Food-stamp tally nears 40 million, sets record (gone up every month since Obama took office)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Nearly 40 million Americans received food stamps -- the latest in an ever-higher string of record enrollment that dates from December 2008 and the U.S. recession, according to a government update. Food stamps are the primary federal anti-hunger program, helping poor people buy food. Enrollment is highest during times of economic distress. The jobless rate was 9.9 percent, the government said on Friday.

The Agriculture Department said 39.68 million people, or 1 in 8 Americans, were enrolled for food stamps during February, an increase of 260,000 from January. USDA updated its figures on Wednesday. "This is the highest share of the U.S. population on SNAP/food stamps," said the anti-hunger group Food Research and Action Center, using the new name for food stamps, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). "Research suggests that one in three eligible people are not receiving ... benefits."

Enrollment has set a record each month since reaching 31.78 million in December 2008. USDA estimates enrollment will average 40.5 million people this fiscal year, which ends Sept 30, at a cost of up to $59 billion. For fiscal 2011, average enrollment is forecast for 43.3 million people.

Source: news.yahoo.com...

This story just screams of Fraud, for me. There is NO WAY we, as a nation, can keep up with these numbers. Time to re-think this program.

What are we getting in return-that is benificial to society? I think everyone on Pulice Assistance should be required to submit to ramdom drug testing and home visits. Let the gov'e bug the crap out of them so that they want to get back to work etc.

This is just going to be more fuel to the fire for the argument to vote out the current politicians starting in Noverber 2010 and Obama in 2012.

reply to post by anon72

This story just screams of Fraud, for me. There is NO WAY we, as a nation, can keep up with these numbers. Time to re-think this program.

Of course, you are right. However, once you understand that Obama wants EVERYONE to be dependent upon the government, then you will see the "wisdom" of Obama's manna from heaven.

First how can they get a job when there are no jobs. Second you would rather America turn its back on the poor and the helpless children then help them out?

Yes it need to be redone but untill that time it is what it is.

Wow, I can see where your stance is with that unneccesary additive in the title- gone up ever since Obama took office- partisan much?

Yes it has gone up, but you know what's been going down since Bush took office?
Government spending baby

You ever drive a car on a public street? or send a kid of yours to public school?

Well if so best line on up for that drug test and home invasion.

I don't want no druggies out on roads I done paid for with MY taxes. And by GOD if you send a kid to public school, on MY tax dime, every one of yall get tested and strict home invasions as well. Keep the riff raff who mooches off the public tit in line!

There has to be some reform made on what can be bought on this program.

I hear folks constantly crying about obesity, but I see people on stamps piling carts full of soda pop and paying for it on my dime. I was in line the other day with my buck and a half soup lunch (because money is so tight) but the women in front of me bought forty bucks worth of chips and junk food for her pudgy little offspring on foodstamps ( a card now actually ).

Here in Kansas, if you make 15000 a year or less you get 84 dollars per exemption back on state income taxes for food sales tax refund, about half that under 31000. Yet, if you're making that little you are probably on foodstamps and pay no food sales tax to begin with.

I don't mind helping out, but come on. We're using a pound of cheap hamburger for a couple boxes of hamburger helper just to make ends meet. The Taxes just keep taking more and more. Who's gonna be left to help us out when we need it?

Stop the B.S. and allow them to buy only real food with those stamps, impose a "fat" penalty on them if the family needs to loose weight.

Originally posted by Koolcdj69
Wow, I can see where your stance is with that unneccesary additive in the title- gone up ever since Obama took office- partisan much?

Yes it has gone up, but you know what's been going down since Bush took office?
Government spending baby

Automatic Racism Card.....
Where did you get your info that gov. spending is going down?

reply to post by sonoflibra

Second you would rather America turn its back on the poor and the helpless children then help them out?

Oh the old what about the poor helpless children. The great guilt card of the bleeding hearts.

