Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

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Josh
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

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Bootstrap wrote:I think the arguments on both sides make sense, but it's easy for me to see this working really well or going badly wrong. A lot depends on how it's administered, and I agree with Ken that it's really important to build in protections so that the program really does get poor people the food they need and will actually eat.

I really wish the federal government would try this kind of thing as an experiment in one part of the country and see how it works out before replacing what we have entirely. Yes, I know this is a fantasy, neither party ever suggests this approach, but it's precisely the kind of thing we would have done in private industry back when I was involved in private industry. If it goes badly wrong, that will hurt a lot of people. If it's successful, it could help a lot of people.
They’re talking about letting the states administer the program, so there will be 50 different ways it’s done. That seems great.

In addition, if cash payments are so important, states can do that on their own.
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Wayne in Maine
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

Post by Wayne in Maine »

mike wrote:
Wayne in Maine wrote:
JimFoxvog wrote:It seems so odd that this seems to come from those who oppose big government control in favor of a free market. It clearly is the opposite. I would make this a supplement for those who choose it, not a reduction in the program. Having less for seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables does not seem a healthy approach.
Ask Valerie how often she sees people buy fresh fruit and seeds with their SNAP benefits.
If anybody is interested, I can post snapshots of the receipts of everything purchased with SNAP yesterday in my store. I don't remember the last time I looked that up, but that data is interesting.
But Mike, you only sell fresh, wholesome, nutritious, organic, GMO free food at your store, right?
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temporal1
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

Post by temporal1 »

Heirbyadoption wrote:
Wayne in Maine wrote:
JimFoxvog wrote:It seems so odd that this seems to come from those who oppose big government control in favor of a free market. It clearly is the opposite. I would make this a supplement for those who choose it, not a reduction in the program. Having less for seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables does not seem a healthy approach.
Ask Valerie how often she sees people buy fresh fruit and seeds with their SNAP benefits.
I'll speak up as one who has been laid off a couple times and used SNAP, as well as knowing several other families who have as well. I am opposed to the plan, noble as it is. For one, navigating SNAP applications/paperwork/changes is a pain as is; this change will only make it worse (if you doubt me, please cite me to a few government program changes in the last several years that made things simpler and more user friendly). Additionally the federal bidding chaos and the nightmare that delivery can become are real possibilities. If you haven't navigated government aid systems much, then you may continue to loftily deny this probability, but I'm telling you, food deliveries will be botched, food will be wasted, etc. There is a real benefit to leaving the current system alone, which provides recipients with a card, a limited amount of specific funds, and sends them to already existent stores for the goods in question. This is an attempt to rebuild the wheel.

And since this has come up a couple times, I mean this respectfully, but if you think the integration of this program will slow the intake of junk food you're kidding yourself. People spend money on what they want, and there will always be people abusing the system. The question is whether this change will benefit those legitimately in need, and whether it will truly benefit our economic system and government.
i believe you are essentially describing the differences between those who use these programs for needed temporary help, as designed, versus those who view them as a way of life, an alternate form of “earning a living.” which results in the unintended consequence of dependency on government.

years ago, we had food stamps for a few weeks over winter.
i was stunned at the generosity! for those weeks, we were able to buy “anything we wanted,” and more. it was not a hardship. we did not attempt to buy non-grocery items.
that was an eye-opener.
Last edited by temporal1 on Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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temporal1
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

Post by temporal1 »

Wayne in Maine wrote:
mike wrote:
Wayne in Maine wrote: Ask Valerie how often she sees people buy fresh fruit and seeds with their SNAP benefits.
If anybody is interested, I can post snapshots of the receipts of everything purchased with SNAP yesterday in my store. I don't remember the last time I looked that up, but that data is interesting.
But Mike, you only sell fresh, wholesome, nutritious, organic, GMO free food at your store, right?
(i think) it speaks volumes that mike would be ok with reduction in personal profits to improve the overall system. not every store owner would do that. (correct, if i’m mistaken.)
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ohio jones
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

Post by ohio jones »

Wayne in Maine wrote:I expect people who currently abuse the current cash/ebt programs would not bother with these parcels. I doubt there would be much of a cash market for it.
But then again... :o
If you grew up in one of our neighborhoods, you would see Cadillacs waiting down the street from a distribution center simply to purchase cheese from eligible recipients. As was mentioned earlier, there was an income requirement for participation in the program. I understand, however, that a number of wealthy people would also purchase surplus cheese illegally from eligible recipients and consume it along with caviar.
Wayne in Maine wrote:Ask Valerie how often she sees people buy fresh fruit and seeds with their SNAP benefits.
Probably never; I don't think her chain sells those things. But Mike's data will be interesting.
Valerie wrote:I remember one young lady who was dressed really nice & obviously had her hair done professionally, when her ebt card had a problem, she didn't want her pack of bottled water & said "I'm not going to pay for it out of 'my' money!"
Wait ... we pay the water bill for those in need (separate program, of course) AND pay for their bottled water? :?
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Wayne in Maine
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

Post by Wayne in Maine »

ohio jones wrote:
Wayne in Maine wrote:I expect people who currently abuse the current cash/ebt programs would not bother with these parcels. I doubt there would be much of a cash market for it.
But then again... :o

Okay, I would buy government cheese (and canned beef) if I could, or trade John F. Martin bacon for it.
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temporal1
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

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Josh wrote: They’re talking about letting the states administer the program, so there will be 50 different ways it’s done. That seems great.

In addition, if cash payments are so important, states can do that on their own.
yes. it’s interesting to read about how different states are responding to different problems.
i recall Wayne posted about Maine requiring “aid” recipients to work (with some exceptions, of course.) from what i’ve read, it is working, and, more states are implementing similar.

right now, in Seattle, big arguments are raging over a new city sugary-drink tax that was implemented without vote. much broo-ha-ha over what should be a simple thing to correct/undo.

that should serve as a lesson to folks about how difficult it is to change law, once in place!
more forethought before passing laws is badly needed.
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mike
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

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Following are the 10 EBT transactions in my store yesterday, items sorted by the highest total amount. Some of the transactions do have non-SNAP eligible items which were paid with cash, such as non-food or hot food items.
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mike
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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

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Re: Trump Budget Swaps Food Stamps for '100 Percent American' Food

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