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Food Stamp Usage Hits 18 Sequential Record High At 40.8 Million
Not much commentary needed here as boston.com says it all: "The number of Americans who are receiving food stamps rose to a record
40.8 million in May as the jobless rate hovered near a 27-year high, the
government reported yesterday. Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program subsidies for food purchases jumped 19 percent from a
year earlier and increased 0.9 percent from April, the US Department of
Agriculture said in a statement on its website. Participation has set records for 18 straight months. An average of 40.5 million people, more than an eighth of the population, will get food stamps each month in the year that began Oct. 1, according to White House estimates. The figure is projected to rise to 43.3 million in 2011." But who cares: can someone please tell these ungrateful sods their stocks are up like 70% since the Fed became the market in March 2009.
h/t Mike
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Gee - I thought the extremely tiresome survivalist talk that pemeates MOST of the threads on ZH was a little more invasive than my small handful of comments.
I simply got tired of it and decided to speak up. And I might just follow you around if you are demonstrating that it annoys you ;)
Here are the problems, "Colonel":
A) when the survivalist conversation comes up, it's bragging - not in any way helpful.
ie. "Hey look I have X many guns and X much land/food/water etc" yeah. good for you.
B) no one EVER says "so after the dust has cleared, I'm going to do X to rebuild society" because it is *gasp* a good thing to have hospitals, infrastructure, etc.
I've said it once and I'll say it again: I seriously doubt if you have been helping anyone anytime, Colonel.
Do you even have a realistic view of what you would want your future world to look like? Maybe you should prepare for that, too. It does take some actual thought, though. I'm sure you're finding it much easier to just be douche.
You sure do throw a lot of mud; talking out of yer ass; fail at trying to change the status quo. Quit your strawman bullshit.
If you have an electric well, you should be able to power it with about $1000 worth of solar cells and accessories. Maybe less.
Gully,
If you have a hand pump, get yourself an extra set of leathers for the pump, and seals for the cylinder. While I don't specifically endorse this site (never bought from), they do explain pretty well what you need from start to finish to convert.
http://www.survivalunlimited.com/waterpumps/sppricelist.htm
*The prices for the pumps on most all of these sites seem outrageous to me. Pumps can be found all over, even at E-bay for much less. Rebuilding them is inexpensive, and not complicated. Also, any local well driller can fix you up with everything you need more cheaply than any of these "survival" sites.
This is amazing. I can hardly believe between this, the tax receipts, and 99 weeks of unemployment that people can even believe the unemployment number.
I mean 72% of the gulf oil either dispersed naturally or evaporated or is still in the water/washed up on shore. So, I mean everything is just fucking fine right?
Numbers don't lie, but people do!
So, 1 in 8 on food stamps, 1 in 5 unemployed (via the old pre Clinton way to count like on www.shadowstats.com), and 1 in 7 homeowners in foreclosure or have missed payments. Did I miss anything else?
Things are looking up!
It was worse in the 70's...move along!
;)
1 in 10 in jail. you forgot that too.
yeah but they're all black, meaning they came out of the other groups listed
"Things are looking up!"
Yup, it's the "Summer of Recovery"*.
* their words, not mine.
Mr Lennon Hendrix
I don't know that little bitch 5 stiffed me on some money she borrowed. Then she said 6 stole it from her.
I knew I should have stuck with the Roman Numerals.
As some hypothesize, this works in the favor of government as more reliance translates into more obedience.
You got the memo!
Bill Lumbergh
Picture this. Sometime in the near future everyone has x amount of energy credits. Those would include credits for food and transportation and utilities. Go over your limit and you either pay a fine buy more travel by foot or don't eat.
The rich can avoid that because they have enough money or they can afford productive land to be balance production against their deficit.
Last year I saw a proposal that all foods should list the energy untis which go into producing them. Recently I saw an article about how much energy we waste in uneaten or after the date food .Cap and trade would have offered a similar tax.
Maybe these are the charts Al Gored was channeling for an Incontinent Truth?
Sad and the momentum is clearly for the trend to continue.
Pole shifting statistics these last few weeks.
ORI
http://aadivaahan.wordpress.com
Bless our troops in Afghanistan fightin them terrorists who are jealous of our food stamp program.
