Food Stamps

[ContraCorriente]

It is farking ridiculous how a single man has $900 on his food stamp card. WHY??

What irks me is how the food stamp people eat better than the average middle-class family because the food stamp people aren't earning their keep.

I understand some peopel do need it, but not over, say, $200 a month. And certainly not when they waste it on the most expensive brands and junk food.

[0oAmericanGirl]

I sware that people on food stamps always seem to have $20 worth of crab, have steamed shrimp, meat, 20 packs of sodas and all the expensive items that normal people skip out on.

Personally, I think that foodstamps should be like wic vouchers. You should get what you need: Chicken, hamburger meat, cheese, milk, vegitables, juice, and other things that you need. If you're getting foodstamps then you should be limited to what you can get (honestly we have a huge obesity problem alredy and snack cakes, sodas, candy and other junk foods should be banned).

[Ree]

I said at the top of this thread that I was allowing it to remain, but I asked that people confine comments only to actual examples of sucky behaviour and sightings of actual abuse of the system, and to stay away from generalizations and blanket judgements on the character of all people on assistance.

Unfortunately, we've had a few drift dangerously close to that tarring with a wide brush, so I want to remind people of my warning again.

There has been a comment that they eat better because they don't earn their keep. What does that mean, exactly?

Many of the people on assistance can't earn their keep because there are no jobs.
I'm sure there are many who would rather be out there every day, punching a clock and putting in their shift, and they probably lie awake at night, filled with shame over their situation.

There have been complaints about the amount given out. I believe a figure of around $200 a month was given.
Could you live on $200 a month? Do you know how far that goes?
With fuel prices so high, the cost of food has gone up considerably to offset the cost of shipping.
A dollar simply doesn't go quite as far these days.

And finally, not all of them waste the assistance on name brands and junk.

Yes, some take advantage of the system, but many more need these programs just to get by.
Unfortunately, because of the few who abuse the system, everybody on assistance ends up with a black eye.

Please, no more posts making the type of comment that implies everyone on assistance is milking the system and is eating high on the hog while the working stiff takes it in the rear. If you're going to do that, then take it here: http://www.fratching.com/showthread.php?t=48

[SCSlave]

Two examples come to mind of people abusing the system....

The first one came when I was--21, I think. I was working at a book store downtown and we always had the people from the homeless shelter come in every morning. That was fine with me...they just hung out in there to get out of the cold. Then this guy comes in....

He says to me "Sign this paper to prove I tried to get a job here and you have nothing open for me"
"Why? What's that for??" (I was extremely naiive..had no idea what it was for haha)
"It's for my state assistance...if I don't get a job, they will keep sending me checks, but every so often, I have to apply for jobs and not get them...so just sign this..OK?"
I was appalled. I said "No...you have to fill out an application first...I won't sign it" He said "But I don't want a JOB...I just want money" Yea...you and everyone else in the world...I'd like to not have a job and still have money too.
So ... I didn't sign his stupid paper...and he wasn't happy with me. I really didn't care...because I wasn't happy with HIM...I was, essentially, supporting HIM--a 50 year old man---with my minimum wage job.

Second one...she wasn't scamming the system...but she was a hateful b*tch. I was like 23 or so...working at my SECOND job at a Grocery store. (I had two jobs and going to college fulltime). This mom came in with her kid. The kid was so dirty. She, of course, was not...very spiffy looking. He looked like he hadn't had a bath in months. But he was a sweet kid. Anyway, mom came up with her food...steaks, seafood----all the expensive crap. Her order came to like $300. Kid says "mom? Can I have a pack of gum, please?" Mom snaps "NO! You can't have any damn gum! It's too expensive!!!' Kid says nothing, but hangs his little head and sobs. my heart broke. I wanted to strangle that mom. I felt so bad for the kid, I reached over and grabbed a pack of gum and handed it to him. The look on his face was like Christmas morning. The look on the mom's face was like "I'm going to kill you" Seriously...the pack of gum was 25 cents. And she wouldn't let him have it. And, if memory serves, I think at the time, gum would have been covered under foodstamps.


