Posted on 05/17/2012 8:14:29 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Melissa Booher is scared. For the last five years this mom has been able to put food on the table for her family because of food stamps.
"I honestly don't know what I'd do without them," said Booher.
But she may soon have to figure it out.
In an effort to reduce the deficit and replace what would have been a 10 percent cut to the military budget, the House of Representatives voted last week to cut the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $36 billion.
"That's just going to be catastrophic for working families across all of the 17 counties of North Florida that we serve," said Bruce Ganger.
Ganger is the head of the local food bank Second Harvest North Florida. This year, Congress has already forced him to cut two million pounds of food from their distribution. Now faced with this, he's unsure how he'll continue.
"It's the perfect storm if you will. There's going to be less food in the system to feed them and more demand from people who are going to need the food," he said.
"Without the SNAP benefits and without food pantries supplementing those programs, I know a lot of families would be without. It's not just myself," said Booher.
According to the Department of Children and Families, more than one in four households in Duval County rely on SNAP. Breaking that down further, that's 203,000 local children.
Ganger fears they will be put in jeopardy if these cuts aren't vetoed.
"If they really understood the issue and the impact of this solution, I believe they'd reverse the legislation," Ganger said.
According to Second Harvest, 76 percent of SNAP households include someone disabled, elderly, or a child.
The legislation is currently facing a veto threat from the White House.
This culture and by extension, this country is an embarrassment. It’s pathetic really.
Could you face your ancestors and defend what is happening here? I’d beg forgiveness for even being alive during the time this has taken place.”
It’s very telling that the author, editor, and publisher of the newspaper don’t seem to even bat an eyelash over the “five years” statement. Wow, during those hard times, I’ll bet the subject of the article and her husband decided not to have any more children until they got on their feet again </massive, overwhelming /s>
“more than one in four households in Duval County rely on SNAP”
I think these people have confused “taking advantage of” a government program with “rely” on a government program.
People will always take all the free stuff that is offered to them. That doesn’t mean they’ll die if it is no longer available.
“For the last five years this mom has been able to put food on the table for her family because of food stamps. “
Five years on a welfare program ? Did she have no plan for EVER becoming self-sufficient ? Of course not. She had no qualms about being a leech for the rest of her life.
“Fourth generation welfare families in places like Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and etc... will be pleased to focus on their health.”
Does anyone ever notice that the apologists always call people in this situation members of “working” families? What are they working on, exactly? If they can’t get anywhere in five years, it might be a good idea to start “working” on something else.
What does this make me and my wife? Members of the “leisure class”?
I’m “working”, all right. But apparently, quite a bit for other people who I don’t even know and who don’t even thank me, unless they have a strange way of showing it.
Sorry to state the obvious, but anyone on food stamp for more than 5 years is NOT part of a working family.
Even sweeping the sidewalks or picking up litter along highways would justify the partial cost to most real taxpayers.
Anything beyond bare subsistence aid is not even charity --- it's protection money.
“According to Second Harvest, 76 percent of SNAP households include someone disabled, elderly, or a child.
Bull****! And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.”
Yeah, but you have to give this guy some credit. Usually, they say it’s 99%-99.99%.
It fed millions before the recession too, fruitcake.
Maybe they should try supporting a new set of pets every five years.
BINGO! but the effect of adding all those marginal-need people results in the scenario above of an elderly couple, truely in need, who only get $180 a month in foodstamps, instead of the $300 a month one would expect it would take, minimum, to feed an elderly couple. The only 'winners' are the perk-heavy unionized workers while the needy elderly are left choosing between prescriptions and food each month. It's a sad state of affairs.
Poverty in America isn't what it once was. I lived several years on boxed macaroni and cheese and spaghetti dinners. The first time we moved, everything we owned fit nicely into a Ford Maverick. Could I have qualified for food stamps? Who knows. It never even occurred to me to try.
There's a serious sickness spreading through American society these days. The divide between people like me who believe no one owes me anything and those who think America should cater to their every needs is growing wider every day. I find I have absolutely nothing in common with more and more "Americans" every day.
They could fire every federal employee, close every government office, and send every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine home and not balance the budget. That’s the size of the fix we’re in. Entitlements are eating this country alive.
Well said, agree. The chronic victim mode is a lifestyle choice, not something a free people should ever be forced to finance and by financing, endorse.
We survived on slum, macaroni noodles mixed with tomato sauce and some ground beef. That was back before the feminists started demonizing stay at home moms. Let me tell you, my mom was a true American hero. Being a homemaker is one of the most demanding and important jobs a woman can have. My mom was no dummy. Should could have easily handled a "real" job (It would have been a break for her!). It took (takes) a wide variety of skills to raise a family, especially on a tight budget. For example, she turned couponing into an art form. We were poor, but we never starved or asked for government help.
That’s really not true. Getting onto snap takes 6 weeks. It can take two years or more to get housing.
In NY, ebt can’t be used for hot food.
Well, if you have no money, how do you get transportation to the “Midwest” to “maybe” find work? And live where till you get it?
Words of brilliance.
I love how they throw the disabled in the mix. Disabled has been incredibly distorted. I mean a person with bipolar disorder now is considered disordered even with the medication. I find it ridiculous how they made the definition of disabled so broad now. We are going broke because of this and many other problems.
I really resent the use of the term, “working families,” in this context. My family was a “working,” family and because of it, never received of the public dole. Get a JOB and feed your self. Stop bitching because the government finally stops stealing from me and giving to thee.
I see this first-hand, having a family member on all the gov’t freebies. SNAP card balance replenished every month, HUD discount on apartment ($180 a month for 3-bedroom duplex), SSI check. Husband doesn’t work, absolutely refuses to. They pawn everything they’re given. Money goes to smokes and who knows what else. Every month it’s like christmas when the checks come and the card is re-stocked. Snacks a-plenty, and ‘trading’ food stamps money for actual cash with the other deadbeats in the HUD complex. Usually they’re broke again by the 10th of the month, then the calls to my wife and I start - begging for money again because the babies need food/diapers/medicine.
Both mother and father are young and physically able to work - they’ve just discovered that it pays better not to.
I swear it’s going to give me a stroke. Nothing I say makes a difference.
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