# Trump wants to replace food stamps with a box of processed food, everyone gets the same thing **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 13, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789 "2018-02-13T20:50:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/61 "2018-02-14T19:39:21Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I can’t imagine how proud the recipients will be when that big truck drives up in front of their home in suburbia and drops off their big box of food labeled “ **Trumpcare**.” I was thinking “Mangent de la brioche.” > [@Broomstick](#): > > The USDA claims that only 1% of EBT funds are diverted from their intended purpose. I don’t think you’re going to drive fraud below that number, frankly, I’m surprised it’s that low. Even if you assume that there’s 2-3 times that actually going on (because no tracking/auditing system is perfect) that’s still an exceedingly low figure of fraud for the program. Be careful with these stats. If it is found out that there is actually 2% waste on the program, they will demand at least 10% of he program’s budget be dedicated to finding and eliminating that waste. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/62 "2018-02-14T19:41:54Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > How do people pay with SNAP, anyway? It’s a program not a method of payment. It’s both actually. The method of payment is a state-issued debit card that is funded monthly by whatever amount your income qualifies you for, plus other factors like number of dependents, monthly rent, etc. You can only use it for food, not cash, and not all food is able to be purchased with it. No restaurants I am aware of take them, in fact, it’s one of the primary restrictions on them that you cannot buy hot, ready to eat foods from anywhere, even a grocery store. So I can buy a salad from the salad bar, but not hot meatloaf from the steam table, for instance. My understanding is that the food stamps used to literally be “stamps” in a booklet that you would tear off and hand to the cashier. The way it is now at least lets you preserve a little of your dignity. I get the maximum amount allowable for being unemployed and having two teenaged sons that primarily live with me and it’s still just a little over $500 a month, once a month. I have to budget that very carefully, and even still it doesn’t quite last the entire month. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/63 "2018-02-14T20:04:54Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > My understanding is that the food stamps used to literally be “stamps” in a booklet that you would tear off and hand to the cashier. Not really ‘stamps’ but [food coupons](http://www.ebay.com/bhp/food-stamps). They also used to have [‘coins’](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Food-Stamp-Credit-10-Cents-Karns-Fine-Fancy-Food-Ltd-Coin-Token/272268031450?hash=item3f647075da). ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/64 "2018-02-14T20:13:06Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > What about those less fortunate people who, for ethnic or religious reasons, eat something other than what Trumpcare provides? Let them starve unless they decide to be real Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/65 "2018-02-14T20:16:05Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > I can’t imagine concerning myself with seeing what people buy then watching them pay for their groceries so I could see if they’re using EBT. Certainly not enough to make such broad generalizations. No credible judgment can be made that doesn’t consider how people live their lives. Maybe they’re stocking up on their treats for the month because they don’t get to Aldi’s very often, and find better deals on meat and vegetables elsewhere (not inconceivable). Or they have a kid like \*\*rushgeekgirl’\*\*s who’s extraordinarily particular about food and eating something unhealthy is better than not eating at all. It’s all none of my business. How do people pay with SNAP, anyway? It’s a program not a method of payment. For the purposes of anomalous1’s trolling, pretend he doensn’t know how they pay - he just assumes they are using EBT or SNAP because they are a minority or look like possible immigrants. He really could have gotten a lot more mileage out of this if administration officials themselves hadn’t already admitted _they_ were just trolling too. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/66 "2018-02-14T20:54:22Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > Labeling someone with different opinions a ‘troll’ or ‘fuckwit’ is very immature, much more so if it happens to be a person with a valid point in which you disagree. Grow up. No, I’d call both troll and fuckwit accurate descriptions of your behavior in this thread. If you don’t like that people are calling you that on that, you could attempt to change your behavior. I kind of hope you don’t, because I enjoy watching people mocking idiots like you, but the ball is in your court. > [@anomalous1](#): > > Sad state of affairs when you types allow anyone to have an opinion, unless it differs from your own. My vast life experience has shown me that anyone who uses the phrase “you types” is almost always a complete partisan fuckwit with whom it is useless to interact. It doesn’t appear that you are proving me wrong on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/67 "2018-02-14T22:13:05Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > How do people pay with SNAP, anyway? It’s a program not a method of payment. Debit card connected to an account in their name. They look just like a regular debit/credit card, have a magnetic stripe, but you can recognize them from their artwork and logos. [Each state has its own card](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/EBT_cards_from_several_states.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/68 "2018-02-14T22:31:31Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Debit card connected to an account in their name. They look just like a regular debit/credit card, have a magnetic stripe, but you can recognize them from their artwork and logos. > > [Each state has its own card](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/EBT_cards_from_several_states.jpg) I love that New Mexico’s is the Fiesta Card. Trumpsters would have a fit at least two ways (Not English! Poor people shouldn’t have parties/fun on our money!) if they knew that.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/69 "2018-02-15T01:25:58Z")
Bad choice of wording on my part. I know how EBT works. It looked like anomalous1 didn’t know the difference, however. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/70 "2018-02-15T01:58:45Z")
