I agree. If you require a handout to make it through tough times, I don't see any reason that handout shouldn't come with restrictions that it be used for non-junk foods. The government should not be contributing to obesity through the foodstamp program.

The purpose of food stamps is not to provide you with whatever decadent junk food you want to buy... it's to keep you from starving when you need some financial help.

The department said that the plan, which focused on candy and soda, among other foods, was based on questionable merits and would “perpetuate the myth” that food-stamp users made poor shopping decisions.

That conclusion is completely ridiculous. Who said anything of the sort? The point is keeping taxpayer money from contributing to unhealthy diets, not making any sort of assumptions about whether food stamp users buy more junk food than anyone else.

Dr. Farley and the state’s health commissioner, Dr. Richard F. Daines, said in an Op-Ed article in The New York Times on Thursday that the ban would not reduce the ability of food-stamp recipients to feed their families. “They would still receive every penny of support they now get, meaning they would have as much, if not more, to spend on nutritious food,” Dr. Farley and Dr. Daines wrote. “And they could still purchase soda if they choose — just not with taxpayer dollars.”

I have been complaining about this for years! I dont buy chips or soda for my own family, so why can they buy it plus other junk foods with OUR money? It doesnt make sense that they CAN buy junk food but CANT buy a rotisserie chicken because it is a "prepared meal"

He should have gone straight to Michelle Obama with his request!

I think that those who are flipping the bill should be able to decide. You get votes equivalent to your federal tax rate (every 1%=1 vote, 0%=0 votes). We should consider this for other decisions that waste our tax dollars also.

I have to agree - Food Stamps should only be allowed to purchase nutritious foods. In fact, I'm going to go farther and say anyone who applies for food stamps should take a class regarding nutrition and how to cook from scratch - this is far cheaper than purchasing convenience foods and far better for you.

...And I'm one of those so-called "libs" - surprise folks.

Fedup - come on - this is a STATE issue. You want the feds out of it, remember?

Heck even the Army is taking soda out of the mess hall.

BJ, this is a NATIONAL problem and Michelle is the one going after obesity

Whenever I go to the local grocery store, I usually see someone buying things with an EBT card. It's a neighborhood with a high ratio of people that use them. This one women was sending package after package after package of meat down the conveyor belt, it was insane. Steak, sausage, chicken - all from the actual wrapped/weighed meat department, not boxed Jimmy Dean or anything. I can't afford that stuff and I work for a living!

They counter the right by going to far to the left and counter the left by going to far to the right. Over and Over and Over again.

Food stamps should be for necessity only. If the rest of us want extra we work harder.

I do think most recipients would work if work was available. You do realize some have to drop their pride and dignity to even collect? I do hope I never have to collect a dollar from any hand out. don't stereotype if you don't want to be stereotyped.

Only the Rich have the ability to throw a bushel of apples away because of one bad apple the rest of us remove the bad part of the apple. Sorry for the stereotyping. Rich people are good people too. Most of them. LOL

US is only country in the world that people living "beneath the poverty level" may be 40-50 lbs overweight.

and didn't i just read that over 41 million people in US are using food stamps, the highest number ever.

I think this is a good idea, but not because I like the government telling someone what to eat (normally I HATE this), but because junk food does not make you feel full. If you are poor enough to need assistance, this measure will force you to eat better and feel full. If I am to help feed you, I want it to be for the least we have to pay, and by eating better, you will actually feel the need to eat less...also, junk food is actually very expensive per pound.

1 in 8 New Yorkers is diabetic, and soda is nothing more than liquord candy/sugar. I have been saying this for years in California and even wrote to the governor about this as well. I also think that is people on Food-Stamps shouldn't be buying candy, chips, and soda.

However, when you look at a lot of things people buy with food-stamps, cake, oj, fruit juices, pizza, ice-cream, and milk. A lot of these items are not healthy for you either. OJ is acidic and has sugar in it, and I use to care for a man that drank OJ most of his life daily and it destroyed his stomach lining which killed him once all his fecal matter was spilling inside of him. Milk (whole-milk) is fat, same for pizza, and ice-cream.

Instead of going after the people on Food-Stamps, maybe we should be going after the companies to make healthier products for all the consumers. Although I am in favor of people on food-stamps buying better foods for themselves and their kids, we really shouldn't be singling them out all because they are low income and on food-stamps.

Beer and other Alcohol as well as cotton-candy (carnival) should be banned and all candy stores should be shut down as well as all the soda companies. These items are not healthy for you either.

Targeting a class of people on welfare and food-stamps is just another form of discrimination IMO.

Eventually, if the people allow this banning what people can buy that is on Food-Stamps, then eventually, it will be the government telling everyone what they can and cannot buy by voting and passing this in New York.

Be careful what you ask for people. What you think is good for these people will eventually become good for you as well. The people on food-stamps are the easy targets to get this passed, then next, it will be you.

If California can stop smoking in restaurants, force restaurants to use healthier oils to cooks their foods in, then they obviously can and should go after the companies and have them make better and healthier foods for everyone. Don't blame the consumers for the krap these companies put on the shelves. Go after the source that makes all this garbage food.

Please don't use california as example of how you think the country should be run.

Be careful what you ask for people. What you think is good for these people will eventually become good for you as well.

It's already good for us. The issue is not whether people can buy unhealthy food, but whether the government should pay for it.

Chunky Monkey I don't think we need to shut down companies - that would skyrocket the unemployment rate!

Back in the day getting a candy bar or a soda was like a reward, a special occasion. A traditional college breakfast is now a bag of chips, bottle of Mountain Dew, and Hershey Bar. It's not the companies fault we as consumers consume these on a regular basis. It's out of laziness or busy-ness we fail to cook things on our own or prepare a huge meal on the weekend that can provide leftovers all week.

I don't think conveninent stores should have racks and racks and racks of the stuff, but if we got rid of their stock, or told them to lessen it, they'd go out of business. We have unfortunately built our economy on crap. It's up to humans to regulate it individually - we are failing to do that.

Ivette

I totally agree with this. I think that candy, soda, chips should be banned. In turn they should be able to buy things like toilet paper, shampoo, and body soap, laundry soap. All through high school I worked in a grocery store and FOODSTAMP day would come around and we would dread it. We had the same people coming in and spending an entire months worth of foodstamps on stuff like oven pizzas, chips, soda, Never buying off brand, never buying fruits or Vegs or even frozen Vegs. These 2 women had 9 kids between the two of them and every time we would argue who would have to ring them up because they smelled so bad. Its not a nice thing to say but it was true. The family was all over weight and I think that had they have to buy healthier foods and Body soap it would have been better for everyone, cashiers and other shoppers included.

I never quite understood as to why people on Food-Stamps weren't allowed to buyt TP and soap. You feed them, but they can't buy tp to wipe their behinds with, and then you won't allow them to buy soap to clean themselves with.

TP, soap, laundry soap all should be included in the Food-Stamp program.., If they eat, they gotta poop, and they definitely need something to clean their behinds with.

Sorry I don't agree with this at all simply because if they restrict what people buy do you actually think they will stop with the foodstamps? Not this Bloomberg dude he's been trying to go after peoples rights for a while now and this could very well be used as a stepping stone for his socialist agenda.

To those calling foodstamps a handout you are WRONG it's not a handout not if you've worked and payed taxes at any point in ones life. There are people out there that have worked most of their life that for some unforseen reason can no longer work via a injury, elderly or something along those lines that's forced to get on them they have paid for them.

Portion size is making Americans fat also. I remember when there was small, medium, and large. Those sizes still exist but the small has become the medium, the medium has become the large, and the large has become some monstrous size that noone should be allowed to consume, and now comes an extra large/super size that should be illegal. This goes back to personal responsibility and pride in one's appearance, it's been lost and forgotten.

T_Bird69, there are alot of legitimate reasons for food stamps, but there are just as many abusing them. I think it's a good idea and if those still paying taxes had their way it would happen. I'd vote for it.

