Food Stamp Use Up 1.44 million in Just One Month

reply to post by sirhumperdink

Do you hunt? Do you fish?

If so, have you ever hunted with someone that has zero experience? Better yet, have you ever hunted with someone that has zero experience with a firearm? I have hunted with people that had zero experience hunting, and they don't do very well. I wouldn't dream of hunting with a person that had zero experience handling firearms.
Same with fishing. Do you think the fish magically appear on the end of the line? Experience counts for a lot when hunting, trapping and fishing.

And I am the short-sighted one?

I grew up eating more wild game than domesticated animals, and not by choice. My early years were not easy. Take a simple thing like toothpaste, I have brushed my teeth with baking soda when toothpaste was not the priority on the very short grocery list (it was a 24 mile trip too). When there was no baking soda, I used salt. When salt was in short supply, my mother resorted to wood ashes.
I do know some hardship.

So here's a thought

During the early age of man large populations could not be supported by hunting and gathering, here comes agriculture, and government to fill in the void and the population increased.

So here we are right back to square one, both instances only small groups provided for the whole.

Originally posted by Allthegood
Poor people need to eat too. If not for the parents than for the children.

Just trying to figure out how it works, as someone above was talking about economics. It would seem that you attempt to fill the gap in the loop, rather than create more of the gap that you cant fill.

But of course, you know feed folks. Thats not in question, it goes without saying. My question is simply, why use a different currency if you're just going to make it, send it out and convert it anyway? To my knowledge, you cant buy anything but food with this stuff. So you just prop up food sales. Food sales are going to happen anyway, its the other 99% of products out there that can't be propped up unless they use subsidies or something like that. Just a little confused as to the method.

Originally posted by winterkill
www.fns.usda.gov...

48 million people are now on food stamps.
That's 1.44 million up from last month. Even taking into account some of those are from Sandy, that's still a shocking jump. It explains what all of those people who fell off of the employment numbers last week are doing.
Yes, that's right, those rosy employment figures reading unemployment is down to 7.7 only say that because half a million people dropped off of their stat charts.
Smoke and mirrors, don't let it fool you

Nowdays foodstamps supplement the working poor, so that wages can stay low and consumption can go on despite low wages. In essence foodstamps are a redistribution of wealth from the middleclass, which gets taxed with no way out, to the 1%, whom have their operating costs and their profits subsidized, which they avoid paying taxes on, by the middle class which pays taxes. The shifting of wealth, thats how it happens.

To be fair, it is only possible because the recipients participate in it. If consumption would break down because people say "black friday or no black firday I just can not afford it", the people atop the food chain would have a problem. But even if you work minimum wage, after working 12 hours a day 6 days a week you kinda want that tablet to entertain and distract you. It aint like they did not work, so they cant really be blamed for getting themselves something nice with the money they were able to save through foodstamps.

Originally posted by Evil_Santa
So....

the US has a population of 314 million people, and with an increase of 1.4 million people on foodstamps, that means that there's a change of +0.004% of people going on foodstamps. Yet there are others in here arguing that the change is due to a -0.4% drop in unemployment.

Once again, we're being public opinion is being assaulted by numbers manipulation in order to push a political agenda.

I can't stand posts this misinformed. The numbers are not being manipulated you just seem to lack the ability to comprehend them.

First off 1.4 million is .4% of 314 million not .004%.

Second since when does every person in America work? You can't work if you are under 16 and you usually don't work if your over 70, and there are tons of families where one parent stays at home. The working age population is 239 million, of which currently 64% actually are currently working. This is down from 67% in 2000 and is a far better measure of employment than the Unemployment rate.

Remember the unemployment number is based on the working age population - but their children don't count in that number - but they do count in the food stamp program. Therefore for every person who is unemployed, more than 1 person will be going on food stamps if they have kids, or a spouse they are supporting.

There is no way to minimize this number - it is completely horrible, it strongly suggests the economy is deteriorating at a very alarming rate. What makes it even worse is it is this amount of deterioration is happening with the government borrowing like a fiend to falsely prop the economy up. They will not be able to borrow much longer, than we will experience a depression.

reply to post by butcherguy


doesnt matter how low the chances are when there are hundreds of millions of people attempting it and people learn quick with an empty belly
you know youre wrong and youre only defending your position because youve already made it the fact is wild game would be depleted and most likely eradicated very....very quickly

Originally posted by sirhumperdink
reply to post by butcherguy

 

doesnt matter how low the chances are when there are hundreds of millions of people attempting it and people learn quick with an empty belly
you know youre wrong and youre only defending your position because youve already made it the fact is wild game would be depleted and most likely eradicated very....very quickly

edit on 10-12-2012 by sirhumperdink because: (no reason given)

Do you realize how vast the undeveloped areas of the United States are?
You really want to stand by that statement that 'most likely (be) eradicated'?
You're telling me that I know that I am wrong? Sorry, but.....

