# Food Stamp /Lobster and Steak **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 8, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009 "2005-02-08T15:56:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/81 "2005-02-08T20:20:45Z")
> [@LookingAround](#): > > Hey there is a little hole in that dam over there but a big one on that dam lets not worry about the little hole because we got the big one to worry about attitude never helped anyone. Actually, in many cases, it does. It’s called being practical. You’re not talking about fixing a leaking dam, you’re talking about rebuilding a house because it’s not as well insulated as it could be and it’s costing you an extra $1 a year in heating costs. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/82 "2005-02-08T20:21:43Z")
The biggest problems we had with food stamp program when I worked in a store that took food stamps wasn’t what people bought, it’s that they always wanted us to bend the rule about how much change we could give that wasn’t food stamps. The rule was, anything over a dollar in change had to be given in food stamps, but people would come in with a $20 stamp and want a $3 item and ask for $17 in cash so that they could buy cigarettes. I think that’s probably been eliminated with the card instead of the paper stamps. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/83 "2005-02-08T20:29:04Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Yes, it is. I have an even simpler one, one that is even more cost effective. Wanna hear it? Is it “Eat the Rich”? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/84 "2005-02-08T20:36:47Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Is it “Eat the Rich”? Naw. Too rich. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/85 "2005-02-08T20:48:22Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Some people really don’t deserve respect; but if we treat people – even the undeserving ones – with respect and consideration, we just might make the world a better place. Didn’t the Dahli Llama say something similar, paraphrasing, “Our job in life is to help people, but if you can’t do that that, at least don’t hurt them.” Nice post, **Johnny L.A.** ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/86 "2005-02-08T20:50:05Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > I don’t have any problem with food stamps, I don’t even have any problem with junk food. What I have big problems with are luxury food items. I am sorry, I don’t care how much you want a “pick me up”, if you’re sucking on the public tit, you don’t get to suck on lobster and shrimp. Food stamps shouldn’t pay for ANY meat that costs more than $5.99/lb, period. The idea is to help poor people get good, nutritious food in their bellies rather than going hungry, not to allow them to gorge on luxury food items at the public’s expense. It seems like the dollar amounts already ensure that luxury foods will be a rare thing. What difference does it make if someone eats $3.99 a pound chicken most of the time or if they scrimp and save by eating rice and beans so they can splurge on the lobster every other week? ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/87 "2005-02-08T21:19:19Z")
> [@bodypoet](#): > > WIC, on the other hand, is a fantastic program. You get vouchers, you can only get what is on the vouchers, and it’s all good healthy stuff. And it also makes single mothers ask questions to message boards like “How can I convince my infant to eat less so the formula lasts until the end of the month when I can get some more?” (and no, I can’t link to that thread over there from here, per this board’s policies.) -lv ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/88 "2005-02-08T21:47:37Z")
> [@](#): > > “You work three jobs? That’s uniquely American, that’s fantastic!” _President George W. Bush, answering a woman who works three jobs to support her family, which includes a mentally retarded child._ Not a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/89 "2005-02-08T21:51:07Z")
> [@LookingAround](#): > > Comparing store bought to branded items is a big issue here, no difference in anything other then name and price. Make it where people who need help can get store brand items. Thats simple and in no way will it “starve the poor children” like some of you seem to think I am saying. Please refer to the erudite, sane statements found below, which I’ve kindly bolded for you. Pay particular attention to the part in red. > [@lee](#): > > Restraints on prepared foods, junk foods, and even luxury items would be difficult to set up, costly to enforce and open the system to even more abuse. \*\*We already see the abuse in WIC. WIC says that you can only use it for certain sizes of the products it covers. In some stores the cost for the WIC sizes is higher than non covered sizes. \*\* Your assertations hold no water, because the stores would “stick it to” the government, just as they do with the WIC program, and it would end up costing MORE for store brands than name brands, effectively making name brands the “cheaper alternative”. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/90 "2005-02-08T22:14:01Z")
> [@LordVor](#): > > And it also makes single mothers ask questions to message boards like “How can I convince my infant to eat less so the formula lasts until the end of the month when I can get some more?” > > (and no, I can’t link to that thread over there from here, per this board’s policies.) > > -lv Definitely a possible drawback, although when the same thing happened to me, I phoned up the WIC clinic and they gave me extra formula until the next vouchers were available. My guess is, if they determine that your baby needs more formula because he is bigger than normal or something, they’d increase the amount you receive. (That’s my _guess,_ mind you, not a definite fact.) Regardless, nearly-enough formula was always preferable to no-formula-at-all. ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/91 "2005-02-08T22:27:40Z")
