What Are They Thinking...??

[CJW]

what rights would someone lose because they are on government assistance? I would think they would not lose any of their rights.....but of course people always judge how they live their life or spend their checks lol

It is funny but as I get older I have become a little less SS than when younger. I sure am way more SS than millions of others but getting older now I am using a few more shortcuts and conveniences.

The right to privacy goes right out the window.
They use cards instead of paper for food assistance now. That's good for cutting down fraud, but they can pull records of what was bought on any account. That's a little too "Big Brother " too me.

The people that live in government housing in this town get frequent inspections on short notice. Management will take pics of the apartments, including personal possessions. This is not just used to record damage. They took pictures of a friends apartment, because they felt it was too messy.

The residents are not allowed to use a security chain or similar device on the doors. One friend came out of the shower and a maintenance person was in the apartment. He was still naked and very angry over the surprise. He had not asked for maintenance.

They have a list of things that they are not allowed to have in the apartments. Like propane bottles for a Coleman stove.

They are very strict about what pets (size and breed) are allowed. All animals must be spayed/neutered and have records that shots are up to date to be moved in, even a strictly indoor cat. Some people do not believe in using the full group of vaccines that some vets are used to. Many elderly people have had to give up their pets to be allowed to move in. The elderly are lonely enough already. They deserve what joy they can have.

^Well said.

With that being said, I think that some rights should be restricted when using government assistance for food...

I want to point out that I don't consider myself extremely low income, but we still live paycheck to paycheck. We only have 1 actual debt, so apart from rent, and utilities, our money goes toward food.

We don't qualify for food stamps because we make $150 more per month than is allowed. There were some months where I wish we would have had just a little assistance.

I worked part time in a grocery store, and I would watch people on SNAP (food stamps) purchase $100+ worth of candy, chips, cookies, and pop. No fruits, No veggies, No meat!

REALLY?

IMO, if you are on government assistance for food, there should be qualifiers for food, such as:

No Processed foods (Other than whole grain cereals, etc)
No High Sodium foods (soups, chips, pre-packaged meats, etc)
No Highly Sweetened (or artificially sweetened) foods (cookies, pop, ice cream, etc)
etc.

These types of foods cause most of our country's health problems. When the government allows its citizens to use the SNAP program to buy these types of foods, then they are practically guaranteeing that they will be using assistance for health care in their future.

How is this appropriate?

 

[Farmfresh]

I agree. Besides that our tax paid food assistance would go MUCH farther if folks were required to purchase only basic foods that you have to prepare instead of instant pre-packaged stuff.

When I shop I buy ingredients not meals.

 

[Denim Deb]

I know I heard a few years back that people on food stamps only got $35/person/week for food. (This was on the radio) And, the person making this statement said about how hard it was to eat on just $5/day, or $1.70/meal. I sat down one day, and figured that if I bought everything from the store, didn't grow anything, I could feed myself for at the most $25/week. And, the people that I saw using food stamps normally were eating better than I was because I could not afford to get the stuff that they were getting.

 

[Dunkopf]

I agree on that. The only problem is that so many of the people on those programs don't live near actual supermarkets. There are many areas of town where supermarkets are far and few between. The closest store is a seven eleven. So they have to take a bus and carry things back. I agree that they should be doing that, but they are human. Part of the program should be some basic cooking skills.

We fostered for 10 years and part of the foster program is WIC. you were only allowed to buy Milk, Cheese, PB or beans, 2 boxes of very low sugar cereal per child. Babies were allowed powdered formula. It wasn't much but it helped out.

By the way our social services building where we took the kids to visit with their parents had kitchens for the bio mothers to cook a meal for their kids. It was also used to teach cooking to assistance recipients as needed. A lot of these mothers knew nothing about cooking. raised on the streets and such.

 

[Beekissed]

IMO, if you are on government assistance for food, there should be qualifiers for food, such as:

No Processed foods (Other than whole grain cereals, etc)
No High Sodium foods (soups, chips, pre-packaged meats, etc)
No Highly Sweetened (or artificially sweetened) foods (cookies, pop, ice cream, etc)
etc.

So, in your opinion, people on assistance should never be able to throw a traditional birthday party? No cake, no chips, no soda?

I've been on assistance and about the only time I bought these items was for birthday or other types of parties...and these were bought all at the same time because of it being an event and not a lifestyle.

I'm sure there were many people scrutinizing my purchases and tsk-ing in their little minds.....so they are free to buy junk because they aren't receiving assistance?

I've been working since I was 14 years old and have held down more jobs than most people I know...so, when I needed to avail myself of the help that my taxes paid for, I should no longer be able to buy my kids birthday/party junk food?

I'm thinking that each person should regulate their own diets as best they see fit and let the government do what they do best....mess up things in a big way.

 

[i_am2bz]

I know I heard a few years back that people on food stamps only got $35/person/week for food. (This was on the radio) And, the person making this statement said about how hard it was to eat on just $5/day, or $1.70/meal.

For what it's worth, the minimum FS payment is now $16/mo (in other words, if you're approved for FS you can't get anything lower than $16; it used to be $10). What you receive is based on household composition & household expenses (rent, medical bills, etc.). The most I've known of personally is $2000+/mo for a woman with 18 kids.

 

[Dunkopf]

Yep, those people on govt assistance are really living the dream.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I was on food assistance for one month -- my child and I received about $400. I had been so carefully budgeting for so long I felt rich.

It was the holidays, so I did splurge on a few items. Still, I remember I was able to buy PLENTY of food to cook good meals every day for months on that $400. If Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthday had not all fallen in that time, I probably could have stretched it further. I was amazed that they give so much $$ for food for just two people.

If I'd spent it on frozen and prepared stuff though, I might have only gotten a month.

I DEFINITELY agree that to teach people to eat better and more healthfully would save $$ both in monthly food costs and long-term health care. I don't have a lot of hope of seeing an effective and workable program like that being put into action, though.

 

[Wildsky]

I'm thinking that each person should regulate their own diets as best they see fit and let the government do what they do best....mess up things in a big way.

I have to agree, no matter what I think of someone elses groceries, it has nothing to do with me, and thats the way it should be, we should NEVER EVER vote for the government to have any say whatsoever - because they do not know when to stop being the nanny!

If someone qualifies for SNAP and they buy crap - thats up to them, and chances are they won't have enough crap to get them through the month.


I personally think the governement should hand out boxes from farm stalls like (the name escapes me now) when folks buy shares and get a box of veggies and fruit each week. The government should authorize poor people to get boxes based on how many people in the family etc... and pay the farmer for the boxes handed out. BUT thats just what I think, and really its none of my business... (it would also help the farmers and create jobs in the community)

 

[FarmerChick]

I have to agree with Beekissed also.

no one should be spending any checks for anyone under any circumstances. simple as that to me...regardless of where that check comes from.

we give away rights constantly every single day.

heck when we signed up for this website we had to agree to their terms lol

so I don't think too many govt. programs are abusing the citizens rights when they sign up for assistance, cause heck, those rights are tramped on everyday for people not on assistance too

but yea, spending is a personal issue...no matter where that money comes from.