Comments on: The Recession, Foodstamps and Politics

By: Mia

Mia — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 02:08:06 +0000

They are not “illegal aliens”. call ‘em right. they is slaves. if y’ can’t have the human decency to feed folks that Can’t find a job that pays enough to live on… well, them slaves carry tuberculosis, I hear. And that stuff’s catchin’. So do your own tush a favor, and help out the sufferin’ downtrodden masses, yearnin’ ta live free.

Because they’re still huddled, here on this shore.

By: brandie

brandie — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:53:15 +0000

My family of 5 is on food stamps, and we get $280/month. I’m self-employed and couldn’t work for 8 weeks when I had my baby, so we qualified financially. Had I not gotten pregnant with my 3rd child, we wouldn’t have qualified -our income would have been too high to qualify with 4 family members. Because I wasn’t working due to the pregnancy, we had to go on food stamps. I definately didn’t get pregnant just to qualify(a favorite right winger myth) I lost a lot of income due to having a 3rd child! Would the Republicans prefer me to have an abortion so we wouldn’t have to use tax payers money? What’s the worse sin to them? Anyway… I had to supply the DHS office with copies of everyone’s SS card, which I don’t believe you can get a SS# if you are an illegal immigrant, and copies of our drivers’ licenses. Two of my children also qualify for WIC, (I am nursing a newborn, so we get extra food instead of formula). Yet we pay taxes, too. In fact,we owe the state of Oregon income tax for 2008 because our earnings were higher last year due to bonuses my husband made that we won’t be getting this year. I find the whole thing pretty ironic. I used to have lots of preconceived notions about what type of people use food stamps and other government aid. Not anymore!

By: Patti

Patti — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:57:03 +0000

Not wanting to make sure a populace is at least minimally fed is the sign of a sick culture. We just have to look at North Korea to see the results of starving a country’s children.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:27:04 +0000

Preach on, Roxanne.

Thank you for your comments.

By: Roxanne

Roxanne — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:49:53 +0000

This whole discussion just illustrates the fact that the average Joe Schmoe doesn’t know diddly about social services and the food stamp program.

A few things to remember:

1. You can not use a food stamp card to buy cigarettes, alcohol, or even medicines.

2. Not every person who receives benefits gets the same amount. The amount you receive is calculated based on your age, your income, how many dependents you have, and where you live. The food stamp program is far from equal. There is a lot of disparity in the allotment of benefits. It’s also not easy to get enrolled in the program–simply because there’s not enough money to go around. I don’t know why a lot of people think that illegal aliens get food stamps. That is far from the truth. If you cannot verify residency and provide a valid SS Card, you cannot get enrolled.

Maybe this false assumption stems from the fact that many people equate Foreign Language with being illegal. Know what? Pull your head out of your ass and wake up.

3. The food stamp card cannot be used to buy toiletries, laundry soap, toilet paper, diapers, or anything else that is sales taxed at the grocery store. For this reason, the card cannot be used at luxury food boutiques (ex: bakeries, cheese shops, special charcuterie shops, etc.) because these items are taxed; and most of the time, these shops do not accept food stamp cards anyway. (If you want to own a shop that accepts food stamps there is a ton of governmental paperwork you have to fill out and you are then subject to some pretty strict federal oversights).

I fail to see how the food stamp program, and beefing it up in the stimulus package, is such a burden to American taxpayers. Seriously? Are you that selfish? This is why the government has to force you to cough up the money in your taxes, because you don’t give a damn, and you certainly wouldn’t voluntarily give up your money so someone less fortunate can eat.