food stamps and how they make people feel

Originally posted by wildoracle13

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by wildoracle13

 

But until you walk in these people's shoes, you have no idea how hard it is to "get out".
Its like asking the poor kid in India who is working in a sweatshop at 10 years old and dropped out of school: why don't you go to college and make your life better?!

Something tells me that the poor kid in India doesn't have an xbox or air conditioning and I would be willing to bet the government doesn't give his mother free housing, food stamps and health care like the poor kid in Indiana.

The difference is we live in a highly industrialized wealthy and (supposedly) successful nation that has been responsible for major world changes in the last hundred or so years.

No disrespect to India, but what were these other nations doing the last few thousand years? Endlessly warring with each other? Regardless, America brought itself up out of the ashes of a rough start and civil war, and set the standard for civilization, along with a few other European nations. We may no longer be living the golden years of that success, but we are still far from traveling miles to the nearest water hole to survive every day.

That said, comparing the average American "poor" person to the someone living in a so called third-world country is an insult to both parties. We are not India. And we should expect better, for even the lowest member of our society, regardless of their station in life. Should we forget what makes our country great, we begin the descent into a lower class of society and nations. That may sound prideful, but I love this damn country and would never do or say anything to propagate the destruction of our less fortunate's welfare.

I have no problem with our country taking care of it's own. In fact none of you would have a problem either, if our country wasn't being sold out to other nations via outsourcing or ridiculously biased trade agreements. The wealth of this nation is leaving because of corrupt government and elected officials catering to corporations and parasitic countries like Israel, not because of the people at the bottom trying to survive the madness.

Originally posted by jewells

Originally posted by windword
When I was a young mother, newly on my own, in a new town, I was able to get foodstamps. It took a long time for them to set everything up, so, when I finally did get my foodstamps, it was a retroactive amount of 4 months.

We went shopping and stocked up on everything. Beans, rice, mayonaise and mustard, hamburger, tuna, etc. But, for that night, we were eating steak!

The cashier actually stopped ringing me up and yelled at me for buying high end meat, enough for 1 meal for 2! She called the manager over, holding up the line, saying she refused to ring up such &$%#@!

That was 30 years ago.

How awful for you!!!
Hope you were still able to enjoy your steak in spite of her nastiness!
Sad that theres so many miserable people in the service industry- makes you appreciate the good ones

If I was the cashier, I would have done the same thing! You should feel ashamed for buying steak on food stamps. Food stamps are for necessities only. If you can afford steak than you dont need foodstamps. Just saying...

Originally posted by joyride0187

Originally posted by jewells

Originally posted by windword
When I was a young mother, newly on my own, in a new town, I was able to get foodstamps. It took a long time for them to set everything up, so, when I finally did get my foodstamps, it was a retroactive amount of 4 months.

We went shopping and stocked up on everything. Beans, rice, mayonaise and mustard, hamburger, tuna, etc. But, for that night, we were eating steak!

The cashier actually stopped ringing me up and yelled at me for buying high end meat, enough for 1 meal for 2! She called the manager over, holding up the line, saying she refused to ring up such &$%#@!

That was 30 years ago.

How awful for you!!!
Hope you were still able to enjoy your steak in spite of her nastiness!
Sad that theres so many miserable people in the service industry- makes you appreciate the good ones

If I was the cashier, I would have done the same thing! You should feel ashamed for buying steak on food stamps. Food stamps are for necessities only. If you can afford steak than you dont need foodstamps. Just saying...

edit on 28-7-2011 by joyride0187 because: (no reason given)

How obtuse. What is steak, right? I mean, grind it up and *poof*, you have hamburger meat. Does that simple meaningless transition from something considered "special" into something considered mundane satisfy your sense of morality?

Apparently the government doesn't see it for more than what it really is. Just food. Because you can still purchase steak with food stamps. Like I mentioned before, hot food vs cold food. The difference is so trivial that it's an obvious moral platitude here at work, preventing someone from a simple hot meal. Sad.

