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Old 09-13-2011, 01:38 PM
 
568 posts, read 958,393 times
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I have come upon an interesting observation. When this program was started in the 60's...food stamps were to be used for FOOD! The definition of food was fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk, cheese and meat.
Nothing that included any kind of sugar could be purchased. That said, adults, children and babies received good nutrition. Now I see shopping carts full of junk food crap...chips, sodas (lots and lots of sodas), every kind of processed food you can imagine (frozen pizza, frozen dinners with plenty of chemical additives, sugary cereal, candy, cookies etc) being paid for with Lone Star Card. The irony of it all is that now there is a program called WIC (Women, Infants and Children) which is used to buy mild, cheese, eggs etc that were originally supposed to be bought with food stamps. While not everyone fits the mold - these people are extremely overweight, their children hyperactive and all have a general appearance of ill health. Does anyone think the guidelines should be reversed?

 
Old 09-13-2011, 02:29 PM
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Location: Ohio
17,107 posts, read 37,967,916 times
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I just heard a news story recently that stated it was the snack food and beverage lobby that got these guidelines reversed. They didn't want the stigma of having their products officially labeled as "junk food" and their generous donations made legislators happy to oblige their request to remove the label and the restriction.

It'll take more than wishing and complaining to legislators to get that switched back in Texas.

There's also the issue of many people without transportation whose only walking distance food shopping option is places that only sell the food and drink items you listed. People in that situation can't find fresh produce within walking distance.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 02:31 PM
 
568 posts, read 958,393 times
Reputation: 1261
LOL wishing doesnt accomplish anything...but the almighty dollar sure does especially in the "right" hands.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 02:40 PM
 
1,081 posts, read 913,099 times
Reputation: 551
Use it to pay your Longhorn Network bill.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 03:01 PM
 
Location: Clear Lake, Houston TX
8,376 posts, read 30,585,671 times
Reputation: 4718
A lot of that processed food is cheaper than healthy food. You can get a frozen pizza for $1. And those 2L generic sodas are about 70 cents. If you want to change the criteria to "healthy" food, you're going to have to pay for it somehow.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 03:23 PM
 
71 posts, read 189,713 times
Reputation: 53
Lots of hoodrats in Htown always offer to buy me $10.00 worth of food at the convenience store for "bus fare". And yes, Lonestar needs to put way more restrictions on food, like getting the absolute essentials.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 07:17 PM
 
89 posts, read 185,228 times
Reputation: 74
They really ought to change the name of that card program. Lonestar to me means something entirely different and is a poor association. Of course people are gona buy whats cheapest with "food stamp card". Thing is a bag of rice is $2 and a 5 lbs bag of potatoes is less than 5 dollars. Bannanas are .39 per pound and apples and oranges arent much more. People are gona buy junk if they can cuz its easy to prepare and tastes good.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 09:57 PM
 
Location: Down the road a bit
556 posts, read 1,556,672 times
Reputation: 492
Back in the day when I could barely afford groceries for three kids for a week, I stood in line with my meager cash and carefully selected items. In front of me was a well-dressed woman buying stacks of steaks with food stamps. Mmm-mm, that looked good!

Recently, I saw an oompa-loompa mom and chubby daughter buying a cart full of processed goodies. I kid you not, that cart was nearly filled to the brim with frozen pizzas, a few bags of chips and not much else. Then she pulls out the Lone Star Card.

No, there's no problem at all with entitlements.
 
Old 09-13-2011, 11:56 PM
 
89 posts, read 185,228 times
Reputation: 74
Problem isn't entitlements, it's the whole damn system. No government should be so involved so much in people's lives.
 
Old 09-14-2011, 04:53 AM
 
Location: Down the road a bit
556 posts, read 1,556,672 times
Reputation: 492
Quote:
Originally Posted by smtimelevi View Post
Problem isn't entitlements, it's the whole damn system. No government should be so involved so much in people's lives.
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