Corporations Profit From $75 Billion Tax Payer Funded Food Stamps Program

Yes.

Source

This is a fact. Now before people start jumping down other's throat because of the source, make sure you have your facts handy to counter the information provided in this article.

The GAI president points out that the food stamps program was intended to provide basic foods, but has grown to include all types of things including soft drinks and fast food. We have also pointed out that the food stamps program has been used to purchase guns, drugs and pay for strippers and massage parlors, not to mention that the USDA has targeted illegal aliens for the program.

The fraud of the food stamps program has grown since EBT cards were issued in 2002, which gave no reason for either government or corporations to look to reform the system or limit the fraud.

J. P. Morgan, which administers many of the EBT cards, like other companies, gets a cut from each transaction provided via the food stamps program. The entire system is a fraud and immoral.

Not only do corporations profit from this corrupt system, but companies like Coca Cola and Kraft Foods have “lobbied against laws” that would make sodas ineligible to purchase with food stamps Schweizer said.

Now I disagree with the whole left vs right mentality going on here, considering both red and blue parties make a ton of money off being politicians. Nobody is better than the next.

Both are equally guilty, corrupt, power and money hungry. Keep the partisan BS out of this thread.

So the food stamp program. Used for soft drinks, movies, guns and condoms apparently. A system developed originally to help feed the poor is now a one stop shop government handout for anything you can buy at your local WalMart it seems.

Not only that, but supported by giant banking multi nationals and other fortune 500 companies.

And they say that today's capitalists aren't reliant on government.

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower


While I don't dispute the claims made in your OP, it would appear to me that this is just another example of how corporate influence corrupts our government officials and destroys programs originally intended to help people by converting them into instruments of profit & greed.

Step 1; Remove the corporate influence from government by outlawing all paid lobbying of elected officials.

F&S for the OP.

reply to post by tothetenthpower
It's ironic because they supposedly implemented the EBT card program as a way to reduce fraud and yet the program is the root of an ever increasing amount of fraud. Nobody should profit from the food stamp program but the people who profit by going to bed with a full stomach instead of an empty one. Contrary to popular belief sometimes technological advances are not for the better.

If the government really had more power than corporations, they wouldn't allow food stamps to be used for non-essential AND non-healthy products like you enumerated.

Now, if it wasn't corporations that supplied items purchased by food stamp and instead would be socialized/nationalized divisions that produced and supplied food stamp allowed products...well at least they would stop outsourcing jobs that much, profits would go to the population and this would actually create jobs.

Win/win situation compared to a collapsing economy.

But it's obvious that politicians don't care about their population anymore and only aim to abuse of bad situations for themselves.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Jeez I've been on this site too long.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I remember reading about this ages ago.

Apparently states have found that they can save millions of dollars by "outsourcing" the provision of these benefits to big financial firms like JP Morgan.

Very observant OP. I have known for a long time that the foodstamp program benefits big corporations the most. They are an integral part of the Economy. If the government wanted to supply good food at a cheap price to the poor, it would get them some topsoil and seeds. An old milk jug or other old containers makes a good planters.

Everyone benefits from foodstamps though, just think how much higher priced products in the store would be without the poor purchasing things with foodstamps. Overhead at the store is almost the same with or without foodstamps, the more going through the store, the smaller the effect of overhead on the merchandise.

Although I can easily solve this problem in less then 5 min of writing this.. It will not be solved anytime soon..

Obviously someone will make profits from this because it involves buying products so there is no getting around that..

How to solve problem in a few simple steps:

All states adopt Texas food stamp policy feel free to lookup the particulars but basically you cant get food stamps for more then 3 months unless you are on disability. We do not allow you to just sit on state assistance forever you got 3 months to get your # straight which should be plenty of time, unless you actually are unable to work due to disability.

Part 2:

It makes no sense to allow any types of foods to be purchased since these people are eating unhealthy and are the same people who are getting free hospital visits on our dime and clogging up the hospital system. Since this money/food is being given to people for free for them to be able to eat and feed their kids/themselves you lose your right to choose, you want more choices then buy your own food..

