[massadvj]

You're comparing apples to oranges. Food stamps are only made available to the poor, so of course the average income of food stamp beneficiaries is going to be below the national average.

So I assume you think food stamps would be a good idea so long as everybody qualified for them?

[FITZ]

There are still some jobs that have a mandatory retirement age. Most of the middle class can only afford the high health insurance premiums while they have an income --- retirement is certainly a different situation than some 20-30 year old "poor" person demanding handouts because they don't wish to work.

[freedox]

"So I assume you think food stamps would be a good idea so long as everybody qualified for them?

No, I wasn't implying that at all. I was simply pointing out your faulty reasoning in comparing the average income of food stamp beneficiaries to that of Medicare recipients. One program is available only to the poor, whereas the other is available to all qualifying seniors regardless of income. It stands to reason that the average income of the more inclusive group would be higher.