The problem with food stamps -- an otherwise rather successful program -- has been chronic fraud. Does anyone have information on whether the cards have helped in this department?
The hispanic supermarket near my house accepts food stamps for cigarettes.
The poor in America will be fed. The issue is how to do it. Food stamps are limited use vouchers. The system utilizes the private sector. What would you prefer instead: direct government commodity distributions (Bill Buckley once proposed this) or special government supermarkets for the poor?
Yes, our goal is to wean people off welfare. But for the residual welfare programs that remain, I am generally in favor of vouchers and a market orientation as opposed to massive public bureaucracies. This goes for food, health care (i.e. Medicaid, which should be voucherized), and housing assistance. The logic applies to schools as well, though these are not welfare institutions.
As a final general point, it would be desirable to count all transfer payments -- including food stamps, Medicare, Medicaid, housing assistance, and other forms of welfare -- as taxable income. Poor people would still not be making enough to pay much in taxes, but they would begin to see how much is actually being spent on them. This would tend to erode the idea that it's all free money and, at the margins, it would help police fraud and rationalize the transition from welfare to work.
It has helped considerably. I own/operate a small independent grocery store in rural Virginia.
In the paper stamp days, the bums would come in with a $1 stamp and get a pack of gum (you were allowed to give change for less than $1). They'd do this two or three times in a period of an hour until they had enough for a 40 OZ Miller. Plus, there was a lot of wholesale selling of the cards. Many a crooked merchant out there, boys and girls...
The only problems with the card is that they give it to their relatives and friends. I call them on it and refuse to take the card. This usually results in several profane epithets and accusations of being a racist.
One of the ways they try to get over is to buy an item on the card (i.e. "family sized"), then come back later and say they meant to get the smaller portion. Then they want to exchange it and get the difference in change. The state of Virginia has no provision for change, so it's basically a scam. I don't let them do that either.
Still, it galls the hell out of me when they come to the counter with one 20 OZ soda, a candy bar, and a pack of gum, and put it on the card. As soon as that transaction is finished, they go and dump $20 or so on the lottery.
Sheesh, don't get me started.......
yes other than chronic fraud, it's rather successful.. I guess you have low standards for success.