The last time I wrote about food stamps I didn't talk about what the food stamp benefit actually is. For a single individual, it's about $29 a week.
If you're on food stamps, you need to feed yourself on $29 a week or less.
The major of Phoenix, AZ did that this week. He lived within the food stamp budget, and found it pretty informative.
That's the thing about food stamps. I don't think that people sign up for it because of the easy living -- I think they sign up for them because they need to live.
Mitt Romney, in his "47% won't vote for me" said that he felt that people weren't entitled to food, and other stuff -- see the link. I disagree.
I think that people who work and try and strive are worthy of support, and I appreciate the people who do. But I'm not going to let someone go hungry.
The most frequently hungry are the children. And even if the parent is a deadbeat, I'm going to say that feeding a deadbeat is worth it to get the children fed, too.
Yes, some folks sell food stamps for $0.10 on the dollar -- which means that they can reap a whole $3 off their entire weekly food budget. That's another issue, and it's usually drug related, and there are other solutions to that than deny hungry people food.
2 weeks ago
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7 comments:
Well, I know a lot of people on food stamps and the kids eat real good and most of them have nice cars in the yard. I have heard several of them say that it wouldn't be worth going to work because they get more from food stamps. Just saying....
I think at one time food stamps just helped those who really needed it. I am not sure that is the case now.
Maybe where you live it still works that way but here a lot of them are taking advantage of the system.
You should see the cars that ride up the the food give-aways here and how nice those people are dressed. It is ridiculous.
The 47% he was talking about are people that don't pay taxes. I am in the military and make about $70,000 I get all the taxes back I paid, and then about another $1000.00. So do all my buddies in the same bracket and some even get reduced lunches for their kids, all while making 70k plus. Almost all the social programs are worthless. I do understand children because they are in the situation at no fault of their own, but everyone else needs to figure it out. In the old days you made money/supported your family, or in hard times hopefully you had good karma and you family and neighbors helped you through it not the government! I guarantee you that with my limited education I could get a job today and support my family, it might not be the job I want or a life of luxury, but I would not be milking the food stamp/unemployment deal like a lot of people. Just look at the trouble you have getting decent help at your farm. This society of entitlement has to end. BTW if you are not a U.S citizen then you should get absolutely nothing.
The benefit can actually be much higher than $29 per week.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/ben.htm
The single benefit is a max of $200 per month. I posted the comment about selling EBT cards on your previous food stamp post for $.10 on the dollar. The issue is that food stamps usually go to families. Around here, a family of 5 could send their kids off to school with nothing. They would get a free school breakfast and lunch. At home, a box of pasta with ketchup sauce costs about a dollar. They can use $200 of their monthly benefit on food then sell the other $400+ for $40+ and pay for whatever they want. And around here, they can (and do) go claim it was lost and get a new benefit re-issued.
Lets assume that all three of you are correct, and that some benefits go to folks who shouldn't have them.
What would the percentage of fraud have to be before you let someone who really needs the food go hungry?
This is a serious question. 10%? 1%? .01%?
At some point I came to the realization that we are a rich nation. I'm ok with being generous with benefits, even if there is a little abuse. We send food aid to other nations. Think all of that goes to the right mouths or pockets? How about considering this food aid to the needy here?
Yep, some charity is abused. But does that mean we can have no charity at all?
Bill -- want to try to feed yourself on $200 a month?
"...Yep, some charity is abused. But does that mean we can have no charity at all?..."
Food stamps aren't charity, charity is charity.
Food stamps are a government spending program that will eventually kill the idea of charity and actually helping the needy.
After all, if the needy are being taken care of by the government, why would charities need to exist? If the government is taking my money to pay for their food stamp program, how can I give as much money to worthy charities?
If $200/month won't buy enough food, then how much is enough? Is $300, $400, or $500 per month enough? Who is going to pay for all this spending?
And, is spending more money on food stamps giving us less children going hungry? Is anyone even trying to figure out if it is helping the people it is supposed to be helping?
I would be more than able to feed myself for $200 per month. I feed my family of 5 for about $600 per month in the growing season. If I had more than a backyard garden, I could do better. If I had to cut back, I could spend even less.
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