Should foodstamps be permitted to purchase items , like soft drinks, candy, junk food?

Question

I must admit I got good and pissed off yesterday in the supermarket, waiting in line while some guy and his family used their food stamps and wic to buy dr. pepper, potato chips, candy, etc. and their children who were around 2 and one was in a baby carrier had no shoes, I even used the republican line get a job man, and told the guy who was in his 20s to enlist or find a way off of the taxpayers teat! I think while food stamps are necessary in certain circumstances junk food should not be allowed to be pruchased on them

Solid Citizen- ordianarily I would say you have a point, this guys appearnce said a lot , you know hair spiked even his kids had doos, but no shoes, nail polish and piercings that arent exactly cheap, , plus he had a smart attitude and was getting on his kids a bit much as the one was just being a kid and making faces at me and me at him in return.

the guy in question also was abole to afford 2 cartons of name brand smokes and 12 budweisers. Gee youd think if he cared about his faimly hed at least smoke roll your owns and not drink until he could afford to support them

I did have second thought s that my reaction didn't improve things in the least, but i was really angered. ad actually wanted to take him out somewhere and give him the lecture on supporting a family , or beat his butt

I did have second thought s that my reaction didn't improve things in the least, but i was really angered. ad actually wanted to take him out somewhere and give him the lecture on supporting a family , or beat his butt

Answer 1

When I was young there were no food stamps.Yes my family was very poor my father got his back broken and my mother worked as a waitress and cook. What we did have were government commodities. No chips no pop just good(not aways great) nutritious food.I always thought that that was a much better system than food stamps i don't know why it isn't done any more.

Hey I am a conservative and think most people would rather work than not but I will tell you just because some abuse the system does not mean that it should go away. I don't ever wish to see children hungry in tour streets. Those in need deserve help.It should be help that leads to education or job training so they can learn to help their selves and gain self esteem but help none the less.

Answer 2

I agree with you. Food Stamps and WIC should only allow purchase of staples, not junk food. However, at least the system is better than what it once was. Now that many states have moved to a credit card system rather individual food stamps. Under the old system here in Texas I knew people that got food stamps who would go into a store, buy a very cheap item and since there was no form of change in food stamps would receive their change in cash and pocket it to buy any item they wanted. Always seemed to me to defeat the purpose of the program entirely.

Answer 3

That is a tough question to answer, for all practical purposes it would have been my hope that they would purchase healthy, nutritious meals for their young, but in this society, where fast food, is more the norm than those home cooked meals of yesterday.

I look at that situation as if I would run across a poor old man who has fallen through the cracks, who sits close to a supermarket asking for a few dollars so he can eat, it isn't for me to make a value judgement of what he might do or not do with the few dollars, but that I have given freely

I feel the same applies here. Something whether I think they should or not, is much better than nothing at all

Answer 4

Baloney Solid Citizen... Baloney.

I worked in a grocery store for many years and what Paul is describing happens on a daily basis, multiple times. They would either load up the cart with junk food or buy the most costly steaks with their food stamps. Never ever use coupons... douldn't be bothered with them. Then after that transaction was over pull out 20's to pay for their beer, booze or cigarettes.

I befriended a woman who had 5 children. She was in her mid 20's. They received around $900 a month in food stamps. Her husband refused to work because if he did they would lose their food stamps and all the other entitlements they were receiving. There was absolutely NOTHING wrong with him physically. He just learned how to play the system. He is a trade carpenter. Holds a card but this is easier for him. He would do "under the table jobs" for a few bucks here or there but refused to work a regular job. They lived in subsidized housing, got breaks on thier uility bills and received medicaid for the children. I tried talking to her about it one time. I asked her didn't she want better for her children and told her she was allowing herself to be in a neverending cycle of dependency on others. It didn't matter to her though. She had absolutely no regret for abusing the system. How can someone have any amount of self respect for themselves or expect others to have respect for them when they abuse the gift given to them such as food stamps. This was not an isolated incident either. I knew numerous families that were playing the same game with the system. This family was just the most egregious offenders that I knew of.

The Food Stamp program is so abused in the United States. There are those who truly need to rely on the assistance they receive. BUT the vast majority use the system to supplement their irresponsible behavior.

Many Many times I have watched elderly people come through my lines and they felt embarrassed when they had to remove things from their carts because they couldn't afford the items. Most of the time, if I could, without making it look obvious, I would offer to cover an item or two of theirs so that they didn't have to put back that nights dinner. I never went to work without cash in my pocket in case it were to happen. The people we should be helping are the people we are not helping. Most of the time the elderly people I helped would want to make it a loan. Sometimes I got alittle money back. Most of the time I got cookies, brownies or a dish that was a treasured family recipe. I never regretted what I did and I got lots of hugs.

Answer 5

I completly agree with you.. When you recieve W.I.C. you are only allowed to get what is on the voucher I think that ther should alos be a list of no no's for food stamps too. I can see if they are snack chips for the kids lunches but big family bags NO pop too no way..

Answer 6

I agree with you. it should be healthy food, WIC has a certain list that you buy from and food stamps should be the same. Most people that are on welfare and that are on public assistance are very overwieght too maybe a lot of them use it for junk food. The poor kids without the shoes really makes me mad.

Answer 7

I agree totally. I've always believed there should be restrictions on the kinds of food that food stamps should be used for. It's bad enough that we are contributing to luxuries instead of staples, but we are also contributing to stuff that will make the family fat and sick, which we will then end up paying for in their health care because they are uninsured.

Answer 8

Yeah, it ticks me off too....esp. when the kid has no shoes...I think it should be that they can only be used for basics..what bothers me the most is the abusers are taking food out of the mouths of people who truely need them...I agree with you...it is a hard system to monitor and now they are talking about changing toe stamps to appear like a credit card, to save emarrassment to those using them, should they not be embarrassed?....(unless they truely need them).....

Answer 9

i was in a store buying food , proceeded to the check out and saw that the lady in front of me had a bunch of fresh lobsters. i thought about how hard i work for a living and when was the last time i had enough money to buy lobster. then she pulled out her food stamp card and paid for her lobsters and left, i am so pissed off to this day i still kick myself in the butt for not saying anything.

Answer 10

Unfortunately many people are on food stamps because of their habits. Hard to create a just welfare system that can distinguish between those who need help and those who need parents.