SNAP (food stamps) should be restricted to rice, flour, rolled oats, and sugar

[Camp]

Procreating is a constitutional right covered under the 1st Amendment which guarantees freedom of religion.

But having society pay for those children is not Constitutional.

Birth control as a method of reducing the number of poor children in need of food assistance is a topic being discussed in this thread. I merely pointed out that those promoting the birth control method are promoting an anti-Christian and anti-Constitutional option.
Feeding the hungry is a mandate demanded by the American public for decades. Funny how many of the same folks insisting on a false definition of the word "mandate" in regards to the Trump election refuse to recognize the actual definition of the word when it comes to feeding kids, senior citizens, the disabled and the poor in general. Only the extreme element of hateful and angry people want to stop feeding the hungry. The mass majority support food programs of one kind or another.

There is nothing anti-christian or anti-constitutional about it. Can you point out where in the Constitution it says that the public is liable for people that want to have families they can't support? Having children is optional. You don't have to have children if you don't want (or can't support) them.

All programs have regulations and restrictions in order to apply. If you have a full-time job, you can't apply for unemployment benefits. If you are perfectly capable of working, you can't apply for disability. If you are under 65 and not disabled, you can't apply for Medicare.

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution, that grants Congress the right of expending on articles of benevolence, the money of their constituents."
James Madison, annals of Congress, 1794

You are conflating constitutional rights with mandates. Certain religions demand procreation and do not allow birth control. That means procreating is covered in the 1rst Amendment allowing for freedom of religion. That means it would be unconstitutional to demand citizens use birth control or refrain from procreating. On the other hand, the mandate established over decades of both Republican and Democratic administrations and Congress's to offer food assistance programs for the poor and needy is pretty much set in stone. If the ruling political authority wishes to gamble and ignore the Constitution or public mandate they do so at the risk of losing in a SCOTUS decision and or losing in the next election for ignoring or going against the public mandate.

What your side of the issue has against it is the horrible publicity that will follow any drastic cuts in food assistance programs. No one wants to hear about old folks and kids going hungry or starving, becoming ill, eating pet food, etc. And a drastic cut would force these sad situations into the public view. The public does not want to hear about and see kids and seniors dumpster or even trash can diving for scraps of food.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

do the rules vary from state to state on food stamps? i was on wic way back when, it was a good program. but you are limited on what you can buy....has to be wic approved...

starving in america is a total different concept than starving in the sudan

There are those on the Right who won't be happy until our Poor are properly Poor like in China or India or Africa.

Until they start rioting and breaking into their nice homes at an even higher rate. Begging at every traffic light. We feed people for a reason, and it is not just to be nice.

Correct, it's to buy votes.

You are being myopic. It is not JUST for votes, either.

Sorry, that's all it's about. Do you really think Obama and the Democrats care if you have health insurance or not? Do you think they really care if you eat or not?

With Commie Care alone, the Democrats created over 20 million additional government dependents. With food stamps, DumBama doubled the SNAP's role almost overnight creating another 20 million more dependents. It's no accident.

Yes, I think they care if I eat. About a month ago, I reported on another thread that the line at our food bank was getting longer and longer (I live in a rural area with very high unemployment). I discovered in the paper this morning why that is: SNAP was cut off to 10,000 eligible Mainers if they didn't work or volunteer. But here the opportunities to work or volunteer are not available. Great move toward self sufficiency and saving tax payers from benefits fraud--but guess what -- THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL HUNGRY.
We are beginning to experience more theft like laptops getting lifted from cars in parking lots and packages left by the UPS man getting stolen. People are desperate. This is what happens.

Okay, so they don't want to enroll in a vocational program. They don't want (or can't get) a job. They don't want to volunteer 20 hours a month. I don't think that's asking all that much to receive taxpayer dollars to buy food.

So they look for the next effortless freebie which is food banks. Even if one can't go to school for some reason or get a part-time job, volunteer work is not that hard to find. Nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters and so on are all looking for any kind of free help they can get.

Most of those people dropped out of the SNAP's program. It doesn't seem to me they were all that hungry after all. If there absolutely no jobs available in your area, then it's time to move the hell out of there. I haven't been to one McDonald's that's not looking for workers over here.