> [@Crazy\_Canuck](#): > > No, I’d call both troll and fuckwit accurate descriptions of your behavior in this thread. If you don’t like that people are calling you that on that, you could attempt to change your behavior. I kind of hope you don’t, because I enjoy watching people mocking idiots like you, but the ball is in your court. > > My vast life experience has shown me that anyone who uses the phrase “you types” is almost always a complete partisan fuckwit with whom it is useless to interact. It doesn’t appear that you are proving me wrong on this one. No. I will not change my “behavior”. Those are my opinions on the matter and I will not change them to suit your position(s). I don’t really mind if people are calling me ‘troll’ or ‘fuckwit’ here, since it is blatantly incorrect, I am more curious as to why. It is only because I exercise an alternative opinion, outside of what is ‘accepted’. Please do not try to educate me on partisanship, especially on on this message board. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/71 "2018-02-15T02:04:59Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > He really could have gotten a lot more mileage out of this if administration officials themselves hadn’t already admitted _they_ were just trolling too. [For anyone wanting a cite on that.](https://www.salon.com/2018/02/14/trumps-harvest-box-idea-was-just-an-attempt-to-troll-liberals-report/) We’ve gotten to this. The US has a government that apparently thinks it’s fucking 4chan. Only not as creative. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/72 "2018-02-15T02:08:45Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Maybe they’re stocking up on their treats for the month because they don’t get to Aldi’s very often, and find better deals on meat and vegetables elsewhere (not inconceivable). That actually is exactly how I use Aldi’s. Now, I’m not on food stamps, but I am a cheap bastard, and Aldi has the best prices on snacks and less-than-healthy convenience food (and also baking staples like flour, sugar, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.) Meat and veggies (and most “real food,” in general), though, I go to the local supermarket. Better prices, better selection. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/73 "2018-02-15T02:12:32Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > I don’t really mind if people are calling me ‘troll’ or ‘fuckwit’ here, **since it is blatantly incorrect** … {{Citation needed}} ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/74 "2018-02-15T07:01:52Z")
Any hints on what they are planning for WIC - The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. My son and family qualified along with many other soldiers/airmen/sailors/marines. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/75 "2018-02-15T14:13:20Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > I see the point the Pres is trying to make What point would that be? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/76 "2018-02-15T14:38:49Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > What point would that be? “Bla bla bootstraps bla bla work ethic bla bla incentives bla bla blaty bla.” Same bullshit, different day. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/77 "2018-02-15T14:52:32Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Debit card connected to an account in their name. They look just like a regular debit/credit card, have a magnetic stripe, but you can recognize them from their artwork and logos. > > [Each state has its own card](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/EBT_cards_from_several_states.jpg) And they can be used in any state. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/78 "2018-02-15T15:38:41Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Any hints on what they are planning for WIC - The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. > > My son and family qualified along with many other soldiers/airmen/sailors/marines. I believe there has been a [proposal.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/79 "2018-02-15T16:23:02Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > **Instead, the idea, according to two administration officials who worked on the proposal, was a political gambit by fiscal hawks in the administration aimed at sparking outrage among liberals** and stirring up members of the president’s own party working on the latest version of the farm bill. " Oh OK, just your run of the mill government deliberately trolling its citizens then. Wait, what ?! _sigh_ It’s rabbit-hole all the way down, isn’t it ? ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789/80 "2018-02-15T17:21:34Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > No. I will not change my “behavior”. Good. Like I said, I like watching people mock fuckwits, and you definitely qualify. You keep banging that drum and misusing quotation marks like the drooling moron that you are, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. > [@anomalous1](#): > > It is only because I exercise an alternative opinion, outside of what is ‘accepted’. Ahh, the classic “they laughed at Einstein” defense, while failing to note that they also laughed at Bozo the Clown. It had nothing to do with how “accepted” your opinion was, it had everything to do with how shitty your opinion was. The contempt you show to the poor people receiving this benefit showed in every post you made, and that contempt is why I’m calling you out as a shitty human being. It’s not because you want to “exercise an alternative opinion,” it’s because you’re acting like a shit person. Savvy? > [@anomalous1](#): > > Please do not try to educate me on partisanship, especially on on this message board. I’m not trying to educate you. I’m calling you out as a shit person. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-wants-to-replace-food-stamps-with-a-box-of-processed-food-everyone-gets-the-same-thing/808789.md?page=5)