It is still a state issue even if it is a national problem. Feds are supposed to stay out of state business, remember? Nice try to place the blame on the Obamas.

Why not insist that businesses pay a living wage to their employees instead of sustenance level wages and then no one except those medically unable to work will need the government to help subsidise their survival?

BJs65-634377

It is still a state issue even if it is a national problem. Feds are supposed to stay out of state business, remember? Nice try to place the blame on the Obamas.

PARANOID????? I was suggesting HELP from Michelle, not BLAME

Wrong, just plain wrong. Just because someone has to use food stamps, does not give you the right to tell them what to eat or not to eat. If they make unhealthy choices, they will eventually have to deal with the consequences. In other words, if you are not on food stamps, then you have the choose of eating junk foods and what ever you want, double standards because of tax dollars. If that was the case, then people on unemployment benefits, should be told how to spend those funds also. Perhaps someone on unemployment shouldnt have cable or satellite access, or perhaps restricted cell phone usage, only pay for the basic minimum requirements that it takes to survive, no luxuries. Restrict what type of car payments, after school activities, movie rentals and the list goes on. These are all things we can do without, but rather not give up when you have lost everything else. So where does it stop, just because they are YOUR tax dollars going to a program that someone else uses, does not give you the right to dictate your standards onto them. At some point in time people have to be responsible for their own actions, you can not govern every decision for everyone. Obviously everyone posting on here, is employed, in which case you are using the Internet while at work and misappropriating your employers funds as well.

There's no need to shut down companies that make stuff like this. Any consumer that earns their own money, and pays their own way should have the choice to do what they want. If they want to buy crap food or empty calories in soda, that should be up to them. It also means they should be responsible for paying the consequences of not looking after their own health, but if they want to engage in unhealthy behavior, that's fine so long as they're only hurting themselves and society doesn't have to pay the costs of their behavioral decisions.

But there is a fundamental difference when you are paying your own way, and when you are relying on others to pay your way for you. When you are purchasing your goods on someone elses dime, in this case food stamps being footed by the taxpayers and managed by their representatives in government, then you might just have to abide by their rules.

Honestly, foodstamps are there to make sure we don't let people starve to death. It should cover the basics, and the basics only. I don't see any problem with disallowing their use on cigarettes, alcohol, or soda and candy. That stuff is not only bad for you but far outside the realm of "necessity" in terms of what you need to not starve and survive. That means it's more of a luxury than need, and food stamps shouldn't cover things like that.

It's a wash anyway, because if they spend food stamps on actual food for nutrition, then they can spend other money they have on things like soda if they really want it, and I know that it won't be a lot of money for someone on food stamps, but if that's how they want to spend their other disposable funds, fine.

But the taxpayers shouldn't have to directly foot the bill for it.

And to the poster directly above me:

Unemployment is entirely different. Unemployment is a) limited, and b) paid for mostly by you and the company you worked for. You can't get it if you haven't paid into it. It will run out when you exhaust what you paid in for.

Foodstamps aren't like that. Foodstamps are direct redistributive transfers of wealth. And that's fine, we should have some form of social safety net to help people at the bottom who are struggling to take care of themselves. But it should be limited, and restricted to necessities.

To those calling foodstamps a handout you are WRONG it's not a handout not if you've worked and payed taxes at any point in ones life.

T_Bird69 - So if food stamps aren't a handout, what government payments would you classify as a handout? Because by your definition, it sounds like you're saying that nothing paid for by tax money can be called a handout... and last time I checked, stuff the government pays for comes from taxes!

I've paid taxes... I want some non-handout government money!

I absolutely support assistance for those in a bind... we're not savages after all. But let's not pretend it isn't a handout just because most people have paid some taxes.

I have to agree - Food Stamps should only be allowed to purchase nutritious foods. In fact, I'm going to go farther and say anyone who applies for food stamps should take a class regarding nutrition and how to cook from scratch - this is far cheaper than purchasing convenience foods and far better for you.

The fact that cooking from scratch is cheaper would only matter if people had problems making their foodstamps stretch, which they don't. People get enough each month to comfortably buy pre-packaged dinners, junk food, brand name items, and still have some left over. The truth is, although not health wise but cost wise, they're probably eating better than you and me.

Chunky monkey, you sound like a communist with your restrictive propagana. And model California, no way!

Of course food stamps are a handout. And anyone who claims they earned them is delusional or doing something illegal.

Perhaps a better approach would be to stop giving food stamps to anyone as long as they are obese. Then they can use their own fat stores instead of building up more off the government.

When the Federal Government gives money to states, counties, cities, towns and school districts, almost all of that money comes with strings attached which limit what the recipients may do with that money. Why should Food Stamps or other government personal and family assistance programs be any different?

i agree with the no soda thing and i am on foodstamps. my husband cannot be reasoned with on this matter. he will buy all kinds of soda and prepackaged crap but complain about me buying fruits and vegetables and insisting on whole grain bread and cereal etc. he even used to buy his expensive energy drinks on foodstamps but they finally stopped covering them so now he has to pay cash for hem. so no its not a myth that some people mmake poor food choices with their foodstamps but not all do. by the way to the people who are calling chips junk food there is such a thing as healthy chips you know. please forgive my lack of punctuation and capitalization due to keyboard complications.

The bottom line is, these companies should be forced to make healthier foods for the consumers, and if not, shut them down. We recall poisonous toys and tainted foods from the shelves with no problem. Soda, Chips and Twinkies are just as harmful to the human body when you read all the artificial ingredients they put into them.

rw in mn na

you are uneducated and narrow minded and your comment is of absolutely no reasoning or solution. Not every "obese" person is that way because they shove food in their mouths 24/7. some people are injured and can't exercise, some take medications that make weight hard to control, some have inherited it - not saying these are excuses for not trying to take the extra mile to control or fix it - but sometimes it's not easy to not be overweight. So shut your mouth and I have flagged your comment as "Inflammatory". It was a tough choice between that and "No Value"

I wish cooking from scratch was cheaper. I am NOT on food stamps and buy groceries with money from working, but I have found when I try to cook from scratch it ends up costing more than hitting the frozen foods aisle. I hate the pre-packaged stuff, but when I see the prices in the fresh meat aisle and on other fresh foods? I don't know what market you are shopping in but in the ones in my area that's how it is. I wish cooking from scratch was cheaper - not just for people on food stamps but for those of us working with a limited grocery budget. However, buying things like candy, soda, chips should absolutely not be allowed with food stamps. I don't believe in a "nanny state" but once someone asks the state to play "nanny" by applying for these benefits then the state has an obligation to make sure taxpayer money isn't being wasted. One more thing in response to the person who said anyone posting on here that's employed must be "misappropriating employer funds" that was totally out of line. First of all, there are different shifts in the day people work. Or they could be on their own laptop on their company assigned lunch break. Or they could be in my boat - self employed using my own computer while I am on call anxiously waiting for my next job.

Chunky Monkey - the ingrediants aren't immediately going to make you sick like the chemicals in recalled toys. Yes, there needs to be alternatives to "corn syrup" and stuff like that that should be used instead of the cheaper option but you can't force them, and you can't shut them down. Like I said before - we'd be ruining jobs and it's not THEIR responsibility to make us make better choices for ourselves. It was humans themselves that decided instead of waking up and making a balanced breakfast they'd start making breakfast out of pop and chips.

In cognito - I completely agree! I have weight watcher cookbooks and I want to make the recipes but one recipe would cost me $30 alone! That's as much as I spend on just NECESSITY like convenient fruit, milk, eggs, bread, cheese, etc. Healthy things like fresh veggies and fruits - which come directly from the EARTH are so expensive, it's ridiculous!

PGH

Regardless of why they have too much fat stored in their body, I don't feel that it should be the governments responsibility to add to it.

