❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Feb 6, 2012 21:58:37 GMT -5
www.clickorlando.com/news/Bill-No-sweets-with-food-stamps/-/1637132/8601358/-/fpgcmq/-/index.htmlBill: No sweets with food stamps Cookies, cakes, more would be banned from Florida programA Florida lawmaker is pushing a bill that would ban the use of food stamps to purchase snacks and sweets, such as cookies and cakes. Republican State Sen. Ronda Storms, of Valrico, says her goal is to stop a small percentage of recipients who misuse food stamps. Her bill would also require food stamp recipients to take state-run classes on healthy eating and how making your own baked goods is cheaper than store-made sweets. The bill is moving through state committees in Tallahassee. Critics say the government shouldn't be telling people what to eat. Democratic Rep. Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed, of Pompano Beach, also says the educational provision is demeaning to minorities and the poor by implying they aren't smart enough to make their own choices.
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:01:50 GMT -5
Hmmm...On one hand I agree. I've known people on food stamps that eat ONLY junk food and this is what they feed their kids also. However, I really don't want government telling us everything we should do. But, then again, if one needs help to buy food, and they are getting assistance from the government, then maybe they (government) do have that right?
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:05:26 GMT -5
It's not about whether government has the "right." It's about the sheer cost and complexity of doing it. What cost? As lone said above, the grocery stores would control that. All it has to do is program the cash registers to accept or not for certain foods such as is done with alcohol, cigs, etc..,
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:06:22 GMT -5
It's not about whether government has the "right." It's about the sheer cost and complexity of doing it. But I don't understand why it would cost any more. The grocery stores know what can be purchased with food stamps and what can't. They are already doing it. You beat me to it, girl! ;D
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:09:59 GMT -5
I like the healthy eating class idea but come on. Are they supposed to make their own ice cream too?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:14:33 GMT -5
10$ at the grocery store can feed a family of five. 10$ at Mcd's even with coupons , not really.
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:14:52 GMT -5
Food can be purchased at grocery stores, supermarkets, drug stores, food trucks, farm stands... Talk about regulation. Farmer Brown will have to confirm he sold turnips, not cherry pies to the food stamp user. Sorry, but I don't see your point. Modern registers are set up to distinguish between what is food stamp approved or not? What are you saying exactly?
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:16:22 GMT -5
I like the healthy eating class idea but come on. Are they supposed to make their own ice cream too? I'm just for the 'not buying junk cakes and cookies with foodstamps' myself...
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Feb 6, 2012 22:18:26 GMT -5
One (minor) problem would be the cashier/store has no idea how the customer is paing until everything has been rung up. Can you imagine being behind a customer deciding which items to take off his/her total bill and if anything will be paid for in cash?
Possible solution is customer swipes a card prior to ringing up the groceries. Card would identify customer as food stamp recipient.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:19:18 GMT -5
Oh please - they are going to regulate cookies? Then what, all the ingredients for cookies too? No flour for you!!!
I'd be happier to see them target soda pop, which has no redeeming value whatsoever!!
Administratively, I don't think the FS program is capable of dealing with limitations right now.
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:19:29 GMT -5
People eat crap because crap is cheap. A Mac Donald's Big Mac costs next to nothing with coupons and they are usually buy one, get one. Meanwhile, if you don't brown bag, you can be looking at spending close to ten bucks for a healthy meal. Lets get real. Some people are just lazy and don't want to cook. Beans are cheap. Rice is cheap. Meat can be found on sale if one chooses to look for it. I raised five kids without buying junk food in place of real food without any help from thier no-good father. It can be done!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:20:25 GMT -5
Food stamp users should get a predeterminded box of food each week. Done
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djAdvocate
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Post by djAdvocate on Feb 6, 2012 22:20:46 GMT -5
the nanny state is alive and well.
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:21:58 GMT -5
Everyone doesn't ring up purchases with a modern register. If someone buys food at a farmer's market set up for a few weeks at a Botanical Garden during the Fall Harvest or if a farmer sells produce out the back of his truck a lot of that recordkeeping goes by the board. I think it still can be done. Number one...farmers that don't have cash registers usually don't accept food stamps since most food stamps are now done with a card similar to a debit card. Next, I think one can distinguish between a turnip and a pie?!
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:30:45 GMT -5
What is the real point of this program? To infantilize grown men and women? To save money? What? Do you become retarded if you lose your job or when your hours are cut? Farmers don't use food stamp cards, but they do sell to food stamp recipients. They use tokens to do that. A farmer can distinguish between a turnip and a pie, but does he want to keep records for the government on every sale. More expense for him. Ok, well I never heard of tokens before. Either way, I think something needs to be done as far as what one can buy with food stamps. Why should one be able to purchase cakes, cookies, pies, etc to feed their kids and then as they grow up (kids) there is nothing but health problems, diabetes, etc, and then who pays for all the medical bills? This is another complaint. Something has to change somewhere.... ETA: let the people buy all the sugar and flour, etc..they want to..MOST will not bake the cookies, pies, etc...I truly believe this. Sorry, but my experience with people on foodstamps show that most will only eat the convenience, already made, foods.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:33:35 GMT -5
Rice and beans are cheap and filling and will be ready tomorrow if you put the beans on to soak now. Doesn't really solve the problem of tonight's dinner though. And I suspect homemade baked goods are less likely to involve a cost savings. But even if they do, there is an opportunity cost.