I just saw a sign in a gas station (pretty sure that is where I saw it) saying they now accept EBT
WTF is that about?
I saw this at Papa Murphy's and the Dollar Store. And yes WTF?
You know, not to sound racist or anything like that, but a simple observation I've noticed a few times while standing in line...I'm sure it goes for all colors of folks, but I'm in the south and sometimes, situations just make you go "hmmmm"
anyways, standing at the checkout line, I'm waiting for my turn. Shameka is getting her stuff and I'm noticing the the mix of groceries...Kraft Cheese, other "higher" dollar stuff and then it happens...out comes the EBT card. God knows what she got for free...as she is talking on her cell phone about gettin' her hair did* and nails done...wearing a North Face Jacket and guess what kind of shoes she had on...OBAMA shoes. WTF?
Meanwhile, I bite my tounge and proceed to check out with my storebrand cheese, bread, and whatever else I could find for cheap that day.
WTF?
rant off....
and yes, I've seen white trash doing similar stuff. I just see this type occurence happening more often than the others as I do a good bit of shopping downtown Charleston.
Shoont, init do
Racist? Pointing out the truth is racist?
Go take a look at Huffington's 10 poorest countries...you'll start to notice some trends popping out.
So when the turd hits the crapper, you'll already know what to do. "Shameka and the White Trash" will be sucking toilet water. Sometimes this karma stuff isn't instant, but it still works.
Woo.
More bigoted bullshit on Zerohedge...definitely the home of the future of humanity after Ragnarök. <sarcasm off>
You didn't bite your tongue - you came right out and aired your petty ignorance.
Take it somewhere else.
It was an observation. Are you telling me it didn't happen? Surely you aren't trying to tell me what I saw.
Shameka had enough money to pay for a cellphone, get her hair done (extensions and whatnot aren't cheap), nails done, sporting a North Face Jacket with some brand new Obama shoes and is getting better food than me.
Something is wrong with this picture. I'm sorry you can't learn from observations because you are too afraid to speak about what you see.
That said, do you know how many times I've stopped to pick up people (gasp, colored folk) out in the country and give them a ride on my way to work? Do you know how much fish/shrimp I've given to same folk near our house? I'm not a racist/bigot, I call it like I see it. Hell, I'll even buy a bum a beer (done it many times) because I just "felt" like it.
Get the f over yourself.
Schoolsout - Don't worry about ShitDick. He's dealing with fear and inadequacy issues that make it hard for him to work and play well with others.
Right ShitDick?
One can get a cellphone paid for by the government if you are receiving 'assistance'
So, she may not have even been paying for that!
"cellphone paid for by the government"
Please, no.
You're making me cry now. I guess they will also need designer clothes to allow them to "feel good about themselves" too? Wait, I'm kidding - just in case there are some of those do-gooders lurking for new "entitlement" program ideas around here.
Wow, I didn't know there were still PC police around. Haven't we matured a bit beyond that silliness yet?
I junked you. Again.
Translation: "I'm a petty asshole"
I don't need a junk button to call you out, "Colonel"
End of April I made my first visit to Charleston. It's now on my list of future potential landing zones. Loved it!!!
TheGoodDoctor
Schwans
http://www.schwans.com/aboutUs/ordering.aspx
tems can be paid for online or at the door. For your convenience, we accept SCHWAN'S™ Check Debit Card, cash, checks, major credit cards and electronic food stamps (EBT).
Actually, EBT is Electronic Benefit Transfer and is used for multiple programs, including SNAP aka Food Stamps & WIC.
Damn dude! And that shit ain't cheap. Wow. I suppose they just chalk it up to needing a competitive edge.
Doh! DP.
If they sell food or cleverly packaged products masquerading as such, then that is what they are accepting EBT for. EBT is all the rage for entitlement delivery dontcha know.
http://www.creditwritedowns.com/2010/08/stabilizing-the-global-monetary-system.html
I want my Obama stamps.
Just don't lick them. Remember what happend to George Costanza's fiancee'.....
LoneStarHog
Depends dude. could be the liquid LSD.
Death or Buzz, American Roulette.
