The Food Stamp Discussion (POLL)

[Luissa]

#3

In MY opinion.

soda, sports drinks, candy and gum, chips of all kinds, packaged cakes and cookies, ice cream, bottled water smaller then gallons.

In short....JUNK and SNACK foods.

If someone buys $300 of regular groceries, and wants to buy a cake, then so be it. You think most people on food stamps are going to spend most of their stamps on cake and ice cream? I doubt it.

Food stamps should be used for NEED.

Food stamps should not be used for WANT.

People NEED fruits and vegetables.

People WANT cake and ice cream.

One can by their cake and ice cream with cash.

I have no problem with someone, especially if they are working, buying a cake here and there. Most of the people I know who receive food stamps, also work, and pay taxes.
When I received them when I first had my son, and was not back to work yet. I spent most of it on formula and "healthy" food. I figured since I have been working for ten+ years and paid taxes, it was alright for me to buy a pack of gum etc every once in awhile.
The idea of screwing the many, because a few abuse the system, is a dumb idea.
Someone like me, who only used the system as temporary thing, get screwed because people get some "bright" idea on how to fix the system.

 

[xotoxi]

Beer actually has more nutritional value than soda.

That is true...but barely.

Unless it is Guinness...then it's a complete meal.

 

[xotoxi]

If someone buys $300 of regular groceries, and wants to buy a cake, then so be it. You think most people on food stamps are going to spend most of their stamps on cake and ice cream? I doubt it.

Food stamps should be used for NEED.

Food stamps should not be used for WANT.

People NEED fruits and vegetables.

People WANT cake and ice cream.

One can by their cake and ice cream with cash.

I have no problem with someone, especially if they are working, buying a cake here and there. Most of the people I know who receive food stamps, also work, and pay taxes.
When I received them when I first had my son, and was not back to work yet. I spent most of it on formula and "healthy" food. I figured since I have been working for ten+ years and paid taxes, it was alright for me to buy a pack of gum etc every once in awhile.
The idea of screwing the many, because a few abuse the system, is a dumb idea.
Someone like me, who only used the system as temporary thing, get screwed because people get some "bright" idea on how to fix the system.

Granted I am not destitute and never have been...but I find it very difficult to believe that someone on food stamps can NEVER save up enough money to purchase a $5 Entenmann's cake with their own money. I just can't believe it.

Or a pack of gum!

But, if that's the case, and if they want a sweet fix, they could buy some chewy granola bars.

 

[Sherry]

Beer actually has more nutritional value than soda.

That is true...but barely.

Unless it is Guinness...then it's a complete meal.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

I truly believe that if someone is living off the generosity of others by receiving food stamps, they have an obligation to use them to eat healthy foods.

Soda, cakes, cookies, Cheetos, and pork rinds have basically no nutritional value.

If someone on aid absolutely HAS to have this junk, then it is incumbent upon them to find and hold a job that provides them enough income to afford these "treats".

This was the way I was brought up. Healthy food from the wage earner. "Treats" if we found a way to earn the money to buy them.

Why is it different for food stamp recipients?

 

[xotoxi]

This was the way I was brought up. Healthy food from the wage earner. "Treats" if we found a way to earn the money to buy them.

That's exactly the way it worked with Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...cabbage soup for breakfast, lunch, and supper every day...and a chocolate bar only once a year for his birthday or when he found money in the street.

 

[Luissa]

Food stamps should be used for NEED.

Food stamps should not be used for WANT.

People NEED fruits and vegetables.

People WANT cake and ice cream.

One can by their cake and ice cream with cash.

I have no problem with someone, especially if they are working, buying a cake here and there. Most of the people I know who receive food stamps, also work, and pay taxes.
When I received them when I first had my son, and was not back to work yet. I spent most of it on formula and "healthy" food. I figured since I have been working for ten+ years and paid taxes, it was alright for me to buy a pack of gum etc every once in awhile.
The idea of screwing the many, because a few abuse the system, is a dumb idea.
Someone like me, who only used the system as temporary thing, get screwed because people get some "bright" idea on how to fix the system.

Granted I am not destitute and never have been...but I find it very difficult to believe that someone on food stamps can NEVER save up enough money to purchase a $5 Entenmann's cake with their own money. I just can't believe it.

