20% of Oregonians are on food stamps

[EL PRESIDENTE]

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/05/03/about-1-in-7-americans-receive-food-stamps/

 

[3RA1N1AC]

nh baby

 

[maxiep]

God, that's depressing.

I'm of the mind that we need to replace food stamps with a specific list of groceries that can be gotten with vouchers. Also, have a government cheese delivery. In other words, make it less pleasant to be on food stamps and put a bit more stigma on it. I refuse to believe that 20% of Oregonians are unable to feed themselves; that's twice the unemployment rate for the state. I would bet that there are other places they can make sacrifices to ensure they have enough food.

Call me cold-hearted if you wish, but I think making someone dependent is the cruelest thing you can do to them.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

They're making "Food Stamps" look like ATM cards now to make them more "humane". Fucking wack. They should make their own markets for people on food stamps. They shouldn't be shopping at Whole Foods with that money. If 20% of the population is on food stamps, build a few stores where they can shop at.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

lol you want the government to get into the supermarket business? and what about all the other stores that count on food stamp income? so that you can feel better about not using them? wtf

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Osama's body could have fed a family of 6 for a month.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

This is hand in hand with what I posted the other day. The gov tries to to a happy face on a turd. To qualify for food stamps, you have to be like 1200 per month income or less. Look at all the great jobs out there that once were full time gigs like sears, pay less, target etc. When the were full time gigs they had to supply benefits, insurance etc. The gov says that they are forced to take care of those employees, so they cut wages, cut hours and no longer have to pay for the extras.

Can you blame the companies? Trying to survive in a shit economy? Or is it greed? Just another case of the rich getting richer in spite of idealistic libs trying to look out for the little guys?

The sin is that if 20% are on food stamps, how many more qualify and yet do not take part due to lack of knowledge or pride?

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

lol you want the government to get into the supermarket business? and what about all the other stores that count on food stamp income? so that you can feel better about not using them? wtf

For food stamps, yes. No prices, but a credit system for BASIC foods. Control what kind of food is in there.

The thing with food stamps is that they are being used at FOR PROFIT companies (the grocery store), meaning that tax payer money is being wasted and just given to these big companies in an endless cycle.

this is a free giveaway program. people shouldn't have a choice what they get.

 

[Wheels]

God, that's depressing.

I'm of the mind that we need to replace food stamps with a specific list of groceries that can be gotten with vouchers. Also, have a government cheese delivery. In other words, make it less pleasant to be on food stamps and put a bit more stigma on it. I refuse to believe that 20% of Oregonians are unable to feed themselves; that's twice the unemployment rate for the state. I would bet that there are other places they can make sacrifices to ensure they have enough food.

Call me cold-hearted if you wish, but I think making someone dependent is the cruelest thing you can do to them.

as someone who works with SNAP (Food Stamps) I agree with you actually. It is sooooooo frustrating to have someone claim they are hungry then run into them at Safeway on your lunch and see them with a butt load of Pop and Chips and all that crap. But yes a grocery list like WIC has vouchers for Milk, Eggs, things of that sort is so much smarter.

Another thing, there are quite a few people who qualify for Benefits, but only get the minimum of $16 a month. I would be interested to know how many people of the 20% are minimum cases.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

For food stamps, yes. No prices, but a credit system for BASIC foods. Control what kind of food is in there.

The thing with food stamps is that they are being used at FOR PROFIT companies (the grocery store), meaning that tax payer money is being wasted and just given to these big companies in an endless cycle.

this is a free giveaway program. people shouldn't have a choice what they get.

whoa there buckaroo, you think that the gov can run a profitable business? You believe that government and properly ran can be used in the same sentence?

Please reference "post office" "department of the interior" "department of Ag" please look over the budget of any state or federal park. Many ventures that would turn a profit in private hands are money sinks when the gov runs them.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

whoa there buckaroo, you think that the gov can run a profitable business? You believe that government and properly ran can be used in the same sentence?

Please reference "post office" "department of the interior" "department of Ag" please look over the budget of any state or federal park. Many ventures that would turn a profit in private hands are money sinks when the gov runs them.

Never said to run it as a business. Just as a chain of distribution. Or pay a grocery chain to set up low cost food distribution centers.

 

[maxiep]

Or pay a grocery chain to set up low cost food distribution centers.

This. Have the government contract with grocery stores to supply food stamp "food packages" that are sold to the Federal Government at a discount (most raw foods are low margin anyway, so it wouldn't be a huge discount). You show up with your card and you get a grocery bag or two filled with preselected food.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Never said to run it as a business. Just as a chain of distribution. Or pay a grocery chain to set up low cost food distribution centers.

so you think it would be more cost effective to open up a chain of stores, with government employees, benefits, or pay prevailing wages that are far and above the standard for an industry, so we can distribute on a not for profit basis...fuck, man, you have a bright future in the government! You need to run for office, hell the state and federal jobs are only at 55% of the employment in Oregon. Jeesh add thee other union jobs created and what is that ? Another ten percent? Yeah, then tax those civilians that want to survive in the private sector, yeah, they need to pay more....

 

[3RA1N1AC]

the system is fucked no doubt.

maybe something locally owned where people can use their food stamps would be a good start, keep the money in the community. and most people who get food stamps i would assume qualify for it because they have children they need to feed. so maybe...

wheels, WIC seems like a good idea, why isnt that more popular?

