Posted on 01/18/2017 7:36:41 PM PST by nickcarraway
UPDATE: Sheila Butt announced on Tuesday that she is withdrawing the bill. Read more about that here.
Tennessee, more than 1 million people depend on benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to put food on their tables. Rep. Shelia Butt, R-Columbia, introduced a bill that would stop people from using those benefits, know as SNAP or food stamps, to buy foods high in calories, sugar and fat.
Some people in our area think the bill is a good idea.
"Milk and food items is fine," said Alan Rogers. "That's what they're for. Just to sustain life. All this other stuff is extra stuff." Walter Little says he can see both sides.
"It's a two-way street," said Little. "It's a good idea health wise - but a lot of people don't want to be told what they should eat and what they shouldn't eat. I'm 69 years old. But I jog, I work out and I try to eat healthy. But this is my belief. And I would hate to force my ideas on someone else."
The bill says food "without any nutritional value" would be blocked. People would not be able to use their benefits for things like soda, ice cream, cookies, candy and cake.
Rep. Butt also proposes establishing a list of banned foods that would be made with help from the Department of Heath and Human Services using recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"All the public pays for food stamps and I think there ought to be rules on it," said Rogers. "There has to be. It just can't be wide open."
If the bill becomes a law, it will take effect in July.
Has to be done on the national level to be practical.
Butt, out?
>>But this is my belief. And I would hate to force my ideas on someone else.”<<
You take my money, you follow my rules. Don’t want the rules, don’t take the money and you are free to do whatever you want.
And I don't want to be told that I have to pay for your snacks.
I have no problem with ice cream and cokes. They are cheap.
I would have a problem with someone buying $200 worth of steaks (which I personally witnessed) or other luxury foods.
[food high in fat]
You know, they say Ostrich has less fat but you eat more of it.
People on welfare should be more accountable than people who are not. Why should the taxpayers have to fund unhealthy behavior or wasteful spending? Welfare recipients should be saving their junk food and gambling money to fix their cars and pay their rent.
In our area, the food stamps aren’t even being used in some cases by the person intended. They are a swap for dope, cigarettes, booze, rides, you name it. They go shopping with someone, fill the cart, slide the food stamp card and out the door to put all of it in another vehicle or another household. What a sham! I also notice what is in the cart. . .usually junk food, cases of pop, chips, packaged foods, etc. What is really sad is seeing the little children often with them knowing that’s what they are going to be eating for supper. NO veggies.
Rice and beans + all the Ripple they can drink.
“I have no problem with ice cream and cokes. They are cheap.”
I have problems with all of that stuff (and the steaks). the local take and bake pizza shop has a sign that say EBT welcome here. $20 dollars for a large pizza.
That $20 would buy a lot of rice and beans to feed a family.
Add lobsters and jumbo shrimps
Well the lobster and shrimp are healthy.
I’m all for exempting junk foods from Food Siamps.
But packaging has to make it easy to tell or there’ll be chaos at the cash registers.
i don’t like that... sure—not for beer and cigs and such, but no ice cream? no soda?
Most questionable items are marked.
Cross reference welfare recipients names with cable TV subscribers - use that money for vocational training. Deduct it from their checks.
Add cookies and cake, and cake mixes... and chips...crackers...
Parents who pay the bills often tell their children what they can or can not eat.
As a taxpayer, if I must provide for the needy, I think they ought to be needy. Soda pop, ice cream, candy bars...are luxury items not suitable for “the needy”
Beans, rice, potatoes and green vegetables, milk, eggs, hamburger, chicken...no STEAKS...all good enough for the truly needy.
So flame me.
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