Should People On Food Stamps Be Punished?

Do you also support someone being able to tell you or anyone else who pays cash what you are allowed to buy in the grocery store based on it's nutritional value? You may believe that soda, coffee & sugar are no good for you but that does not mean that your views are shared by everyone. What you choose to eat, and what you choose to feed your family, are some of the most personal decisions people make so what gives anyone the right to impose their beliefs upon anyone else in this area? Is it your contention that poor children don't have the right to eat cookies, that a poor mother does not have the right to bake a birthday cake for her child? What about cereals...should poor children only be allowed to eat certain brands and be denied others?

Yes, I believe my comment was needed because you're discriminating against the poor and I have every right to state my views on that, no offense. You talk as if being poor and on food stamps is a temporary thing and, for many, it's not, it's a life long condition. You do not have *less* personal freedom because you are poor and I do not support taking the freedom of choice in the grocery store away from anyone for any reason. Yes, tax dollars support the food stamp program but that still does not give the government the right to limit personal decisions for people in the grocery store. Do you also believe that the government should be able to decide what medical care you receive if you're receiving medicaid or medicare? No one is suggesting that people who receive food stamps only purchase junk food...that would be a ridiculous assumption to make. In my question to you above I did not ask you about a birthday cake purchased in a store I asked you if a poor mother should not be permitted to *bake* a cake for her child since you seem to believe that sugar is not necessary for poor families to have. I agree that poor families have bigger concerns than birthday cakes and you have made your views on the subject of a child's feelings pretty clear as well but, again, I will return to my main opinion that the government does not have the right to take freedom of choice away from a single group...any single group...in a free country. I know how difficult it is for poor families and especially for children who grow up in poverty because I've participated in many outreach programs designed to assist these families in a variety of areas. Many of the children I encountered during the Toys for Tots campaign, for instance, didn't receive gifts on their birthdays but we helped to ensure that they were not forgotten at Christmas. This is life and I agree that life can be hard but to suggest that a poor mother should be prohibited from buying a cake mix for about a dollar, frosting for about another dollar and sugar so that she can bake a cake for her young child is totally unacceptable in a free society.

That's the whole point, no offense. Someone else is paying for people on food stamps. I don't really see what "food" you're buying if, using the example I've seen, you waste money on coffee and sugar. You can't survive on coffee and/or sugar. I think if you're getting aid there should be rules. One, so no one abuses it. Two, if all you're eating is junk, you're just going to get sick and cost tax payers more money. if you're poor, I think you have bigger concerns than eating cookies and birthday cakes. I don't think food stamp should be allowed to cover cookies, even though they do, and not birthday cakes because a birthday cake costs more than a regular cake. If I was on food stamps, or poor, I would think I would explain to my child/ren (if I had any which I don't at the moment) times are hard. We might not have a enough, and this year there is no birthday gifts and cake, but I still love you. Giving a child a gift and/or cake when there is no money to sends so many wrong messages. It models wrong spending habits and shows money is the most important. Maybe people like this who got gifts and cakes, or too many or too expensive gifts, are the reason the American economy crashed? "Well, mommy bought me cookies and cake when we were on foodstamps. Maybe I can take out a loan for a home that I can't afford?". Yes, poor people, adults and children, should be denied certain brands. Why should they be allowed to ear General Mills when Scrunchie (sp?) is just the same for less? I'm not saying they should eat low quality food, or food from the dollar store, but come on. Times are tough. I bet some people who are not on food stamps but can't afford certain brands. Is that fair to them? No offense, but was your comment needed? Not everyone is going to share your views.

No offense katsmeow but I do believe you said in a post here.... We went down and applied for food stamps when I was 8 months pregnant with my youngest child... only because our heating bill was about to be shut off and we had to choose between paying the power bill or buying food. Well they told us we were $2 over the limit so could not get food stamps, but to come back after the baby was born and then we'd qualify! and you say your "youngest" child so you obviously have more then one child yourself. You are judging this lady for drawing food stamps when you yourself tried to draw food stamps. So is it a fair assumption to say you aren't to well off to be bringing children into this world either.? Maybe this woman doesn't have childcare, maybe she has issues with her pregnancy and she can't work, maybe she has a sick child. For you to immediately pass judgement on her without knowing her situation is just rude.

So you're already on food stamps (aka tax payers money) and you decide to have another child for the tax payers to support? Let me guess... you don't work, do you? So the tax payers are paying you to stay home? How many jobs does your husband have.. how many hours does he work? Do you not have a few hours you can go work yourself to support yourself and not collect food stamps? How is it okay to collect food stamps if you have options? How is it okay to bring another child into this world when you can't even support the ones you have without government and tax payers help?

Why don't your children drink as much milk at they should? Why did you decide to have another child when you already have what you describe as a large family that you obviously can't feed well without the help of government assistance? Let me guess...you don't work either, do you? How many jobs does your husband have...how many hours does he work? So, when are you going back to apply for those food stamps or do you have a few hours where you can go work yourself to support yourself and not collect food stamps? How is it okay to collect food stamps if you have options? How is it okay to bring another child into this world when you can't even support the ones you have without government and tax payers help? Judge not lest ye be judged.

Thank you! I stretch out my food stamps as though it was my own cash. I go to discount grocery stores. I also go to "normal" grocery stores. Some times I'll go to 3 different grocery stores in one week to get what I need the cheapest. Double coupon days are awesome for saving money!

I once saw a woman load up her cart with Gatorade, and some other type of drinks, and proceed to pay with with food stamps. It's ashame how some people work the system. I also know people who applied for, and need food stamps, who didn't get them.

That's true. There are those who really need it and can't get it. The system is a mess, but so are the people abusing it.

I completely agree Peavey! We went down and applied for food stamps when I was 8 months pregnant with my youngest child... only because our heating bill was about to be shut off and we had to choose between paying the power bill or buying food. Well they told us we were $2 over the limit so could not get food stamps, but to come back after the baby was born and then we'd qualify! There are many times during the month, usually on weeks we have a very large bill due, that we're eating cheaply. We do have Ramen Noodles for lunch quite often to save on bread which gets expensive for a family as large as mine. My children don't drink as much milk as they should as it's too expensive for a family as large as mine. Yet when I go shopping I see the people in line ahead of me buying boxes of twinkies, ho ho's, ice cream, soda, and all sorts of other junk with their food stamps! It's truly not fair!

One more thing, there are already some guidelines set up already. There's no way to use your food stamp card at restaurants, fast-food, all-you-can-eat, etc. The only place you can buy food with your food stamp or EBT card is in grocery stores, or convenience stores that accept such cards such as Fred's, Wal-Mart, Ingles, Winn-Dixie, etc. There are more places to buy groceries and food that qualifies, but to be told what food to specifically buy such as ramen noodles only, that's going WAY too far.

I also would like to add that I agree they shouldn't be used for "ready to eat" foods. Alot of families can't afford to go out to dinner. I don't think you should be able to get that priviledge on food stamps. Besides cooking your own meal definitely stretches the dollar further.

Do you seriously think five lbs of meat will feed a family for an entire month??

It was an example... take it easy!

Wow, I never thought of it from that point of view. You're certainly correct about freedom of choice. Its definetley something to consider.