 

[DaLincolnJones]

This. Have the government contract with grocery stores to supply food stamp "food packages" that are sold to the Federal Government at a discount (most raw foods are low margin anyway, so it wouldn't be a huge discount). You show up with your card and you get a grocery bag or two filled with preselected food.

Bud, you have to remember that a lot of the items on a WIC coupon are food stuffs that are government subsidized. You could just restructure the food stamp program to be more like WIC, have allowable items only. They already restrict cigs, beer, etc, just expand upon that.

The other day I went into a store to pick up a few items. I am on a budget, so we are going to make hamburgers. The gal in front of me has like six kids, does not speak much English, has a stack of steaks and stuff that I can not afford.

She rings up her three hundred dollar purchase and has to ask the gal atthe check out hot to use her card..yeah, it an Oregon trail card...and she turns to me and says in broken, but proud english....I no know, I neber haba credit card...

 

[3RA1N1AC]

yeah thats frustrating.

i know someone who gets free rent along the same lines, while i am paying a fortune its......frustrating too

 

[Wheels]

wheels, WIC seems like a good idea, why isnt that more popular?

I'm assuming because you can only get the necessary foods with it, and not the garbage FS let you get.

Also WIC being only for "Womens with Infant Children" kinda cuts off who can use it and who cant. But I think their voucher system is so so so so much better than just the EBT card given out.

 

[barfo]

so you think it would be more cost effective to open up a chain of stores, with government employees, benefits, or pay prevailing wages that are far and above the standard for an industry, so we can distribute on a not for profit basis...fuck, man, you have a bright future in the government! You need to run for office, hell the state and federal jobs are only at 55% of the employment in Oregon. Jeesh add thee other union jobs created and what is that ? Another ten percent? Yeah, then tax those civilians that want to survive in the private sector, yeah, they need to pay more....

55% is wildly incorrect.

In September 2009 there were 297,700 government employees working in Oregon, accounting for roughly 18 percent of the state's employment

And that's federal, state, and local employment.

barfo

 

[Wheels]

Bud, you have to remember that a lot of the items on a WIC coupon are food stuffs that are government subsidized. You could just restructure the food stamp program to be more like WIC, have allowable items only. They already restrict cigs, beer, etc, just expand upon that.

I agree fully on how thats how FS should be run, like WIC.

Not gonna address the who speaks english and who doesnt on benefits cause that depends on the area.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

so you think it would be more cost effective to open up a chain of stores, with government employees, benefits, or pay prevailing wages that are far and above the standard for an industry, so we can distribute on a not for profit basis...fuck, man, you have a bright future in the government! You need to run for office, hell the state and federal jobs are only at 55% of the employment in Oregon. Jeesh add thee other union jobs created and what is that ? Another ten percent? Yeah, then tax those civilians that want to survive in the private sector, yeah, they need to pay more....

Yes. 20% of Oregonians are using food stamps to pay inflated prices at the grocery store from taxpayer money. I believe if we cut out the program and instead use the money to buy bulk food at cost and distribute packets of food, it would be more cost effective.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

yeah gotta agree people shouldnt be buying like 12.99/lb steaks with their food stamps. or some specialty kiwi guava organic juice blend either.

i would bet switching to the cards had more to do with fraud than anything else though. people could buy drugs with paper food stamps.

 

[Wheels]

i would bet switching to the cards had more to do with fraud than anything else though. people could buy drugs with paper food stamps.

this... they still can buy drugs with them by selling their Card I guess... But I would hear stories about with the Cash FS of people sending their kids in to get like a 5cent candy and then getting 95cents back in actual currency.

 

[barfo]

this... they still can buy drugs with them by selling their Card I guess... But I would hear stories about with the Cash FS of people sending their kids in to get like a 5cent candy and then getting 95cents back in actual currency.

How much drugs can you buy for 95 cents?

barfo

 

[3RA1N1AC]

i knew dealers back in the day that would take food stamps for half their face value

and barfo....really? you do that every time you go to the store, put that shit in a jar, and once a week you got 20 bucks

 

[Wheels]

How much drugs can you buy for 95 cents?

barfo

I dunno.. but I assume you could buy a lot of non food if you do that $200 worth of Candy in different stores lol

 

[maxiep]

I'm assuming because you can only get the necessary foods with it, and not the garbage FS let you get.

Also WIC being only for "Womens with Infant Children" kinda cuts off who can use it and who cant. But I think their voucher system is so so so so much better than just the EBT card given out.

Great info provided by you throughout this thread. Repped.

 

[barfo]

i knew dealers back in the day that would take food stamps for half their face value

and barfo....really? you do that every time you go to the store, put that shit in a jar, and once a week you got 20 bucks

How much drugs can you buy for $20?

I think I'd seriously need to supplement my food stamp drug money with some stolen tvs and shit.

barfo

 

[3RA1N1AC]

umm, you can buy 20 dollars worth of drugs for 20 dollars...

you can argue all you want, ive seen it done

 

[3RA1N1AC]

i knew a store owner that would straight up pay you cash 2 for 1

 

[MrJayremmie]

I also agree with this.

Just like I agreed that the government should limit pay in companies that took bailout money. I think the government should make foodstamps only work for necessities. I agree with a lot of Maxiep's post.

At the same time, I can understand the point of view that the government has no place to tell someone how to spend their money. And while I agree with that in a sense, you have to remember that this isn't "their" money really. It is the government's money, which SHOULD come with a string attached, just like for a bailed out company.

Problem is, I see a lot of double standards in this thread, because I know for a fact some people who are for this were against the government attaching strings to companies who had to take OUR money.