The truth is we live in a universe built on the very premise of evolution. Part of evolution is the weak shall perish and the strong will live to recreate. Just as the baby tiger of the mother who is incapabe of feeding or protecting her offspring perishes is good for future tigers, so is the thinning of the herd of humans.

The real question should be, "What about our poor, helpless children". Those of us who are responsible and pay taxes and raise our children right and protect our families must survive at all costs for the good of our species.

What we are doing now is allowing the people to procreate that would rather have a new drug, one that won't make them sick... or they would rather have a flat screen the feed their kids, etc.... Those genes and life choices are passed down to their offspring, until you have devolved the human species to the point that the majority is now the genetic and mental equivalent of the weak lion.

We are doing all of this to the point that it now threatens the top tier of the herd. We must keep the smarter, higher functioning part of the herd reproducing at any cost.

[edit on 9-5-2010 by CowPatty]

40 million on food stamps that do not qualifie for unemployment plus 32 million on unemployment plus 32 million undocumented homeless or people lost faith in proccuring a job plus 32 million on dead end minumum wage jobs = 136 million Americans because illegals are not entitalled to collect as long as the state and federal officals are doing their job and we know they all are. That means aproximately 43 % of the us population not including illegal aliens are out of a living wage job . (OUT OF WORK IN A SANE MANS BOOK) plus I' m Told from 20 to 40 million Illegal Aliens here sucking us dry like Ticks. I'm tired of hearing the gov. and it's media's lies are'nt YOU. Wake up America!!!!!!!!.............;

40 million on food stamps that do not qualifie for unemployment plus 32 million on unemployment plus 32 million undocumented homeless or people lost faith in proccuring a job plus 32 million on dead end minumum wage jobs = 136 million Americans because illegals are not entitalled to collect as long as the state and federal officals are doing their job and we know they all are. That means aproximately 43 % of the us population not including illegal aliens are out of a living wage job . (OUT OF WORK IN A SANE MANS BOOK) plus I' m Told from 20 to 40 million Illegal Aliens here sucking us dry like Ticks. I'm tired of hearing the gov. and it's media's lies are'nt YOU. Wake up America!!!!!!!!.............;

The regime is not to blame.

The former regime is to blame.

Then the next regime is placed.

Then this regime will be to blame.

And the minions call for more chains, because they ARE minions.

There is only one TRUE law. To harm no other or to infringe on their rights of Life, Liberty or Property.

There is no crime where there is no victim.

Taking from me to give to another is THEFT! Be it government or another criminal.

Take this socialist/fascist/cronie capitalism system DC and stick it where the sun does not shine.

As for those that say to throw someone in jail where there is no victim, you are a tyrant. Period. Just like the jackboots in the Nazi empire.

When you can rationalize stealing, you can rationalize ANYTHING!

When the government priests argue that the government has the right to take the Natural Rights of Individuals for the betterment of the collective, YOU COULD RATIONALIZE GENOCIDE! If it was to the benefit of the collective.

Collective type people need to look inside themselves and ask one thing, would it be okay for the government to kill you if it was okay for the collective.

Answer me that this would be okay and I will show you the TRUE people the government wants to create. YOU! The perfect SLAVE.

Welcome to the BORG. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED!

How many months had it gone up prior to Obama taking office?

"I don't mind helping out, but come on. We're using a pound of cheap hamburger for a couple boxes of hamburger helper just to make ends meet. The Taxes just keep taking more and more. Who's gonna be left to help us out when we need it?"

Now explain why you buy hamburger helper, it's toxic freaking waste?! You eat hamburger helper to make ends meet? That's funny and a total contradiction. Because if you really knew what you were talking about, this pointless post wasting space here on ATS would never have been made. TRY, JUST TRY to spend less eating healthy. My girlfriend and I don't buy any junk food whatsoever. It costs us $130 a week, and we eat 10 meals a week at home, 6 of which are lunches. A bottle of SODA POP is .79 on sale...a gallon of water that's fit to drink is $1.39. Try buying produce!!! Get your self 3 apples for about $2.50 or a big a$$ bag of Doritos for the same price. I could just go on an on...BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY...CRAP is much cheaper than food, or are you f'in blind?

