# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/121 "2024-12-11T16:59:56Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > For that matter, I get social security. What I paid into it went to my parents’ generation’s retirement. What I’m getting is paid for by current workers. Should those workers get to tell me what I spend my social security check on? My wife, the teacher, tells me there are people who think they should control what teachers spend their salaries on, because “it’s the taxpayers’ money”. ---
**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 11, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/122 "2024-12-11T17:00:23Z")
No, I’m not. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/123 "2024-12-11T17:01:08Z")
> **Summary** > > uh okay. You would know best, not someone that lives here. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/124 "2024-12-11T17:01:26Z")
> **Summary** > > Really, though, who cares? And how is this relevant to the thread topic? ---
**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 11, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/125 "2024-12-11T17:01:45Z")
JFC. These are HIS words, not mine! > How incredibly lucky I was can’t be overstated. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/126 "2024-12-11T17:02:47Z")
> **Summary** > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Really, though, who cares? And how is this relevant to the thread topic? > > It’s relevant because when someone’s in the middle of a disaster, it’s even worse to snark on them for their choices like this. It would be bad enough under normal circumstances, but it’s kicking someone when they’re down. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/127 "2024-12-11T17:12:07Z")
> **Summary** > > Notice what he said, and what you said. He said he was “incredibly lucky.” You said he was “unaffected.” > > Those are not at all the same thing. > > You saw my list earlier. I, too, was incredibly lucky. A close co-worker saw his entire house be washed downriver, and has been living in a hotel ever since the storm. Those of us who suffered only trivial damage to our belongings, and who didn’t lose loved ones, _were_ incredibly lucky. > > You also saw me say that it’s knocked me on my ass. > > Both things are true. I’m not telling you your friend wasn’t lucky, I’m saying it’s impossible to live here and not be negatively affected by the disaster. > > Why are you insisting he was unaffected? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/128 "2024-12-11T17:13:02Z")
Here’s an idea! If you are a person in this thread that is triggered by the idea of a poor person buying a small culinary luxury - like caviar or ice cream……with your tax dollars…… I pay a LOT of dollars in taxes. Just pretend that the food treat is being purchased with MY tax dollars, and pretend that YOUR tax dollars are being spent on subsidizing a billionaire’s fantasy of space travel or on bombs to drop on children in hospitals overseas or deporting hardworking agricultural laborers or whatever you think constitutes a worthy use of YOUR tax dollars. Maybe that’ll help you sleep at night. Seriously, the government does so much shitty stuff with our tax money, and the one that’s setting you off is decent food for people that couldn’t otherwise afford it? ---
**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 11, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/129 "2024-12-11T17:15:56Z")
We are all one, big interconnected species, so whatever happens to any one of us affects us all. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/130 "2024-12-11T17:16:17Z")
My view is that food stamp recipients should be able to buy whatever the hell they want, and it would be far more civilized to just include that support as part of their social assistance payments like most countries and jurisdictions do. The food stamp mechanism appears to have two objectives, neither of which I think are ethical: - Disallow the purchase of items that are regarded as enjoyable, luxurious, or convenient, even apparently disallowing basic things like takeout pizza, burgers, or ready-to-eat hot foods from supermarkets. These are ridiculous restrictions. - Force the purchaser to advertise the fact that they’re poor and relying on welfare, the consequent humiliation being regarded as a fair _quid pro quo_ for getting a free handout. This is in line with some politicians delighting in making any kind of social assistance as onerous, cruel, and degrading as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/131 "2024-12-11T17:17:05Z")
> **Summary** > > Good grief. Okay, dude. ---
**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 11, 2024, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/132 "2024-12-11T17:20:30Z")
Please, take this particular facet of the discussion to another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/133 "2024-12-11T17:25:20Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > And now you’re telling me that _when I **DO** have money_, I **STILL** can’t have this sandwich?” And that is the key point. When you give someone money, it is now their money and not yours. If you object to how they spend it, don’t give them money a second time. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/134 "2024-12-11T17:28:26Z")
**Moderating:** This has gone off-topic and needs to end or be spun off to its own thread. I’ll try and hide the hijack. * * * * * * **If you are responding to something in a thread that is basically off-topic or likely to lead to a hijack, try this:** How to **Reply as a linked Topic** : Click Reply, in the upper left corner of the reply window is the reply type button, _looks like a curving arrow point to the right_. Choose **Reply as linked topic** and it starts a new thread. As an example, you can choose GD, IMHO or The Pit for it. That is actually the best method. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/135 "2024-12-11T17:43:34Z")
> **off-topic also.** > > When financially _independent_ Americans eat unhealthy food and/or make unhealthy lifestyle choices, it increases the cost of health care for all of us. > > With whom should I speak about that? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/136 "2024-12-11T17:44:05Z")
---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/137 "2024-12-11T17:44:34Z")
**Moderating:** And how is that on topic? It isn’t. See post above yours for details of what to do. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/138 "2024-12-11T17:54:33Z")
This topic was automatically opened after 9 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/139 "2024-12-11T18:04:01Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > So, an EBT Card user could buy the pulled chicken meat but not the cheaper per pound rotisserie bird. Doesn’t make sense. Neither does being able to buy a six pack of Mountain Dew rather than beer, which at least has some marginal nutritional value. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/140 "2024-12-11T18:10:39Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Disallow the purchase of items that are regarded as enjoyable, luxurious, or convenient, even apparently disallowing basic things like takeout pizza, burgers, or ready-to-eat hot foods from supermarkets. These are ridiculous restrictions. Regarded by who? Mrs Cad loves chicken breasts although they are more expensive than thighs. Why should someone be allowed to step in that food stamps are only allowed for thighs and breasts are luxury items. And what about people that can’t/don’t cook. Yes you could make a pasta side that is healthier and cheaper and tastier than pasta roni. Because of that, should Pasta Roni be considered a convenience item because some people do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457.md?page=8)