 

[Iceweasel]

Procreating is a constitutional right covered under the 1st Amendment which guarantees freedom of religion.

Trump supporters are starting to sound more and more like little Hitlers every day.

Little retards need simple answers to grownup questions.

 

[Iceweasel]

Trump supporters are starting to sound more and more like little Hitlers every day.

Hitler was a socialist and anti-gun. Who does that sound like.?

It sounds like the fucking dumbass people that think forcing people to get fixed from having kids in order to eat is a good idea.

It's stupid to rob your neighbor and make him pay for you to sit on your ass and crank out more babies. You calling someone a dumbass is rich.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Procreating is a constitutional right covered under the 1st Amendment which guarantees freedom of religion.

But having society pay for those children is not Constitutional.

Birth control as a method of reducing the number of poor children in need of food assistance is a topic being discussed in this thread. I merely pointed out that those promoting the birth control method are promoting an anti-Christian and anti-Constitutional option.
Feeding the hungry is a mandate demanded by the American public for decades. Funny how many of the same folks insisting on a false definition of the word "mandate" in regards to the Trump election refuse to recognize the actual definition of the word when it comes to feeding kids, senior citizens, the disabled and the poor in general. Only the extreme element of hateful and angry people want to stop feeding the hungry. The mass majority support food programs of one kind or another.

There is nothing anti-christian or anti-constitutional about it. Can you point out where in the Constitution it says that the public is liable for people that want to have families they can't support? Having children is optional. You don't have to have children if you don't want (or can't support) them.

All programs have regulations and restrictions in order to apply. If you have a full-time job, you can't apply for unemployment benefits. If you are perfectly capable of working, you can't apply for disability. If you are under 65 and not disabled, you can't apply for Medicare.

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution, that grants Congress the right of expending on articles of benevolence, the money of their constituents."
James Madison, annals of Congress, 1794

You are conflating constitutional rights with mandates. Certain religions demand procreation and do not allow birth control. That means procreating is covered in the 1rst Amendment allowing for freedom of religion. That means it would be unconstitutional to demand citizens use birth control or refrain from procreating. On the other hand, the mandate established over decades of both Republican and Democratic administrations and Congress's to offer food assistance programs for the poor and needy is pretty much set in stone. If the ruling political authority wishes to gamble and ignore the Constitution or public mandate they do so at the risk of losing in a SCOTUS decision and or losing in the next election for ignoring or going against the public mandate.

What your side of the issue has against it is the horrible publicity that will follow any drastic cuts in food assistance programs. No one wants to hear about old folks and kids going hungry or starving, becoming ill, eating pet food, etc. And a drastic cut would force these sad situations into the public view. The public does not want to hear about and see kids and seniors dumpster or even trash can diving for scraps of food.

Oh please, even you have to admit what you wrote is lame. We live in a country where you can get sued out of business because your religious beliefs preclude you from baking a cake for a gay wedding. If you are religious and own a business, your leader made it mandatory that you provide birth control as part of your healthcare plan. The first Amendment is not as strong as you think.

Nobody is forcing anybody to go on birth control, but if you want taxpayers to support you, that should be one of the requirements. If that requirement interferes with your religious beliefs, then don't go on any social program.

 

[OldLady]

Until they start rioting and breaking into their nice homes at an even higher rate. Begging at every traffic light. We feed people for a reason, and it is not just to be nice.

Correct, it's to buy votes.

You are being myopic. It is not JUST for votes, either.

Sorry, that's all it's about. Do you really think Obama and the Democrats care if you have health insurance or not? Do you think they really care if you eat or not?

With Commie Care alone, the Democrats created over 20 million additional government dependents. With food stamps, DumBama doubled the SNAP's role almost overnight creating another 20 million more dependents. It's no accident.

Yes, I think they care if I eat. About a month ago, I reported on another thread that the line at our food bank was getting longer and longer (I live in a rural area with very high unemployment). I discovered in the paper this morning why that is: SNAP was cut off to 10,000 eligible Mainers if they didn't work or volunteer. But here the opportunities to work or volunteer are not available. Great move toward self sufficiency and saving tax payers from benefits fraud--but guess what -- THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL HUNGRY.
We are beginning to experience more theft like laptops getting lifted from cars in parking lots and packages left by the UPS man getting stolen. People are desperate. This is what happens.