Yeah, I don't see what's so wrong with buying steaks with foodstamps. I understand those that are outraged about people using foodstamps for candy and junkfood. I personally was outraged when I was told by a grocery clerk that they didn't accept foodstamps for Pedialite, and she even suggested that I give my sick child Gatorade instead. There are some flaw in the system. The ones that anger you just might make my day. I know a local gas station that accepts foodstamps for their amazing Gyros and they cost 2.49, so I think it's a pretty good deal.

reply to post by haarvik


I agree with you there - I'm in GA, which is supposedly a high unemployment state and heavy user of govt programs. Yet there are help wanted signs all over this suburb of Atlanta. People just don't want to work for $8-10 per hour. Heck, our long-term housekeeper had to quit because of surgery and a lengthy recuperation period. She received $100 for about 2 or 3 house of work. We hired another couple to come in and they decided they didn't want to work that hard (they charged $120 and were both here about 2 hours). So, what's wrong with this picture when you can't find somebody who wants to make $20-$30 per hour and set their own schedule? Several of my neighbors are in the same boat because we all used the same lady - none of us can find anyone wanting to clean toilets and scrub floors. They would rather sit home and collect their monthly checks for doing nothing.

reply to post by BIGPoJo
i am with voc rehab it does take time and yes if you read the post i made earlier you will see that yes i am seeking employment, but with out your so called wants , their needs, i am still unemployed, and seeking work.

Originally posted by hadriana

Originally posted by State of Mind
reply to post by hadriana

 

You never know when tough times are gonna come knocking. Which is why I personally have *always* lived on very little. I don't buy brand new cars, or nice houses, or flatscreens. I scrimp and save every little bit, and I have a very large nest egg that I can rely on in times when I need it. I guess working since I was 14 taught me the value of a dollar at a young age. So, just out of curiosity, how do you afford an internet connection? Why haven't you tried selling your computer? I don't think people really understand what "poverty" is anymore.

Are you insane? The Internet is the ONLY way I have to make money. It is our phone, our income, our everything.

I don't think many realize that the internet may be the last way some people can make money. I know my mom and dad are antique dealers. They quit going to most shows, since they really died off over the past few years. They get their social security checks, which don't pay for everything. They took their antique business online. They now sell on e-bay. Guess who most of their customers are. Those buying overseas. People in the US don't have the money to buy things anymore. They are strapped for cash already.

Now with having to buy health care by 2014, your cash now has to stretch over mortgage, utilities, gas, food, and now health care.

My family does receive food stamps. Did you know that if you are on unemployment the food stamps are drastically reduced. My husband works. I use to work, was on unemployment for over a year. As soon as my unemployment was dropped, the food stamps shot through the roof. We do have 3 kids, and one on SSI disability.

It is hard for me to work with the job my husband has. He is a car hauler, and sometimes has to stay out overnight. What I could make is basically gone with the babysitter fees not to mention money for gas to get back and forth to work.

Even though I know my kids are starting to turn into teens, I know they still need me. My middle is on social security disability. She can not be left alone right now. I don't consider my oldest to be able to babysit her younger two siblings. My oldest and middle are only 10 months apart. Yes, they will start to argue with each other, which can turn into a fight of one sort or another if I or someone else was not there.

Everyone lately yells you need to do what you have to do even if it requires you to work two or three jobs just to get by. Did they ever stop to think it is not in the best interest of the kids or teens? We do everything in the name of the kids including making laws to protect kids and teens, but yet we won't let at least one parent be there for them when they need that parent. Oh no, the grandparent, senior aunt or uncle, and even the babysitter may be there for them. No, the parent has to be at work when the kid/teen really needs and wants their parents.

I think it is devastating when there is only one parent. That makes everything even that much harder.

Originally posted by BIGPoJo


You don't need an education to have a job. You don't need health insurance, period. Yes, if you go to the ER they will fix your arm regardless! You don't need a car to get to work! Have you ever hear of walking, riding a bus, car pooling, or a bicycle?

No highschool = no job
No college = minimum wage job = need 2 to 3 to get by on. May not be possible because employers for minimum wage jobs schedule you wacky and expect you to be there when they schedule you. Yes, I had a job where I worked all three shifts in one week. Not fun.

