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I Got Food Stamps and So Can You!
The College Conservative ^ | January 16, 2012 | Sydney Phillips

Posted on 01/16/2012 7:02:07 AM PST by Sopater

My recent excursion into the welfare system has left me scratching my head. Prior to writing and researching this project, my only impression of food stamps and similar welfare programs was that the credit only worked for certain items at certain stores and that an individual had to be in a particularly dire financial situation to receive such aid. I was wrong.

An EBT card works and looks like a debit card, but instead of the user withdrawing money from a checking account, the government prepays an amount of money it deems necessary for the user’s food expenditures. Several of my classmates have recently implemented the use of an EBT card for their groceries, and their involvement in the program immediately piqued my interest. To be honest, my natural first thought was: “I wonder if I qualify for free grocery money.” My immediate second thought was: “How do they qualify for free grocery money?” These students come from similar financial backgrounds as me, live in similar situations, and take the same amount of college credit hours that I do. Thus, my investigation began with a food stamp application, an interview request, and a trip to a place no one really wants to visit: the Department of Human Services.

I was informed by a very kind woman from the DHS that I would have to complete an interview to be considered for the program. The next morning, I was surprised to see the long line of people that trailed outside. When I reached the front of the line, I was informed that all of the interview spots were filled for the morning and that I’d have to call back later and complete my interview over the phone, which I did later that day. To be considered, I needed to submit my last four paychecks, one rent receipt, one utility bill from the previous month, and verification that I was a student worker on campus.

About a week later, I received a notice in the mail that the Department of Human Services had not received my employment verification and therefore could not review my case until I produced another pay receipt (which I could not produce, due to the fact that I’d only worked three weeks at my new job). I had essentially given up at this point. I didn’t need an EBT card; my investigation was merely an exercise in civic welfare accountability.

Approximately one month after I had received the first letter, another letter found its way to my mailbox from the Department of Human Services. I opened it up to find an EBT card with my name on it, instructions on how to activate and use the card, and the amount I could access on it per month — 200 dollars. Nothing followed-up my interview, other than the evidently pointless letter I received during the previous month. No one ever asked for a copy of my birth certificate or Social Security card, nor for my student identification card. I answered all of their questions truthfully, but how were they to know that I was who I said I was? Is it really this simple to obtain welfare benefits here in the United States?

It’s not hard to qualify for the program as a student and some universities even publicize food stamps to their students. For example, in Oregon, if you fall into any of the following categories, you automatically qualify for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) program: full-time student who works at least 20 hours per week, full-time single student who is caring for children younger than the age of 12, full-time married student who is caring for children younger than the age of 6, or at least a half-time student who is actively working any hours in a work-study program (institutional or federal) can receive a certain amount of money per month from the government. While some of these requirements are certainly understandable, the last one leaves the door open for massive amounts of unnecessary welfare spending and fraud. Every average lazy Joe College and his dog are eligible for the SNAP program.

Welfare in America was intended to provide a temporary means of survival for those at rock bottom. However, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people using food stamps over the past 40 years. Over that same time period, an estimated $753 million per year has been spent fraudulently by welfare recipients. Moreover, the government’s own accounting has cost taxpayers billions of dollars per year as food stamp programs routinely overpay their recipients; last year, that figure alone totaled $2.5 billion.

That being said, the students I know who use food stamps are hard-working, productive individuals whose parents won’t compensate them for the costs of college. Mine generally don’t either, so I get that. By using the program, students are able to save hundreds of dollars on food so they can pay for school instead of taking out an extra loan. I’m not discrediting that logic; I totally sympathize.

But when government starts to act as the hand that feeds its people and makes personal decisions for them, citizens lose their identities and freedoms. Not only is the innovative, hardworking, passionate American lost because the government promotes the idea that individuals can’t do it themselves, but the individuals come to expect the handouts and riot when they are revoked.

Yes, I apparently qualify for and possess an EBT card in the state of Tennessee, but I will not activate it. Participating in a government welfare program simply because I can would amount to an endorsement of the growing entitlement society in America. We should always advocate smaller government. The decision to use food stamps for my food supply would directly contradict that principle, and our government’s purpose as it was described in the Federalist Papers and U.S. Constitution would be further distorted.

Given my own personal experience, it is clear that food stamps are too easy to obtain, student or not. I realize that the food stamp program is different in all states, and some are more thorough with background checks than others, but much greater reform is needed. It concerns me that 15% of the population, or 46 million people, rely on others’ tax dollars to pay for their food. And that doesn’t sound like freedom to me.


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: ebt; foodstamps; welfare
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Welfare in America was intended to provide a temporary means of survival for those at rock bottom.

Ah yes, back in the days of self-respect and honor.
1 posted on 01/16/2012 7:02:19 AM PST by Sopater
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To: Sopater

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=I%20Got%20Food%20Stamps%20and%20So%20Can%20You!


2 posted on 01/16/2012 7:04:09 AM PST by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
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To: Sopater

“Welfare in America was intended to provide a temporary means of survival for those at rock bottom”.

...it was never “meant” for that. It was portrayed that way but was meant to buy votes.


3 posted on 01/16/2012 7:04:28 AM PST by albie
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To: All


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4 posted on 01/16/2012 7:05:05 AM PST by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: Bigh4u2

Nevermind.

Just noticed the time stamp...

11:52pm


5 posted on 01/16/2012 7:06:26 AM PST by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
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To: Bigh4u2

No, you’re right. The one you linked to was posted yesterday.


6 posted on 01/16/2012 7:09:23 AM PST by Sopater (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. - 2 COR 3:17b)
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To: Sopater

There used to be such a thng in this nation as “shame.” It’s true, I remember my grandparents talking about it.