Liquid LSD....now that's gotta be some good sheeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
I want end to bush tax cuts that make no jobs !!!!!!!!! end bush tax cuts now !!!!!!! don`t wait till jan 1 !!!!!!!!!!!
"I want end to bush tax cuts"
OK, midterms are nigh - run for office.
I think I know what your platform will be.
I want to pay NO taxes like exxon/mobil !!!!!!!!!!!
The Trigger Effect -- This older movie has been playing on HBO. Has anyone else seen it? It would be worth the rental if you have not.
I have said numerous times that those not prepared (Grasshoppers) will want to SOCIALIZE the preparations of those who are prepared (Ants).
In the movie neighbors discover that one of them has a generator with gas. The owner states that his family NEEDS it, as he has a wife with two kids. The other neighbor said, "I have a wife with four kids."
Two Star movie allowing some good analysis of human(?) interactions when things appear to have broken down.
We've gotten the "we're coming to your house when everything breaks down" line from a few people. I politely respond by advising them that if they show up, they'd better be bringing their own food. To ease their confusion, I usually add "which of my children should I sacrifice to feed you?"
Just tell them to bring all food, medicine, guns and ammo when they do. When they ask why, tell them that it will save you the trip back to their house after you shoot them.
Hah. We think alike.
"To ease their confusion, I usually add "which of my children should I sacrifice to feed you?""
To ease the confusion of any interloper I encounter, I say to them, "I shall sacrifice you to feed my children". I have lots of recipes for sausage, as well as many hand-cranked grinders and sausage stuffer cones for them. Mix em' with wild hogs and who would know?
And it will be democratic. The grasshoppers will outnumber the ants and vote to redistribute the ants stores. After all it's not fair the greedy ant saved and worked, while the grasshopper might have to do without.
Look at the culture and anyone who thinks they can hold off or reason with the hoard are crazy. It's not enough to be prepared but to keep your mouth shut about it. It's also the reason I think prepping in some ways can be short sighted, getting out of the danger area is far better then trying to "ride it out".
"getting out of the danger area"
You are right. There is another America people don't see. Rural areas where people do honest, hard work, watch out after their neighbors, and are largely self sufficient. Average incomes are low by today's standards, but quality of life . . . priceless.
Key is you need to get out of the danger areas before crisis hits. Find a nice place to move to. Go there. Build relationships. Get plugged into the community before things go south.
Careful Rebel, Maniac Researcher will call you a selfish chickenshit for choosing a simple, self reliant lifestyle.
Thanks for the inspiration. I do like the term Selfish Chickenshit to describe you and your ilk. It is pretty chicken to constantly boast about how are only helping yourself.
Speaking of which -- how do you even have time to post comments with all the farming/irrigation/planning future societies y'all must do to create all these wonderfully self-sufficient utopias? Paragons of efficiency, no less. Thanks for drawing attention to my comments, btw - I appreciate the attention toward calling you out as wannabe armchair rambo types. Because people who brag all the time about how they are going to survive the apocolpyse have SO much credibility..
Do you have the engineering knowledge to bring a power plant online? Howabout provide administration for a large medical center? Do you know how to rebuild road networks? Good at mediating problems between big groups of disparate populations? What about growing food for them? Proficient at teaching their children useful skills?
Of course you know how to do all those things! In fact, these issues are so well taken care of in your mind that you can spend all your time talking about what you are doing personally to survive a large political/economic conflageration without any comment on what you might do when you meet all the OTHER survivors.
I do like that TD is spending a significant amount of time and effort trying to describe who and what is responsible at the root of these potential causes for any future meltdown. The guns/gold/collapse crowd is constant derailing these discussions and can rightfully be called what it is...obnoxious. Observe your behaviour - do your feelings get hurt when the conversation isn't about you? Get useful or get out of the way. No one cares about your bunker except other idiots like you.
Your comments are all the same. Fail.
You are arguing against a position that no one has proposed. I have seen no one suggest a "lone wolf" survival strategy, which you attack. What I hear people saying is that there is a reasonable chance that some sort of financial/economic collapse could happen in the foreseeable future, and that if that happens, things will likely be better in rural areas (which already exist), where people are already self sufficient, and there is still an extremely strong sense of community, and helping each other.