I don't feel any ill will towards anyone on assistance that need it. I'm glad we have it in place. But there are way too many that abuse it. It's sad that because of them everyone on assistance is given that stigma.

Oh..and LJT....don't feel bad. You're one of the ones that need it--especially with that new baby! And don't feel bad about the 2006 Stratus. At least it's not a 2007 Hummer...then we'd be pissed.

[JuniorMintz]

And don't feel bad about the 2006 Stratus. At least it's not a 2007 Hummer...then we'd be pissed.

I don't have anything to contribute. This just really made me laugh.

[Lehk]

I believe there is an easy and self moderating solution to food stamp abuse.


replace the current system with government distribution of "meal packs"

the packs would have 5 variants in flavor and composition for each of the three daily meals.

each meal variant would have the same nutriiton information within 10% of other meal variants from the same meal.

the food would be scientifically balanced like dog food (a dog can live on just one type of dog food without getting malnourished.....try that with big macs

all 5 variants of each meal need to be rather bland and unimpresive.

lastly the food should be available to any citizen upon request.


obviously anyone who was able to work to buy better food would do so, because the food would pretty much suck, but it would keep people who need help well fed both energy-wise and on a properly balanced diet with all their vitamins.

also since it would be available to anyone on request it wouldn't have any value to "trade down" the way food bought with stamps can be bartered for booze/drugs/etc.

[batmoody]

I believe that in most, if not all states, recipients are given a card, much like an ATM card, instead of paper stamps these days. Amounts are deducted electronically on the card, and no actually change is given these days.

If I'm wrong, anyone is free to speak up and correct this.

Correct, except for bottle deposits. The deposits on carbonated drinks (soda) is covered by foodstamps. We actually caught someone dumping out cases of soda on the side of the store, (that he just bought on his foodstamp card), return the cans, get cash and buy a 40 ozer.
And there was nothing we could do about it.

They bad ones will always find a way.

[Boozy]

Oh..and LJT....don't feel bad. You're one of the ones that need it--especially with that new baby! And don't feel bad about the 2006 Stratus.

I agree - you shouldn't feel bad. This is a good example of why its dangerous to jump to conclusions based on what kind of car people drive, or what they're wearing. These are all things that could have been purchased before they fell on hard times.
Has anyone tried to break a lease on a car? It's not easy. Selling isn't always an option. It can be better financially in the long run to hang on to whatever car you've got.
Same with cell phone contracts, for that matter. Early cancellation fees can be draconion, and (worse for someone in a tight spot) payable immediately. I know a guy who needed public assistance to get him through a rough patch. He cancelled his home phone, saving him thirty bucks a month, but hung on to his cell phone so potential employers could reach him while he was out pounding the pavement.
Jumping to conclusions about people often leads to drawing the wrong conclusions.

[0oAmericanGirl]

I once had a woman come through my line with about $250 of groceries, and they were expensive itmes and such. She pulled out her food stamp card and it was declined. She kept trying it but the balance on the card was about $12. She cussed me out and I sent her to the service desk because I wasn't going to take it. The office staff verified the previous purchases on the card and it turned out that she had spent $300 at the store yesterday (which she claimed she didn't). THe store manager let her have all the groceries for free!!! .


Our store had exceptional cakes and you could get a 1/4 sheet cake for $20. You could get cream cheese icing, fruit in the center and even a photo placed on the cake. I thought it was bullshit that people could come in and get those with foodstamps.

[skeptic53]

A common comment on these boards when Food Stamps or cards are the topic is that the person who is apparently abusing the system has a really nice car and really nice clothes/jewelry/nails/hair.

The reality is that in many of these cases, the vehicle is leased, and the person does not have it for long before the dealer takes it back. Many of the Louis Vuitton bags etc are knock-offs that can be purchased reasonably cheaply.

The hair/nails/clothes are usually bought on credit, and the usual financial problems ensue, unless they were obtained through barter.

NONE of this excuses SC behavior such as screaming at clerks, acting entitled, or buying high-end food (a wedding cake fer crissake??).