The amount WIC gives (in my state, WIC is administered by each state) is not enough for one month. WIC is designed to be a suppliment to the child, not the only source of food. Unfortunately, many women try to make the WIC amount last the whole month. It wasn’t designed to do so, and it really doesn’t last. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/92 "2005-02-08T22:31:04Z")
LookingAround, Just thought I’d pop in to add that everybody who called you a sanctimonious prick was exactly right. Regards, Scumpup ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/93 "2005-02-08T22:52:54Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > LookingAround, > Just thought I’d pop in to add that everybody who called you a sanctimonious prick was exactly right. Hey, at least in this thread he admits it when people bring up points he has no counter-arguement to. Unlike the unmentionable thread. -lv ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/94 "2005-02-08T23:00:55Z")
> [@LookingAround](#): > > …you judging mindless twit… Did I impress my point upon you? Nah… > [@](#): > > If you can read which I will assume you can Hardly, because you can barely punctuate your sentences… > [@](#): > > you will read my post in this very thread where I said about parents needing to have as many children as EITHER one of them can afford not both! Just because of the way life works, you have to think ahead not think the government will be there to catch you. And you would see where countless people have told yout hat all is not as it seems in many cases and that you’re needlessly judging people you don’t know dick about. But from on high I know it’s hard to see the low people. > [@](#): > > My high horse is a little low, considering I do things that are quite stupid. Stupidity does not a high horse make, as you’ve proven here today. > [@](#): > > If being a sanctimonious prick is caring for myself and my family, doing it without government help, and trying to change things that our broken (even if the change would be hard WAHHHH) then I guess thats what I am. It’s already been mentioned, but you aren’t a sanctimonious prick for the reasone you mention above. You’re a sanctimonious prick for thinking you’re better than the people you seem to be judging so harshly without knowing anything about them. Well, other than knowing that you were poor once and if you could turn things around and make good decisions regarding a mate and child bearing, that they should be able, too. Sam ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/95 "2005-02-08T23:16:01Z")
Former head of IT for a small chain of grocery stores checking in. We had stores in both very rich city neighborhoods, and dirt poor rural areas, so I’ve seen a lot of everything. The chain was also small enough that when we were visiting stores, if things got busy, myself and even the owners, would go bag groceries. I’ve also seen more scan data than probably anyone in the entire U.S. (mainly because that is an area I’ve since specialized in), so I know what people buy. > [@LookingAround](#): > > After reading this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=301289) it got up my ire again. If you cannot work for your money, which I do understand under limited conditions, how can you go to the store and buy lobster and steak and then just junk food up the ass? > > I have seen this time and time again and yes it pisses me off, how can they afford those items using food stamps? First off, I call bullshit. Time and time again? Lobster doesn’t move out of grocery stores at a high rate even in the most expensive neighborhoods, unless you happen to live where lobsters are abundant, and therefore far less expensive than your average midwest store. > [@](#): > > I can understand once in a while having an expensive home cooked meal but by the people in front of me through-out the years buying junk and/or expensive food frequently at the grocery store it just seems like they are giving to much money away. As has been mentioned many times, junk food goes a long ways in the calorie department, even though they are empty calories. Aside from that, the average American, not just those on food stamps, has a diet that is between 1/4 and 1/3 junk food. You can eat 3 “Ding Dongs” a day and not starve. You won’t be healthy, but you won’t starve. > [@](#): > > Now that they use a card couldn’t there purchases be better used like a WIC check sort of thing? WIC is an absolute nightmare at this time. The amount of work involved by retailers is incredible, and the government administration of WIC is quite expensive in itself. Don’t get me wrong, I like WIC, as its primary goal is the health of the child, but it involves things like blood testing, and all sorts of other things that, if applied to the Food Stamp program, would greatly increase the cost. While it’s illegal for retailers to use disproportionate pricing on WIC goods, it still does happen. If you limited food stamps to only store brands on items, for example, they would no longer be the bargain you consider them to be in many places. > [@](#): > > Or you can only buy 5% junk food or something. I lived off spagetti for 2 