tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post4715305082876160974..comments2023-08-20T07:06:14.115-04:00Comments on Thurber's Thoughts: Bogus 'food stamp challege' is back - with a twistMaggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-16399764096721355532008-12-04T09:01:00.000-05:002008-12-04T09:01:00.000-05:00You all raise very good points, but you stereo typ...You all raise very good points, but you stereo type too much!There are people out there who DO need more assistance. I am a young mother of a 1 year old, my husband and I both work low paying jobs, and are both struggling to finish college. We receive food stamps, but it is not enough. We do not buy name brand, or junk, and we usually buy what ever meat is on clearance, just to make ends meet. We each have roughly a 130 mile round trip 3 days a week to college and back, and if you add in rent, utilities, diapers, wipes, personal hygiene items, gas to get to school and work, and laundry money, we are always short somewhere. I do know there are a vast number of lazy people who don't work and get large amounts of assistance, and I think that needs to change.I think that food stamps are a large factor in our nations obesity issue, more so than Mc D's or Burger King!I know that if you do not have a job,or a low paying job,you can get food stamps until you gain employment and/or you receive enough pay to be over the income limit.But this policy has no time limit, therefore you end up with free loaders who do nothing to put food on the table other than fill out the forms every 6 months and mail them back! I would not object to controlled spending, since I do not abuse the privilege of state assistance. There should be a better criteria for recipients. Also there should be a time limit. I know when my husband and I are done with college we will not need food stamps any more, but I know I am one of a small majority of people on welfare. This needs to change. There are too many parasitic people living off of government charity.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17319562639677203352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-9302571160227265732008-11-25T08:38:00.000-05:002008-11-25T08:38:00.000-05:00IMO - part of the problem is that people, by and l...IMO - part of the problem is that people, by and large, are lazy.<BR/><BR/>If one is willing to actually by the ingredients for a recipe, they can wind up making many more dishes other than that single recipe. Hence the expense of a particular meal is actually spread over several meals.<BR/><BR/>With the advent of prepared foods, pre packaged meals (just add chicken/beef, etc!) and all the ads that promote "quick and easy" preparation ... we have become lazy. Pure and simple.<BR/><BR/>A large bag of noodles (approx. $1.20) when combined with a meat, a can of vegetables, and a can of some kind of soup as the gravy (casserole style) can easily feed a family of 4 for 2 meals. Total cost --- around $3.00. That's around $.75 per person/per meal. You can't do that at McDonald's or BK.<BR/><BR/>But that takes a little planning and preparation.<BR/><BR/>Makes me wonder ... is Home Economics even offered in schools anymore? Hmmmmm<BR/><BR/>Once upon a time, long ago, I had to learn how to cook everything I ate in an electric wok. Necessity certainly became the mother of invention. But we are no longer prompted to be creative and innovative since all we have to do is fill out a form and wait for a card to come in the mail.<BR/><BR/>Not long ago I was in a Kroger - behind a food stamp user - and they were buying frozen crab cakes, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, and lots of other branded items. Made me wonder, and consider, that if they were not so 'brand conscious' that their dollars would have gone so much further.Casmihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12075227007374933835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-92033357512056444182008-11-24T18:36:00.000-05:002008-11-24T18:36:00.000-05:00Amount of $$ food stamp recipients get to suppleme...Amount of $$ food stamp recipients get to supplement their purchases: $23<BR/><BR/>Amount of media coverage of politicians and reporters taking bogus challenge: 100s<BR/><BR/>Tim's comment: PRICELESS!Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-1454586174800964962008-11-24T18:26:00.000-05:002008-11-24T18:26:00.000-05:00Maggie,If our politicians and local do-gooders wou...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>If our politicians and local do-gooders would like a real challenge, perhaps they would accept this one:<BR/><BR/>Pick a subject, any subject, and discuss it rationally for a week; without bringing in the concept of compassion, suffering a reduction of lifestyle, or class envy.<BR/><BR/>My feeling is that few of them would survive on a strict week long diet of logic and reason.Timothy W Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17118861693269565715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-89843428951034537012008-11-24T14:10:00.000-05:002008-11-24T14:10:00.000-05:00If you really want to help people who need such he...<I>If you really want to help people who need such help - do so. With your own funds or time or talents that you have.</I><BR/><BR/>Why is the voice of reason ignored more often than not? Lower taxes, and allow people to support charity as they see fit.<BR/><BR/>I vividly remember a time when I had less than twenty dollars and managed to buy groceries.Mad Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06190137186843630543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-84946046578875458702008-11-24T13:48:00.000-05:002008-11-24T13:48:00.000-05:00Had to look for it, here's the one I wrote based o...Had to look for it, here's the one I wrote based on the challenge that appeared in The Lutheran.<BR/><BR/>http://churchacronym.blogspot.com/2008/10/taking-food-stamp-challenge-it-was-bit.htmlNormahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11502895616873273470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-46420278503688271912008-11-24T13:44:00.000-05:002008-11-24T13:44:00.000-05:00I've also written on this topic, and I challenge a...I've also written on this topic, and I challenge anyone to go to the USDA site and look at the ridiculous grants. Food Stamps (SNAP) were never about replacing a food budget, but about supplementing. Plus, the Thrifty Plan on which it is based, is not at all difficult. There is so much waste in these USDA programs it is pitiful. They even have housing programs.Normahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11502895616873273470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-33436499913489628142008-11-24T13:08:00.000-05:002008-11-24T13:08:00.000-05:00I thought about doing this last year and then I re...I thought about doing this last year and then I remembered that I already did this once. <BR/><BR/>Only we called it college.gordon gekkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01225518630957083300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-26845327907588259672008-11-24T13:06:00.000-05:002008-11-24T13:06:00.000-05:00Excellent point about what food stamps won't cover...Excellent point about what food stamps won't cover...never thought about such essentials as toilet paper, toothpaste, paper towels, etc...Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-80628557544115667392008-11-24T12:58:00.000-05:002008-11-24T12:58:00.000-05:00good article, maggie. I really think it would be ...good article, maggie. I really think it would be good if gov't did limit pop bought with stamps. My friend on foodstamps would blow theirs on junk food --like a little kid herself. I sort of think if you want gov't freebies, you buy gov't control. <BR/><BR/>I've also noted they can't buy toilet paper and toothpaste with foodstamps --which are considered groceries. Food baskets for the poor do well to remember what the food stamps cannot buy that people do need.Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05016832868807957194noreply@blogger.com