Perhaps if it's really do to some weird medical condition, you'll want their food covered by medical insurance next. Also, blaming the obesity epidemic on anything other than lazy people who eat too much is absurd and of no value.

Policy should not be made based on the one in a million.

"New York City’s 1.7 million recipients of food stamps"
Wow, the city of food stamp recipients. Sad.
People on food stamps make horrible choices and end up being the fattest of all groups. They buy chips and candy all the time. I see them. And they are gordo and then some.

#1, I agree. Anyway, if they put restrictions on foods that are bad for you, they will be able to afford more food. Sodas and sugared drinks are almost always more expensive. The government is trying to help them, and what better way than to provide healthy food and drinks? They could make it like the WIC program. I agree that if they are giving you money to keep food on your table, they have every right and responsibility to make sure it's food that is actually going to keep you healthy. And like you said: If the notion that food stampers buy junk food is a myth, then they won't care anyway when they are not allowed to buy junk food with their stamps. I know when I'm down to $3 and a week until my next paycheck, I don't waste it on Little Debbie and Coke. I buy an extra gallon of milk, or eggs or cereal.

So Fed, so now you want her HELP??! After all the crap you've laid at their feet? NOW you want her help?? That is just too rich!

Let's say she takes your suggestion. Then I betcha you're going to scream that she's getting too big for her britches and sticking her nose where it doesn't belong!

Come on now! You cannot have it both ways!

HAHAHAHAHAH Implement an EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM?

What are we the dumbest people in the world. Sugar, High fructose corn syrup, are addictive processed chemicals.

This will work just like the educational war on drugs. This is your brain on drugs campaign. Do you remember that?

Drug testing and job hunting. How many roads have trash we need picked up ? Get to work!

Free loaders. Scammers and free loaders.

The problem is about half the people on food stamps get them fraudulently. We need to do away with the entire program.

ChunkyMonkey- i do see where your coming from - but its not realistic. And as someone already said, CA should NEVER be used for ANYTHING as a standard for others to follow.

Just because something isnt good for you, doesnt mean you ban it. The computer that your sitting at typing, your wrists are prolly touching the desk/table - thats not healthy - so lets ban it. Prohibition worked so well last time, lets re-instate it. Again, i do see where your comming from, but this is not a communist country - we can make our own decisions. If i want to have a beer when i get home - i should be allowed. Humans have had their vices since we have been on this earth. Alcohol, tobacco, fatty foods - its just part of life.

I would fight tooth and nail if someone tried to tell me i was no longer allowed to do things i enjoy - have a beer, a cigar etc- because its not healthy. War isnt healthy - why isnt that banned?

I tend to agree with this, but I worry every time people push for allowing gov't to allow or disallow people to do legal activities. It wouldn't take much for gov't to decide that skydiving, drugs, mountain climbing, smoking, contact sports, foods cooked in grease, or anything else like that is nothing short of a slow form of Kevorkianism.

imrightnotyou

This is your brain on drugs campaign. Do you remember that?

Damn you. Now I want a fried egg.

Chunky-Monkey

The bottom line is, these companies should be forced to make healthier foods for the consumers, and if not, shut them down.

That is NOT the purpose of gov't. Health food is a marketable item, not something the state should point to some entrepreneur and say "your job as a citizen is to make this and only this". That sounds worse than Marxism. Forced to make? Wow.

I see it like this. The same people that qualify for food stamps are the same people that qualify for free heath care and dental. We should have every right to restrict their diet. the healthier they are the less they will cost the tax payer.

After we fix their diet we need to restrict how long they can be on the program and how many kids we are willing to pay for. you can’t continue to pop out kids if you are already on welfare. This makes me mad. Me and my husband both work and we waited 7 years before having another child. Why? so we could afford to give them everything they needed. There is no excuse for continuing to have children if you can’t afford the ones you have. this is insanity. On top of them having tons of kids, i am starting to notice how obese the kids are. they are always eating candy and soda or worst fast food. how can they afford all these thing but yet feel like we (hard working Americans) owe it to them.

Anyone who supports this, is a complete idiot. If your are blessed enough not to need foodstamps you should be greatful. Good Lord, shut up and stop complaining sometime. I'd rather my tax dollars go towards feeding someone here in the usa, than going to a country that hides people that want to blow us up. It's not nice to call people stupid and I should not do it, but when I see how many ungreatful people are complaining about someone buying a soda with foodstamps it pisses me off. Complain about something that matters like tax payers bailing wall street out, and paying for 2 wars. I hope they do ban sodas so that the soda dist company's in the nyc can lay off 2000 and then they get on foodstamps. It would serve them right, I hope many of you idiots work at those soda dist company's so you can get laid off then you can see how it feels.

For one thing, it's not greatful. For another, I am extremely grateful not to need food stamps. That does not mean that we should buy junk food for people who do need them. If a person needs help getting groceries on the table, that's fine. If a person chooses to buy junk food, that's fine. But government assistance should cover necessities only. That does not include soda and energy drinks. And for your information, I do complain quite frequently about tax payers bailing out Wall Street and paying for two wars. You need to recognize that those are not the only problems we have in this country. Don't tell me what's worth complaining about and what's not. This is America. I can complain about whatever I want. Now, I'm going the extra taxes they took from your paycheck last year and go get me a 2 liter of Dr. Pibb. (Even though you're paying for them, I still don't want to spend my food stamps on good soda, so I get the off brand.)

BTW, I was totally serious at the beginning of this post. Right up until the sentence about not telling me what to complain about. Then I just got silly. Sorry.

nonnahs39---

how are we ungrateful for complaining how our tax dollars are being spent. We took soda machines out of schools and nobody complain. WHY? because it is was a smart idea. This article isnt about the bail out or war or even how congress is over paid. this article is about food stamps that is why you hear everyone except you complaining about food stamps. if you were on here reading when the bailout happened they were twice as many people posting and complaining about that than this article. People are mad because the whole country is hurting but yet we can afford soda and crap for welfare people. It won’t hurt them and they won’t go hungry if we take away soda. You act like we are taking food away and making them starve, talk about blowing stuff out of proportion. Also if the soda and chip companies have to lay people off because we as tax payers won’t pay for soda and chips than either 1. we have too many on welfare, or 2. the soda and chip companies were already going bankrupt. I am all cool with giving people help but they should only get the necessities when they are asking for a hand out. They don’t need candy, soda, and chips. They want them that is different. AND GUESS WHAT THE AMERICAN TAX PAYERS WANT THEM TO BETTER THEMSELVES SO WE DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM TO BUY SODA AND CHIPS.

Please do get off your high horse and stop the childish name calling and use some common sense.

If WE are paying for their food, WE should decide what they will eat because we are probably paying their HEALTHCARE COSTS too.

Soda is bad, bad, bad.

Let's take this to the next level and start making certain they take care of their children on welfare. I always wondered why we give people money when they act stupid in the first place (by having children they can ill afford).

Karen, you are assuming that all people who recieve food stamps are stupid and irresponsible. I have always worked a job and had my 2nd child back in 2003 and went back to work making decent money. My son became very very ill and spent 3 months in the hospital. I was not able to work because his specialist was 1 1/2 away and we drove 2-3 a week down there. He was on a feed tube 24 hours out of the day and required around the clock care. I had to apply for medical for myself and food stamps and cash assistance. We survived off of $340 cash a monthand $350 a month in food stamps. I was off work for 2 yrs with him. I went back and got off food stamps and cash. About a year ago my income went down by about 3thousand and had to again apply for supplemental food stamps. We get $88 a month and that doesn't feed a family of 2 kids and 1 adult. I work hard and believe the program there is there for people who really need it. But I think your comments are rude.

My tax dollars also pay the salary's to the jerks that come up with these dumd ass laws. If people who get foodstamps can buy a soda with it because it's tax payers money. Then none of city hall can by sodas becuase us tax payers pay them, they work for us. They but unhealthy @!$%# from cigs to hookers with our money. Complain about that and leave the people alone about foodstamps and sodas. As I said just stupid.