I find it odd that you do not accurately represent your adversaries position, and then vigorously attack the position YOU created with zero facts and lots of name calling.
I live in a rural community. Yes, I could bring a power station on line. My neighbor does build roads. We all grow food and we share with each other, and watch over those in need in the area. Sounds like a pretty nice place to live, sans you.
As a Brit, I don't get the food stamp stuff? Is it just for the unemployed or is it low income too?
Also, I take it that it must be very prone to fraud?
Do retailers take an extra cut for processing them?
It's for low income too. You have to be FAR below the poverty line to qualify. Generally it doesn't pay enough by itself to eat the whole month, as most people on food stamps also have to go to food banks as well.
I haven't heard about any major scandals involving food stamps, so I don't think there is much fraud involved.
Snort. Are you kidding me?
http://wokv.com/localnews/2010/03/statewide-food-stamp-fraud-sch.html
I said major fraud.
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1183
98% success isn't bad. You can always find minor fraud, both in government and private transactions. If you want perfection you'll have to find a different planet.
Those stats show that food stamps are, for the most part, issued to eligible households only. They do not show misuse of those food stamps by the eligible participants.
The story I linked to showed $3.5 million in fraud in just one state over a period of only 2 months. Those eligible participants were trading food stamps for alcohol, tobacco products, and lottery tickets. Just the things a destitute family on the verge of starvation would be heading to the store for.
I'm glad someone responded to Midtown's nonsense. If you are on food stamps and truly in poverty (not food stamps for a few months because you were laid off), you are also getting subsidized housing and utilities. Midtown, I used to work at an SSI/Disability law firm, and you wouldn't believe the crap that goes on to get people on gov benefits - food stamps being one of the least expensive scams that "the poor" run on everyone else.
Let me give you one quick example of a case I "won." Lady in New Orleans, 31 years old, 7th grade education, 5-2, 450 lbs., 16 children. So, no education, one physical impairment (obesity) followed by an obvious second impairment (bad back and knees to boot). Guess what? She got her $118 per child, per month, so she could "provide" for them. The courts are stuffed to the gills with cases like that - and keep in mind all her true living expenses were cut-rate.
Where I live now (lower-middle class hood in a decent-sized city), 70% of the children are on free lunches at the three schools my kids, if I had any, would go to. Yet I drive a paid-off beater and momma with three baby daddies (white, black, hispanic... all of them) are riding in brand or nearly new cars every three years. Funny how that works, isn't it?
Oh, and Midtown, I'll spare you the story of $396/month I won a case for a 7-yr-old who had encopresis. You really think his mom spent that money on getting him to stop shitting himself every day at school? He stops shitting, money dries up.
Sorry, just had to vent.
"If you are on food stamps and truly in poverty (not food stamps for a few months because you were laid off), you are also getting subsidized housing and utilities."
Bullshit. I have a good friend who works at a local food bank. Half of all the people collecting food stamps are the working poor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/us/11foodstamps.html
The fact that you didn't know this, and then throw around the old "cadillac welfare queen" stereotype that was proven to be BS more than a decade ago, makes me doubt your sincerity.
And I have white trash extended family who live better than I do off the backs of the rest of us.
Get out sometime - it used to be the 1st and 15th, but now with electronic debits it's even easier to game stuff.
Please, I understand there are truly destitute people in the country, but most of them are not living in any city in this country. Check Appalachia even now.
I do appreciate your civility, and no one has junked any comment in this mini-thread, so at least we're being semi-adults.
"And I have white trash extended family who live better than I do off the backs of the rest of us."
Seriously? You have relatives who live off of food stamps and SSI better than you do? You must have an increadibly hard life. I'm surprised you have a compute, and time to use it.
I know people that live on Gvmnt help.. None of them live better than I do.. I thinks that's a distasteful exaggeration and offensive to the millions of people that are trying to work for a better life..
There are always people that take advantage. In any form of charity, there will be parasites that move in. Just the nature of the beast. It doesn't mean we should be attacking the people that need help..
What it really is, is stupid, uninformed, uneducated, untrue or rather a flat out lie. Sucker.
