I think he was being hyperbolic to the point of absurdity. I really think that’s what he was doing. And if you think that that counts as “having an actual discussion”, well…
Why? Why do we assume there are improvements possible? I think that it’s entirely possible any meddling we might do might cause more problems than it solves, which would render the current system the optimal one.
Are you kidding? The supply is endless.
That’s what you really believe? You believe the current system really is without room for improvement? If you really believe that then all I can say is wow.
I’ve always wondered who the people are who laugh uproariously at lame comics in comedy clubs. Now I know.
So say wow. This system has been around a while and there’s been plenty of time for smart people (and the evil morality police) to fine tune it. You think that they haven’t thought about what you’re thinking about?
The complaint in this thread is about abuses. Tightening up on abuses necessarily has one of two costs - more effort in detection and enforcement, or something that effects everyone. And example of this would be switching from discrete dollar stamps to continuous-value cards to eliminate people nickel-and-diming their way to booze; this correction effects everyone…with no significant negative effect.
Telling people they can only buy dehydrated beans and rice and can’t have cake on their birthday also effects everyone - with debatably negative results.
Could there be some tweaks that nobody’s thought of yet that could be implemented, or might be implemented in the future with technology increases? Maybe. But there’s no reason to assume there are.
Actually it would make us the comedians. Technically.
Then THEY are the ones who suffer at the end of the month when they run ut of money!!! Besides, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to purchase steak – wait for it to go on sale.
All this micro-managment is going to cost a hell of a lot more than simply allowing people to make their own damned choices. Yes, people are poor. Yes, they get government assistance. But getting government assistance doesn’t automatically make one a child, who has to be hand-held. It doesn’t mean that the likes of you and everyone else has to decide what they can put into their bodies.
:rolleyes:
And I’d like a CITE that EBT is causing us to run out of money – and that people buying junk food has an effect on that.
I’m reading the thread in order, so this might already be answered. Also, I’m in Indiana, but we use a similar card.
In MY state, one’s card can be used not only for SNAP/foodstamps but also for TANF or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families a.k.a. “welfare”. While the SNAP portion of the monthly benefit can only be used for food items TANF can be withdrawn as cash - the intention being to cover non-food goods such as soap and toothpaste and, depending on the amount, items like clothing for children. Now, if someone in my state swipes their “Hoosier Works” card to pay for food, then swipes again and receives cash, you know the first swipe was SNAP (most likely - you can use TANF to pay for food, too, if you want) and the second was TANF.
Assuming that Illinois’ card works in a similar manner, her first swipe was food stamps and her second what passes for cash-award welfare these days.
As far as “banking” enough to purchase a car - normally, there are strict limits on family assets. I don’t think you could legitimately bank that much, unless you were, perhaps, buying a $500 or $1,000 car, and it would have to be banked from the TANF portion.
(When I was on the program my two-person family with one disabled person was limited to $3,000 in cash assets. If we went above that we lost our eglibility).
Congress bumped the food stamp allotment up shortly after Obama took office - this essentially, if I read it right, drops it back down to what it was in the Bush years.
Hey, we actually ate better once we got on food stamps because I can eat well on less than the monthly allotment - but I am an exception both because I have long experience in cooking from scratch AND had a HUGE garden last year which meant I didn’t need to spend foodstamps on a lot of vegetables, I could concentrate on things like meat (I was still eating last year’s garden produce through June this year). Not everyone will do as well.
Still there are also food pantries (not always fun - I speak from experience - but I can grit my teeth if I have to) and friends and means to get by. IF you buy wisely. Then again, if you have a lot of friends, or a big garden, then maybe you could spend more on luxury foods than someone else on foodstamps and still eat all month.
Or Obama raised the allotment after he took office to encourage the poor to buy more food as a way to stimulate the economy, and now the stimulus dollars are being shunted elsewhere.
Personally, I think most people do spend it more wisely than not - but the exceptions stand out and piss people off.
He’s following the old country recipe handed down from grandfather. He makes quite good vodka (also a good anti-freeze and Molotov cocktail). I find it amusing that he uses his EBT card which really isn’t that much to finance a small-scale, but successful bootlegging business.
Since I didn’tsay EBT would bring down California I’m not sure why you’re bringing it up. I pointed out that the state is currently defaulting on it’s debt and it will greatly affect those on welfare. My statement is that waste is something that should be addressed across the board. California is estimating a rise of 38% in welfare between 2008 and 2012. It is one of many expenses going up at a rate that is higher than inflation. The crap isn’t going to hit the fan, it’s already hitting the fan. It’s not a philosophical argument that California is in serious trouble.
Countries like Greece, Spain and Mexico are imploding in front of our eyes. The United States is pushing it’s debt ratio to dangerous levels. There is nobody to pick up the pieces if the dominoes start to fall. That’s when wasted tax dollars will really be funny.
I’d still like to see a cite for this.
Oh, and by the way, your comment here? That’s merely the equivalent of “eat your vegetables – there are kids starving in China.”
You need a cite that wasted money would go farther or that poor nutrition causes health problems?
Yes.
What a flipping joke. The more people cry for cites for things that should be common knowledge the more this place becomes a joke, specifically this forum.
You need a cite that poor nutrition causes health problems? You have way more issues than Google can help you with but you can start here.
Okay, this had me cracking up 
But really, wtf ARE “cheese doodles” anyway? Why do I hear about them in a derogatory fashion all the time, but I don’t recall ever seeing them? Are they like off-brand Cheetos or what? Because if so, we should just say Cheetos and then we could be even MORE indignant about them buying name brand food. It would be more efficient.
Shoulda stuck with your first instinct. 
No, I’m asking for a cite for the following claims:
I was merely expressing my OPINION on your statement. What would you do in that situation – if you don’t spend your EBT on “good food” it gets taken away, and those who DO buy good stuff get bonuses? What do you propose?
Totally. And I totally get your point. It’s just, where do you draw the line? If there was some magical spot, good, let’s draw it there! But between the nutrition/cost analysis of Twinkies and even pretzels (let alone whole wheat bread or something), there are thousands of products, with more coming out all the time. Someone determined to find a way around it will still find a way around it. And someone who is trying to right will be unnecessarily hindered.
I honestly think we have to accept a certain level of fraud/abuse. It’s like that with everything and we all know it. Is an insurance company’s goal to prevent 100% of false claims? I seriously doubt it, as that would be unattainable goal. Some people sure seem to get especially mad at cases involving public assistance, but really, things like insurance fraud affect them at least as much. And if you add corporate fraud, I would argue that it affects them way more.
Really? Cheez Doodles. AKA: Cheese Puffs, Cheezy Poofs, Cheese Curls, Cheese Balls, Cheezy Corn Puffs, etc. Unappetizing, if you ask me, but lots of people don’t think of Cheetos as the same thing - they’re the same ingredients but different texture. Cheetos are crunchier and not as, well, puffy.
Interesting! I really don’t think I’ve ever seen such a thing! I live in WA, by the way, and I do receive food stamps, so I should be all over such a thing if it exists here.
You know what else I can never find here? Cookies & Mint Hershey bars! I used to love those things, but they haven’t been here for years and years, as far as I know. My friend who lives in the south said she sees them there all the time. Stupid Pacific Northwest.
FTR, their inventor died last week, so speak with a little respect, now.