Now that would be different, because those people WORKED for their checks, so it's THEIR money.

If you earn it from me, it's yours to do with as you like. If I give it to you, it can come with stipulations.

If you want some soda, fine, buy it with YOUR money, not mine.

Most people who are on foodstamps have worked and a great deal of people on foodstamps are currently working. You people complain about making govt smaller but you support the govt telling you what you can eat or drink. I've worked all my life but if I ever need foodstamps do you think I am gonna let the govt tell me what I can eat or drink? Hell no. Why not complain about tax payers footing the bill for 2 wars over some oil. Dam get over it, its better to be the lender and not the borrower. We can be so ungrateful. So ungrateful. Oh and to "getalifeamerica" I wouldn't know a high horse if it stepped on my foot. I am grateful because I have some money to buy food. You supporters of this are the ones on your high horses.

First of all, you don't know my politics. I was/am against both wars, and am not complaining about smaller government (I'm a Democrat).

They aren't "telling you what you can eat or drink", they're telling you what they're going to pay for. If you don't want the assistance, don't take it. It's not mandatory.

Don't you people have jobs? unless you grow your own money. Your money comes from someone else too. Would you like being told what you can and cannot buy with it. People complain about needing less govt but stuff like this is just the opposit. Count your blessings. Its a soda, thats it, nothing more and nothin less, your saying people on foodstamps dont even deserve a soda? Come on you cant be that cold. Then again.......................................
One thing you can count on. The first shall be last and the last shall be first. You can take that to the bank.

Oh and Don't you people have jobs? glad to here we are on the same side, but we can agree that we disagree ok?

like I said in my previous post: If you earn it from me, it's yours to do with as you like. If I give it to you, it can come with stipulations.

If you don't have a dollar of your own money and are strictly living on foodstamps, and section 8, then too bad. Otherwise, you can spend a few of your own dollars on some soda. I'm saying that people on foodstamps shouldn't use them to buy soda and cheetos.

FS are assistance to help with your food budget, what's wrong with saying the government's not going to pay for soda and candy and such? buy that with your other grocery $$ and buy what is approved with the FS (like the WIC program only allows for certain kinds of food). I'm not trying to Big Brother anyone here...

Careful now, this can be the top of a slippery slope. Once you begin restricting one source of food, there is nothing stopping them from restricting in other places once a presidence has been set.

What if they suddenly decide Americans are drinking too much caffiene and now they want to limit the size of your cup? I recall several years ago, New Jersey temporarily passed a law restricting resturants from selling eggs over easy because there might be a risk of contracting salmonella from the yolk. Really?

Maybe next they'll say, you can no longer put butter on your toast or ketchup on your hamburger.

I'm just saying, it all sounds good now, and believe me I agree I don't want my taxes paying for somebody's soda and chips but be careful what you wish for, you might get it. This needs to be approached very carefully.

Doesn't salmonella come from the shell?

Carolyn you are right though, give someone an inch and they take a mile. We all say we want something but we usually end up getting it, but with consequences. We all wanted a health care bill and everyone to be able to get health care like our Canadian neighbors, we got it, now everyone is complaining about it.

So many of these arguments are completely ridiculous. The spelling alone is giving me a headache. Dictionary.com will tell you that it's grateful and precedence. Presidence is not a word, though the presidency is what Mr. Obama has right now.

Some people don't know it, but I know that many people on welfare have legitimate needs through no fault of their own. That's fine. I am more than willing to help you out while your kid is in the hospital- but he doesn't need soda. He just doesn't. Many people on here are not arguing for smaller government, or for doing away with the welfare system, or for restricting the rights to buy junk food and soda WITH ONE'S OWN MONEY. We simply don't believe that a family in poverty living on welfare should use taxpayer money to buy luxury items. We believe that the welfare system should be used to get necessities for people who otherwise would not be able to afford them. I am more than happy to buy running water and electricity for your house, shoes and clothing for your children, dinner for your family. I am not, however, willing to pay for your Superbowl party or whatever you want the Pepsi for. That's not a necessity. You don't need it. It won't keep your children from starving. If anything, it will put their and your health at risk, and then I'll have to pay for your doctor's appointment, too.

I am not accusing anyone on welfare of being irresponsible. Well, one family, but that's because I know for a fact they just flat out don't work or even look for jobs because it's easier to pick up that check. But that's personal. I'm just asking that IF you are irresponsible, the government does not make me pay for it.

You do know that many of our military families depend on food stamps, right?
And also many (formerly) middle-class families who have lost jobs and are struggling
to buy food in this economy.
Do you really think most people who receive the "welfare" of food stamps would
actually attempt to buy illegal drugs instead?

Also, most food stamps these days are issued via debit cards that can only be used for specific
items at approved stores. So unless supermarkets suddenly get a cash-register code
that will approve the use of food stamps for coke or meth, you don't need to worry that
"our money" is being spent on drugs instead of baby food.

Really, do you think we should just let people starve?
Would that make your sad life better?

Wanna bet!!! They busted 5 stores in MY town! Dont be so naive

http://www.wflx.com/Global/story.asp?S=12632376

BOYNTON BEACH, FL (WFLX) - Undercover video shows a police officer posing as a regular customer at the Palm Food and Beverage on Boynton Beach Blvd.

First, she picks up the 6 pack of Miller High Life, then a pack of Newport cigarettes and then asks for cash back.

All of that would be ok, if the customer were using their own money. But the officer got the booze, smokes and cash with a government issued Benefit Card, an electronic food stamp that's supposed to help low-income families.

Fed - the system isn't perfect. It does need reform - no question about it. But to call for total elimination is not the answer.

Who called for total elimination? Learn how to read

@ moxie you say people can not use the food stamps for drugs, well come to west virginia and you will see how people can & do get away with this.

Yes I agree the link card is used for candy potato chips and a variety of junk foods, some sell their benefits for cash, to buy drugs. .50 on the dollar. If the governemnt opened warehouses where people could take a voucher for specific types of healthy food, that could eliminate this problem. no one wants to see people go hungry, but if you haven't noticed those on the link card are far from starving.

Moxie - People don't always spend their money wisely. I had a friend in college that didn't have much money. She would go donate plasma and the first thing she'd buy with her $25 was cigarettes. THEN she'd go to the grocery store and get a bunch of Ramen.

My stepsister - who is completely capable to work but had a kid and milks the system for welfare - would sell her foodstamps and buy drugs. Then she'd drop my niece off at my dad's and they'd ask when the last time she (my 2 year old niece) ate. She'd say "Oh, about 24 hours ago." Luckily my stepsister was put into jail for 2 years on I believe drug charges and my Dad and stepmom have custody. She has a list of things she needs to do to get her back but thinks she doesn't have to do them. All she thinks she needs to do is point out that my niece has gotten obese since living with my dad and stepmom but that obesity is pointed right back at her for a "fear of hunger" from not feeding her regularly.

Dumb decisions.

Moxie-784887, People sell the cards for fifty to seventy five cents on the dollar then "party" on the cash.

Your tone certainly implies it. I've read your postings for a long time - so yeah, I know how to read buddy.

It's still a STATE issue even if it is a national problem.

most military families depend on WIC, a program set up by the military to help people with meeting nutritional needs, this program has strict guidlines on purchase.

Since this flies in the face of the food industry, one of the industries which operates the government, it is unlikely that good health and common sense will prevail here

You do know that many of our military families depend on food stamps, right?
And also many (formerly) middle-class families who have lost jobs and are struggling
to buy food in this economy.
Do you really think most people who receive the "welfare" of food stamps would
actually attempt to buy illegal drugs instead?

@Moxie

I think you are absolutely right about the fact we must realize that in these hard economic times, some honest and hard working people may just be down on their luck and in need of assistance. Clearly, those aren't the people being referred to in these comments.

