Should food stamps be abolished?
486878
We need programs for the poor.  But we need to ask ourselves if the Food Stamp program is the best way to do that?\n\nHow much of our tax dollars go into the food stamp program?  \n$27.5 billion from Federal Tax \n$6 billion in admin. costs paid by the states\n$33.5 billion Total spent\n\nHow much actually makes it to people as food stamps?\n$21.5 billion in payouts.  \n\nThat means only 67 cents of every government dollar goes to help the people.\n\nThe LOWEST graded food bank type charity managed to get 87 cents of every dollar to the people.  \n\nAnd the food stamp program doesn't have to do any fundraising like charities do! \n\nSomeone gets laid off, it takes months to start getting food stamps.  Food banks would be able to address the need quickly.\n\nMany people sell their food stamps for cash, 50cents on the dollar.  It would be harder to do that with a can of green beans.\n\nMany people use food stamps to buy junk food.  Food banks would be able to limit that.\n\nJust because something needs to be done, doesn't mean the government should be the one to do it.  They usually manage to mess it all up.
539074
Yes, they should either be attending college or a trade school, or showing up at some type of job to be able to collect their welfare. It would eliminate welfare fraud, because one person couldn't show up at 2 or more jobs at the same time. Right now there are so many of them collecting 2 or more welfare checks, because there is no good way to control the problem. Having to show up for a class or a job would put an end to this type of fraud. It would also discourage them from remaining on welfare for very long. Right now we make it so easy for them to sit on their butts all day and collect money for doing nothing but being a drain on this country and all of the taxpayers. If they had to actually work for the small amount they receive in welfare, they would quickly decide to try and get a better paying job. I think there should be a stricter time limit for welfare recipients and also stricter rules regarding how many children they can collect for on welfare. I also think that the amount of money they receive should be reduced if there is a male living in the household. My husband delivers mail (he is 53 years old and has worked as a mail carrier for over 35 years) and he sees young, healthy males sitting on their lazy butts, giving him a hard time because they wanted the welfare check delivered earlier that their girlfriend receives. We are helping to support these lazy jerks and I think we need to put a stop to it right away. If the female that is receiving welfare wants a male to live with her, than he needs to have a job and help support her and her children. \n\nS.S.
909172
CLEARLY, IF YOU CAN AFFORD A COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS, THEN YOU CAN AFFORD TO BUY YOUR OWN DAMN FOOD. FOOD STAMPS ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRULY IN NEED. STOP STEALING FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND GET A  JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1143683
Yes it was President Clinton who abolished it in 1996. It was replaced by TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). The programs are essentially the same, but TANF has stricter restrictions, such as a five year limit on receiving aid.
561570
This is a horrible idea. First of all, the government doesn't "give" anything to anyone, taxpayers do. So, for each of you who think this is great, go tell your neighbor, parents, or friends that you'll be taking $100 away from them every month to give to some kid whose parents should be taking care of him anyway. \n\nIf this is some welfare experiment, it is sure to backfire and it will only help those who refuse to help themselves. If you can't afford to have kids, there is a very simple solution... DON'T.
263425
Well, there is no such thing as a utopia, thus, it's only stating facts that we would have homeless people.  Besides, our society has an economic class system (ever heard of the term middleclass?)  It's good that the government spends money trying to promote .... whatever they are trying to and has obviously failed, at least at the moment.  \n   However, I don't think they should just stop the fundings altogether, but instead they should cut down on those and take care of our national deficit and debts first.  Or, even better, build a better healthcare system ... \n   Now, wouldn't that be grand?
1148712
yes good idea let all boycott american companies who buy goods from canada to stay in buisness and bring us foods at a price most of us can afford. that way the overall price of seafood can go up among other things thereby raising the cost of living for american citizens while at the same time inflicting major damages on an entire industry and pushing hard working american citizens  out of jobs while were at it we should boycott all the cattle ranchers in the world for killing calfs for veal  and chicken farmers for selling eggs. come to think of it we should all just become vegetarians and lock up everybody who thinks different. this way the animals can roam free. the end
1187477
Nope, the points of argument are all yours. Do you have a possible solution? Maybe putting some Americans who have lived for generations on welfare to work doing the jobs the illegals came for.? \n\nI say just wait, the next great depression is coming and the situation will resolve itself. No work is too hard or dirty when your family is starving.
