They give them atm-looking cards to avoid embarrassment. They renamed the program "Cal Fresh". http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/24/local/la-me-food-stamps-20101024 Why the fuck do they want MORE people on this shit? And if you use them, you should feel bad for using the program.
I personally hate how the program is run. I dont think it should be used for crap like Soda, and Candy and Doritos etc. There are families that need the help to ofset some food costs so I dont necessarily think that a family who actually needs the help should feel bad.
Actually ATM type cards is a much cheaper way to administer benefits. The card has the funds every month. No need to print and mail food stamps. Also it prevents fraud such as counterfeit food stamps and prevents people from trading them for drugs or other things such as non food items.
They shouldn't have to stay on the program for extended periods of time. I think they should be replaced by ration packets or something like that. Gubment cheese needs to come back.
Alright, so I work in the grocery biz...people sell their food stamps EVERYDAY for drug money. It's as simple as walking around outside or inside a store and saying "Hey, I'll give you $100 of groceries for $50 cash". I've seen it happen many times. It's hard to prove and in the end the store isn't losing money. Easiest way to figure it out, btw...It's usually some junkie white dude with someone he would never be with unless it was this circumstance.
I guess it depends on why they are on it for extended periods of time. I have some families on my caseload where both parents are working full time, but get minimum wage, and have 4 kids and rent to pay. vs the person who has no job and isnt looking for a job etc. the WIC program has it right IMO where they give vouchers. I.E. 4 vouchers for milk, 3 vouchers for Eggs... etc. It would alleviate all the junk that is bought. And also alleviate the EBT card being sold for drugs like mentioned above.
I don't mind it to help people in the short term, but having people rely on the program is kind of wack.
I agree with you to a certain extent on the junk food comment, but you should be allowed to enjoy yourself and have a treat every once and a while. The vast majority of people do spend their stamps on wholesome foods like veggies, meats and whole grains.
No. If they want to enjoy themselves, they should spend their own money, not the government assistance program meant for them to "get by".
Never said it was perfect or right. I was responding to eP's post about ATM cards which I was meaning seems to me to be a much more efficient way to administer benefits then food stamps.
as harsh as the way Presidente put his response, but its kinda how I feel. The food stamp program was recently federally renamed to the "SUPPLEMENTAL nutritional assistance program" I all capped supplemental because its a program to supplement your income. When I looked up supplement out of curiousity (to pin down an exact well worded defenition) I read this "a quantity added (e.g. to make up for a deficiency)" To make up for a deficiency for a way to pay for food. Its not(shouldnt be) a program to help someones deficiency for sustaining their sweet tooth. Now I know its apples to oranges etc.. but for example I thouroughly enjoy Disneyland and Amusement Parks, and we go about once a year. But if I couldnt afford to go do something that I enjoy a lot, but is not a necessity, I dont think that there should be help given to me for that. I would expect that I pay for it out of my disposable extra income. And if I didnt have the extra disposable income then I wouldnt be able to go.
You'll be happy to know that energy drinks and coffee(starbucks) have been eliminated from the food stamp program Btw, their is also a cash card that allows you to purchase anything with your food card. I have no clue how people qualify for it, however.
I was very happy when I heard about this the Cash program is put on the same EBT card. Its called TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) its a program for very low income households with Children. For those who only have money to ofset their need to pay for shelter and utilities basically. i.e. The income limit for a household of 4 Can make no more than $795 of earned income to qualify for that program. Most If they do meet income standards then they have to go through a Job Search plan with local agencies, depending on circumstances (childcare, etc) which usually amounts to 20-30 hours a week of working with said local agencies. Its meant to ofset costs for necessities like Toilet Paper, To pay for Utilities if the cost is higher than their income, etc.
what's funny about that is you could simply visit you local grocery store and empty all $500 off your card.
People who waste their cash benefits on that are screwed in the long run basically, because then when it comes time to pay rent or utilities or whatever then they have nowhere to turn to for help. They call their social worker and then the worker wonders where the money goes. Since it has to be a family with children, if they were homeless and evicted, then Child Welfare starts looking to get involved etc.
Not saying ANY dollars from the program should go to strip clubs, but are you really using 12k over 3 years as evidence of widespread misuse? To me it seems like a handful of people, not thousands or millions, realized an oversight and exploited it.
Nice generalizations in this thread. There are a lot of folks who live off of said benefits because they are disabled. They already have enough shit in their life to deal with. While I agree that some folks shouldn't be on them, it doesn't really matter. Wherever you go in life there are jackasses who try to ride for free or take advantage of situations. It doesn't make the people who are using them legitimately any sort of loser who deserves stigma. It also doesn't mean that because they are using them, they should be harder to use. If anything, making the system electronic makes the system more accountable for where those funds are going, and allows the government to make adjustments in their legislation to get rid of things such as using the cards at a strip bar.