However, I see people everyday who abuse the welfare system, and trust and believe, there are ways people can finagle it so they can use their food stamp funds for things they shouldn't. I'm no conservative, but I definitely still recognize how broken our welfare system is. Welfare has become a generational cycle for some "families", and I said "families" because it's usually 2 and 3 generations of women with children, no husbands, and an attitude that it's ok to just be taken care of by the govenment and tax payers. Of course, that is not everyone, as some people see it as only TEMPORARY assistance until you get back on your feet, and utilize it accordingly, but the system needs to change to prevent "lifers" from abusing it long term.

This is exactly one of the reasons I think these people should get NO cash. Especially after the news that people are using their welfare benefit ATM cards at casinos and bars. They should get a check made out to their landlord, electric & water companies, and a "necessity bank" they can go to to get diapers, soap, toilet paper. If all these people really got were absolute necessities I GUARANTEE it would get rid of a lot of the slug "career" welfare people and the people using it would be the kind of people it was intended for - people in a TEMPORARY emergency situation who are eager to get off assistance as soon as they can. I also think these people should be put to work picking up trash for the county, etc., to earn their benefit. That would weed out the lazy ones while the people who deserve it could still get the help they need.

Hey Fed, obviously you can't make an argument without resorting to name calling. Who's the loser now?

All I have to do is go by your previous postings buddy. It's a tactic you've used many, many times. how about YOU get a life? Hmm?

Have a nice day.

Yes, folks, obviously people can buy legal food items with the food stamp debit cards & then exchange them for illegal drugs (and also "bad" legal items like cigs and beer). And the same would be true if people didn't have the debit cards & instead were given food; the food could still be bartered for illegal items. MY comment was in response to the poster who implied that in his town, a food stamp debit card could be used directly to buy meth.

So, if people who receive food stamps can sometimes use them (and, thus, "our" tax dollars)
in ways that we don't like, what is the solution?

Should we prevent any possible misuse by eliminating all food stamps?
Should we expand "big brother" government to track every single penny of money that is
spent by food-stamp recipients?

Just what do you all suggest?

Moxie-784887

Do you really think most people who receive the "welfare" of food stamps would
actually attempt to buy illegal drugs instead?

Wow. I wasn't aware there was a single person in the world who didn't know this went on. Food stamps and stolen identities or credit cards are like underground currency.

I agree with you on the candy, soda & most chips (the baked kinds are probably OK).

I also wish there was some way that fresh fruits & veggies (so expensive in urban stores)
could be keyed in so that the food stamp user would get some sort of credit for buying
those instead of the cheaper (but less nutritious) filler foods like mac & cheese or bologna.
Really, one bag of fresh broccoli (enough for just one family meal) often costs as much as
a week's worth of mac & cheese.

I could not afford to by these

Soda is really expensive too... a 12 pack is around $4 unless you get a store brand.

I also wish there was some way that fresh fruits & veggies (so expensive in urban stores) could be keyed in...

Don't forget frozen veggies... not quite as tasty, but cheaper and nutritionally equivalent.

Mark-similarly...I have found the best times to go to my grocery store to get the discounted meat before someone else grabs it up!

Not enough people making decisions to buy within THEIR means, so now they are buying "within" the taxpayers means. It's a tough lesson to learn, and I am still learning!

@Mark

They discount steaks as well, but I cant seem to get there quick enough because all the folks with their (ACCESS) food stamp card get their early when I am at work. They have the whole morning to get all the deals/bargins before the working people get home and get to the store.

Ok, I am a hard working single mom who makes a crappy wage. I have 2 boys and we qualify for $88 a month in food stamps. I don't know how you can feed a 12 year old growing boy and a 8 yr old on that amount a month. I clip coupons and meal plan and look for deals. We stopped drinking soda because it's empty calories and do not buy diet either because I am allergic to fake sugar. My rule of thumb when going to the store is will it fill you up ( really fill you up) and keep you alive? That means chips, and cookies are very rarely bought. I will buy them if on sale and if they are gone within the two weeks till go to the store again oh well. I make alot of soups and make things with different beans to strectch it out. I think I am a good cook and figured out how to make it work out for us. I recently started to look at vegetarian options because of cost of meat. We can add beans or tofu to dishes to give us the protein. Am I happy with our situation? NOPE....that is why I am trying to finish my nursing degree. Do I wish groceries were not so expensive yes. It's hard telling my kids hey don't eat it all because need to ration our food.

I had to stop in the middle of a Walgreens recently when I was walking by the snack foods and saw dozens of signs regarding the use of SNAP/EBT cards. Then I walked down an aisle with canned veggies and ---- no signs at all! All I could think was: Really???

Ok, I am a hard working single mom who makes a crappy wage. I have 2 boys and we qualify for $88 a month in food stamps. I don't know how you can feed a 12 year old growing boy and a 8 yr old on that amount a month. I clip coupons and meal plan and look for deals.

@Angie

I'm not sure what state you're in, but the messed up thing here in PA is that you would get WAY more than $88 in food stamps if you WERE NOT working. To be honest, I think that's the problem with the system. They want to take people from 100 to 0 AFTER they get a minimum wage job. Not working - rent: $0; Working - rent: $300+; Not working - utilities: $20; Working - utilities: $100+; Not working - a little tight, but making it; Working - really scraping to get by. It's really as if people are getting rewarded NOT to work, so no wonder people aren't in a rush to get back in the workforce.

Anyway, I know things are hard for you now, but I hope things work out for you and your boys.

Someday, they'll find-out that soda pop cures cancer, cardiovascular disease and the mumps. Bloomburg will have to eat crow then. Unless he has banned crows from being sold in NYC stores.

This isn't about stigmatizing any group, but nothing pisses me off more than the lady in front of me with the cart full of crap including 4 gallons of pop who's using my tax dollars on her food stamp card to buy "groceries". Water from the tap is free. Coffee and tea are better, cheaper caffenated flavoring options and neither is pre-loaded with sugar or things I can't pronounce. It pisses me off because she is wasting money on a zero value beverage when the money could have been directed towards a bunch of bananas or a sack of apples.

Yes, many more nutritious foods are more expensive than "crap in a box", but part of shopping on a food stamp budget is creativity. You spend a little more on some ham to match with a cheap bag of dry beans; add the crockpot and you've got a healthy meal for no more per serving than the box of mac and cheese with chicken nuggets. You buy the butter, sugar and flour to make several batches of cookies instead of spending the same amount on one bag of oreos.

dwharies...Anyways the better for you foods are about 3 to 4 times more expensive then the ones are not the best for you. Do your research also, A lot of time Diabetes is hereditary and nothing you can do will avoid the disease from every affecting anyone. Most women show signs of it during pregnancy if there is a family history. Another is you get even sick you can have your Pancreas shut down. So people need to stop butting in everyone's life and look at the real reasons why things happen and what causes them.

As a nurse, I must ask…..Did it ever dawn on you that perhaps the parents that got the diabetes also made poor food choices and in turn taught their children poor food choices for which the term “hereditary” would also apply?

Everyday the decisions of what we can do and can not do are being taken away.

Really? No one is telling anyone what they can and cannot buy. If this passes, and I hope it does, people using Food Stamps (Vision Cards, etc.) can buy all the soda, candy and other junk they want. No one is telling them they can't. They just can't use TAX DOLLARS to do it!

The next thing people will say is that unemployed or low income(which is about 40% of Americans right now) we will meet stigmatism or bias. Most people that criticize or make biased decisions have never been in the position most people are in.

This doesn't even make sense. What stigmatism (sic)??? Disallowing the purchase of junk food with TAX DOLLARS will hardly stigmatize anyone. You are either on assistance or not.

Anyways the better for you foods are about 3 to 4 times more expensive then the ones are not the best for you. Do your research also,

OK, here's my research (Using a Hy Vee sales flier available on line).