Sir, do you really need to know that my mother married up (lucky for me) in society, her 2 brothers worked their way up to upper middle class, and their three sisters are absolutely worthless? My cousin got caught screwing in a pew in the church sanctuary at 15 during a lock-in; the baby was born at 16 - first of 5. All five now have at least one and up to 3 kids, and none of them work. There are 9 more siblings among the crew to boot.
Please don't insult me, or anyone else here, who has personal knowledge of these things and care to think they are much more common than you do.
Thank you.
I never asked for all that information, nor intended to ask for it. I was just saying that if you have a lower standard of living than someone on SSI and food stamps then you must have had an extreme hard life.
There is no insult in that statement.
midtowng, I don't think that the Rott is too far off. Folks sometimes sort of pool their resources. Gal with kids gets the bennies, supposedly no man in the picture. Yes, man in the picture and he makes some money. I went to La Clinica a few weeks back to pick up some books from friend who works there. About 7 or so cars in the parking lot, all of which were considerably better than mine. I live in an old trailer and drive an old car, work in the private sector and earn my way. My sister drives a 2009 Subaru Forester, lives in a stick build pretty good home, 3 bedroom and 2 bath. My sister gets food stamps because of her boyfriend and his two kids who live with her. Gal in the example above is the ex-wife of my sister's boyfriend. Yes, some people do lie when they fill out the forms. The follow-up is weak and anyhow, what's the worse they can do to you if you are found out? Just kick you off the program.
Notwithstanding your assertion (or the nyt's), you have not shown the above comment to be invalid. Rather you have merely indicated that 50% of food stamps go to the working poor? So to whom do the other 50% go to?
Might it just be possible if not probable that a decent minority of food stamp recipients are in fact "cadillac welfare queens"?
The false dichotomy or either/or is killing rational debate of any issue in the US.
"So to whom do the other 50% go to?"
The unemployed and the disabled would make up pretty much all the rest. There just isn't all that many people on welfare since it was reformed back in 1996. Even in the midst of a new depression the number of people on welfare is only 1/4 of what it was pre-reform.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-01-25-welfare-rolls_N.htm
Some of this tread I think is convoluting several things.
Being against foodstamps does not mean you are against the poor, or for starvation. Personally, I have great compassion for those who truly are in need. I just don't think that foodstamps are the best or most efficient means of helping people in their time of need, nor helping them to break what often turns out to be generational poverty.
We should be able to have a discussion/debate where one can say that they are against foodstamps without being accused of being a heartless b*stard.
Wow, what color is the sky in your world and how do you communicate with us across time and space? I KNOW family members that cheat the system. My mom's family is full of hillbillies who proudly game the system and brag about not working for decades. Shit they pass kids around when the state comes calling. They made the decision that living off the producers was a lot easier then working. Granted my mom's family is from MI, a bastion of state easy living.
My world is made up of blue-collar people who have worked their whole lives. Sorry I don't have any hillbilly relatives I can ask for stories from.
lol if you need to justify living of us and our work then tell yourself whatever you want. Just I hope you know that when the bad times come and the oligarchs are done crushing the middle class by using the poor with promises of goodies they will have no use for the "useless eaters" anymore. Good luck out there.
Living off of you? How in the Hell did you get that out of what I said?
Resources such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and most pension plans are not included as resources.
Ahem... 16 kids * $118 = $1,888 PER MONTH!
Excuse me if I'm not impressed that you "just can't get by" on food stamps. Gaming goes on, my friend.
Where the fuck do you live? Must be North Hope Lane, Changeyville.
As a Brit, I don't get the food stamp stuff? Is it just for the unemployed or is it low income too? Also, I take it that it must be very prone to fraud? Do retailers take an extra cut for processing them?
See my above post.
It is prone to fraud but mostly it is effective in providing supplemental income for food to women and childern.
From what I understand, there is a small discount (similar to credit cards) that the retailers give to the SNAP program in return for the retailer participating in the SNAP program. From the retailer's POV, it's all about volume.
the markets will soar as america eats shit
the bankers will own EVERYTHING
Our markets are a total criminal farce
we're all being raped 24/7
Food Stamps are a very important source for the unemployed and poor, keeps many people from being beggars and turning to crime. But this number 0f 40 million would be about 20% of the working age population, that number doesn't include those unemployed with EDD payments only the very poor, when combined a .. Huge number. No question there are still millions who don't get anything... the economy regardless of the mouth pieces telling everyone the Economy is Strong!!!