months! They can live off store brand foods some of the time. Spaghetti is better than junk food? At least some junk foods have vitamin C in them, which you can’t say about pasta. > [@](#): > > I shit you not, last time I was in the store the other morning a lady was in front of me with a cart full of hoho’s, twinkies, little debbies, and Dorito brands her bill came up too 87 odd dollars purely on JUNK. If she had a family of four, she can get up to $500 or so a month in food stamps. Unlike many nutritional foods, junk food has a pretty long shelf life, so perhaps that was her junk food trip and she spent the other $413 on celery and carrots. Have you been following her around to see how she spent the rest? Maybe one of her kids was having a birthday party. If we give her the benefit of the doubt, and assume that that is all she spent on junk food for a month, she’s probably eating healthier than the majority of Americans. Good for her! > [@](#): > > Out comes the welfare card and gets it. As I got my stuff I remarked off hand to the register lady, “Wow thats a lot of junk food laugh” And she said “She comes in and buys like that all the time” Yes, grocery store cashiers are quite familiar with every purchase an individual ever makes. I’ll tell you what, if you come back and honestly claim that you believe an individual spent even 70% of their food stamp money on junk food, I’ll take the time to see if I can query the scan data to verify it. It will likely run for a few days (I have terabytes of scan data), so if this is hyperbole, do us both a favor and back off of it. > [@](#): > > Thats right your hard earned money is being used to pay for JUNK and expensive meals all the time! I believe the average cost per American is $60 a year to support the government’s food stamp program. Feel free to rant once a year to someone on food stamps that you see spend more than $60 bucks on junk food, as I’m perfectly happy with the way my money is being used, as that’s about all the money you spend. Now, me paying for that war, on the other hand… Finally, most states have intentionally designed their EBT cards in such a way as to look very similar to credit/debit cards without a close examination, and they are swiped in the same machines as the debit/credit cards. This is to avoid them feeling humiliated when facing shoppers such as yourself. Just how close do you stand behind someone in line at the grocery store? Did you record their number, too? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/96 "2005-02-08T23:27:38Z")
How do you distinguish between someone with no outside resources with someone who has? My poor Grandma might be on food stamps, but if I give her a cupla hundred bucks once in a while, should she not accept it or should she tell Welfare and have them lower her food stamps by a coupla hundred, then have her reapply for its reinstatement for the month after next(its too late to get it for the month that followed). Most poor people tend to splurge when coming into a little extra money. ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/97 "2005-02-08T23:36:24Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > Finally, most states have intentionally designed their EBT cards in such a way as to look very similar to credit/debit cards without a close examination, and they are swiped in the same machines as the debit/credit cards. This is to avoid them feeling humiliated when facing shoppers such as yourself. Just how close do you stand behind someone in line at the grocery store? Did you record their number, too? At the store where I most frequently shop, if I forget to hit the “debit” button before swiping my card, it tries to go through as a EBT transaction (and fails). The cards are virtually indistinguishable from a bank ATM card, and if you’re in a state that pays cash out (e.g. TANF) through EBT (many states do now) you can even get the cash portion of your transaction charged to the cash balance of the card. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/98 "2005-02-09T00:18:07Z")
Quick question for **Looking Around** … My family receives assistance from both the WIC and food stamp programs. I work full-time, and my wife works part-time, but baby doesn’t work much at all right now. You know, I have half of a strawberry cheesecake in my 'fridge, that was in fact paid for with my LoneStar card. What can I say, I thought it would be a nice treat. I am a damn good provider, in an area of this country where running water and electricity are not ubiquitous, and many families do without. So, anyways, I’d like to know where I can smack you with said cheesecake… in the face? Or your hard tiny Dickensian walnut-like ballsack? Or shall I just eat it and watch you freak out over how your $0.0000001 has just been wasted. How dare you prescribe what I eat. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/99 "2005-02-09T00:31:40Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > _President George W. Bush, answering a woman who works three jobs to support her family, which includes a mentally retarded child._ > > Not a clue. Jesus. Where/when did he say THAT?? (I totally believe you, I’d just love to know more about the context, reactions, etc.) What a boob. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009/100 "2005-02-09T00:31:55Z")
Careful, Darth, now they will want to know why you’re on assistance and have an internet connection. And how you paid for your SDMB membership. Loads of other stuff, too. Sam [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-stamp-lobster-and-steak/289009.md?page=6)