Okay, so they don't want to enroll in a vocational program. They don't want (or can't get) a job. They don't want to volunteer 20 hours a month. I don't think that's asking all that much to receive taxpayer dollars to buy food.

So they look for the next effortless freebie which is food banks. Even if one can't go to school for some reason or get a part-time job, volunteer work is not that hard to find. Nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters and so on are all looking for any kind of free help they can get.

Most of those people dropped out of the SNAP's program. It doesn't seem to me they were all that hungry after all. If there absolutely no jobs available in your area, then it's time to move the hell out of there. I haven't been to one McDonald's that's not looking for workers over here.

A lot of Maine is doing fine. We are one of the counties that is far above the national and even state unemployment average because of rapid decline in paper mills and associated lumbering. We have two hospitals.. Only a handful of nursing homes left (reduction in state payments to Medicare have forced the closure of many in the past few years). There is no public transportation system to get people from Point A to Point B. The county seat doesn't even have a taxi. We have no homeless shelters. The places the State approves for volunteering are full up and many of the folks on welfare have extremely low academic skills -- they are nowhere near ready for a training program. The obstacles to being productive, contributing members of the community are a lot more complex, sometimes deep rooted, and harder to fix than most folks here understand. It is not an overnight or even a one-term "fix" to resolve. Yes, there are people who are very crafty and skilled at milking the system for every cent they can get, but I can only think of one, out of the many, many, I have known, who would easily transition to work if she were forced.
I don't like laziness anymore than you do and I hate the defeated mess that generations of welfare have imposed on entire generations of the poor. But it is not just laziness that prevents people from working and they are not you and me, born with the brains and the luck to be given the opportunity to learn a strong work ethic.
Anyway, I'm rambling, but it's not so simple as you think. There are programs here that are trying to chip away at some of the obstacles, but it is slow and the funding doesn't come close to matching the need. Some of these folks can't be "saved," no matter what you do. So you have to make a decision. Do you leave them hungry or feed them so they're not breaking into your home or squatting in your summer cottage for the winter, stealing and dealing drugs to eat? I guess it's your choice, but you should know what you're actually up against before you decide. And right now it sounds as if you don't.

 

[Camp]

Trump supporters are starting to sound more and more like little Hitlers every day.

Hitler was a socialist and anti-gun. Who does that sound like.?

It sounds like the fucking dumbass people that think forcing people to get fixed from having kids in order to eat is a good idea.

It's stupid to rob your neighbor and make him pay for you to sit on your ass and crank out more babies. You calling someone a dumbass is rich.

No, what is stupid is to hold a grudge and be hateful to 95 families because five people are gaming the food assistance programs. That is what investigations since the Reagan years have shown us. The level of fraud in these programs is between 3 and 5 percent. So, you want to make the children in 95 families suffer because you have or had or imagine a neighbor is gaming the system. If only one child in those families or one senior requires an inpatient hospital visit for a nutrition based illness it will cost ten or probably one hundred times the amount it cost to feed your neighbor.

A few months of not have a nutrition and food assistance programs would fill our hospitals to overflowing and cost billions in medical cost. Our option would be to let kids and old folks die from lack of medical attention. That would be stupid. Health and well-being are the pragmatic economic reasons the programs exist. Forget about morals and ethics, religion and decency, the purely economic factors dictate a pragmatic response to hunger among the poor and needy.

 

[jasonnfree]

Well, here is one of the issues where I split with the conservatives. I am all for helping our poor people here in our own country. I can understand the concern that people will become dependent upon government/taxpayer resources, but in order to be a successful country you have to take care of your poor people.

It's less about taking care of the poor people than it is people freely abusing the system. Democrats love when people abuse the system because those people will likely vote Democrat. Simple observation at your grocery store (if you have a lot of SNAP's customers there) is what angers most of us.

It also discourages people from getting work and trying to get ahead. The last people I threw out of one of my apartments was due to the lazy mom who didn't want to get a job because income would interfere with her benefits. I had to take two days off of work for court to get them out of here. Without SNAP's, she would have had no choice but to get a job and perhaps keep their apartment.