Poverty does not cause criminality...it is the converse
"Poverty is the worse form of violence"
Gandhi
"egardless of the mouth pieces telling everyone the Economy is Strong!!!"
You mean it isn't?
But, but, those green shoots - everywhere. Could they just be Kudzu?
This news is great. Looks like market ramp up might close green on it.
World. Class. Recovery.
but the markets will be up T Cubed. What is the problem here ?
When I was unemployed I looked into applying for food stamps. The requirements are demonstration of no job, no unemployment benefits and less than $2000 in the bank. Needless to say, I did not apply. These people are really poor or are on welfare and I am guessing the majority of folks are the latter with the growth being from the former. When are we feeding really poor folks? When are we supporting a welfare system? I think it would be much easier to have them do simple jobs like pick up trash or other easy menial tasks to contribute to society.
"I think it would be much easier to have them do simple jobs like pick up trash or other easy menial task to contribute to society."
OhmyGosh! Workfare? That would be so cruel! Oh, the humanity... To take advantage of the disadvantaged by having them perform tasks at the lowest level of our society, to merely survive? Unheard of! <sarcasm/off>
My son worked as a cashier at a local grocery store. Every day he related a different story about Food Stamp abuse (Lone Star EBT here) that he witnessed. How do they get around the income requirement? It's pretty easy. The welfare queen with the litter of kids IS NOT married to the live-in "father" of the month. The live-in is usually on a government program (UE, Welfare, disability, etc.) but since he is not reported as a family member, the food stamps are handed out freely.
My son asks "why do they drive a better, newer car than I do, and I work for a living"?
Fellow Texan, I work legally as an engineer and I see illegal immigrants drive better vehicles than I do!!
Awww. You were junked (twice). Probably by an illegal immigrant engineer type.
Texas population is majority black and brown yet the majority of gov officials are white (big surprise). This is why the private for-profit gulag is in full force in Texas as there are many more brand new prisons than schools or universities, why it always leads the nation in executions and why these folks are pointing out the "welfare" abusers instead of their own fascist-nightmare society.
Remember Tulia !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgWYxr3Ob7k
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=michelle+alexander+++the+new...
And keeping in mind that it has been the C!A who has been importing all the drugs into the US for 60 years, at least, well then you see the ethnic cleansing, genocidal and utterly cynical insanity.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=search_playlists&search_query...
"Texas population is majority black and brown"
Wishing it so doesn't make it a fact. Check the link below. Looks like 73.1% white, 12% black or African American, 32% Hispanic, and around 3% Asian. I am brown because I work outside a lot. Is that what you were referring to?
As far as our own fascist-nightmare society? I like seeing criminals punished. Jail or death, you know the conesequences when you make your choice.
http://www.texas.com/demographics.html
If you add up the ethnic %'s in the chart linked, you get 134.6%. Seems slightly off.
From the bottom of the chart:
"Data provided by the 2000 U.S. Census"
Dem's gubmint numbahs!
I think where I have seen a lot of crossover are in the ranks where some AA's are also fo Hispanic descent (double claim) as some Hispanics also double claim as White.
The standard scam for illegals is for the mom to take her ninos into the office, claim her husband just got deported to Mexico. No one checks out her story. Her kids are citizens since they are born here, and the food stamps, section 8 grants, etc., etc., start flowing. Then she goes home to her husband and they have a good laugh.
40.8 million on food stamps. How many additional on WIC?
SNAP is the new acronym for WIC.
SNAP is the new name for food stamps. WIC is still WIC, though.
The day I was standing in line at Kroger and saw the lady in front of me swipe the EBT card was the day I lost faith in social programs like that. Lots of gold jewelry, fur coat, and walked her happy ass into a Caddy with a sack full of groceries I ultimately helped pay for. It's not just a program for the poor and destitute. It's also a program for those that can come across that way on an application.
Her sugar daddy was the local drug lord.