No car, can't get to work. Unless you are in the city, walking, busses, car pooling, and bicycling are a luxury. Too far to walk, not allowed to ride bikes on highways, no one wants to drive 20 minutes out of there way to come pick you up, and you have to drive a half hour to get to the nearest bus stop.

well, it seems that as much money as we are giving in food stamps, it isn't enough!!!

Doctors at a major Boston hospital report they are seeing more hungry and dangerously thin young children in the emergency room than at any time in more than a decade of surveying families. Many families are unable to afford enough healthy food to feed their children, say the Boston Medical Center doctors. The resulting chronic hunger threatens to leave scores of infants and toddlers with lasting learning and developmental problems.

articles.boston.com...

I thought Boston was a pretty well to do city.....guess it isn't any more???

so, let's see, we have an obesity problem, and then again, we have kids slowly starving to death.....

and of course, the treasury and fed are still busy protecting the rich's ass......setts!!
www.bloomberg.com...

and our gov't is still fiddling around!!!

but. hey, I'm lucky, I still have a job, doesn't pay enough to put a roof over my head, and my kid's unemployment check is more than I make, but hey!!! I'm lucky, I have a job to go to!!!
bah-humbug!!! I'm lying to myself......I'm one of the fools who gets to work my arse off to pay for all this crap!!!

the fed supposedly secretly gave away 16 trillion dollars bailing out their buddies!!! and they are acting like the measly 14 trillion that we owe is financial armageddon!!!

reply to post by Mystery_Lady


Some people just don't get it, huh? They will go through life taking the easy way out (as in no education) so that they can spend their time partying and lie to themselves that they don't need an education or training. Even people who are successful without a college degree normally have some type of training (electrician, stone mason, etc.) and are the best at what they do because they work their butts off. A college degree doesn't guarantee success, especially if you have a pseudo degree from a place like The University of Phoenix or majored in Mass Communications from Podunk U, but not having a degree or further training is usually a recipe for disaster.

The new cards, are called EBT cards, with a magnetic strip, and I'm looking at one right now, and guess who's name is on the back of this state issued card for food? J.P. Morgan! So, anyone have anything to say about why JPMorgan Inc. is involved with food stamps? hmmmmm

www.ebtaccount.jpmorgan.com...

reply to post by joyride0187


for necessities only? so, what makes meat from cows not a necessity? Really, you are going to down someone for buying steak with foodstamps as we pay politicians to learn how to devise ways to steal our money?

Your attitude is why there is a global sickness. You don't want to share you're .004 cents in state taxes to feed a hungry family, and if you do, it's only okay if that .004 cents you pay in state taxes goes to a dinner of crackers, peanut butter, and water.

SHAME ON YOU FOR DENYING FOOD. I don't care if you claim you don't "want to deny food," your post claiming "if you were the cashier, yada yada yada, blah blah blah"

I suppose they don't have the right to get salt either. Should they not purchase tea or coffee either?

I hope you don't believe in karma. I have no problem with anyone on assistance getting food buying ANYTHING in the grocery store to eat. I'd rather feed a crackhead steak, than give a politician a bent penny.

Originally posted by joyride0187

If I was the cashier, I would have done the same thing! You should feel ashamed for buying steak on food stamps. Food stamps are for necessities only. If you can afford steak than you dont need foodstamps. Just saying...

edit on 28-7-2011 by joyride0187 because: (no reason given)

Ok, let's play your game. If there were no welfare at all, the beef industry would not get subsidies (the biggest welfare recipient of all are the subsidy abusers). If not for subsidies, the cost of producing beef would jack up the cost of a hamburger to 35-40 dollars.

Personally, I'd like to see that (my family is vegan anyway) but I'm sure a lot of people who normally complain about "welfare moms" would suddenly be begging the government to give assistance to the beef and dairy industry.

You eating steak, period, is endorsing welfare on a scale FAAAAAAR beyond the scope of what people on food stamps do.

reply to post by Cuervo


I agree with you to a point. I get my beef from a local farmer for $2.49 per pound. No subsidies at all. Local farmers don't get subsidies, the corporate farms do. Stop the subsidies and maybe we would get untainted beef!

