Posted on 05/14/2010 5:55:37 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
WASHINGTON — Rep. Collin Peterson on Thursday suggested Congress consider banning caloric soft drinks from being purchased with food stamps as a way to address obesity.
According to multiple reports, Peterson said the proposed ban is "clearly is something we need to look at," though he added that he neither supports nor opposes the suggestion at this point.
Peterson's comments followed a House Agriculture Committee meeting, in which a panelist suggested the embargo. The hearing was one of many Peterson is holding as an early preview of the 2012 Farm Bill, which includes the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The exact suggestion Peterson was responding to, as reported by Reuters' Charles Abbott:
Wellesley College professor and food expert Rob Paarlberg suggested the ban during a hearing to review the 2008 farm law, which includes food stamps as well as crop subsidies. Food stamps help low-income people buy food. One in eight Americans receives food stamps.
The anti-hunger program accounts for 40 percent of Agriculture Department spending and outweighs crop subsidy and land stewardship spending of $10 billion this year.
"I would argue caloric soda should be made ineligible for purchase under SNAP, like tobacco and alcohol," said Paarlberg, using the new name for food stamps, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. He later said sugary sodas are "a huge part of the obesity problem."
Yes,I agree,it’s easier said than done though,isn’t it?
The simple answer might be to stop electing people who have Socialistic values but they keep coming on and people keep voting for them. Things certainly seem upside down right now when people on public welfare can afford to eat better than working folks.
Next they will want to shut down Krispy Kreme!
let’s put the FLOTUS on this right away!!!
Cash back is illegal..you should report that if you see it.
Probably have flat screen tvs too. They can find the money (or credit) for that and to pay the cable bill. But taxpayers have to buy their food for them.
I like pop (soda) I always get whatever’s cheap. No Coke or Pepsi unless it’s on sale.
This is Memphis, they’d just ignore it.
Well that answers that. It was buying food so I supposed it was card for that purpose.
Welfare money should NOT be spent on cigs, booze or lottery tickets.
I certainly agree with that. Many of these EBT cards access both SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (welfare). Using either part for vices is equally bad, IMO. The food stamp part will not allow alcohol. etc., but an unscrupulous retailer could allow a swap of items at the checkout.
LOL! Too true.
Digital cash registers are programed to kick out the non food items on the food stamp card at least at chain stores. I suspect that quickie marts are the ones skirting the law on non food items being purchased by food stamp users. BOOZE and CIGS are not on the food stamp list of allowable food. Never has been.
In my town right next door to me is a second hand shop. The guy buys and sells second hand items and if the price is right he'll buy and sell just about anything you bring to him.
I hang out there when I am taking a break from recording and art work so I see all sorts of deals going down. Lately foodstamp people have been coming in to him (At least we think they are food stamp people) and selling unopened cases of Pepsi and Coke products for 50% off the price listed by the local grocery stores. We figure they are taking the cash and buying beer or cigs.
More than likely or drugs.
Doubtful being they usually only sell one or two cases at a time. Two cases would net them around 5 bucks. That wouldn't buy you even one percocet around this area.
The govt is not telling people what they can eat, but it can tell people what it will give them. No one has “rights” to just any food they wish.
If we don’t have freedom to choose what foods we want, then we don’t have freedom.
And if someone gives you charity, you rely on what they give. I don’t see why you can’t grasp this. Freedom of choice goes out the window when you’re on the dole.
Feel good legislation never works.
We should end the program, but IF we keep it, then it should be exactly limited like W-I-C:
From WIC website:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/WIC-Fact-Sheet.pdf
“WIC foods include infant cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable juice, eggs, milk, cheese, peanut butter, dried and canned beans/peas, and canned fish. Soy-based beverages, tofu, fruits and vegetables, baby foods, whole wheat bread, and other whole-grain options were recently added to better meet the nutritional needs of WIC participants.”
The PROBLEM of course is that by far the largest beneficiary of food stamps is Coca-Cola, Frito Lay, et. al. As such, there is a major lobby arm in Washington to ensure that those eating off your dime have more choices than you do.
A lot of people who are now receiving EBT have worked their whole lives and paid taxes. But now you get to decide what they eat? I don’t think so.
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