Comments on: Merry Christmas to the Food Stamp, er, SNAP recipients

By: twbrann

twbrann — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:25:53 +0000

I have worked hard for 25 years paying into the system. Since I lost my job, I have been looking for a new one for the last year, going on job boards, networking, etc, and so far, nothing. I am taking whatever temp jobs I can get in the meantime. The few hours I can get work at minimum wage are not enough to make ends meet. I am using EBT for the first time in my life starting this month just go get by.

How am I stealing? I paid into this system by working hard for 25 years. After 12 months of unemployment, I need a little help to get by, and this is stealing?? I have paid FAR more into the system than I have taken out. You only get $200/month with EBT, not unlimited amounts. I just need to be able to eat until I get a decent job.

Shouldn’t we be more concerned with the multimillionaire bankers who used the bailout money for their own obscene salaries and bonuses?

By: publius772000

publius772000 — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:51:51 +0000

Whoa, before you begin calling people idiots, you may want to learn to speak/spell English. At least you managed to get “idiot” and “hippie” correct. The sessions must be working.

By: thatgirludontlike

thatgirludontlike — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:20:12 +0000

you my friend are an idiot……. i’m not a crazy hippie, i’m not even liberal, i am a registered republican but currently do recive foodstamp, my husband is currently out of work(but looking everyday for a job) we have to live with his parents and have a child, i have a bachlors is spanish, but stll can not find a job please tell me what would u suggest i do? i mean my mother was a stripper to support me as a child is that a better answer than trying to find a job making a honest living? because if it wasnt for foodstamps that would be my only option.

By: publius772000

publius772000 — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:36:22 +0000

Do you have any idea why the farm subsidies were put in place originally? They were devised because prices on food were too low. Farmers were so successful with all the machines purchased and new methods used that they produced more than anyone could ever use. As a result, prices declined. The government, therefore, particularly under FDR, decided that farmers needed a bailout and began paying them to destroy crops or not grow at all. Now we have a government that has subsidized particular crops for specific purposes, such as corn for ethanol. The result? Corn-related food prices have risen. When the government stays out, prices are low. The farmers complained and struggled throughout the late-19th/early-20th century, but would they now? Not likely, as large agribusinesses have taken over much of the production. Those giant businesses would survive without government subsidy, as would all of the non-farming landowners who also receive government money. Nice attempt at an argument, but it doesn’t hold water.

So as you take “your turn” at government money, try not to think about the economy that your leeching spawn will inherit. Pride and intelligence isn’t evidenced by an ability to work the system. The only thing that proves is how lazy those individuals are, how willing to accept government assistance rather than pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

Oh, and just a tip… if you’re going to accuse me of being somehow unintelligent because I don’t take handouts from the government, then please learn how to spell and use proper grammar. When you’re using a reinforcing adverb, it’s “too,” not “to.” So you’ve seen “way too many” people work the system, not “way to many.” And if you can’t afford steak on your food stamp money, maybe you’re not intelligent enough to work the system as well as it can be worked, because I’ve seen way too (to) many people pay for their groceries, including choice cuts of meat, with their EBT card.

By: publius772000

publius772000 — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:24:29 +0000

I always find it enlightening when I am labeled as the angry, bitter one and the person doing the labeling can't make a complete thought without using profanity. Apparently, I'm the angry, bitter, intelligent one.

By: katie

katie — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:21:08 +0000

no one is stealing from you, if people need the help and qualify for it then that is there business and not yours being a single working mother also not receiving child support i am a foodstamp recipient and i do not think that my child or i are thieves the same money that is taken from your pay is taken from mine i do what i can and i am not ashamed and no angry bitter person like yourself is going to make me feel that way some of us are on our own with no family to lean on or no spouse to help us care for our children my rent is always late as long as my bills and i am grateful my daughter at least has a full belly when she lays down at night because thats about all she has why don’t you go kiss your wife and your children and thank god you have what you have of course you deserve the money you earn and its unfair but not every person is a thief for getting help who are you to judge anyone life is unfair asshole so just deal with it stop stomping your feet like a two year old if i didn’t have that my daughter and i would be on the streets its pricks like you that are to busy looking into someone else’s cart that are the first to pass judgment

By: Tony_J

Tony_J — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 08:50:45 +0000

I think to many are missing a very important point.
The snap program is part of the farm bill and darn near every farmer in America uses that farm bill,to,uh,buy new equipt,trucks,toys every single year.Don’t beleive me?,look at what farmers buy every spring.I have a friend that gets this money from the USDA all year long and recently told me he didn’t know what some of the checks were even for,but he sure spent em,and it’s all from the same bag of money that snap comes from.But if farmers didn’t get that money,do you have any idea what groceries would cost?.
What about the billions that has been literally lost fighting wars that our Govt admits they have no idea where it has gone and that’s far more than is spent on snap.
I get snap every month and have for 6 months and prior to that you would have had to drag me to get any kind of help.I was always the hard worker and gave,gave,gave,but then I as a cop became disabled and cops don’t pay into SS as it isn’t required,in fact civil servants are not required to.
But,I did work a part time job as well and worked many years prior to that job and paid in like everyone else but when it came time to get MY MONEY from Social Security,they put me on SSI and still after over a year and repeated requests,they have yet to give me an answer as to where my money is instead of the SSI ( tax money ) I am getting,not one logical answer,none at all.I WANT MY MONEY,that’s all.
So to offset this meager amount,I get snap,a whole 160.00 a month,try living on that sometime but I am glad I get it.
And while it hurt to apply,I got to thinking of all the years I spent supporting other folks and never complained cause that’s just the way things are and I would much rather see it spent on someone in my own country than looted by the Govt for another country or war or any of a number of other wasteful things.
I often wonder about the people that bitch about it,are you jealous cause you qualify but don’t have the nerve to take it?,hell you paid for it.
Are you mad because some so called minority is smarter than you at working the system because I have seen way to many do it?.
Other than those that are disabled that deserve it,,and those that do and always will work the system and there will always be those,most folks are on snap because of what our Govt has done to this country and it’s business base ( IE: China manufacturing ).
If you earned it,go get it because one day you might wish you had that extra food in the pantry if you able to save any each month on no more than it pays.I sure as heck can’t buy steak with what I get.
I worked for it,I earned it and I paid so others could have it,now it’s my turn.