Coke 6 pack bottles, 3 for $10. Doritos, $2.88/bag. Hostess Snack Cakes, 2/$5. $17.88 for this junk filled basket containing three packs of Coke, one bag of chips and two boxes of snack cakes.

Fresh Raspberries, $1.99/box. Green Giant Frozen Veggies, 2/$5. Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, $1.88/Box. Hy Vee stew vegetables, 3/$4. Fresh Carrots, $.99/2 lb. $13.86 for this basket of healthy foods that includes one box of fruit, two bags of Green Giant veggies, one box of fruit snacks, three bags of stew veggies and one bag of fresh carrots.

But don't let a few facts bother you.

No one is saying they cannot buy or eat/drink this crap! They are simply saying they cannot use governement money to pay for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read and comprehend people!

Really? No one is telling anyone what they can and cannot buy.

Really? Sweet. Would you go pick me up some trans-fat donuts, an assault rifle, a pack of hemp cigarettes, and some regular cigarettes that don't have the $2/pack Obama poor tax?

Really? No one is telling anyone what they can and cannot buy.

They're just telling you what you can and cannot buy with foodstamps. If you want soda, beer and cigarettes, use your OWN money.

Obama poor tax

Really? Obama put that tax on cigarettes? why did they cost the same BEFORE 2008 then?

Would you go pick me up some trans-fat donuts, an assault rifle, a pack of hemp cigarettes, and some regular cigarettes that don't have the $2/pack Obama poor tax?

No, but if you want to waste your money, go ahead.

Well first of all, anyone who is a cashier at a store that accept food stamps will. You are only allowed a small set number of items at a time on the WIC program. And sometimes verifying that you purchased the right item out of a list of possibilities takes awhile to do. So then everyone behind the person trying to use your new and improved food stamps will also complain. Food stamps is a much bigger program then WIC, its not as easy as it sounds.

Its a good idea, but not one that will work in our hurry up and get on with our life or hear nasty comments from the person behind you life.

Just sayin...

you better read the label on them real fruit juices as they contain as much sugar as pop. and they can use 1 cherry and call it real. don't kid youir self about this.

Whatever happened to just drinking WATER? It is the best thing going, it wont make you fat or tired - it will clear your skin and make you regular...WATER is the most positive thing we got going on here.

I love grape juice and my granny makes it homemade. With me not living at home anymore I don't get to see her often. I had a craving for grape juice yesterday and so I bought a thing of Welsh's "100% Grapejuce" and I looked at the nutrition info and it had about 2 servings in the bottle. Per serving there was 41g of sugar in it! 41! I KNOW grapes don't naturally have that much sugar in it so 100% juice my ass. I figured it would have a lot of sugar but not that much. I don't buy into that 100% anything. All false advertising.

@ Pplaresilly:

Well said! Water seems to be the only hydrating thing left out there that isn't saturated in high fructose corn syrup...really, they seem to put that junk into everything now. Whenever I buy flavored drinks as a treat, I make sure they are natural and have very few ingredients...the less there are, the better it usually is for you. I've found sweet tea that uses only organic cane sugar, organic orange 'forgot name' tea leaves, and water. I don't drink any juice unless it is not from concentrated. It's like concentrating the amount of sugar in five pieces of fruit into one small 8 oz. cup...no wait, it is just like that. And they feel that they also have to load it up with high fructose corn syrup to make it 'taste' better. I find that fresh squeezed fruit juices or juiced fruit (Like Naked Drinks) tastes far better than any 'too sour or sweet' crap that comes from Welches or Ocean Spray. Sure, healthier foods may be more expensive, but eating mac & cheese, McDonalds, and the like will land you a medical bill that far outweighs the price of health foods. I feel so much better when I eat a nutritionally, and I feel fatty and greasy when I eat fat saturated foods.

I agree that the food stamp program should be ran similiar to WIC. It's for people that need help and by giving them "approved" foods to choose from, the families are benefiting from a more balanced and healthy way of eating. By choosing to buy flour, sugar, butter and eggs..you could make 10X the amount of cookies as a package of store bought cookies for the same price. Really people there is nothing better tasting than a fresh cookie HOT out of the oven. Plus those same ingredients could be used for other homemade foods...cakes, biscuits the possibilities are endless. Do people actually realize how much further the money would go if they cooked meals instead of buying pre-packaged boxed items. Use that flour to make homemade pizza dough. For the price of two frozen pizzas you could buy a can of sauce, a brick of cheese and a few other toppings. I could go on and on. Another thing is if they deleted junk food from their choices and added Toilet paper, toothpaste, bar soap and shampoo etc... families would be MUCH better off.

Sebright

Who cares if the person behind you is unhappy because its taking longer for you to get through the line, they should deal with it or change lines, and the cashier who doesnt like it, well tough; deal with it, thats your job and if it requires a little extra effort on your part to complete it so what, thats the problem in this country people would rather have things done half A*** and quick rather than slow and right, or get pissed off because they actually have to do their job.

Also Sebright,

you see this as a problem, i see it as a chance to create more jobs and help people get off of food stamps, first, the cashiers will probably need to be trained= new job for somebody, maybe a computer system designed to make it easier to check=new job, somebody to install new system = new job, somebody to maintain system = new job, somebody to inspect to make sure system is being followed=new job, yes i understand that this may in the end cost the governemtn money but in the end if we are able to take more people off of welfare because of the new jobs created then it kind of balances out doesnt it, i understand that maybe the software programming aspect would probably not take someone off of welfare, but most of the other jobs have the abbility to be taken by unskilled workers, or simply require minimal training so that almost anyone could complete the task. I am sure that their would be other jobs created by this system that I am not even aware of, but those are a few i could think of.

I agree the food stamp program would benefit from running it more like the WIC program, however with WIC program isn't without it's flaws. I have a friend who qualified for WIC, each month she would get checks and on each check it told her what she could buy ex: 3 gallons of milk, peanut butter, 100% juice, whole grain cereal etc. the problem was she was able to get 16 gallons of milk a month, 20 quarts of juice, 4 jars of peanut butter, etc. clearly more then she was able to use in a month since her infant daughter was on formula, and the only other child was a 12 year old girl. Along with Wic she qualified for 120.00 in food stamps a month, if she purchased all the juice and milk she was entitled too it simply went to waste, so in the end I would buy her meat to exchange for some of the milk, juice etc. otherwise she really didn't have any meat or fresh fruit/vegetables for most of the month. The system is great but yet 16 gallons of milk a month for 2 people really? Since she did smoke, and have an occasional drinking problem, I did make sure I only traded actually food stuff, since I was afraid that any cash I gave her would of went for these other items, and not for food for the kids.

wow stormrider, that system is messed up! I drink milk by the glass and don't think I go though more than 3-4 gallons a month, if that, with even using it for cereal or baking. I could probably go through 4 jars of peanut butter though, lol. But still, yeah they should kind of like, take some of that and give her more options like more veggies or fruit each check. Like maybe 1 gallon of milk, since if she's not a big milk drinker like me it would probably last her and if she really needed milk between checks, she could just buy a cheap little pint or something. Does she still use this? I'd write to the office and explain it's a little ridiculous on how they distribute goods.

They even had color fold outs specifying what you can/can't buy with WIC, and they STILL picked out the wrong stuff. Then would look at me like I made the rules up even though they have their fold out in their hand!!

UUGH!!!

How dare you judge her. Who the heck are you? I am sick of judgemental people like you. You are not the only one who pays taxes. I pay taxes as well. I don't mind people getting assistance. I am so blessed to have the luxuries I have without relying on assistance. I have so much more. Why should I pick on somebody who only luxuries may only be soda, candy, and a cell phone. This is a form of bullying and it needs to stop.

