[danielmryan]

I agree. If those people had used their EBT cards for flour, rice, pizza sauce, frozen vegetables, canned soups, tuna, chicken legs, pre-made lasagna, bread, peanut butter, sliced ham and bologna, etc. then almost no-one here would begrudge them the aid. Buying foods that are at least apparently luxury foods has an "in-your-face" quality that grates a lot of people here.

It's not dissimilar to using social assistance money for regular belts of "medicinal" booze.

[A_perfect_lady]

“In your face” quality... yes. It also suggests a real sense of comfort and security that even those of us with jobs don’t have. There’s no indication that they have any sense that they should be careful with this money, make it stretch, yes even unto Ramen. No sense that they have any fear that this money has its limits. If I were on assistance I’d be living on lentils and rice, hoarding every penny, and pretty much shaking with fear about the day it’s gone. Their absolute lack of shame or unease about it suggests that they have no idea what the situation is in this country, and no concern about the future. Yet these are people with advanced degrees... these are the “smart” people... right?