882229
WE JUST NEED TO CUT OUT ALL GOVERNMENT FUNDED PROGRAMS, AND MAKE PEOPLE START WORKING FOR THEIR MONEY, INSURANCE, AND FOOD.  I HAVE TO WORK EVERYDAY, MY PARENTS STILL DO, MY GRANDPARENTS DID.  WE ARE AVERAGE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY AND I THINK ITS UNFAIR THAT WE HAVE HAD TO WORK HARD OUR ENTIRE LIVES AND HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING FOR FREE. WHERE AS MEXICANS AND ANYONE ELSE ON WELFARE, MEDICAID, FOOD STAMPS, WIC ETC. DO NOTHING!!!  CUT IT ALL OUT EXCEPT GIVE IT TO THE ELDERLY AND HANDICAPPED AND THE PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED.  PEOPLE ARE TOO DAMN LAZY NOW A DAYS, IF YOU CAN GET SOMETHING FOR FREE WOULD YOU WORK??
189454
Yep, but it will never happen until people stop getting a check because of their own poor life choices. Unfortunately all of societies parasites can vote, and since they don't have jobs, they have all the time they need  to make it to the voting booths. So, until society starts making welfare recipients feel like the failures they are again, expect higher taxes.
944003
Of course not. How could that be possible? our government wouldn't do that to us would they? Now to research this question I called the government and asked them. They said no. They also said we don't have an illegal alien problem. Oh sure maybe a few, 20 million tops, undocumented workers but not an illegal alien invasion. You trust the government to do what is in your best interest don't you? Here check this out:\nhttp://www.jonesreport.com/articles/131006_food_stamp.html\n\nThey advertise on KAMERICAN to inform you of these great giveaway programs don't they?\nRead far enough and you find this;\n\nIn 2004, Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and the Mexican Embassy agreed to jointly disseminate brochures and create the public service announcements.\n\nThe agreement led Mexican Consul Luis Miguel Ortiz Haro to tout the food stamp program on Univision's KMEX Channel 34 six weeks ago.\n"This program is not welfare. It won't affect your immigration status," Ortiz Haro said on television.\n\n"The program is a right, and if we don't use it, it's a privilege that will pass you by."\n\nDo I believe illegals are the recipient of services bought and paid for by American Citizens....you bet I do.
209871
I would get rid of the current tax system.  The government taxes differently according to income; so, not only do people on welfare get MY tax money, they also, don't have to pay the percentage of taxes that I do, if any at all.  I would also change the welfare system.  The current system is ridiculous; it encourages people to get pregnant and shoot out as many kids as they can, so they can get more money.  People on welfare should get NO MORE than what they would make at a minimum wage job, because, hey, they're not working for it.  Also, they should only be eligible for a certain about of time, say, 1 year, to give them time to get back on their feet.  Then say, they shouldn't be eligible for another 3-5 years after that.  Some people get a four year degree from a college and make less that what people are getting off welfare.  Does that not bother anyone else???\n\nNo! I would not end the war.  I think it's necessary for the safety of democracy.
752605
No, why should they..\nif people cant control them selfs with what they eat, and they get fat..\nthen the fatness is there punishment!\nthere is not need to remove fast food from a school campus! =]
801486
Nice! \nDemocrats all the way baby!!!\n\nRe: Mei-Lin...You have no knowledge of assistance programs if you are going to make the claim that people that receive assistance simply are refusing to work. Taxes fund lots of programs such as social security and Medicare--do you want to take that assistance away from your grandparents? If not why then are so programs people deserving of and others they are not according to you? Are you aware that the large majority of people seeking welfare do not actually get it? In 1996 the nation had a major welfare reform. Welfare is no longer an entitlement program. If people seek welfare and they are able to work they typically receive no cash assistance. These programs are not easily accessable. So, that FAMILY may go without food or housing or heat until that parent can find a job. Is that ok with you? Do you want children going hungry? And, the majority of people receiving welfare are on it short-term, an average of 1-3 years. Also, people receiving welfare overwhelmingly have major life problems. A large percentage of recepients have a history of domestic violence, learning disabilities, mental illnesses...and the list goes on. Thus, these are not parents refusing to work these are parents with significant barriers to healthy life functioning, which includes maintaining employment. There will always be people that need help in any society and if those people do not recieve adequate help it will negatively effect the society. \nSecondly, in your republican mantra you stated that people should get their money back because they work hard. Question...city services among many other things need to be funded do you understand that that requires taxing people? It always seems that conservatives fail to see that taxing is necessary to provide citizens adequate services. You get something in return for the money you pay.
773686
Welfare is for losers. I'd rather starve.\n\nWith Granholm re-elected and the Dems in majority, I might get the opportunity to do just that!
1002208
Yes.  More Government Food Stamps.  :)
48150
Laziness, too much welfare and food stamps given out and too much junk food.