AMEN! Nasty people need not reply

no, food does not have to be fatty and prepared. you can from scratch buy cheaper foods and more nourishing foods cheaper than the prepared foods. I do so all the time. I just do not think that foods should be dictated to. In the early days, people went to the offices and would get cans of food given to them. A mother of two would get these HUGE cans of peaches in sugar. What was she supposed to do with them after they were opened? In our state, parents on WIC are offered vouchers for the farmer's market. The state reimburses the growers and the people get some great free fresh local foods two days a week.

no, food does not have to be fatty and prepared. you can from scratch buy cheaper foods and more nourishing foods cheaper than the prepared foods.

That may be true, yet, how about those of us who don't know their way around a kitchen??? Besides, it does take quite a bit of money to purchase items separately and make things from "scratch". Then u also have people that don't eat fruits or vegetables. They r meat only people... Some call them MEN.

JackDaddy - the correct grammar would be "You're such a tard." Not "your." And it would be "since you're so into this article." Again, not "your."

Don't try to judge or insult if you can't do it intelligently. Besides, government assistance is not a bad thing. It's an ABUSED thing by some unfortunately. Buying a bottle or case of pop for a week or two to have in the house is not a bad thing - but buying 10 bottles or 5 cases of it for a house of like, 3, is a bit unnecessary and we shouldn't have to tell them how to spend their money but in this case it's OUR money. They say making one good choice sparks a days worth of good choices so maybe if they ate better they'd feel better and be more willing to help themselves and eventually get themselves off assistance? You never know - crazy how things work sometimes.

This is a form of bullying and it needs to stop.

Perhaps the language is, but the sentiment is not. There is nothing wrong with taxpayers saying how their money will be spent. I for one approve of these restrictions on food stamps. It's not forbidding people from buying candy and soda, just spending tax dollars to do it.

people on food stampes have to buy fattening filling foods to make there food stampes last as long as they can

No, they do not. They just have to shop wisely. (See my post at 4.3) A $2.88 bag of chips vs a $.99 bag of carrots.

That may be true, yet, how about those of us who don't know their way around a kitchen??? Besides, it does take quite a bit of money to purchase items separately and make things from "scratch". Then u also have people that don't eat fruits or vegetables. They r meat only people... Some call them MEN.

That sounds like a bunch of excuses to me. And sexist as well. Most of the best chefs in the world are ... MEN! And, since you obviously have access to the internet, you have access to recipes. May I suggest recipe.com? No potato chips required. And actually, it costs MUCH LESS to buy the ingredients to cook from scratch than it does to purchase prepared junk to toss into a microwave ... just sayin' ...

I have to disagree with this. People on food stamps DO NOT HAVE TO BUY FATTENING FOODS to make their food stamps last as long as they can. You justy have to change the way you think, and do things. 3 years ago I was laid off from my job. I am a single person, and had to end up getting food stamps until i got back on my feet. I recieved $50 a month in food stamps. I bought meat, vegetables, eggs, and milk, all on $50 for the entire month, and i never went without food, or had to buy junk food with it. How did I do it? All over this country their are places called Angel Food. Look them up online at http://www.angelfoodministries.com/. They accept food stamps as well as cash customers. They give a family of 4 enough food to last a week on $50. So if it can last a family of 4 for a week, it can last a family of 1 for a month.
Here is what the Angel Food had to offer in my area for this month for $50.
1.5 lbs of New York strips, 1.5 lbs of breaded chicken breast, 2 lb of lean ground beef, 1 lb of crunchy fish sticks, 1.5 lbs of pork chops, 1 lb of frozen broccoli, 2 lbs of frozen carrots, 1 lb of corn, 1 lb of cauliflower, 1 lb of pasta, Quart of Milk, 1 dozen of eggs, 1 cantaloupe, 4 peaches, 4 oranges, 1 mango, 1 head lettuce, 2 lbs of onions, 3 lbs of Idaho potatoes, 1.25 lbs of green beans, 1 head of cabbage, and a fruit and veggie recipie sheet..........ALL FOR $50!!! So dont sit and tell me that you HAVE TO BUY junk food to get you through, because YOU DON'T. You just need to look in the right places, and learn how to portion, learn how to shop for the best deal with the most quantity, and you CAN do it. I've done it, so I know it can be done!

The biggest problem with public assistance is that the way it is set up it is a free ride, and it doesn't have to be. It's absolutely true that not everyone on it is a lazy slug who refuses to work. There are honest, eager-to-work people in a temporary emergency on the program who would be HAPPY to do community service like pick up trash in the county to "earn" their benefit - and in fact, I would argue those people would probably feel BETTER about receiving the benefit if that were required. They are also the people who would accept that since they are getting help from taxpayers they need to not squander it by buying "empty" calories. These type of people are grateful for the help and know they are working to get themselves out of the hole and can go back to eating whatever they want when they do. But because of the way welfare is set up now it, unfortunately, also attracts the aforementioned lazy, don't want to work, "career" welfare types for whom welfare is a lifestyle. Put them to work doing community service, don't give them cash money (just checks made directly to critical bills), and make sure they are not squandering taxpayer money on empty calories and we could weed a lot of these people who don't deserve welfare out.

and for $216 a month, you can get all the mentioned above, plus all of this in addition:
1 lb of sirloin tips, 2 lbs of lean hamburger steaks, 1.5 lbs of sausage, 1.5 lbs of bacon wrapped chicken breast fillets, 2lbs of ribeye steak, 2lbs of jumbo chicken breast, 4 (6oz) italian chicken breat, 4 (6oz) teriaki chicken breast, 4 (6oz) lemon herb chicken breast, 2lbs of seafood lasagna, 2 lbs of lasagna with meat sauce, 2 lbs of chicken fried ste rice, ak with gravy, 2lbs of chicken white noodle cassarole, 16oz (4 x 4oz) stuffed sandwiches, 12 oz of steak OR 1.5 lbs of beef roast OR 2 lbs of mac and beef entree, 1.5 lbs of country fried steak patties, another 1 lb of ground beef, another pound of fish sticks, another pound of fruit OR vegetable, 1 lb of rice, 2 lbs of chicken fingers, 1.5 lbs of corn dogs, 1 bbq sandwich, 2 packages of chicken sandwiches, 4 hot pockets (4 oz each), 1 (12ct) of pizza bites, 1 box (6ct) of cereal bars, 2 white cstle hamburgers, 3 (2.2 oz) of pbj graham wafers, and 2 (2.8 oz) peanut butter and jelly jamwiches, and last but not least whole prepaired meals......
fish fillet with rice, carrots, and pepper blend; sweet and sour pork with rice, pea/carrot blend and cauliflower; red beans and rice with smoked pork sausage, carrots, and brussel sprouts; white chicken cacciatore with rice, carrots, onion, yellow squash; breaded chicken parmigiana with spaghetti, corn/pepper blend, and zucchini; white chicken and gravy with noodles, corn and broccoli; salisbury steak and gravy with potato wedges, pea/carrot blend, and brussel sprouts; meatball stroganoff with noodles, carrots, and broccoli; country herb white chicken with mashed pot
atoes, peas, lima bean/red pepper blend; and macaroni and cheese with black beans, corn, red pepper blens, and cauliflower.
ALL OF THIS PLUS THE ABOVE MENTIONED ALL FOR $216. That's enough food to feed a family of 4 on for a month, with no junk food to fill up on.

The mayor is not on food stamps

ME we have used Angel food before and it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Tammy, thats my money people on food stamps are spending I work hard for it, I wasnt blessed with an extravagant life, i got up and worked hard for it and still do evryday. Question? Have you ever given money to someone, if so you had a reasonable expectation of what they would do with that money correct? I assume you pay taxes, you have a reasonable expectation of what the gov't will do with the money you pay in taxes (food stamps ignored), is this not the same, why should people on food stamps be exempt from the same reasonbale expectation that all other agencies are placed under, I dont want to tell them how to live their life, but I do have the reasonable expectation that my money will be spent by them in a reasonable manner and I do not beleive that soda or sugary foods is a reasonable way to spend my money that I give them.

