Posted on 11/28/2009 5:27:37 PM PST by reaganaut1
With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children.
It has grown so rapidly in places so diverse that it is becoming nearly as ordinary as the groceries it buys. More than 36 million people use inconspicuous plastic cards for staples [...].
Virtually all have incomes near or below the federal poverty line, but their eclectic ranks testify to the range of people struggling with basic needs. [...]
While the numbers have soared during the recession, the path was cleared in better times when the Bush administration led a campaign to erase the program’s stigma, calling food stamps “nutritional aid” instead of welfare, and made it easier to apply. That bipartisan effort capped an extraordinary reversal from the 1990s, when some conservatives tried to abolish the program, Congress enacted large cuts and bureaucratic hurdles chased many needy people away.
...
[T]he program is now expanding at a pace of about 20,000 people a day.
There are 239 counties in the United States where at least a quarter of the population receives food stamps
...
In more than 750 counties, the program helps feed one in three blacks. In more than 800 counties, it helps feed one in three children.
...
Although the program is growing at a record rate, the federal official who oversees it would like it to grow even faster.
“I think the response of the program has been tremendous,” said Kevin Concannon, an under secretary of agriculture, “but we’re mindful that there are another 15, 16 million who could benefit.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The more people who are in need from the government, the more easily it will be for them to pass government health care.
While responsible people are buying hamburger helper,
the welfare queens are buying steak and shrimp on their dime.
They had out something like a credit card. No stigma because it looks like the person is paying with a credit card.
Obama wants to wipe out the middle class.
Your correct........there is a fraud line to call when ya see suspect use. IOW’s clerks ringing up food when nothing but alcohol is on the counter.
Turn in the crooks that pander to the crooks !
The stigma went away when they started issuing debit cards, rather than coupons or stamps. Now you appear just like another shopper, no one can see the card you use. Social stigma is gone.
I went back to poaching small game and fish and found something else.
If they had actually given me one of those little cards? I would have lived about 3 months for every month of payments as far as good eats goes. And still had enough to get things I could ferment into good (fairly good to really good) pop-skull.
I did miss cheese for about a year.
/johnny
yea and those who are getting welfare or some anyway are driving a fancy car and living in a nice place.
Course they get their kids free breakfast too at our local school and yet do not work because hanging out on their front porch or playing playstation is more important .
Stop the free breakfasts and start looking into those who are getting this welfare.
They drive a fancy car then they don’t get welfare.
No more breakfasts at school for free either.
If a mother or a father cannot give a bowl of cereal to their kids in the morning then they should not have had kids in the first place.
I am sick and tired of standing in line at the shop and seeing a family in front getting loads of food paid for by me and then they driving off in a caddy.
One mother was at our local school shouting to everyone and claiming racism that her daughter should get free food at school.
Have these people got no shame at all.???
I wonder what the rate of obesity is for those receiving food stamps vs those who don’t?
“..a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme..”
It’s still full of schemer’s, dummies!!
You know me, I'm your friend, your main boy, thick and thin.
I'm your pusherman.
I'm your pusherman.
*With all deference to Curtis Mayfield.
“luxury food” isn’t fraud, per se,
it’s just a huge pissoff.
No, none. I have lived amongst them. Shame is for not gaming the system. Everything is based on gaming the system.
/johnny
What these stories never reveal is that the income that is measured does NOT include any of the free or subsidized goodies people receive from the government. So one can have money coming in plus get food stamps, free medical care, free rent, subsidized utilities, and free food at school for the kiddies and still be considered to be living in poverty. That stretches the meaning of the word poverty beyond reality.
I’ve seen those credit cards they give out and can notice if they are the welfare ones especially seeing as they use WIC stamps too and then complain about how they wanted a certain food not covered and it should be.
Even if they had signs on their backs saying I love you paying my food many of them would still never be ashamed.
so long as it is free to them then so be it.
A kid was boasting to my oldest son how they get free breakfast at school and food.
I told my son to tell them that it is not free I’m paying for it and he did tell the kid.
You know what the kid said?
HA HA what a sucker we had lots of food last night paid by your dad.
My son wanted to smack the little free loader but of course if he had then I would have been sued and my son called a racist.
This whole set up and PC has destroyed/is destroying this country.
No problem helping out someone who is hurting.
I’m classed as lower than middle class I’m blue collar working class and I work as my wife does very hard.
I refuse to accept that I have to pay for those in the projects/take handouts who make it a living all their lives
looks like all the freeloaders are jumping on the gravy train.
I’VE SAID THAT THE OTHER DAY
Why is it those who claim they have no money and get welfare drive a fancy car and are way overweight?
Go to the projects and you won’t see many underweight people.
A guy for Africa on a business trip once told me that in his country the poor are skinny because they cannot afford food but in this country the poor are the fat ones.
very good observation by him.
Those on welfare should have drug tests, not have a BMW or caddy chromed out and how can they be poor and be a woman at 5,5 when they weigh(unless medical) over 200 pounds
Spot on. My wife and I both make good money, but I haven't eaten so much pasta, bologna and hot dogs since the '70s.
Isn't this money that Obama would have used for his stimulus plans?
Shame is an emotion of the past (well, OK, these people probably NEVER had any).
They think us fools for supporting them and will take everything we are stupid enough to give them. And no doubt call us racists if we don’t, in some cases.
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