I've seen a lot of the things you've seen with the poor, but I think food stamps and other such programs, are what keep many kids from going hungry, like in the times of Dicken's England. And if we're going to go hard core against the poor, let's go after some of the wealthy welfare bums too. None of the wall streeters and bankers who have committed crimes, have gone to jail. None.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Correct, it's to buy votes.

You are being myopic. It is not JUST for votes, either.

Sorry, that's all it's about. Do you really think Obama and the Democrats care if you have health insurance or not? Do you think they really care if you eat or not?

With Commie Care alone, the Democrats created over 20 million additional government dependents. With food stamps, DumBama doubled the SNAP's role almost overnight creating another 20 million more dependents. It's no accident.

Yes, I think they care if I eat. About a month ago, I reported on another thread that the line at our food bank was getting longer and longer (I live in a rural area with very high unemployment). I discovered in the paper this morning why that is: SNAP was cut off to 10,000 eligible Mainers if they didn't work or volunteer. But here the opportunities to work or volunteer are not available. Great move toward self sufficiency and saving tax payers from benefits fraud--but guess what -- THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL HUNGRY.
We are beginning to experience more theft like laptops getting lifted from cars in parking lots and packages left by the UPS man getting stolen. People are desperate. This is what happens.

Okay, so they don't want to enroll in a vocational program. They don't want (or can't get) a job. They don't want to volunteer 20 hours a month. I don't think that's asking all that much to receive taxpayer dollars to buy food.

So they look for the next effortless freebie which is food banks. Even if one can't go to school for some reason or get a part-time job, volunteer work is not that hard to find. Nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters and so on are all looking for any kind of free help they can get.

Most of those people dropped out of the SNAP's program. It doesn't seem to me they were all that hungry after all. If there absolutely no jobs available in your area, then it's time to move the hell out of there. I haven't been to one McDonald's that's not looking for workers over here.

A lot of Maine is doing fine. We are one of the counties that is far above the national and even state unemployment average because of rapid decline in paper mills and associated lumbering. We have two hospitals.. Only a handful of nursing homes left (reduction in state payments to Medicare have forced the closure of many in the past few years). There is no public transportation system to get people from Point A to Point B. The county seat doesn't even have a taxi. We have no homeless shelters. The places the State approves for volunteering are full up and many of the folks on welfare have extremely low academic skills -- they are nowhere near ready for a training program. The obstacles to being productive, contributing members of the community are a lot more complex, sometimes deep rooted, and harder to fix than most folks here understand. It is not an overnight or even a one-term "fix" to resolve. Yes, there are people who are very crafty and skilled at milking the system for every cent they can get, but I can only think of one, out of the many, many, I have known, who would easily transition to work if she were forced.
I don't like laziness anymore than you do and I hate the defeated mess that generations of welfare have imposed on entire generations of the poor. But it is not just laziness that prevents people from working and they are not you and me, born with the brains and the luck to be given the opportunity to learn a strong work ethic.
Anyway, I'm rambling, but it's not so simple as you think. There are programs here that are trying to chip away at some of the obstacles, but it is slow and the funding doesn't come close to matching the need. Some of these folks can't be "saved," no matter what you do. So you have to make a decision. Do you leave them hungry or feed them so they're not breaking into your home or squatting in your summer cottage for the winter, stealing and dealing drugs to eat? I guess it's your choice, but you should know what you're actually up against before you decide. And right now it sounds as if you don't.

The same exact words the left was using when Welfare Reform was in debate: more crime, more murders, more homeless and so on. Yet for the most part, Welfare Reform proved to be a very successful program. The people that were about to get kicked off of their social programs got a job instead.

I've never been to Maine and don't know much about it other than what I read. So why don't you tell me the name of your city or town, and I'll go to CraigsList and look to see if there are any available jobs in the area. I'm willing to bet that I will find at least some jobs that people could do in order to keep their SNAP's benefits coming. And I'd like to see some evidence that there is no available volunteer work available. I find that hard to believe since you can't get enough volunteers for any kind of work. The more the merrier.

As for these people that rely on public transportation, why are they living out there if they can't drive? And if they can't get somewhere to work or volunteer, how are they getting to the stores to spend their SNAP's card?

 

[jasonnfree]

Correct, it's to buy votes.

You are being myopic. It is not JUST for votes, either.

Sorry, that's all it's about. Do you really think Obama and the Democrats care if you have health insurance or not? Do you think they really care if you eat or not?