So you put out the offer to food supply companies that to be eligible for ebt program you have to offer your food at a discount if its being bought by ebt, along with that only healthy food is allowed on the ebt program, no sodas, no crap foods. The healthy companies will line up to be an ebt option especially if they are one of the only limited options.

Limit the items you can purchase to items that are needed. Food, diapers, ect. People don't need bottled water, soda, certain meats or really any meats you can substitute the protein with many other more healthy items.

Last but not least, make the system more secure. Require the card holder to show ID to use the card, they only require you to know the pin number anyone can use the card. That makes no sense, this is the main way people are able to sell their food stamps they give the card and pin to someone and they give them $ each month when the ebt card resets and money is added. Either that or they go to the store and offer to buy groceries for people for the cash value or under the cash value. If they can figure a way to fix that problem it would help.

The entire system is broken, I am all for the system because I myself have been on food stamps before and I really did need it and it really did help me and if I didn't have it I literally don't know what I would have done for food at the time which is pretty scary. In texas its not that easy to get on the food stamps and like I said above, you only get it for a limited time its not an ongoing thing unless you are fully disabled.

If someone is fully disabled and cannot work or do anything because they cant even walk or are blind and cant do things ect, cancer, really sick, I support helping them and if I have to give up a few dollars for every pay check to help them I am fine with that. I would hope that if I was in that type of need that people would care enough to help me also so I feel that I should always be willing to help where I can.

The problem I have is because the system is broken and people are taking advantage and its not being run correctly, our money is going to waste and not properly being used to help people. I also believe that any welfare should not be run by the GOV that is the BIGGEST problem, it should be run by a non-profit that is solely established by a non church that is there to help people only.

The biggest problem with most programs that are established by the GOV is that they are run by the GOV who are idiots and have no clue on how to run the country much less how to run a charity that helps people.

Just like the prison system which the GOV fails at and is going more and more to private company ownership which is an even bigger failure, they should be run by non-profit and rather then taking our taxes and cutting everything that the prisoners get so the prison can profit more all the money should go to rehabilitation or if they can save money then it should cost us less not become profits for the prison corp.

Prison as well makes no sense you have all of these people sitting around doing nothing, turn the prison into a factory or something and make them build stuff like they use to do back in the day, train them to do construction and use them to build and maintain any state owned buildings to save us money it makes absolutely no sense.

Originally posted by Flatfish
it would appear to me that this is just another example of how corporate influence corrupts our government officials and destroys programs originally intended to help people by converting them into instruments of profit & greed.

Wrong friend.

All such programs are powers to be aunctioned off to lobbyists, they were never inteded to help the people.
They were always created and sold to make money to inviduals.

This is why redistribution of wealth and services will never work in a country infested with special interest groups.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Take such powers out of Govt. and only then will you help the people!

Then you have the left screaming "What about the people you heartless monster"
Well... what about the people nowwwwwww??????

There's a sucker born every minute!
On the left it's social programs/socialism and on the right it's war and religion.

Apparently I'm missing the issue here. It appears, and correct me if i'm wrong, that corporations are simply creating their product, as they normally do, and are profiting because people are using food stamps to purchase their product?

How is that fraudulant in any way? Are you suggesting that corporate products not be allowed to be purchased with food stamps?

If you are and the corporations lobby against it that certainly is within their rights as a business. I would want my product to be purchased by as many people as possible so I would fight for it also.

I'm just not seeing the issue here. Perhaps JP Morgan is cheaper to use for distribution of the cards than the governement setting up a new agency to deal with this. Either way, why shouldn't Morgan be paid for their service? I'm sure they have staff that are required to focus on this instead of other duties and they are a company in business for profit. If you use them you should pay them.

As I said, if i'm missing the point the please explain it to me.

Originally posted by dc4lifeskater
All states adopt Texas food stamp policy feel free to lookup the particulars but basically you cant get food stamps for more then 3 months unless you are on disability. We do not allow you to just sit on state assistance forever you got 3 months to get your # straight which should be plenty of time, unless you actually are unable to work due to disability.

A family member was on food stamps and it is true they had to re-register every three months.