Or a pack of gum!

But, if that's the case, and if they want a sweet fix, they could buy some chewy granola bars.

I have not bought sugar gum since I was a child. The granola bar actually is worse for me, than Trident Gum original.
And when I was on food stamps, I was also on Tanff because my vacation time ran out, because I had to take a month off before I had my son. I didn't really have a lot of extra money.
I also went back to work the moment I could, because I couldn't afford to live off either.
You guys act like most people living on food stamps and Tanff are living the good life. I guess some of you, should maybe take the time to get to know someone who does live on Tanff and or food stamps.

 

[L.K.Eder]

xotoxi should be stamped and processed for starting this thread.

 

[Luissa]

I truly believe that if someone is living off the generosity of others by receiving food stamps, they have an obligation to use them to eat healthy foods.

Soda, cakes, cookies, Cheetos, and pork rinds have basically no nutritional value.

If someone on aid absolutely HAS to have this junk, then it is incumbent upon them to find and hold a job that provides them enough income to afford these "treats".

This was the way I was brought up. Healthy food from the wage earner. "Treats" if we found a way to earn the money to buy them.

Why is it different for food stamp recipients?

I worked for many years and paid taxes, my obligation was to myself.

 

[Jon]

I guess some of you, should maybe take the time to get to know someone who does live on Tanff and or food stamps.

I know plenty. They have cars, cable television, cell phones, and Internet. Seems to me like if they can afford all those things, they can afford their own food.

Most of them also live in government housing and have no job. I call that a pretty good life. They get all the benefits without any of the work. People in Africa who don't work die of disease and starvation.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

This was the way I was brought up. Healthy food from the wage earner. "Treats" if we found a way to earn the money to buy them.

That's exactly the way it worked with Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...cabbage soup for breakfast, lunch, and supper every day...and a chocolate bar only once a year for his birthday or when he found money in the street.

Not much money lying in the street where I grew up.

But we did have a thriving business in returnable soda & milk bottles !

 

[Baruch Menachem]

People need to be adult. I don't agree with the idea of telling adults what they can do.

From my experience, they work around the system anyway, so the regulations mostly are a PITA for the stores.

I do think the dispensing should be on a weekly basis though. The reality of the food stamp people I know is they live high in the first half, badly in the second half of the month.

Also, I think the cash should be dispensed with a suggested budget.

But the whole stamp thing should go away

 

[ConHog]

Once that stipend goes out every month, who cares what food item is bought with it?

 

[xotoxi]

You guys act like most people living on food stamps and Tanff are living the good life. I guess some of you, should maybe take the time to get to know someone who does live on Tanff and or food stamps.

Actually, I don't think that at all. I have a lot of patient who are on TANF and who have food stamps.

Many of them smoke a pack a day...it really taints the whole "absolutely destitute" notion for me.

But...if that is the case that people on TANF and food stamps have NO MONEY at all, then cake is the least of their worries...and cake won't solve their problems.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

I truly believe that if someone is living off the generosity of others by receiving food stamps, they have an obligation to use them to eat healthy foods.

Soda, cakes, cookies, Cheetos, and pork rinds have basically no nutritional value.

If someone on aid absolutely HAS to have this junk, then it is incumbent upon them to find and hold a job that provides them enough income to afford these "treats".

This was the way I was brought up. Healthy food from the wage earner. "Treats" if we found a way to earn the money to buy them.

Why is it different for food stamp recipients?

I worked for many years and paid taxes, my obligation was to myself.

I don't think it works that way. Social Security is allegedly pay as you go. Food stamps are paid as you need.

You can pay taxes for decades, but when you need food stamps, or disability, it's based on current need and income, rather than what you paid in.

My wife is permanently disabled due to back injuries. She was denied benefits because I earn 3K too much, despite the fact that we have each paid our income taxes for over 30 years.