As far as the true abuse of the system, well it's planet Earth. It's human nature. Just ask anyone who worked for Enron. Not condoning it, just not surprised either. Welfare/Food Stamp fraud is big dollars on its own, but it is nickel and dime compared to other forms of defrauding the taxpayers. Those who are benefitting from selling $900 toilet seats to the Pentagon or are benefitting from all the various pork programs (the helium reserve?) feel just as entitled as anybody on Welfare.

[Cia]

replace the current system with government distribution of "meal packs"

the packs would have 5 variants in flavor and composition for each of the three daily meals.

the food would be scientifically balanced like dog food (a dog can live on just one type of dog food without getting malnourished.....try that with big macs

all 5 variants of each meal need to be rather bland and unimpresive.

What you are suggesting exist already and they are called MREs - Meals Ready to Eat - they are kind of....tasty in a dog food way. After eating a couple of them you don't have to worry about going to the bathroom for awhile - they do a good job of clogging you up, so to speak.

[Banrion]

What you are suggesting exist already and they are called MREs - Meals Ready to Eat - they are kind of....tasty in a dog food way. After eating a couple of them you don't have to worry about going to the bathroom for awhile - they do a good job of clogging you up, so to speak.

And seriously, if it's good enough for the soldiers who risk their lives on a daily basis, it would be good enough for those truly in need of assistance. And would NOT be something that anyone would be interested in scamming.

[ruffledbirdy]

Hello! Long time lurker first time poster!

Just thought I would share some information about welfare in general for you all, as I see a lot of misconceptions and dangerous generalizations. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on what is actually going on when it comes to those in need. I, personally, feel that a civilization is judged by how they treat those that depend on their protection, and though an individual might abuse a system (say the corporate execs at Enron) that doesn't mean all of that group are corrupt (say all corporate execs... though the evidence is against me here).

Anyway I found these numbers and am providing them in the name of reasonable debate:

Total U.S. Budget (Estimated) 2007 - 2.9 trillion dollars
- WIC Expenditures: 5.4 billion dollars
- 8.3 million beneficieares by 2008

Total U.S. Population (Estimated) - 300 million
- % of Population Unemployed: 4.8

If you want to start talking about welfare entitment look up the amount of "welfare" spending that is given out to corporations whose CEOs make multimillion or billion dollar bonuses. You could litterely slash 90% of the welfare budget without impacting a single poor person (or slash 80% and double benefits to the poor).

Anyway to be on topic, the one time I've had to deal with a customer who had food stamps she was buying a pretty standard list of groceries and things. I was working at this tiny little corner shop thing, and we were the only place you get stuff in my fair little town where I went to high school. Also, if you didn't have a car, we were litterely your ONLY option. So she puts some milk up on the counter, fruit, etc and pulls out her food stamp card thingy. So I'm ringing it all up and treating her like anyone else and she leaves. Simple as that. And thats pretty much how the vast majority of food stamp customers went at that store. Fairly boring. What I found really interesting was the amount of military families who were on food stamps. More and more stories about this are coming out and I hope something is done.

At my new job I have some real sucky customers, and I'll post about them later! I can't wait to post my story about "The Secret" customers at my new job at a big bookseller place..... which we shall call "Books & Neat stuff Booksellers." Cause I'm subtle.

Ruffledbirdy

I like MREs! I take them when I go camping. My dad says they are a huge improvement over what he had in Korea.

[Kara]

What you are suggesting exist already and they are called MREs - Meals Ready to Eat - they are kind of....tasty in a dog food way. After eating a couple of them you don't have to worry about going to the bathroom for awhile - they do a good job of clogging you up, so to speak.

My dad (an army man) used to call them "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians." He used to save little vacuum-packed cookies for me when I was little. I don't remember them being too bad, but he always said the rest of it wasn't fit for consumption. This was a while ago, though. He says they provide much better food for them now.

[tollbaby]

They are pretty damn nasty, but there are people who swear by them. I like ration-pack honey tubes though LOL