AtomicActuator said:
Yep, there's a lot of stupid, selfish, and generally nasty people out there, and many of them are broke, often because they are such terrible people.
But they are the exception. Using one idiot to try to say anything about the wider population of SNAP recipients is lazy and meaningless.
But that said, I have no problem with limiting food assistance to foods that are smart choices.
Note also that it can't just be limited to scratch ingredients as some seem to think. Many people lack the skills, time, or facilities to cook scratch meals, not to mention once you get all the ingredients, it can cost a fortune.
But there are plenty of reasonable choices that require less prep in the frozen and canned aisles.
Any cashier at a grocery store or supermarket will tell you those on food stamps are the WORST shoppers by a mile. They buy nothing generic, they don't use coupons, they pay zero attention to the price / unit, they buy the most expensive name brands. Yes that is a generalization but applies to the overwhelming majority.
Back when food stamps were actual paper bills printed by the Treasury kids would come in with a $5 food stamp bill and buy a pack of gum to get USD currency in change, which would then be used to buy cigarettes or a 6 pack of beer.
The various Lone Star and EBT cards have cut way down on outright fraud, but the technology is there to FORCE these people to be better shoppers, no name brand milk or peanut butter or sandwich meats, store brand generic is fine. No sodas, chips of any kind, processed desserts (Hostess, etc.), no candy, not even name brand canned fruits and veggies should be allowed.
And if they aren't agreeable to that we should end the program, which should be done anyway, I don't recall the section of the Constitution where the federal government can take my $$ to help other people to buy food, when I need that $$ for my own family.
