# The ethics of food stamps (AITA?) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457 "2024-12-10T20:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/1 "2024-12-10T20:51:03Z")
I have an acquaintance that I text back and forth with. He mentioned that he was going shopping with his new food assistance check, and hoped to buy some caviar. I replied “What is wrong with this picture?” He asked if I was one of those people who thought that food stamps should only be used for staples, and I said “yes.” Am I wrong? Should buying rare wines with food stamps be allowed? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/2 "2024-12-10T20:54:50Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Should buying rare wines with food stamps be allowed? It already isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/3 "2024-12-10T20:58:12Z")
Caviar is fish eggs. If that’s what you want to eat buddy, go ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/4 "2024-12-10T20:58:20Z")
The grocery store I work at used to sell Manischewitz caviar for about $3.50 a tin. Not all caviar is imported Russian sturgeon. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/5 "2024-12-10T20:59:40Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Am I wrong? Should buying rare wines with food stamps be allowed? Does it bother you that you are thinking like a Republican? > **[The ‘Steak and Lobster’ Food-Stamp Myth Refuses to Die](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/02/steak-and-lobster-food-stamp-myth-lives-on.html)** > > Right-wing legislators won't let it go. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/6 "2024-12-10T21:03:11Z")
Not really, because in this case it’s exactly what he is doing. He’s a self-professed “foodie,” and is always telling me what fancy cut of meat he is cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/7 "2024-12-10T21:07:47Z")
How is he qualifying for food stamps, and if he needs them how will he survive buying the expensive stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/8 "2024-12-10T21:07:57Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > He asked if I was one of those people who thought that food stamps should only be used for staples, and I said “yes.” Why stop there? Some staples are better value for money than others. Surely if we are concerned that people are wasting their food stamps on the wrong choices, we should mandate the most efficient option as the _only_ choice. Edited to add: I don’t think that we should, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/9 "2024-12-10T21:08:45Z")
The guy gets a set amount of money each month for food. It can only buy food. If he spends it all on something you find to be over-priced calorie wise, then he has to make up whatever shortfall he creates. It costs the government no more, no less. Why care what items he chooses to spend his money on? ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/10 "2024-12-10T21:11:53Z")
Yes, you are the AH. It’s not your business what the person buys with food stamps. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/11 "2024-12-10T21:23:58Z")
I agree completely. I was on food stamps for over 20 years. I will say more after work. ETA- I was agreeing with **Peedin** ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/12 "2024-12-10T21:30:25Z")
Provided that … - Your friend genuinely qualifies for benefits on the basis of a low income - It is allowable to purchase caviar or whatever luxury food item he is buying with those benefits then I don’t see an issue. And caviar is probably healthier than the potato chips or Oreos that many people purchase with food benefits. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/13 "2024-12-10T21:32:45Z")
If he’s disabled he’s already living at the poverty line. If he has children. Good luck getting them to eat fish eggs once, let alone for a month. He’s hurting himself. OTOH, his food assistance, his business. (But the _government_ ain’t feeding him, the _tax payer_ is) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/14 "2024-12-10T21:33:59Z")
“I’m not against government assistance, I just want to make sure they’re not _enjoying_ it.” These are the same people who think poor folks don’t deserve entertainment or nice clothing. They can get help, but only to a point. Only so long as they don’t start to think they’re allowed to act like normal civilized folks. They need to _suffer_, or else what will motivate them to tug on their bootstraps? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/15 "2024-12-10T21:35:08Z")
Holy fuck. Why can’t he get a treat every once in a while? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/16 "2024-12-10T21:35:34Z")
I started out after college on food stamps. Never occurred to me to do anything but maximize the amount of food they would buy. Even so, I totally believe that people who get food stamps are people. No different than the more affluent. They should live their lives as they want as long as it doesn’t hurt others. Food stamps are never their entire budget either, since the program is tied to total income. A curiosity of language: Actual food stamps were phased out in the 90s for an electronic card system and the program was formally renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2008. Yet the term food stamps lingers on as the default generic name for such assistance. Whenever people complain about the language changing too fast, I should remind them about how language is very conservative in many instances. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/17 "2024-12-10T21:36:34Z")
Yes YTAH. MYOB. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/18 "2024-12-10T21:39:15Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I replied “What is wrong with this picture?” …that you are passing judgement on what somebody else does with their perfectly legal entitlement? > [@beowulff](#): > > He asked if I was one of those people who thought that food stamps should only be used for staples, and I said “yes.” Why do you think that? Do you think poor and struggling people should forever live in misery or something like that? Although to be fair to the acquaintance, it sounds like they are obviously messing with you. They seem to know what pushes your buttons and it worked. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/19 "2024-12-10T21:40:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > “I’m not against government assistance, I just want to make sure they’re not _enjoying_ it.” > > These are the same people who think poor folks don’t deserve entertainment or nice clothing. They can get help, but only to a point. Only so long as they don’t start to think they’re allowed to act like normal civilized folks. They need to _suffer_, or else what will motivate them to tug on their bootstraps? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2024, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/20 "2024-12-10T21:42:30Z")
Ah, “AITA” is “am I the a\*\*hole”. I thought it was some new abbreviation for food stamps for most of this thread. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457.md?page=2)