With Commie Care alone, the Democrats created over 20 million additional government dependents. With food stamps, DumBama doubled the SNAP's role almost overnight creating another 20 million more dependents. It's no accident.

Yes, I think they care if I eat. About a month ago, I reported on another thread that the line at our food bank was getting longer and longer (I live in a rural area with very high unemployment). I discovered in the paper this morning why that is: SNAP was cut off to 10,000 eligible Mainers if they didn't work or volunteer. But here the opportunities to work or volunteer are not available. Great move toward self sufficiency and saving tax payers from benefits fraud--but guess what -- THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL HUNGRY.
We are beginning to experience more theft like laptops getting lifted from cars in parking lots and packages left by the UPS man getting stolen. People are desperate. This is what happens.

Okay, so they don't want to enroll in a vocational program. They don't want (or can't get) a job. They don't want to volunteer 20 hours a month. I don't think that's asking all that much to receive taxpayer dollars to buy food.

So they look for the next effortless freebie which is food banks. Even if one can't go to school for some reason or get a part-time job, volunteer work is not that hard to find. Nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters and so on are all looking for any kind of free help they can get.

Most of those people dropped out of the SNAP's program. It doesn't seem to me they were all that hungry after all. If there absolutely no jobs available in your area, then it's time to move the hell out of there. I haven't been to one McDonald's that's not looking for workers over here.

A lot of Maine is doing fine. We are one of the counties that is far above the national and even state unemployment average because of rapid decline in paper mills and associated lumbering. We have two hospitals.. Only a handful of nursing homes left (reduction in state payments to Medicare have forced the closure of many in the past few years). There is no public transportation system to get people from Point A to Point B. The county seat doesn't even have a taxi. We have no homeless shelters. The places the State approves for volunteering are full up and many of the folks on welfare have extremely low academic skills -- they are nowhere near ready for a training program. The obstacles to being productive, contributing members of the community are a lot more complex, sometimes deep rooted, and harder to fix than most folks here understand. It is not an overnight or even a one-term "fix" to resolve. Yes, there are people who are very crafty and skilled at milking the system for every cent they can get, but I can only think of one, out of the many, many, I have known, who would easily transition to work if she were forced.
I don't like laziness anymore than you do and I hate the defeated mess that generations of welfare have imposed on entire generations of the poor. But it is not just laziness that prevents people from working and they are not you and me, born with the brains and the luck to be given the opportunity to learn a strong work ethic.
Anyway, I'm rambling, but it's not so simple as you think. There are programs here that are trying to chip away at some of the obstacles, but it is slow and the funding doesn't come close to matching the need. Some of these folks can't be "saved," no matter what you do. So you have to make a decision. Do you leave them hungry or feed them so they're not breaking into your home or squatting in your summer cottage for the winter, stealing and dealing drugs to eat? I guess it's your choice, but you should know what you're actually up against before you decide. And right now it sounds as if you don't.

Then too, today, it's hard for people to get a job if they have any kind of criminal record, however minor. So many businesses now are run by corporations, which ran the moms and pops out of business. Back in the 50's and early 60's, there were many mom and pop businesses where you could sometimes get a job under the table, even live in the storage room till you got on your feet.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Well, here is one of the issues where I split with the conservatives. I am all for helping our poor people here in our own country. I can understand the concern that people will become dependent upon government/taxpayer resources, but in order to be a successful country you have to take care of your poor people.

It's less about taking care of the poor people than it is people freely abusing the system. Democrats love when people abuse the system because those people will likely vote Democrat. Simple observation at your grocery store (if you have a lot of SNAP's customers there) is what angers most of us.

It also discourages people from getting work and trying to get ahead. The last people I threw out of one of my apartments was due to the lazy mom who didn't want to get a job because income would interfere with her benefits. I had to take two days off of work for court to get them out of here. Without SNAP's, she would have had no choice but to get a job and perhaps keep their apartment.

I've seen a lot of the things you've seen with the poor, but I think food stamps and other such programs, are what keep many kids from going hungry, like in the times of Dicken's England. And if we're going to go hard core against the poor, let's go after some of the wealthy welfare bums too. None of the wall streeters and bankers who have committed crimes, have gone to jail. None.