Originally posted by haarvik
reply to post by Cuervo

 

I agree with you to a point. I get my beef from a local farmer for $2.49 per pound. No subsidies at all. Local farmers don't get subsidies, the corporate farms do. Stop the subsidies and maybe we would get untainted beef!

You are an exception, obviously. Nearly all beef consumed by Americans come from subsidized beef, though. The reason he can sell it to you cheap is because, on a small scale, you can raise and slaughter animals normally and without the need to Frankenstein them.

On large scale, the amount of water needed to process beef alone, costs more than what they sell it for at the store. That tells you something about the large sum of welfare that goes to these "ranchers".


ps - which means that people who buy this beef is benefiting from that same welfare.

pps - good on you for buying locally, man. That action speaks as loud as a vote because our purchases are votes.

The stigma that goes with food stamps IMO should be enough to force people to get off of them. They are not meant to be the only way you provide food for your family forever. And yes, far too often they are used as such, this is a disgrace. If people would just use the system as it was meant to be, well, that would be great wouldn't it.
When I was a child my father had an encounter one night that landed him in prison for 18 years. My Mom had been a stay at home mom to 3 kids for 8 years. Overnight she lost her husband and every bit of income. She immedietly began looking for a job but people who haven't worked outside of the home for so long are not often quick to land a decent job that pays all the bills. It only took a few weeks and we were destitute, luckily my Grandparents stepped up to help with the bills thank God but it was a struggle. I knew even at 8 yrs old that my Mom was having a very hard time dealing with all that had happened. Many nights I went to bed afraid that there would be no food the next day and unable to sleep. I thought about it at school, I felt guilty even eating lunch there, I went without because I was worried my younger siblings wouldnt grow if they didnt have enough to eat and because I saw my Mom going without at mealtime, knowing she wasnt eating because there wasnt enough. I worried that she wouldnt have the energy to work when she finally did find a job. It haunted me daily. This is what I remember of being an 8 yr old kid. Finally she got on welfare. I saw her anguish when the first round of food stamps came. She cried all the way to the grocery store. I didn't understand. We spent every last stamp on that first trip to the store. It was calming to see all that food in our cart. I remember thinking to myself "oh good, now I can sleep tonight". Then we got up to the register. The checker, who we knew as we had shopped at that store my entire life was her usual friendly self chit chatting and commenting on how big my baby sister had gotten. But when my Mom reluctantly pulled out the food stamps, I will never forget the look on that woman's face. You would have thought we were robbing the place. I didn't understand. She didn't say another word to us and she didn't bag our groceries as was the custom at this store. That happened one more time at that store, then we never went back. From then on my Mom went to a store in a different town, telling us the food was better there. I later found out that many people, employees and other shoppers that we knew had made comments to her about not being considered a paying customer and turning her children into welfare babies. It broke my heart. The entire time we were on welfare my Mom did everything she could to bring in money and find a job. Almost a year after we started receiving benefits my Mom had 3 jobs, 1 full time and 2 part time and she got off welfare. She worked herself to the bone and we didnt get to spend a lot of time with her for several years but she was providing for us on her own. I was so proud of her, she used the system as it was intended, as a last resort and only long enough to get on her feet and find the means to provide for her children. I wish more people would be like my Mom.

reply to post by Celestial1


No more stigma today, the cashier's at walmart don't know if you're pulling out a debit card, or a ebt "food-stamp" card, you swipe it, put your pin in, and voila.

Originally posted by mjfromga
reply to post by Mystery_Lady

 

Some people just don't get it, huh? They will go through life taking the easy way out (as in no education) so that they can spend their time partying and lie to themselves that they don't need an education or training. Even people who are successful without a college degree normally have some type of training (electrician, stone mason, etc.) and are the best at what they do because they work their butts off. A college degree doesn't guarantee success, especially if you have a pseudo degree from a place like The University of Phoenix or majored in Mass Communications from Podunk U, but not having a degree or further training is usually a recipe for disaster.