They could however spend the entire amount on chocolate.

But not use them on soap, toilet paper, female hygiene products etc.

Texas really is just as corrupt as anywhere else.

Originally posted by BritofTexas

Originally posted by dc4lifeskater
All states adopt Texas food stamp policy feel free to lookup the particulars but basically you cant get food stamps for more then 3 months unless you are on disability. We do not allow you to just sit on state assistance forever you got 3 months to get your # straight which should be plenty of time, unless you actually are unable to work due to disability.

A family member was on food stamps and it is true they had to re-register every three months.

They could however spend the entire amount on chocolate.

But not use them on soap, toilet paper, female hygiene products etc.

Texas really is just as corrupt as anywhere else.

Well yes you can buy things like chocolate if thats what you want obviously that is the problem but with some states you can just get on food stamps and as long as you aren't working (plenty people work under table still) and keep your foodstamps forever.

Like I said that part needs to be fixed I didn't say texas was perfect I was just saying all programs should adopts texas 3 month limits and a few other things we have because it would help cut down fraud allot.

Originally posted by ModernAcademia

All such programs are powers to be aunctioned off to lobbyists, they were never inteded to help the people.
They were always created and sold to make money to inviduals.

This is why redistribution of wealth and services will never work in a country infested with special interest groups.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

And just exactly how is it that I'm wrong? Just based on your statement quoted above, you seem to have identified the very same culprits I named in my post. Namely, "lobbyist" and/or "special interest groups" which are basically one in the same.

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
Take such powers out of Govt. and only then will you help the people!

The powers that I want to take out of Govt. are those wielded by the corporate lobbyist and special interest groups, NOT the government's power to help people in need.

I am not anti-government as you seem to be. What I am is pro-good-government, which is government that is free of special interest influence and one that is responsive to the needs of the people it represents instead of corporate interest and profit margins.

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
Then you have the left screaming "What about the people you heartless monster"
Well... what about the people nowwwwwww??????

There's a sucker born every minute!
On the left it's social programs/socialism and on the right it's war and religion.

Sure is! And the suckers who are currently destroying America are the special interest groups that have basically taken over "Our" government and turned it into "Their" government. They are literally writing the legislation themselves and then instructing "Their" congressmen, not "Ours," to vote for it's approval while reminding them that failure to do so will undoubtedly lead to their own political demise.

Here's a prime example of what needs to be taken out of gevernment;
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Surprised? Monsanto Openly Wrote Own Monsanto Protection Act,

We have now reached a climax where "Corporations Are People Too" and what a joke that mentality is turning out to be. Instead of having a country where "the people" make the rules and corporations either live by them or go somewhere else, we have a country where "corporations" are making the rules and the people are struggling to survive in their "profit above all else" environment.

I guess that for now, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Originally posted by Flatfish
I am not anti-government as you seem to be. What I am is pro-good-government, which is government that is free of special interest influence and one that is responsive to the needs of the people it represents instead of corporate interest and profit margins.

I am not anti-govt. at all either
You and me just disagree on the path to good government.
YOu will never in your lifetime or your kids's lifetime be free of lobbyists
Lobbyists will always be there, it's the sections of govt. that sell their vote to lobbyists is what needs to be addressed.
Eliminate those programs and that is how you help the people.
YOu will never have programs that are only designed to help the people, keep dreaming.
You are being idealistic while standing in ruins.
You might as well shoot yourself in the foot.

Originally posted by Flatfish
Sure is! And the suckers who are currently destroying America are the special interest groups that have basically taken over "Our" government and turned it into "Their" government. They are literally writing the legislation themselves and then instructing "Their" congressmen, not "Ours," to vote for it's approval while reminding them that failure to do so will undoubtedly lead to their own political demise.

I don't understand how you understand what the problem is but think of a solution that only makes a sorry attempt to fix the symptoms of the root cause instead of the root cause itself.

Limit govt. so there's nothing to aunction off, just leave that power to the people.
You want to help the people? Nobody donates more than Americans, did you know that?
End these programs, stop taking money from people to redistribute with such a corrupt redistributor and guess what?

