food stamps

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Don't you guys know that Junk food in this country is cheaper? If someone on food stamps only had $150 to feed four people. They will load up on the cheap [censored] like ramen noodles, chef boyardee, and 85 cent tv dinners. All fatening foods.


Sad isn't it? This is totally true.

Originally Posted By: labman
Originally Posted By: CivicFan
Originally Posted By: labman
Anybody reading the minimum wage thread? What are the people their employer don't find worth $7.25/hr going to eat now?


What do you mean?


When the minimum goes up, some employers will eliminate jobs. The former workers still will need to eat somehow.


Ever notice how most people working for minimum wage is full time illegal alien workers?


Originally Posted By: tenderloin
smokey1 For me it is not people in need, but the non needy people "gettin their benefits" for a long time.

Here in Southern California we have people waiting 5 years or more to get on what was once called section 8 housing. Now many of these are healthy, mentally sound (except lazy) people. 5 years is plenty of time for most to get additional education, training etc. to better their lot in life and financial situation..heck some is even paid for by the state as is baby sitting and travel reimbursement. But NOOOO.....

Also many states have two years welfare. In California that is extended out to 5 years....sometimes even more...PLUS even if the parent(s) are cut off because of time or other reasons, CalWorks pays the children until they are 18 years of age! Now you know minors cannot get checks, so who really gets paid? Of course, the parent(s)

Now if one spreads out 4 or 5 children a parent could draw CalWorks(welfare)payments for well over 20 years...which many do.


You are absolutely correct. The abuse of buying a few junk food rather than vegetables and raw food to be cook isn't that big of a deal compare to those work a cash only job and stay on welfare (my family knows a few of these), and even worse a couple who try to rent our apartment with Section 8 that only the wife work only saturday and sunday? This is clearly a 2nd job that is legal when the first 2 are under the table cash only job while frauding the system.



The problem IMO is the enforcement and punishment when abuse happens.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I think they should have "state stores" where needy people can drop in and get a large amount of basic food provisions. US Govt labeled so it won't get resold. That should cut costs in half and give people who are needy and motivated plenty of basic food, not tiny portions of plastic wrapped junk food...that would be "greener", right?

 

[Gary Allan]

I'd say you need to balance your view, smokey. There will never be a shortage of sad stories. The line just gets longer. For every "what else are you gonna do" sad story, there's many "if you give a dog a bone every time it rolls over ..it will roll over every time it wants a bone" type. It's very hard to separate the lower grade wheat from the chaff in terms of need.

The welfare state was created by gray haired people of distinction, influence, and power. It was designed to pacify and keep mainstream America "tidy". It had no intentions of ending poverty ..but rather maintaining it separate from "the rest of us". It naturally had unintended consequences.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
I think they should have "state stores" where needy people can drop in and get a large amount of basic food provisions. US Govt labeled so it won't get resold. That should cut costs in half and give people who are needy and motivated plenty of basic food, not tiny portions of plastic wrapped junk food...that would be "greener", right?


In theory it would be great because they can hire those unemployed so that wouldn't be unemployed. However, the almighty lobbyists of unions, private sectors businesses, small government citizen advocates, and "just as much right to shop at a high society luxury store rather than a segregation in disguise store" defenders would pretty much kill it before anything happens.

There is a large group of well off people from both rich and poor, left and right, feeding off the welfare program indirectly, that have 100% of their interest in keeping a lower class relying on the welfare rather than moving them out of welfare.

 

[smokey1]

but it's o.k. for the HALLIBURTONS , car manufacturers , financial companies ( banks , etc. ) to get bailouts or make profit on wars for the money moguls ? Then the little guy gets the raw end of the deal by getting laid off , hours cut , less / no insurance so the moguls can have their yahts . This is the price you pay in a tax payers paradise . The division between poor and wealthy gets wider . Yes , the system needs changes so it's not as vulnerable to fraud and items of no nutritional value . They're are those who have 10,000s of thousands of dollars in their accounts and get healthcare for their family from the state . It's full of loopholes , like so many government programs . The political postions held ( or retired ) from local , county , state and D.C. get health benefits until the day they ( including family ) leave this earth at tax payers expense . It's not a perfect system , but it tries to help its occupants . Unlike other nations .

 

[smokey1]

if you removed all the assistance you'd most likely see a spike in social unrest ( crime , etc. ) . Desperation only makes for poor decisions . The system helps to keep things in check .

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: smokey1
if you removed all the assistance you'd most likely see a spike in social unrest ( crime , etc. ) . Desperation only makes for poor decisions . The system helps to keep things in check .


Most of the people who support the lowering of welfare will not see the social unrest, because that won't happen in their neighborhood or to the people they know.

Now if you remove their bailout that artificially supported their salary, 401k investment, pension, or let the nation's gas price goes up so they lost their "right" to an SUV that they entitle to........

 

[smokey1]

.

 

[smokey1]

with politicians that disappear hiking the APPALACHIAN TRAIL on taxpayers $ / time and crooked corporations being bailed out doesn't help . Many get the " if they can do it , I can do it mentality " to abuse the system . So , it's at all levels .

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: tenderloin
smokey1 For me it is not people in need, but the non needy people "gettin their benefits" for a long time.

Here in Southern California we have people waiting 5 years or more to get on what was once called section 8 housing.



Here in N. California, people on section 8 can use their rent money to BUY a house and the Government will fork over another 50% of the cost. After 30 years the house is theirs and you paid for it! What a deal.


Ahh the good old days.

Quote:
I heard the city has homes for $1. Is this true?

No. Many years ago, the City of Oakland did have a program that offered houses for $1 as part of an initiative from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but this program was discontinued in 1980.

 

[Shannow]

especially considering that economists have an "optimum" level of unemployment that isn't zero.

5% of people will lose regardless of their efforts and willingness.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Loobed
Here in N. California, people on section 8 can use their rent money to BUY a house and the Government will fork over another 50% of the cost. After 30 years the house is theirs and you paid for it! What a deal.


Ahh the good old days.

Quote:
I heard the city has homes for $1. Is this true?

No. Many years ago, the City of Oakland did have a program that offered houses for $1 as part of an initiative from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but this program was discontinued in 1980.




You means back in the days right? I don't see that around at the moment and given the near bankrupt state budget, any loop hole will for sure end. Happy now?

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
especially considering that economists have an "optimum" level of unemployment that isn't zero.

5% of people will lose regardless of their efforts and willingness.


Those 5% are supposed to be "in flux" ..sorta like how it works with the various power pools. As you lay off people on one end of Oz ...on the other end of the BIG COUNTRY, someone is going to hire their share of the unemployed.

It's like magic.

 

[moribundman]

I'm surprised at how this thread keeps going without any contributions from Tempest.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: Loobed
Here in N. California, people on section 8 can use their rent money to BUY a house and the Government will fork over another 50% of the cost. After 30 years the house is theirs and you paid for it! What a deal.




You means back in the days right? I don't see that around at the moment and given the near bankrupt state budget, any loop hole will for sure end. Happy now?


That was last year. Around April 2008. I don't know if its still happening. The Oakland Section 8 site is down at the moment. I will check later.

 

[eljefino]

In a counterintuitive move, let's say you "fight" for five years for section 8 and you get a job offer hundreds of miles away, but you're not sure if it'll pan out... you stay put, because of the time invested.

If we actually had no waiting list, there wouldn't be a worry.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
I'm surprised at how this thread keeps going without any contributions from Tempest.

He's either dead or banned.

 

[oilyriser]

They should give out food stamps according to BMI.

 

[Julian]

...

 

[Julian]

(That was a "nevermind", not a "no comment"

)