If you're referring to the housing crisis, I do believe that yes, people went to jail. But even if they didn't, it has nothing do to with social programs.

If we need SNAP's to feed poor children, fine with me, but we should also make sure they don't keep having children to get more benefits.

 

[OldLady]

You are being myopic. It is not JUST for votes, either.

Sorry, that's all it's about. Do you really think Obama and the Democrats care if you have health insurance or not? Do you think they really care if you eat or not?

With Commie Care alone, the Democrats created over 20 million additional government dependents. With food stamps, DumBama doubled the SNAP's role almost overnight creating another 20 million more dependents. It's no accident.

Yes, I think they care if I eat. About a month ago, I reported on another thread that the line at our food bank was getting longer and longer (I live in a rural area with very high unemployment). I discovered in the paper this morning why that is: SNAP was cut off to 10,000 eligible Mainers if they didn't work or volunteer. But here the opportunities to work or volunteer are not available. Great move toward self sufficiency and saving tax payers from benefits fraud--but guess what -- THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL HUNGRY.
We are beginning to experience more theft like laptops getting lifted from cars in parking lots and packages left by the UPS man getting stolen. People are desperate. This is what happens.

Okay, so they don't want to enroll in a vocational program. They don't want (or can't get) a job. They don't want to volunteer 20 hours a month. I don't think that's asking all that much to receive taxpayer dollars to buy food.

So they look for the next effortless freebie which is food banks. Even if one can't go to school for some reason or get a part-time job, volunteer work is not that hard to find. Nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters and so on are all looking for any kind of free help they can get.

Most of those people dropped out of the SNAP's program. It doesn't seem to me they were all that hungry after all. If there absolutely no jobs available in your area, then it's time to move the hell out of there. I haven't been to one McDonald's that's not looking for workers over here.

A lot of Maine is doing fine. We are one of the counties that is far above the national and even state unemployment average because of rapid decline in paper mills and associated lumbering. We have two hospitals.. Only a handful of nursing homes left (reduction in state payments to Medicare have forced the closure of many in the past few years). There is no public transportation system to get people from Point A to Point B. The county seat doesn't even have a taxi. We have no homeless shelters. The places the State approves for volunteering are full up and many of the folks on welfare have extremely low academic skills -- they are nowhere near ready for a training program. The obstacles to being productive, contributing members of the community are a lot more complex, sometimes deep rooted, and harder to fix than most folks here understand. It is not an overnight or even a one-term "fix" to resolve. Yes, there are people who are very crafty and skilled at milking the system for every cent they can get, but I can only think of one, out of the many, many, I have known, who would easily transition to work if she were forced.
I don't like laziness anymore than you do and I hate the defeated mess that generations of welfare have imposed on entire generations of the poor. But it is not just laziness that prevents people from working and they are not you and me, born with the brains and the luck to be given the opportunity to learn a strong work ethic.
Anyway, I'm rambling, but it's not so simple as you think. There are programs here that are trying to chip away at some of the obstacles, but it is slow and the funding doesn't come close to matching the need. Some of these folks can't be "saved," no matter what you do. So you have to make a decision. Do you leave them hungry or feed them so they're not breaking into your home or squatting in your summer cottage for the winter, stealing and dealing drugs to eat? I guess it's your choice, but you should know what you're actually up against before you decide. And right now it sounds as if you don't.

The same exact words the left was using when Welfare Reform was in debate: more crime, more murders, more homeless and so on. Yet for the most part, Welfare Reform proved to be a very successful program. The people that were about to get kicked off of their social programs got a job instead.

I've never been to Maine and don't know much about it other than what I read. So why don't you tell me the name of your city or town, and I'll go to CraigsList and look to see if there are any available jobs in the area. I'm willing to bet that I will find at least some jobs that people could do in order to keep their SNAP's benefits coming. And I'd like to see some evidence that there is no available volunteer work available. I find that hard to believe since you can't get enough volunteers for any kind of work. The more the merrier.

As for these people that rely on public transportation, why are they living out there if they can't drive? And if they can't get somewhere to work or volunteer, how are they getting to the stores to spend their SNAP's card?