7 posted on 01/16/2012 7:10:04 AM PST by Grunthor (I am a conservative, neither half of the one party represents my views.)
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To: Sopater
By using the program, students are able to save hundreds of dollars on food so they can pay for school instead of taking out an extra loan. I’m not discrediting that logic; I totally sympathize.

So in this case, food stamps are actually subsidizing the university - allowing them to keep tuitions sky-high and in turn more tenured Leftists on the payroll than they could if they had to compete in an open marketplace.

Government preferences are at the heart of all of our current economic problems.

8 posted on 01/16/2012 7:10:20 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves (CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
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To: Sopater
By using the program, students are able to save hundreds of dollars on food so they can pay for school instead of taking out an extra loan. I’m not discrediting that logic; I totally sympathize.

Yes, and by using the program there are others who, by saving on their food bill, can use the extra money for cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, cable TV, gambling...

Thanks for posting this article. What an interesting read from a curious and conservative college student.

But how do we (realistically) fix the problem? The only way I know is helping and educating one neighbor at a time. That won't work quickly enough to deliver the nation from debt and dependance.

9 posted on 01/16/2012 7:11:48 AM PST by .30Carbine
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks Sopater.


10 posted on 01/16/2012 7:11:52 AM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
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To: .30Carbine
I've been in the supermarket check-out line with these EBT card users many times. Not once have I seen them failing to buy food that I can't afford. Plus, when I follow them out to the parking lot, not once have I seen them drive a car older than mine.

Is that just a coincidence or a pattern?

11 posted on 01/16/2012 7:20:24 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Mr. Jeeves
So in this case, food stamps are actually subsidizing the university ...
Excellent point and more so since most of these universities have endowment funds containing billions of dollars.
Ironically, the scumbag OWS protest the banks - who loaned them the money - as greedy, yet would never think to protest the truly rich, Marxist universities that took their money.
12 posted on 01/16/2012 7:22:31 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: Mr. Jeeves

So in this case, food stamps are actually subsidizing the university - allowing them to keep tuitions sky-high and in turn more tenured Leftists on the payroll than they could if they had to compete in an open marketplace.

####

Exactly correct!

Also government employees get bonuses for the number of people that they enroll in these programs, not the number of people who are encouraged/assisted to become independent of taking money from taxpayers.


13 posted on 01/16/2012 7:23:16 AM PST by maica
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To: Vigilanteman
I've been in the supermarket check-out line with these EBT card users many times. Not once have I seen them failing to buy food that I can't afford. Plus, when I follow them out to the parking lot, not once have I seen them drive a car older than mine.

Is that just a coincidence or a pattern?


No coincidence. The money they don't have to spend on food is money that can be spent on something else, usually something self-indulgent.
14 posted on 01/16/2012 7:24:08 AM PST by aruanan
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To: Grunthor

Shame is virtually non-existent today. In fact, shame has been replaced with arrogant defiance. I see it in the demeanor of each EBT leech I get behind at WalMart EVERY time I go buy something. The only cash they have to pony up for their visit is for cigarettes, wine or beer. They are disgusting. This will all come crashing down one day soon.


15 posted on 01/16/2012 7:25:18 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: Sopater
It's Free Swipe your EBT (youtube video)
16 posted on 01/16/2012 7:27:56 AM PST by MadelineZapeezda (Tagline for rent: Inquire within!)
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To: Sopater
I opened it up to find an EBT card with my name on it, instructions on how to activate and use the card, and the amount I could access on it per month — 200 dollars. Nothing followed-up my interview, other than the evidently pointless letter I received during the previous month. No one ever asked for a copy of my birth certificate or Social Security card, nor for my student identification card. I answered all of their questions truthfully, but how were they to know that I was who I said I was? Is it really this simple to obtain welfare benefits here in the United States?

This is all you need to know about the Federal Government, its programs, and who it hires. This vignette also displays how democrat voters are minted.

17 posted on 01/16/2012 7:34:47 AM PST by bkopto (Obama is merely a symptom of a more profound, systemic disease in American body politic.)
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To: Sopater
I opened it up to find an EBT card with my name on it, instructions on how to activate and use the card, and the amount I could access on it per month — 200 dollars. Nothing followed-up my interview, other than the evidently pointless letter I received during the previous month. No one ever asked for a copy of my birth certificate or Social Security card, nor for my student identification card. I answered all of their questions truthfully, but how were they to know that I was who I said I was? Is it really this simple to obtain welfare benefits here in the United States?

This is all you need to know about the Federal Government, its programs, and who it hires. This vignette also displays how democrat voters are minted.

18 posted on 01/16/2012 7:34:50 AM PST by bkopto (Obama is merely a symptom of a more profound, systemic disease in American body politic.)
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To: albie
meant to buy votes

The Democrats choice of food is no accident. Throughout the animal kingdom a gift of food quickly buys the recipient's heart and mind. It's is the easiest, lowest cost, most effective method of becoming their master. People hooked on food welfare would rather walk 10 miles to get a free starchy dinner than work 10 minutes for it.

19 posted on 01/16/2012 7:35:42 AM PST by Reeses
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To: albie

“...it was never “meant” for that. It was portrayed that way but was meant to buy votes.
________________________________

True, true, true. In addition:

“The Issue is never the issue, the issue is always the Revolution.”
Unknown 60’s radical, quoted by David Horowitz.

“The mission of every government program is not to fix that problem, but to set up a bureaucracy that can expand its mission, and thereby get more funding and power.”


20 posted on 01/16/2012 7:35:55 AM PST by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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