eat much sweets or candy. I live in a rural area where our food prices are considerably higher and since I'm single it is often more cost effective for me to buy a pre-packaged meal.
I now have a job that pays minimum wages with no guarenteed hours and still qualify for EBT. So I'm part of the millions who are now 'working poor' after decades of paying taxes (40+years) I'm so glad none of you food Nazies can determine if I splurge and buy 1/2 of a cake on occassion.
If those of you think someone is "gaming the system" I suggest you follow them out of the store, get their license plate and report them, or you could volunteer your time to teach a nutrition class.
I always see a lot of assumptions about people on EBT...like the fancy car thing...well what if they are like me worked for 40 years then got laid off, but had a newer nice car that was already paid for...they certainly can't sell it for what it's worth, my car btw is a '96 F150...paid for.
The amount of abuse you all seem to think is going on is miniscule compaired to the Corporate wealfare and abuse and few have gone to jail. Report those who you think are abusing the system.
With our unemployment rate still high, people falling off the rolls like me and still no job we then qualify for EBT and often that's it, there is no welfare or medicaid for me, just those few dollars of food stamps you all think I don't deserve. Welllll, I've been paying taxes for over 40 years, so get over it if I splurge and buy a 1/2 a cake or a nice piece of salmon on occasion I will be 61 years old in a few weeks and have been making food choices for decades.
Wonderfully stated! I'm still amazed that people don't think it can happen to them.
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Originally Posted by jodipper
40+ years working and no pension? Single and rural area, why do you stay there? Not accusing, just wondering.
Most companies don't have pensions anymore. They have been replaced by 401K plans.
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Originally Posted by Phil306
Yes, it is his/her and OUR business. Its OUR tax dollar (including his/hers) which is going for some fat, lazy slob, to buy foods they shouldn't be. If this person has first hand knowledge, because of their profession, there is no reason not too mention it.
If they see this everyday, day after day, which is all true, as a taxpayer, I want to know. And as a taxpayer, THEY should bring it to our attention so WE as citizens can try and effect some sort of change.
Wonderful attitude of yours. Let's everyone bury our heads in the sand and quit putting "your nose where it doesn't belong." Looking the other way is one of the reasons this country is in such a decline.
Has it occurred to you that many of these supermarket workers are also on EBT?
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Originally Posted by Emeraldmaiden
When I was in middle school in the 1970's, we had Home Ec. It was conducted for 1/5 of the school year, and our class period was not long enough for us to do a lot of cooking. There was also sewing on runaway machines, but no budgeting, how to shop, or any of that.
When I went on to high school, there was no class on home finance until I'd already left the school (went to another school in 11th & 12th grades).
So, even in the "good old days" these things were not necessarily taught.
My school didn't teach anything about home finances either. My mother taught me all of that.
I've been jotting things down while reading. So, here it is, in no particular order.
Laid off Jan, 2009. Big finance company – 300 people let go over 3-4 days. Most of these people – mailroom to EVPs – are still out of full-time work. Many ‘consult’, but few have really been successful. Some gave up an retired. The company is still laying people off – about another 100 since then, completely shutting down a department about 2 weeks ago. At least a dozen more people out of work.
Been paying taxes for 30 years. This includes my current, low-paying part time job and the UI I received.
College educated – Magna C um Laude
No children, so not eligible for welfare or housing benefits
No car, never had one
Lost track of how many resumes I sent out – must be thousands by now. Still, I keep sending them hoping that’s the ONE.
Moved in with retired parents 18 months ago when the savings account started getting low. I still managed to pay all my bills and all the food for my parents and myself. Was lucky to get a holiday retail job last fall, not long before my UI was to runout. It paid about 2/3 of what I got on UI. They only hire part-time, but I hoped it would lead to something in management. It didn’t, and probably won’t. Even then, management would still be part-time.I still can’t find a full-time or a second part time job. Ran out of money around February and filed for food stamps. I get $100 a month, which covers staples. It comes from MY taxes. The taxes I’ve paid for 30 years and continue to pay today. I buy things like meats, milk, cheese, fruits and veggies, canned goods, pasta, rice. Sure I buy some treats. Those items come out of my pay and my parents income. The FS amount wouldn’t cover them anyway. I buy everything on sale and/or coupons. Every little bit helps. We cook our own meals. No steak, nor organics, no free-range chicken. Whatever is cheapest is the rule.
My cousin, a middle-aged construction worker who can’t compete with illegal labor and gets little work, frequents several food banks. They are usually out of food and they rarely have fresh produce.
I could no longer afford the nearly $600 medical insurance (which I fortunately still had for an emergency appendectomy - $50,000 by the time all was done), so I found a high deductible, no prescription policy that my parents pay for out of their retirement income, as they are petrified that I will get sick again and not have coverage.
I can barely cover my bills now. I often have to get some cash from my parents. It shouldn’t be this way. I did everything I was supposed to do. I worked 10-12 hours a day. I went to school nights and weekends for 8.5 years to get my degree – with honors. And now I have to argue with customers over the price of a T-shirt. If it wasn’t for my family, I would have died on the street by now. But I guess many of you would like that.
I am one of millions of honest people on FS now. Stop lumping everyone into one stereotype.
That would require a separate volume of rules. There is a HUGE stealth problem in this country with regulations written by unelected bureaucrats.
When Congress passes legislation, it usually leaves implementation up to an unelected Cabinet secretary who gets to make and interpret the rules which implement the legislation. The "rules" consumers deal with daily typically aren't explicitly mandated by Congress, but are written and interpreted by bureaucrats to implement legislation passed by Congress.
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