You are keeping your ears plugged so your opinion doesn't have to change. I have no reason or inclination to tell you anything that isn't true, but you can continue to question what I'm telling you if you wish.
I'm offering you a different perspective, one based on years of social work and teaching that put me into daily contact with folks in the welfare boat.
Some of your questions are laughably naive. If you ever feel like actually learning what the issues are, let me know.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Sorry, that's all it's about. Do you really think Obama and the Democrats care if you have health insurance or not? Do you think they really care if you eat or not?

With Commie Care alone, the Democrats created over 20 million additional government dependents. With food stamps, DumBama doubled the SNAP's role almost overnight creating another 20 million more dependents. It's no accident.

Yes, I think they care if I eat. About a month ago, I reported on another thread that the line at our food bank was getting longer and longer (I live in a rural area with very high unemployment). I discovered in the paper this morning why that is: SNAP was cut off to 10,000 eligible Mainers if they didn't work or volunteer. But here the opportunities to work or volunteer are not available. Great move toward self sufficiency and saving tax payers from benefits fraud--but guess what -- THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL HUNGRY.
We are beginning to experience more theft like laptops getting lifted from cars in parking lots and packages left by the UPS man getting stolen. People are desperate. This is what happens.

Okay, so they don't want to enroll in a vocational program. They don't want (or can't get) a job. They don't want to volunteer 20 hours a month. I don't think that's asking all that much to receive taxpayer dollars to buy food.

So they look for the next effortless freebie which is food banks. Even if one can't go to school for some reason or get a part-time job, volunteer work is not that hard to find. Nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters and so on are all looking for any kind of free help they can get.

Most of those people dropped out of the SNAP's program. It doesn't seem to me they were all that hungry after all. If there absolutely no jobs available in your area, then it's time to move the hell out of there. I haven't been to one McDonald's that's not looking for workers over here.

A lot of Maine is doing fine. We are one of the counties that is far above the national and even state unemployment average because of rapid decline in paper mills and associated lumbering. We have two hospitals.. Only a handful of nursing homes left (reduction in state payments to Medicare have forced the closure of many in the past few years). There is no public transportation system to get people from Point A to Point B. The county seat doesn't even have a taxi. We have no homeless shelters. The places the State approves for volunteering are full up and many of the folks on welfare have extremely low academic skills -- they are nowhere near ready for a training program. The obstacles to being productive, contributing members of the community are a lot more complex, sometimes deep rooted, and harder to fix than most folks here understand. It is not an overnight or even a one-term "fix" to resolve. Yes, there are people who are very crafty and skilled at milking the system for every cent they can get, but I can only think of one, out of the many, many, I have known, who would easily transition to work if she were forced.
I don't like laziness anymore than you do and I hate the defeated mess that generations of welfare have imposed on entire generations of the poor. But it is not just laziness that prevents people from working and they are not you and me, born with the brains and the luck to be given the opportunity to learn a strong work ethic.
Anyway, I'm rambling, but it's not so simple as you think. There are programs here that are trying to chip away at some of the obstacles, but it is slow and the funding doesn't come close to matching the need. Some of these folks can't be "saved," no matter what you do. So you have to make a decision. Do you leave them hungry or feed them so they're not breaking into your home or squatting in your summer cottage for the winter, stealing and dealing drugs to eat? I guess it's your choice, but you should know what you're actually up against before you decide. And right now it sounds as if you don't.

The same exact words the left was using when Welfare Reform was in debate: more crime, more murders, more homeless and so on. Yet for the most part, Welfare Reform proved to be a very successful program. The people that were about to get kicked off of their social programs got a job instead.

I've never been to Maine and don't know much about it other than what I read. So why don't you tell me the name of your city or town, and I'll go to CraigsList and look to see if there are any available jobs in the area. I'm willing to bet that I will find at least some jobs that people could do in order to keep their SNAP's benefits coming. And I'd like to see some evidence that there is no available volunteer work available. I find that hard to believe since you can't get enough volunteers for any kind of work. The more the merrier.

As for these people that rely on public transportation, why are they living out there if they can't drive? And if they can't get somewhere to work or volunteer, how are they getting to the stores to spend their SNAP's card?

You are keeping your ears plugged so your opinion doesn't have to change. I have no reason or inclination to tell you anything that isn't true, but you can continue to question what I'm telling you if you wish.
I'm offering you a different perspective, one based on years of social work and teaching that put me into daily contact with folks in the welfare boat.
Some of your questions are laughably naive. If you ever feel like actually learning what the issues are, let me know.

