Posted on 11/02/2011 7:43:41 AM PDT by blam
Congress May Tighten Food Stamp Eligibility As Participation Reaches Record Levels
Andrew Shen
Nov. 2, 2011, 9:28 AM
Anti-food stamp Republican Jeff Sessions. Image: AP
Congress is debating ways to tighten food stamp eligibility requirements to cut rising costs, according to Politico.
Costs have been rising due to food price inflation and participation in the program by a record 46 million Americans. Unfortunately this means that Americans need food stamps more than ever.
The Agricultural Department forecasts food prices to go up 3.5 to 4.5 percent, compared to 0.8 percent increases last year.
Meanwhile, the Budget Super Committee has to cut $1.2 trillion from budget deficits in the next ten years, and food stamps look like an easy target. A proposal to cut $23 billion from agriculture and nutrition programs was already submitted last month.
Check out why the UN is warning of another food crisis >
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
He would get my vote.
Obama feeds the poor - HURRAH!!
When they start creating jobs, Americans will stop looking to the government to help them put food on the table.
Politicians like to target us rather than cut wasteful spending.
Go figure.
How do they craft the law such that white people can’t get food stamps?
That’ll be their big challenge.
The food stamp program as currently designed is a JOKE.
I volunteer many hours at a local charity that provides food and clothing to around 30,000 people a year. A high percentage of our clients are disabled or elderly or, increasingly, unable to find work.
I see many who get $15 - $20 a month in food stamps.
Seriously? It costs the government more than that just to process their application.
Local food banks do a much better job. The government should shelve the Food Stamp program and put that money into grants to the local non-profits who know how to get the job done.
Hmmm... considering a single person survives on $200 a month on food stamps and a family on of four on $800 a month, who are politicians to tell people that’s a luxury allowance? They should get out of Washington and see how the country lives! The talk about people living in mansions and driving Cadillacs collecting food stamps is pure fiction.
From the Bangor Daily News, with my emphasis in bold. Who said we were failing our population when it comes to math skills?
The Bangor couple, a 23-year-old man and a 17-year-old female who turned 18 on Sunday, told the investigating officer that they had purchased two cases of water with funding provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program.
“They openly said they were dumping water” for the value of the returnables, Sgt. Paul Edwards said Monday. “They said they didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.”
The bottled water cost around $6 and the duo got $2.40 back in cash from the redeemed bottles.
As someone who is disabled, I resent Washington politicians telling me to tighten my belt. When they gave up their cushy pay, perks and benefits, let’s talk.
I didn’t create the mess in Washington and I paid my taxes. I sure as hell want to know why people who can’t manage the federal budget presume to tell me how to manage mine!
All Hail President Cloward-Piven!
I don’t deny there’s waste, fraud and abuse in the program. Human nature being what it is, some people just aren’t grateful. I don’t like them.
70% of food stamp recipients in my state (Calif) are ILLEGAL ALIENS.
I think they need to just have warehouses where people have to get off their duffs and go to get staples and grocery store surplus.
Let churches and private groups take over helping the truly needy.
Government handouts have to stop!
OK but with WIC, food stamps, and free breakfast and lunch at school, how the heck do we have all these HUNGRY CHILDREN the media is always talking about?
Just be prepared as much as you can. This is all going to collapse in the next few years. This is where our churches, neighbors and other charitable organizations will fill some of the vacuum left from a reduced government role. The days of a broad-based welfare system is coming to a close...and sooner than many want to realize.
Seniors rarely get much in food stamps. The big food stamp winners are the people who don’t work and reproduce like bunny rabbits.
I know at least on person with one kid that is getting almost 600 dollars a month.
Drug test!
I will go out on a limb and predict right now...this will NOT happen.
The linguini-spined Pubbies won’t endure even the first extended 60 Minutes story about poor folk out in South Succotash someplace who are now eating grass and bark because of those Mean Eeeeeeeevil Republicans.
Amen to that!
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