$12.00 for a pack of cigarettes is INSANE, yet on my recent visit to NYC, I saw MANY people lighting up! So why do you vote for him???????????

Also, "Dictator Bloomberg" pushed for the FSC (fire safe cigarettes) Do you know what that is? Google it! You are smoking CARPET GLUE!!! Do you know what that DOES to your lungs, not to mention the tobacco????

Hey, fedup, you should google the ingredients to cigarettes. I looked it up for my brother recently. There's something like 500 ingredients/chemicals/flavorings that can be in your cigarette. Carpet glue is tame compared to some of the other stuff people are smoking without even realizing it.

agreed, but I think more people are quitting now since the FSC is actually MAKING them sick. Its one thing to hear...you COULD get cancer vs actually getting physically sick with each inhale.

I guess we are talking all food stamp recipients do this? You have seen this? Boy your street is really busy. You are putting all recipients in one group. the world knows there are people who abuse them but not everybody. You should choose your statements before having them in print for the world to see how narrow minded people can be.

Tammy-1753008 Well geez Tammy i did not mean to offend your precious little feelings! Excuse me for my street smarts to know the difference from people who get out and work and people who are crack users on the Government payroll! And yes, i have had a crackhead jump my 8 foot fence running from the police from Kroger's after he robbed the store of $100 bucks of meet and the cops knew him well and it was not his first time! So keep your liberal minded opinion to yourself!!!

Hence the first word Tammy pooh is Mostly! Okay class can we all say that together! Mostly! Good! Now what does that word mean class? The majority but not all! Geez these libtards get on my nerves! November 2nd can't come soon enough so people like Tammy can go back into the silent shadows to where she belongs!

most drug dealers want to be paid in cash not hamburgers!!!

Since when has it become that all or most food stamp receivers are lazy? Most food stamps receivers are the people working in your fast food restuarants,wal-marts,grocery stores,and any other low paying job. They work just as hard as anyone else,they just happen not to make as much money. Also, what about those who have become disabled or military familes some of these people also receive food stamps. Remeber all the government needs is a inch and they will take a mile when it comes to banning things.I remeber when they thought smoking was bad for you and decides most people shouldn't ,now it's banned alot of places.How long do you think it will take them to decide that since soda is bad for low income people it's bad for everyone,which will allow it to be eventually banned for all

I guess, me and my crackhead husband fit you description? I was a nurse, he was an out of work teacher with two small children when we were on them. The nice thing was that the state helped us get in jobs, myself at the university, him for a 20 year job with JCPenney. Unemployment in our town was over 20 %. The same thing is happening to people now. At one time in my husband's store, all but 3 people had their BS/BA's, 3 had their masters and a couple were working on their doctorates. So, when you make such foolish judgments regarding people on welfare of any kind, look at what jobs there are, who is working in them, how many hours they are getting and ask yourself, can you honestly say that you can work on $40.00 a week as a substitute teacher, and house and feed, and dress your kids?

As I posted above earlier our family lives off $88 a month on food stamps. I work at a collection agency. I used to do well when the economy was better and people were paying their bills. I make 8.75 and have 2 kids. I have worked all my life and I am 32 yrs old and I hate having to get the help. It's embarassing and degrading that I have to tell my kids that they can't get that because we don't have enough money. I would rather my tax dollars to help feed a family in a situation like myself then to somebody who sits at home all day and does nothing to try to find a job and keeps having kids and getting more assistance. It is hard being a single income parent.

Right on, thats exactly where I stand on the whole welfare and food stamp thing and for people in your posistion i beleive more help is in order, you should not be treated the same as those lazy bastards. I wish the government had some type of program that allowed honest hardworking people a big break, instead of treating the lazy better than they do the working.

I guess you dont know about sugar free soda, cookies, cake, candy, and a host of other things

I know ALL about those things ... and they are still empty calories. And, NO ONE is saying people on assistance can't buy them -- only that they shouldn't use TAX MONEY to pay for empty calories.

These things that you mention, like sugar free soda, have ZERO nutritional value. If you want to buy that crap (as I sometimes do!) with your own money, be my guest. But if you're using tax dollars, you should have to get something nutritious. That's the whole POINT of qualifying for SNAP--you are, based on income, deemed to be at nutritional risk.

I agree with you. It's becoming ridiculous.

I don't think we're trying to deprive people of things like this - it wouldn't be an issue at all if the money given to them to help them survive wasn't highly spent on this stuff. Instead of buying Milk, bread, cheese, eggs - things that a lot of people buy regularly they buy 20 boxes of Velveeta and 10 bottles of pop.

I don't think we have a right to tell people how to live their lives but because (not only are most of these people capable to work and are refusing - although a lot of people DO need this program between jobs which is fine) some are abusing the system and not taking care of themselves, we should try to persuade them to live better. I don't think it's a big bad "you can't have this because you're on welfare ban" it's a "hey, you're getting money from us, maybe try to feed yourself better with it because you are able to afford it and working people can't"

I think putting limits on what people on public assistance can buy is doing them a favor. It creates an incentive for them to get off of assistance. Getting OFF of assistance is what will truly make their lives better. The people who are willing to work, honest, good people who are using public assistance in a temporary emergency (what it is supposed to be for!) are just happy for the help and eager to get back on their feet. It's the "lifestyle" welfare recipients who complain they don't have enough and are ungrateful for the fact that their family isn't starving and they have a roof over their head. People ARE deprived, it's a fact of life - I'm a hard working citizen who would probably qualify for these programs because I make so little but I DON'T apply because I don't believe in handouts. You need to expect to be deprived even when you're spending your own money, so it's really not such a stretch for someone to expect to be deprived of certain "luxuries" (as in not required to survive, like soda) when they are receiving help from others.

Good call. If they're gonna be paid they may as well work for it. Instead of a handout, give them work and maybe a little self respect will follow.

Wii-in-Md. You "DO" pay for your tap water.

Will in Md, I guess you don't live in the city. Us city folks DO have to pay for our tap water. Also a lot of fast food places charge for tap water.

Maybe we should quit handing out so much and start offering cooking and budgeting classes instead.

If only I could give this comment *2* thumbs up!

Why stop there??? How about on the job training in some fields for those that want to work. I remember there used to be a program where people could work, even if it was only temporary slots and I believe the companies received some sort of tax credit for this. Is this program still in play???

they are still there, it is called WIA

in most states thier are already laws like that.

I think that is an excellent idea. If you have money or means to obtain drugs you don't need foodstamps or WIC or anything else my tax dollars pay for. Just make sure it is an observed test like is done for DOT physicals. Otherwise they would just use their child's urine to pass. As far as banning candy, chips, sodas, I have no problem with that. My parents were not on assistance of any kind and those items were rarely in the house when I was growing up. The reason? My mother said they were for treats, and that we needed "real food" if we were hungry. How about giving some instruction on proper nutrition and hygiene along with those cards. If people knew how to do better, they probably would do better.

Ok not everyone who is on food stamps does not sit around with no job. I have been on food stamps for years and I have been working since I was old enough to get a job. So you suggest I be disabled? No you have it all wrong. The reason I am on food stamps is I am a single mother and our government in all its infinite wisdom decided long ago that my childrens father was more important than them. They choose to give him cash money to sit on the corner drinking and drugging while I work 40 hours a week sometimes more to put food on the table and clothe my children. I only get 200 in food stamps and my children get medicaid that is it he gets money food stamsp and medicaid also I do not. Also you suggest drug test for food stamp recepient do you realize if my children God forbid were with their father and he was tested they would starve? The ones who need to be tested are the ones receiving cash assistance. Also instead of penalizing those who buy junk reward those who buy healthy food instead like lower prices because it is very hard to buy healthy food and make ends meet.