I know you about as much as you know me, so why should I take your word for it? I'm looking for evidence because I can't believe there are places in the country where there are absolutely no jobs of any kind and no volunteer work to boot. To me it sounds like excuses because the real problem is people just want to sit home collecting benefits. It's not just country folk either. We have tens of thousands of the same kind of people right here in the city.

 

[danielpalos]

stop a useless drug war not an "end to hunger".

San Francisco is a good example of how ending the war on drugs makes things worse. They did that and that caused a huge influx of dealers into the city.

special pleading much? how much tax revenue is being generated through commerce, well regulated?

legal pot in California is being taxed at almost ten dollars an ounce, off the top.

 

[danielpalos]

I'd like to ban the top 1% from American soil. Fucking traitors all. We can make new billionaires from the successful that would spring up.,

Instead of complaining about the one percent why not go out create a business and help the community!?!

why complain about the poor who are unemployed and need a bailout?

 

[danielpalos]

Why is it I can make a pot of black beans with ham hocks and the additional ingredients are Mexican Bulb Onions, Poblano Pepper, little cumin powder, pepper, and two chicken bouillon cubes for less than ten dollars!?!

It will feed four people easily, so if I can cook this while not being on the government welfare system why is it the poor can not do this!?!

Again if you want Steak and Lobster then get a damn job!

why care about the poor if you don't want the poor to care about the rich. how much do the rich, actually pay in personal income taxes, so they can whine about it.

 

[Cecilie1200]

It is fairly rare to see people buying luxury items like seafood with EBT, I agree, although obviously, it depends on where they are in the country and how pricey such an item is.

Yeah, nobody sees them at the CASH back button at self checkout? They buy $10 milk/eggs/butter.......$40 cash back for whatever later? Maybe it is state by state?
UI or DIS EBT cards are just like a VISA card. Cash back. I am not 100% sure Welfare or SNAP cards work the same. But probably? You would not want them to feel UNCOMFORTABLY ODD tearing stamps out of a booklet would you?

No, dear, you can't get cash back from food stamps. Here's how EBT cards work. The recipient has two accounts available on the card. One is their food stamp, and the other is a cash allowance from TANF (formerly known as AFDC). Food stamps are relatively easy to qualify for; TANF is much more restrictive, and most people with an EBT card do not actually receive cash benefits.

The food stamp balance can only be used for approved purchases at participating stores (for example, you cannot buy hot deli items at the supermarket), and only for the purchase price. The cash balance, if one has it, can either be spent in debit card fashion for purchases, or withdrawn to use as cash.

EBT cards are NOT just like a VISA card. They can only be used on machines set to accept them. Also, the cards have very little to do with "feeling uncomfortable", considering that they often have very colorful and recognizable designs, so everyone knows you're using food stamps, anyway. Their primary purposes were to eliminate fraud in the form of purchasing something cheap, and then pocketing the change, and to eliminate the expense of printing paper stamps, mailing them, and then reimbursing the stores.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Yeah, nobody sees them at the CASH back button at self checkout? They buy $10 milk/eggs/butter.......$40 cash back for whatever later? Maybe it is state by state?
UI or DIS EBT cards are just like a VISA card. Cash back. I am not 100% sure Welfare or SNAP cards work the same. But probably? You would not want them to feel UNCOMFORTABLY ODD tearing stamps out of a booklet would you?

Big stores like walmart and target and safeway should have separate lanes marked EBT only.

Why?

 

[danielpalos]

As with most "progressive" programs, it was a case of the road to hell being paved with good intentions. Even Reagan did not have the courage to decisively reign in its excesses.

Welfare had nothing to do with good intentions. Democrats did it to turn blacks into welfare slaves who would vote for democrats all the time.

it isn't like the right was coming up with better solutions at lower cost; merely, nothing but repeal.

 

[danielpalos]

Why not leave the poor the fuck alone?

And while you're at it let them smoke pot so they can go to sleep feeling a little better.

Fuck them and their sleep. I want them to get a job.

the right is all talk and no action.

let's have a War on Capitalism's, natural rate of unemployment, so the right has a good excuse to get more national and more social in their public policies.