Health is my business. I'm all for promoting healthy eating. But... I'd rather a single mom working 2 jobs be able to come home and read a book to her kid than spend what little free time she has scratch cooking. I'd rather her kid get to have a @#$-ing twinkie. Being poor sucks. Give the kid a damn twinkie. I'd rather we let people use food stamps to buy toilet paper and laundry detergent, than micromanage people's shopping lists. I'd rather we not give the government a bigger role in nutrition. Look what they did to school lunches. In the end, this won't be about promoting good nutrition so much as promoting what the lobbyists managed to pack into the Farm Bill. I'd rather we try harder to make fresh produce available and affordable in low income neighborhoods, and not further limit the options available to folks who may not have transportation to get to a grocery, and instead rely on a corner store.
/rant
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Don Perignon
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Post by Don Perignon on Feb 6, 2012 22:34:12 GMT -5
Those who rant the loudest about "Nanny Government intrusion" are exactly the same crowd that wants to complicate use of food assistance with layers of exclusions, mandates and red tape. Go fig. It makes one wonder if what those people are really worried about is that some poor wretch somewhere might actually be enjoying their bowl of gruel. Imagine that! Enjoying their gruel! Unacceptable! "If the poor didn't enjoy being poor as much as they do, then there wouldn't be so many of them!" Unbelievable.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:35:48 GMT -5
Everyone doesn't ring up purchases with a modern register. If someone buys food at a farmer's market set up for a few weeks at a Botanical Garden during the Fall Harvest or if a farmer sells produce out the back of his truck a lot of that recordkeeping goes by the board. Yes and no. In order to use food stamps at a farmer's market, they need to have a fancy pants EBT machine. (Also popular with the debit card carrying masses) But no UPC codes to scan, so in that sense, you are right.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:38:09 GMT -5
They don't need an ebt machine for farmers markets here. Tokens like tt said.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:39:39 GMT -5
You get the tokens from the booth with the EBT machine.
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djAdvocate
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Post by djAdvocate on Feb 6, 2012 22:39:43 GMT -5
What is the real point of this program? To infantilize grown men and women? To save money? What? Do you become retarded if you lose your job or when your hours are cut? Farmers don't use food stamp cards, but they do sell to food stamp recipients. They use tokens to do that. A farmer can distinguish between a turnip and a pie, but does he want to keep records for the government on every sale. More expense for him. Ok, well I never heard of tokens before. me neither, cranny.
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:40:22 GMT -5
Lets get real. Some people are just lazy and don't want to cook. Beans are cheap. Rice is cheap. Meat can be found on sale if one chooses to look for it. I raised five kids without buying junk food in place of real food without any help from thier no-good father. It can be done! I still cook this way and my kids have been gone for a long time. Me too, lone!
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 6, 2012 22:43:02 GMT -5
Nevermind....covered!
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:45:51 GMT -5
Well, let the kid have a twinkie, as someone else stated. Ok, I can see that. I can see someone coming home tired from working and needing a break. However, this still does not take away the fact that food can be cooked and stored in the fridge/freezer and fed to the kids later. Please. Stop and realize that the government is just as guilty allowing FS recipients to buy so much junk food, then turn around and bitch that the taxpayers are paying way to much for insurance for the health risks of obesity. Where does it stop? What needs to be done?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:49:15 GMT -5
Well, let the kid have a twinkie, as someone else stated. Ok, I can see that. I can see someone coming home tired from working and needing a break. However, this still does not take away the fact that food can be cooked and stored in the fridge/freezer and fed to the kids later. Please. Stop and realize that the government is just as guilty allowing FS recipients to buy so much junk food, then turn around and bitch that the taxpayers are paying way to much for insurance for the health risks of obesity. Where does it stop? What needs to be done? You mean like addressing food deserts, promoting healthy lifestyles and working with grocery stores to increase the number of stores located in low income neighborhoods? latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/first-lady-michelle-obama-visits-inglewood-to-promote-food-access.html
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:49:45 GMT -5
well what about a junk food % ? Everyone needs a cookie now and then.
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 6, 2012 22:50:23 GMT -5
Here's a completely different and, I'm sure, unpopular viewpoint: I support myself, all by myself. I work hard and I don't receive assistance from anyone for anything. Some weeks, depending on what bill is due when, my grocery budget doesn't allow for cookies and ice cream. Please don't misunderstand me. I don't mind one bit helping those who need help. But I do get irritated sometimes that I can't afford to buy all that junk but someone who doesn't work can. I realize not everyone on FS is unemployed but around here? About 95% of them do not work. I also don't begrudge a child a little treat when life is hard enough. But I don't begrudge myself one either!
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Feb 6, 2012 22:52:09 GMT -5
Here's a completely different and, I'm sure, unpopular viewpoint: I support myself, all by myself. I work hard and I don't receive assistance from anyone for anything. Some weeks, depending on what bill is due when, my grocery budget doesn't allow for cookies and ice cream. Please don't misunderstand me. I don't mind one bit helping those who need help. But I do get irritated sometimes that I can't afford to buy all that junk but someone who doesn't work can. I realize not everyone on FS is unemployed but around here? About 95% of them do not work. I also don't begrudge a child a little treat when life is hard enough. But I don't begrudge myself one either! I see your point, and I agree!
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 6, 2012 22:52:14 GMT -5
I bet I'm going to catch holy hell over this one, huh?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 22:52:42 GMT -5
well what about a junk food % ? Everyone needs a cookie now and then. Percent of what? Total calories? Portion sizes? Dollars spent?
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