1 in 8 US families - 1 in 4 US children - now using food stamps.

[240 is Back]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/us/29foodstamps.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=igw

More than 36 million people use inconspicuous plastic cards for staples like milk, bread and cheese, swiping them at counters in blighted cities and in suburbs pocked with foreclosure signs.

Virtually all have incomes near or below the federal poverty line, but their eclectic ranks testify to the range of people struggling with basic needs. They include single mothers and married couples, the newly jobless and the chronically poor, longtime recipients of welfare checks and workers whose reduced hours or slender wages leave pantries bare.

[Bindare_Dundat]

When you think of  all the money that's been flushed down the toilet, this number is absolutely obscene.

[Soul Crusher]

When you think of  all the money that's been flushed down the toilet, this number is absolutely obscene.

This is just more wealth redistribution from the productive to others. 

[240 is Back]

I think both parties are about wealth distribution from now on.

1/2 the money goes to the banks, etc.
1/2 the money goes to your base voters.

For obama, those base voters are poor folks on welfare or food stamps.  For Bush, it was the $100k+ earners that got the hookup.

[SAMSON123]

This is just more wealth redistribution from the productive to others. 

Yes 3 because nothing is going wrong in america to cause this. There are no manufacturing layoffs, plant closings, foreclosures from being scammed, company collapses, financial ruin of the whole of america.... Nuh Uh 3...Everything in america is fine. These millions of people just love the embarrassing situation of having to go to their welfare departments to be interrogated, analyzed, questioned and belittled for what probably is no more than a couple hundred dollars per month. You sound like the many I have talked about on this board who are in denial about what is happening in america..will your attitude change when YOU ARE THE ONE ONE ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE? I guarantee you the new comers to that system would have NEVER EVER thought they would one day find themselves as a recipient.

[Soul Crusher]

Yes 3 because nothing is going wrong in america to cause this. There are no manufacturing layoffs, plant closings, foreclosures from being scammed, company collapses, financial ruin of the whole of america.... Nuh Uh 3...Everything in america is fine. These millions of people just love the embarrassing situation of having to go to their welfare departments to be interrogated, analyzed, questioned and belittled for what probably is no more than a couple hundred dollars per month. You sound like the many I have talked about on this board who are in denial about what is happening in america..will your attitude change when YOU ARE THE ONE ONE ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE? I guarantee you the new comers to that system would have NEVER EVER thought they would one day find themselves as a recipient.

The govt wants people on social assistance.  The more the better.  If people were really starving, you know what?  Some politicians and companies who are closing these plants to ship the jobs to china might have 500 angry pitbulls at their doorsteps demnanding real change, not token crumbs to placate peoples' immediate needs. 

The govt loves dependent people.  They are easily swayed, controlled, and will always go along with everything so long as the handouts continue.

I dont want to see people go hungry, but that is not the issue.  The issue is why are people going hungry and why is this mess getting worse?  Its getting wrse because the govt is creating a terrible business cloimate where companies no longer want to make anything here due to a variety of reasons. 

So, sure I sound harsh, but what concerns me are the conditions creating our situation, not the symptoms.   

[240 is Back]

more dependent people vote dem, let's be honest.

[Straw Man]

I know more than 8 families and none of them use food stamps

just saying

[Hedgehog]

more dependent people vote dem, let's be honest.

Voting turn out in poor families are much lower, lets be honest.

[Coach is Back!]

Ok, ya think for one minute those are not going to be the people that will vote for Obamas health care instead of busting ass for their families. These are the people that Obama wants, the lazy, unmotivated and users of the system.

[240 is Back]

"Voting turn out in poor families are much lower, lets be honest."


A lot of them turned out to vote Obama in 08.

And in 2012, a lot of poor folks will be saying "sheeeit, that Repub candidate says he's gonna cut my handouts..."

So they'll show up.  Plus, if healthcare passes, the Repub will HAVE TO SUPPORT IT.

[Coach is Back!]

The handouts should be cut. Get these lazy freaking people off their asses.

[Hedgehog]

The handouts should be cut. Get these lazy freaking people off their asses.

If you look at Zimbabwe, a country with no 'handouts', they still have a monstrous unemployment.
So Joe. Answer this question please.
How will cutting down the social safety net make things better? It obviously isn't doing it in Zimbabwe.

[Coach is Back!]

Your trying to compare apples and oranges, you forget that people migrate HERE for a better life, to prosper, Obama wants to take th( away. I'm surprised at you Zach, your smarter than that.

[Hedgehog]

Your trying to compare apples and oranges, you forget that people migrate HERE for a better life, to prosper, Obama wants to take th( away. I'm surprised at you Zach, your smarter than that.

Obviously not.
How is getting rid of 'hand outs' going to make things better when it's even worse in countries that don't offer 'handouts'?

Are you saying that you want to open the borders more btw?

[Bindare_Dundat]

[Straw Man]

The handouts should be cut. Get these lazy freaking people off their asses.

a christian against food stamps

interesting

[Soul Crusher]

a christian against food stamps

interesting

Food Stamps are easily abused, traded for liquor and cigarettes, etc.  Why dont we at least mandate that these people, the ones that are not working, at least put in 20-40 hours a week in order to collect these "benefits"?  Let then clean roads, paint guard rails, anything.     

Its amazing that the left is always focused on giving away the store to these people and complaining about "evil corporations" and "greedy businesses", yet at the same time creating the very climate where people need food stamps in the first place.

The left loves dependent poor people who are desperate for handouts.  They never talk about improving the economic climate so that these people can get real jobs, just giving away more free crap and creating more dependency.

Its all about elections Straw.   

     

[240 is Back]

HELL YES.

If you get food stamps, your ass needs to take random or weekly tests for drugs AND ALCOHOL.

if you don't like it, don't take the free money.  I would happily steer clear of my occasional glass of wine if it meant I got $400 a month in free food!

[Soul Crusher]

HELL YES.

If you get food stamps, your ass needs to take random or weekly tests for drugs AND ALCOHOL.

if you don't like it, don't take the free money.  I would happily steer clear of my occasional glass of wine if it meant I got $400 a month in free food!

In NYS, people on welfare, when you add in all the benes, handouts, giveaways, etc, is something like 37k a year per family. 

Why work? 

[MCWAY]

a christian against food stamps

interesting

Based on what? Last time I checked, a certain verse in Scripture stated that "if any would not work, neither should he eat".

[Straw Man]

Based on what? Last time I checked, a certain verse in Scripture stated that "if any would not work, neither should he eat".

so you're another Christian who advocates not helping the poor or hungry.

Didn't Jesus say something about selling all your posessions and giving to the poor. Wasn't he pretty much all about helping the least among us.  Don't churches all over the country feed the poor and homeless.  Don't christians travel all over the planet pretty much doing the same thing?

Ya think Jesus would really be against Food Stamps (yeah 333 - I know it's abused just like pretty much everything else)

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

It's pretty obvious that Jesus wouldn't give a shit about feeding the poor or taking care of the sick either:

Matthew 25:31-46 (King James Version)

 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

[Soul Crusher]

Straw - you help these people, the ones who are not working, by giving them something to, whether it is painting walls, whatever. 

[Straw Man]

Straw - you help these people, the ones who are not working, by giving them something to, whether it is painting walls, whatever. 

what if they already have a job or 2 or 3 and still can't feed their family

[Soul Crusher]

what if they already have a job or 2 or 3 and still can't feed their family

I dont have as much an issue with that.  The only real problem is really foguiring out what their needs are.  Do these people have cable tv?  Cell phones, cars?