Imagine what happens when a major city, say New York no longer has a fed population. Where do 20 million people find food.
The answer is cataclysmic!

Originally posted by neo96
So here's a thought

During the early age of man large populations could not be supported by hunting and gathering, here comes agriculture, and government to fill in the void and the population increased.

So here we are right back to square one, both instances only small groups provided for the whole.

What are you talking about?

I have never seen a CEO working a production line or picking fruit -

The CEO has his goddamned orange juice in the morning because some poor asshole had to bake all day in
sun for a pittance.

reply to post by Thepump


Yep that sure is hard work for that cup of orange juice



Then again 47 million Americans aren't picking fruit either or busting their behinds on production lines.

Thanks for the info on the orange harvesting. Very interesting.

Food stamps insure the health of the nation, regardless of income.

If you are not properly nourished, expect hospital bills.

Think of it as the least costly alternative.

Besides, my guess is that the biggest complainers on here are likely eating well.

Also, your income is not the sole source of taxes in the US.

Add to this the government investments in food subsidies for farmers...like milk.

Due to the incredible disappearance of the middle class and the corresponding increase of the top ranks of the rich, it is only reasonable to extract the benefits of life from those who have willingly and greedily taken it away, as in the Wall St fiasco.

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by Thepump

 

Yep that sure is hard work for that cup of orange juice

Then again 47 million Americans aren't picking fruit either or busting their behinds on production lines.

Oh yes, every farm has a machine just like that

Or is that a yellow CEO?

47 million Americans are struggling so the CEOs can sit around and do jack squat and make
$250K a month

Here's something I just sent out:

I voted for you Mr. President, but my 85 year old grandmother should get more than a 12 dollar raise on her SS check. But, apparently, she should get less according to the government. So, to compensate for the 12 dollars the government doesn't want to give up, you all are taking 5 dollars away from her on food stamps. That's asinine. Let's see. Should we cut defense spending or deprive an elderly woman that manages to get buy on 700 dollars a month her necessities?

Originally posted by beezzer
Anyone care to guess how much of the US population will be on foodstamps at the end of Obama's second term?

I am guessing that the situation will become so dire by then, they will start cutting back on food stamps, I know people who are being cut off the program now.

This is why I worry about making people so dependent on these programs for generations.

It used to be if you had a job it was pretty hard to get food stamps, many low income will have to be without.

reply to post by Thepump


Here is a thought read up on the 14th amendment.

State and federal ciizenship for all persons regardless of race both born or naturalized in the United States was reaffirmed. No state would be allowed to abridge the "privileges and immunities" of citizens. No person was allowed to be deprived of life, liberty,or property without "due process of law." No person could be denied "equal protection of the laws."

americanhistory.about.com...


Let the vilification of the rich continue America has a long history of bigotry.

In case people missed what the 14th is all about means rob from the rich and give to the poor is unconstitutional.

reply to post by winterkill


"Hope and Change; Phase Two"? Well, I wonder if all those that helped reelect will see now exactly what they voted for. He will end up making the Great Depression look like a slight recession.

It completly perplexes me on how people get all bent out of shape over petty food stamps all the while big investment bankers make off with billions of our tax dollars just to gamble it away with out investing a dollar of their own....and I ask who is really the parasite.

Originally posted by jaymp
Here's something I just sent out:

I voted for you Mr. President, but my 85 year old grandmother should get more than a 12 dollar raise on her SS check. But, apparently, she should get less according to the government. So, to compensate for the 12 dollars the government doesn't want to give up, you all are taking 5 dollars away from her on food stamps. That's asinine. Let's see. Should we cut defense spending or deprive an elderly woman that manages to get buy on 700 dollars a month her necessities?

That is depressing Jay, years ago my mother-in-law applied and was given like 10 dollars a month, she told them to forget it.

The elderly have no choice, we have to make money on the side, now if you are to sickly to do that you depend on charity,

When someone has worked all their life paid their taxes they should not have to go hungry in their latter years.

There are many young and healthy individuals on food stamps, time for them to work and pay taxes for a change.

I have an idea why so many people applied for foodstamps in 1 month

1. people must reapply once a year-this time of the year. People reapplying probably took a friend or someone with them to reapply and they got foodstamps too (DHS practically hands out foodstamps to anyone)

2. money is tight people are out of work and its the holidays-who dosent need a little extra help?

3. its 2012 so anything and everything is a coincidence

reply to post by jaynkeel


How one qualifies actually varies from state to state. If you are in a poorer state, it would be harder to qualify. Of course, if one is a minority, they qualify much more easily (that from people handling such paperwork...) Yes, some people do lie and cheat, but many don't. With all the out-of-work people these days, some have literally NO income, and no choice.