I have never taken a damn dime of any government money. I going to pay taxes no matter what. I'd rather see anyone get the money and spend it on Doritos than to see this government spend a single nickel on more bullets, or more bailouts for FAT CATS...

This thread is the ignorant spew I'm just SO sick of seeing and hearing...
The OP clearly thinks OBAMA sunk this economy in the past year...!!!
Yeah right...my skilled tradesman buddies lost their jobs BEFORE Obama set foot in the white house...and most of em still aint got jobs...
They all worked hard...they should take their FOOD STAMPS AND GET THEMSELVES A BEER, they deserve it.

Originally posted by Koolcdj69....
but you know what's been going down since Bush took office?
Government spending baby

That makes no sense and/or is not even relevent.

reply to post by anon72


Work???
Where are they going to find that????

And this is Obama's fault...er ahh...how exactly???

I'm AM SO lucky to have seen this coming in 2005, and I jumped out of construction. I tried to warn my buddies, but all I had to go on was this gut feeling. Who could believe me when we were rolling in the money in the construction business. Skilled trades...hard work, experience, long hours, decent money. All of them were doing fine until 2007-08. Everyone owned houses, had kids, etc...Most of these guys are NOW working as telemarketers, store clerks and other various crap jobs at less than $10 an hour. YEAH these guys don't want to work and make money??? They SIMPLY JUST CAN'T PASS UP THAT $300 in FREE FOOD STAMPS PAID for by US. Yeah, these guys NEVER paid taxes, or SS, or Unemployment Insurance???

It went up because there are NO JOBS...Get a clue OP...this is a CRISIS that started the day they killed JFK...and they ain't done fracking it up yet!

reply to post by hotbakedtater


Wow, someone with a grasp on reality. Great post, and about the only thing making any sense here. I have friends that are SUFFERING through this crisis right now. I completely resent people that stereotype those that need help.

A friend of mine says..."Everyone gets their turn in the barrel..." SOME PEOPLE REALLY HAVE IT COMING...

If you aren't offering these people the work you say they should be doing , I would shut your mouth . There is no work . Have some compassion friend , you could find yourself on the end of the unemployment line yourself .

No one deserves food stamps but there are those who have the need. However, that need has to have an end or else you are simply enabling. What we are seeing is a dependency on the government and people becoming acclimated to the fact that if they work just a little bit they can still be rewarded with food stamps. Then they pick up side work and do not pay taxes on it. Small businesses suffer which in turn hit larger businesses. We are not talking about hard working people but those people who are working the system. Food stamps should have 3 simple rules.

1. 2 6 month periods of assistance every 5 years. I think we could ALL use an extra 300.00 for groceries every once in awhile.

2. Drug testing

3. Job training or education assistance. again, if this is denied over and over it should be a 3 strikes you are out.

Again, this is about assistance and not enabling. Now as far a politics, it is not entirely the fault of Obama but it is the fault of Congress and the House and their bickering for the last 30 years with no oversight and scumbag lobbyists. People are starting to believe that the government owes them something and that is what the current administration promised. Not jobs but change. You control the minds and the stomachs of your people and soon they do not have a choice. Dependency. All those who oppose will be incarcerated or fined into prison. google 1934....

The IRS became very powerful with the signing of the Health Reform Act and I do not think many of us will be to happy in the next few years when we are not only supporting those who have been enabled but we will be funding the healthcare to allow them to bring more children into a situation that is not breaking a cycle but wearing it thin.

reply to post by esdad71


Excellent post!

I really like the 3 strikes and you're out idea (# 3 of your numbered pts).

We have to change the people that have become dependent or abusive of the programs that their lives can be better than how they are living now.