Major star for a college degree does not guarantee success. Just remember, not everyone can afford higher education, and can get in trouble because of it. High school educated usually work their butts off also, and some do advance with in-house on the job training, and promotion. I was assuming you were talking about the uneducated high school drop outs, and possibly college dropouts that couldn't pass the tests because they were too drunk to study from partying so much. At least until I read a couple of posts below, and decided to clarify my point here about the star I gave you.

I was one of those idiots that has a degree from a good college, but made a mistake in the choice of majors. Not looking ahead, or changing it to something that would help me get a job it quickly got me nowhere fast except a major bill to pay.

Also, for those who think they can slide by on a forbearance, and the different types of extensions. Think again. I eventually took the max I could, since I was not able to pay the bill after graduating. Mind you I paid when I could.

It started out as a 17,000 dollar loan. For what ever reason, I really didn't realize how much interest would be. That 17,000 has now turned into 45,000 due to interest and I believe capitalization. .

I should be thankful they now have an income based repayment plan now, which I got on as soon as I heard about it. I would have preferred to get a bail out not even as good as the banks gotten, and had the loan reduced back down to the original amount I owe. As it stands now, I don't think I'll ever pay the full $45,000 owed.

If I could have a do over on college, I would.

When thinking of going to college, make certain you are taking a major you like that will help you find a job. Be careful about the size of loan you will need to take out. Before you take the loan, make sure you figure out how much the payments are going to be after graduating. Think of where you are going to be living, and what the expenses are going to be. If you had to take a low paying job, could you still make those payments. That is what I'm going to be teaching my kids. I never was taught that. I was forced to go to college even though I didn't want to at the time. I guess I knew I wasn't ready. When I was ready, it was too late to try to go back with the loan I had.

Parents, if at all possible, teach your kids the repercussions of not paying a student loan. Teach them about the re-payments and interest added on. Don't leave it up to the school loan officers. Teach them about budgeting, with rent/future mortgage in mind, school loan, utilities, food, entertainment, and etc. Heck use your own budget as an example and add the school loan payment.Give them a realistic idea of what it is going to be like. Make sure they stay away from credit cards.

Give your kids the best chance they can get. Here is something to think about. If you have a choice between University you are pushing and state college, it will be better to go with state if the loan payments are going to be too high after graduating from the University. That is unless going for a degree such as doctor, surgeon, dentist where one can expect to be able to make the payments out of med school, and you have to go to the more expensive school. If your kid is coming out of the higher cost school and can't make the payments, you kid is already at a disadvantage.

I guess that is how some get on assistance. They make dumb mistakes. They make stupid decisions. They form their own trap that they never seem to be able to get out of.

I couldn't go back and get another degree whether I wanted to or not due to my current loan. I don't have the money to go back, and I can't get another loan. Because I already went to college, I can't the training assistance through unemployment/welfare. I already tried.

Right now I'm out on the street, I'm living in Florida and looking for work every day. (hell, just the other day I applied at a McDonald's)

I have a food stamp card and I love it. there are a few places where I use it. (mostly to get something to drink or some food that isn't from the soup kitchen)

I am thankful for it, I didn't find it hard to get.

But here's where I have to agree with the conservatives...

There are people who get their allocated amount and they find people to cash the card out for them. They generally get .50c on the dollar for em. And I don't think that's a good use of taxpayer dollars at all.

I hope soon I'll have a job and I won't need those things anymore, but till I land that job, I'll use my food stamps and not be ashamed about it.

I have earned good money, have been involuntarily unemployed, done jobs most of the degree folk would think was beneath their dignity.....but I have survived and now do Ok.
The truth sadly is the silver spooned spoilt kids of equally spoiled university educated silver spoons take more than what they ever give.?
Looking down on the poor the waitresses, the doormen, the cabbies, the low brow un educated .
Gaining a degree is not hard work I have one and two Advanced Diplomas.
Working in a low paid job dealing with spoiled educated snobs each day is hard work.
Bring on equality, not psuedo elitist ooh I have a degree ...they are uneducated ...evil uggh idiocy.