The people will have more money, and generous people will donate MORE not less.

That my friend is how you help the people!

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
Limit govt. so there's nothing to aunction off, just leave that power to the people.
You want to help the people? Nobody donates more than Americans, did you know that?
End these programs, stop taking money from people to redistribute with such a corrupt redistributor and guess what?
The people will have more money, and generous people will donate MORE not less.
That my friend is how you help the people!

So, your answer is to throw the baby out with the bath water?

Surely the goal of every charity is to put itself out of business. They only exist because we, as government, are not doing the job properly.

Get the money out of politics. Then elected officials will do their job instead of the lobbyists bidding.

Originally posted by BritofTexas
Get the money out of politics. Then elected officials will do their job instead of the lobbyists bidding.

Okay, i'll bite
And do you get the money out of politics?

Answer me that
Because whenever I hear someone say that they never know how

Originally posted by BritofTexas
Surely the goal of every charity is to put itself out of business. They only exist because we, as government, are not doing the job properly.

"We as government?" There is no "we" here. I certainly didn't vote for the current collection of populist assholes occupying DC and I know I am not alone in that statement. The government is NOT a charity nor should it be. Neither can charity be forced. It must be freely given. Believe me when I say, if I had a choice, exactly ZERO (0) dollars would be freely given to that government from my paycheck every two weeks.

Compromise is sorely needed right now. The best case compromise would be something along these lines:
"I'll bring the troops home and butcher our active military spending, in exchange you dismember entitlement and welfare spending (including Obamacare)." Wham, bam, thank you ma'am the US is suddenly clawing its way out of debt and running surpluses. Those surpluses should go towards elimination of federal debt. Upon such a time as that debt is gone, taxes should be revised to be a flat tax, impacting EVERY American worker, with a flat rate low enough to fund a minimalist government with the annual increase solidly pegged to the average growth in CPI.

come Join the fun that was started yesterday.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Perhaps they will finally succeed in banning the use of EBT cards in Strip Clubs.

J. P. Morgan, which administers many of the EBT cards, like other companies, gets a cut from each transaction provided via the food stamps program

Your 100% right, its corporate greed, J.P. Morgan is probably not charging the US goverment to us there services IE SNAP, EBT Cards, Why, Goverment depoist what 48 Million dollars a month on these things and J.P. Morgan makes investements off of that money since everyone won't spend every dime right away.

Its just like McDonals, My son who is a minor is working for them and they are going to a Debit card, no other option for him, which I voiced my concerns found out that they are not being charged a dime so they are saying themselfs $1.85 per employee every two weeks for not having to issue a paper check.

I think we need drug testing for EBT/ Snap card holders and J.P Morgan as well to many people are abusing the system, and even more are abuseing it with the help of the Goverment.

No wonder so many voted for tha guy in the Palace in DC

I know so many different people with food stamps who get money 'other ways' sadly just because they have kids they get up to 5,000 for their refund and not to mention most people around here have about 3+ kids..

Originally posted by 19KTankCommander

J. P. Morgan, which administers many of the EBT cards, like other companies, gets a cut from each transaction provided via the food stamps program

Your 100% right, its corporate greed, J.P. Morgan is probably not charging the US goverment to us there services IE SNAP, EBT Cards, Why, Goverment depoist what 48 Million dollars a month on these things and J.P. Morgan makes investements off of that money since everyone won't spend every dime right away.

Its just like McDonals, My son who is a minor is working for them and they are going to a Debit card, no other option for him, which I voiced my concerns found out that they are not being charged a dime so they are saying themselfs $1.85 per employee every two weeks for not having to issue a paper check.

I think we need drug testing for EBT/ Snap card holders and J.P Morgan as well to many people are abusing the system, and even more are abuseing it with the help of the Goverment.

No wonder so many voted for tha guy in the Palace in DC

Who is going to pay for the drug testing?

Food stamps are a hidden stimulus to small business.

And like good little sheeple you attack the poor and not the corporate entity.

Just like immigration. Blame the convenient patsy. Mega-Corp Businesses gets off scott free.