Exxon/mobil paid no taxes last year !!!!!!!!!! thats not welfare ?????? is to me !!!!
I'm ready to be outraged about that, but could you provide a link to the information?
It a program to breed dependence and a voting block. Watch those guys vote for more and more public goodies. It's a voting block that will be used to skin the middle class alive. Like in all democracies the oligarchs manipulate the poor to destroy their natural enemies the middle class. The system they desire is the system that is normal in history a rich and a poor and nothing in between. This is common throughout history. Once someone is used to getting something they will fight to the death to keep it and gleefully vote to take others property for redistribution. The oligarchs know this and skim off 90% and give some chicken feed to the saps.
The key is to get a cash paying job on the side like driving a limo on the weekends for one of your pals with a limo service. Every man for himself.
It looks like the second derivative is improving!! Time to go long!!
Isn't the second deriviative of the position equation velocity?
Negative or positive? If we're going faster, lets hope that it's in the right direction.
I've often wondered about this statistic. Do they count just the people receiving the stamps, or all of the ones USING the stamps?
Let's say there is a family of 5.
Likely, just one of the parents is the one actually registered and receiving the food stamps. Does this stat count that family as 1 person or 5?
Does this stat (40.8 million) include just people receiving the food stamps or does it count ALL of the people in all of the families?
Just wondering.
I think it counts all of the people since the benefit is paid based on family size.
Yep
Exactly my question as well. 40.8 million people OR households?
We have a couple of new Trolls. Must be slow at Huff Post today.
The only thing relevant will soon be:
Are food stamps etc. able to keep up with hyper inflation?
Socialist non-competing societies have always had a black market for the real good stuff while the recipients of one-for-all-all-for-one salaries (might as well call 'em food stamps) waited in long lines in front of stores and watching how the first 30 customers walked out with some bread, the rest went home again with empty bags UNLESS they had anything of real value to buy the bread later on the black market from the first 30 guys in the line-ups.
Wheat prices are skyrocketing because of a draught they say...
The people living on the food stamps will have a rude awakening when their stamps aren't accepted because the government isn't paying the bills to Kroger etc.
Socialism cannot keep up with hyper inflation.
I guess if you want to save a few bucks, sure, cut off food-stamps.
Maybe we'd have more people failing to make their mortgage payments, but that doesn't cost the taxpayer anything, right?
Yeah $5 per day is really living it up....woop woop
+1
The whole discussion on this thread points out why the system will collapse. Whether it is true or not, there is a widespread and growing perception by the productive, working (i.e. middle) class that they are being worked by both the oligarchs and by the unproductive poor. More and more productive, taxpaying people will say "screw it" and either not work as hard or drop out of the rat race altogether. At some point there will be a tipping point and our current ridiculous, debt-based, something-for-nothing society will collapse on itself.
"...the productive, working (i.e. middle) class ... are being worked by both the oligarchs and by the unproductive poor."
I think the oligarchs are using the unproductive government workers and the unproductive poor against the middle while they busy themselves stealing the wealth.
But, wait there's more!
"Despite President Obama's pledge to retain more hi-tech jobs in the U.S., a federal agency run by a hand-picked Obama appointee has launched a $36 million program to train workers, including 3,000 specialists in IT and related functions, in South Asia."
http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=...
double posted accidentally
You guys are only trying to fool yourselves with that 'feel-good' morality.
From the street rats to banksters -- take what you can, it's every man for himself.
There's no honesty in this world and it's foolish to value ideals like that when we live in a "sink or swim" society.
The way this society is built, is it any wonder we're nothing but narcissists & psychopaths?
Stratify, stratify! categorize and label! We'll just start over again with the rubble and end up in the same position down the road.
Insanity.
Vampyroteuthis ...
Sorry you had such a rough time. The trick is never to legally work at all. My stepdaughter (24), who graduated from a very elite college, spent the first year after graduation backpacking around the world, like so many of her generation. She now lives in a nasty corner of Brooklyn, in a group house, pays $800/month for rent of her room, and is on food stamps. All the money she generates is paid in cash. She freelances. She has no bank account, and we do not support her. This is her choice. It's also the choice of many of her equally arty friends.