 

[Sherry]

I have no problem with someone, especially if they are working, buying a cake here and there. Most of the people I know who receive food stamps, also work, and pay taxes.
When I received them when I first had my son, and was not back to work yet. I spent most of it on formula and "healthy" food. I figured since I have been working for ten+ years and paid taxes, it was alright for me to buy a pack of gum etc every once in awhile.
The idea of screwing the many, because a few abuse the system, is a dumb idea.
Someone like me, who only used the system as temporary thing, get screwed because people get some "bright" idea on how to fix the system.

Granted I am not destitute and never have been...but I find it very difficult to believe that someone on food stamps can NEVER save up enough money to purchase a $5 Entenmann's cake with their own money. I just can't believe it.

Or a pack of gum!

But, if that's the case, and if they want a sweet fix, they could buy some chewy granola bars.

I have not bought sugar gum since I was a child. The granola bar actually is worse for me, than Trident Gum original.
And when I was on food stamps, I was also on Tanff because my vacation time ran out, because I had to take a month off before I had my son. I didn't really have a lot of extra money.
I also went back to work the moment I could, because I couldn't afford to live of either.
You guys act like most people living on food stamps and Tanff are living the good life. I guess some of you, should maybe take the time to get to know someone who does live on Tanff and or food stamps.

I haven't gotten the impression, at least from this thread, that anyone is viewing food stamp recipients as "living the good life". I'm sure there are a lot of stressors in their lives, and that being the case, logically many will reach for comfort and convenience foods which often are less nutritious. I feel for the single moms working a full-time minimum wage job who qualify for benefits, and wouldn't it be easier at the end of the day to pick up that box of Banquet chicken, even though it will use up 2-3 times more of her balance, than buying the fresh chicken that needs to be prepared?? Or some bags of chips rather than boiling water for rice. Nobody likes to feel controlled, but the simple fact is that when you need assistance, you should expect to lose some of that freedom of choice.

 

[xotoxi]

Once that stipend goes out every month, who cares what food item is bought with it?

ConHog and Luissa agree on something!!!!

 

[Rat in the Hat]

Granted I am not destitute and never have been...but I find it very difficult to believe that someone on food stamps can NEVER save up enough money to purchase a $5 Entenmann's cake with their own money. I just can't believe it.

Or a pack of gum!

But, if that's the case, and if they want a sweet fix, they could buy some chewy granola bars.

I have not bought sugar gum since I was a child. The granola bar actually is worse for me, than Trident Gum original.
And when I was on food stamps, I was also on Tanff because my vacation time ran out, because I had to take a month off before I had my son. I didn't really have a lot of extra money.
I also went back to work the moment I could, because I couldn't afford to live of either.
You guys act like most people living on food stamps and Tanff are living the good life. I guess some of you, should maybe take the time to get to know someone who does live on Tanff and or food stamps.

I haven't gotten the impression, at least from this thread, that anyone is viewing food stamp recipients as "living the good life". I'm sure there are a lot of stressors in their lives, and that being the case, logically many will reach for comfort and convenience foods which often are less nutritious. I feel for the single moms working a full-time minimum wage job who qualify for benefits, and wouldn't it be easier at the end of the day to pick up that box of Banquet chicken, even though it will use up 2-3 times more of her balance, than buying the fresh chicken that needs to be prepared?? Or some bags of chips rather than boiling water for rice. Nobody likes to feel controlled, but the simple fact is that when you need assistance, you should expect to lose some of that freedom of choice.

I don't have a problem with their buying a box of Banquet chicken, or microwave White Castle burgers. At least they have some nutritional value.

What bothers me is the junk. Soda, donuts, greasy potato chips and candy should not be allowed as they do not have any benefit for growing children.

 

[Luissa]

You guys act like most people living on food stamps and Tanff are living the good life. I guess some of you, should maybe take the time to get to know someone who does live on Tanff and or food stamps.

Actually, I don't think that at all. I have a lot of patient who are on TANF and who have food stamps.

Many of them smoke a pack a day...it really taints the whole "absolutely destitute" notion for me.

But...if that is the case that people on TANF and food stamps have NO MONEY at all, then cake is the least of their worries...and cake won't solve their problems.

How much of the taxes from the cigarettes they buy go to supporting programs like Tanff and health insurance?

 

[Big Fitz]

Once that stipend goes out every month, who cares what food item is bought with it?

ConHog and Luissa agree on something!!!!

gasp!