Posted on 02/16/2025 2:25:54 AM PST by Libloather
WASHINGTON — Americans on food stamps may be banned from using them to buy “sugary drinks” and other junk food, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Friday.
The newly appointed cabinet official said she will work with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — to prioritize food-stamp benefits for healthy food items.
“Will we ever take food out of a hungry child’s mouth? Of course not, this is the United States of America, Rollins told reporters on the White House driveway.
“Truly, this program has grown so large, especially in the last administration. Under Biden, I think [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] grew almost 30% more than before. We really need to look at where that money is going, what it’s being spent on,” she said.
“I look forward to working with Bobby Kennedy as we figure out, ‘Do we have the healthiest choices?’ So when a taxpayer is putting money into SNAP, are we OK with us using their tax dollars to feed really bad food and sugary drinks to children who perhaps need something more nutritious?”
Rollins and Kennedy were both confirmed by the Senate Thursday and will serve on President Trump’s new 13-member Make America Healthy Again commission.
In fiscal 2023, 42.1 million people received SNAP benefits, according to USDA.
The program’s cost was $112.8 billion annually, with benefits averaging $211.93 per month.
It’s unclear how the plan might work, though the idea already is under consideration in Congress.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Yes. The system is designed to perpetuate itself with very little actual help given to the people on it. It fosters dependence on them and no betterment in their lives.
With cash, the EBT recipient can buy "anything".
I would add: it buys democrat votes.
You\re right. That was the original purpose, to help people temporarily, like your parents. I don’t have a problem with that, and I’d venture to guess most people would agree. The problem is the program has been perverted to support lazy ne-er do wells and loafers for their entire lives.
But unfortunately there really are some honest folks out there who are not defrauding the system and are really down on their luck at no fault of their own and truly do need it.
But here is a perspective... What we actually need to do first is improve the ECONOMY so that there are not so many folks needing help from the government. But see, this too is part of the plan to keep folks dependent on the government. This is why they purposely and methodically keep our economy unaffordable.
Sugary drinks are usually shelf-stable, which makes them easier to resell. In my area I often see laundry detergent and shampoo sold at flea markets for less than retail.
I think people on Medicaid and SSI need to be weighed and if they’re morbidly obese, they should be sent to a fat farm to lose weight.
We have to keep in mind that even here on the FR there are good people who worked hard all their lives who have no choice but to also get some assistance because SS is just not enough alone. Some are making less than a thousand dollars a month at a time when a one bedroom apartment runs and average of 1,200 dollars or more. Especially those who were homemakers all their lives trying to get by as a widow on only part of their late husbands SS. They have absolutely no choice but to get SNAP to offset rent, utilities, Etc.
I have thought about this a LOT. And I have talked to a lot of folks right here who are actually in that position over the years and not by choice. The “one size fits all” approach just does not always fit like we think it should.
Those who are fortunate never consider those who are unfortunate. Because they can “make it” they subconsciously think “If I can then everybody can” when it is actually just not true in the real world.
My mom who used to swim every day just plain old stopped moving. It was the weirdest thing. At the end she couldn’t even get out of bed and had to be changed. Awful. Anyway, my husband and I swore we were going to keep moving, period. Of course, we only eat one time a day. None of this three time a day stuff with snacks in between.
I know of entire departments of graduate and PhD students at some Ivy League universities who get food stamps.
They are handed out like candy. No questions asked.
Its another corrupt, bloated, Fed.gov dept leading to fraud and corruption.
>>It's important to also understand what SNAP benefits cannot purchase: Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana products. Vitamins, supplements, or medications. Hot foods, like a cooked rotisserie chicken and a hot pizza. Pet foods.<<
My question is, if food stamps pays for junk food, why doesn't it pay for vitamins and supplements so these people can at least get something healthy in their bodies.
They should also immediately discontinue EBT card acceptance at fast food joints.
+1
Absolutely!
Yes, I get that.
The thing is, though, churches can step up and help for those TRULY in need. Too many of the welfare deadbeats also try to scam churches.
Best part is you can use your EBT card just like an ATM card. Either get cash back at the grocery store or even use it at an ATM machine to get cash out. It’s such a joke...
https://dhhr.wv.gov/ebt/cardholders/Pages/HowToUseYourWVEBTCARD.aspx
Basically it becomes the WalMart parking lot black market for discounted sought after food stuffs for cash.
It’s our cash to begin with so “we” ought to have a say in how it is used.
That said, the trick will be out tricking the tricksters and ending the parking lot game of easy cash for the EBT benefits they spit on when playing the game.
Kentucky bill would restrict select ‘junk food’ from SNAP benefits
WKYT ^ | 2/12/2025 | Jessica Umbro
Posted on 2/13/2025, 8:38:09 PM by Vendome
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4297419/posts
You can’t legislate stupidity, morality, or diet.
If you could, about 100,000 of the 125,000 lung cancer deaths expected in 2025 could be prevented.
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