[–] remixedcat 1 point -1 points 0 points (+0|-1) ago
Thing is some ppl have issues with thier tummy's and pop helps. I do and sprite or sierra mist helps greatly with my tummy issues. Don't knock on ppl with tummy issues
[–] RedditIsPropaganda23 4 points -1 points 3 points (+3|-4) ago
Should also exclude beer, wine, tobacco and cigarettes.
[–] Freak_show 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
No food stamp program covers those items
[–] NeedMoarGuitars 0 points 7 points 7 points (+7|-0) ago
I'm unaware of any government assistance program in the US that pays for such goods. But people with food stamps can buy groceries to sell for cash so they can buy booze, cigarettes, etc. Since the food is supposed to be for their kids this should be treated as child abuse. Blows my mind how many destitute people smoke.
[–] Hardgroveway 1 point 0 points 1 point (+1|-1) ago (edited ago)
This is just a PR move. Food stamps don't pay for everything someone needs in a month; they were never designed to. The food stamp program is called SNAP, the S standing for supplemental. This won't stop people from buying whatever they want. They won't buy soda or candy with the food stamps card, but they will end up spending the same amount of money on groceries overall that they would have otherwise. It won't even save the state any money. This in turn makes the stated goal of:
The state said the move could help improve public health, address obesity and contain costs for Medicaid, the government health plan for the poor.
...completely illogical. A real solution would involve taking measures to crack down on fraud, increasing awareness and education about healthy eating, and increasing the availability of healthy food (access to produce, for example). These things cost money though.
I know it is frustrating to see people blowing food stamps on junk, but people that can regularly afford to use their food stamps buying nothing but candy and shit are either A) making a conscious decision to eat junk food in lieu of something more filling, or B) gaming the system and have more food stamps than they should.
Don't buy into this shit because you are frustrated with the government. It's counterproductive.
[–] Humbaba 1 point 0 points 1 point (+1|-1) ago (edited ago)
Wow. Looking at these comments just fucking wow. You people deserve whatever you get. If your leaders sell you down the river for their own personal gain I won't shed one tear, since you would do the exact same thing if you were in their shoes. You all honestly deserve to go to hell.
[–] green_man 3 points 0 points 3 points (+3|-3) ago
Fuck food stamps, this program shouldn't exist. At the very most hand them bags of whatever a dietitian comes up with that has the best cost to nutrition ratio based on their TDEE. Better yet, give them rations of Soylent or something similar based on their TDEE. Don't like it? Get a fucking job.
[–] erietemperance 1 point 2 points 3 points (+3|-1) ago
This is the only rational answer,
We live in a wealthy society, nobody here should go hungry. So we should feed them. We shouldn't just hand out free money, we should feed the hungry.
Put together a weekly pack of food that = ~ 10,000 calories then have people deliver the packages as part of community service. Or better yet, for as long as you receive the food, you are required to deliver the food (after you are off the program).
Right now 1 in 6 people in the US receive SNAP funds, if instead of a debit card full of free money, you got a box of powdered milk, generic hot dogs, and some canned peas every week, I would bet that "magically" a few million people would all of a sudden not need the food anymore.
It would save billions a year.
I personally know / have known at least 30 people who had a "Bridge Card" (Michigan SNAP) and not one of them needed it. Not one. None of them were wealthy, and most of them were slightly down on their luck, but they all could afford some rice, beans, water, pasta, canned food, etc. Not one of them would have starved to death if it weren't for SNAP. And I would bet my nuts that none of them would have taken the powdered milk / hot dog box if it were offered.
A safety net should be exactly that, a safety net, or something there to save you when you are going to die. Not something that everyone just "gets".
If you haven't been to a soup kitchen, or a food pantry, then you are not remotely close enough to death to require a "safety net"
[–] Jonsnew 2 points -2 points 0 points (+0|-2) ago
How dare you buy a snickers!