The Wall Street Journal did an article a couple of months ago about the growing phenomenon of upper middle class kids like this (their sample was in Baltimore) on food stamps. New York has always been quite liberal in terms of welfare enforcement; that may change with its massive current deficits.
This thread is an eye opener for any non american people. You are so divided, so ultimately brain washed that you will really start killing each other one day. That will be your civil war. It will not be against your corrupt government. Not against your dirty banksters. Not against your rulling class. It will be cannibalism. Such a DIVIDED citizenry will collapse and your rulling class will be the victor. Most certainly you are too stupid to understand that. Nothing will help you - not your gold, not your food, not your weapons. You've been too dumbed down and you are ready to get fucked by your oligarchy. They know why they don't care as they can see through you. it's your government, Stupid! Not the small parasites. The small parasites are ther because they SHOULD create DIVISION among you. Look for the big picture, not for insignificant details.
That is what I'm truly afraid of.
I agree sort of with what you are saying, but think it could be said with less arrogance and vitriol. I do feel that the country is becoming ungovernable.
Rebel, it's my disappointment which makes me brutal! As I had no illusions regarding my fucking west Europeans, I thought you, Americans might get it. But is just as bad. We fight each other and "they" win. No flamboyant critics about that damned wedding on Saturday, no worries about that lawyer - Stern - foreclosures tzar!
DIVIDE et IMPERA! That's how it works!
Wish you could spend a few weeks in the heartland. People work hard, play fair, help their neighbors, and live good lives. There are still pockets of decency and old school values. I figure things are going to sort themselves out, and rural folks are going to be OK.
I have seen many places out yonder where there are good people abound in the USA over the years. My one hope is that someday these groups hold on to thier values against oppression and never quit being decent.
But they are going to have to learn the ways of the dark one who will come and try to take advantage of them until they have nothing.
My entire family history we have had some hungry times but never took a hand out to get food from anyone. I think the closest we came to that was recieving some very good Shepards Pie from a good cook or two in the area while spouse was fighting cancer among other things.
I was raised in the eastern states where Pears, Apples, Pretzels and Dutcshe cooking was prevalant and while the technology was very low, the cooking was of top notch. It just takes a while to get it ready. Long time ago they would weigh you before you sat down to eat and weight you when you were finished. The different weights was your bill for that meal.
Miss those days now. because I think that those lands of milk and honey to boot has enjoyed bountiful good ness for so long that if poverty and hunger should strike... it it is going to be very rough.
The average american citizen is ten times more repugnant than the typical dirty politician.
"...it's your government, Stupid! Not the small parasites."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0q4o58pKwA
Funny stuff. Hadn't seen Kenison in a while. If he hadn't died in the car crash, he would probably be in his seventies.
If he hadn't died in a car crash, he would have found some other way to kill himself.
Lots of charged posts on this thread. I took away a couple observations from the massive rise in the use of food stamps: (1) more people fundamentally in need of assistance, (2) people watching huge sums of money being thrown out to bail out banks and just want 'their due' from the government, (3) the lack of stigma associated with use encouraging adoption rather than discouraging, and (4) enough tales of fraud/inapproriate use of food stamps to remind us the government is careless in distributing benefits.
I don't mind people legitimately getting help, but I have a major issue when it is fraudulent either in the receiving or the administering.
My buddy makes more on welfare than I do at my job. He has the best insurance he has ever had and gets food stamps as well.
Imagine if one of those rich bankers with the million dollar bonuses got on food stamps. Can you imagine the outrage? Fortunately, there's no reason to be outraged against the bankers. It is right and proper that we focus on people abusing food stamps. That's where the real and consequential theft is in this country. It's people like fat Shameka (above) on whom we should vent our two minutes hate, not the masters of the universe on Wall St or the revolving door types in government, or our totally corrupted politicians. Just get people hating the stereotypical welfare queens and you'll never have to worry about the crimes of the ruling class. Works every time.
+1
A disturbing 'Merkin meme:
"I'll shoot that asshole who steals a loaf of bread, but a zillion a year banker, well, hell.
I want to BE that guy."
" Just get people hating the stereotypical welfare queens and you'll never have to worry about the crimes of the ruling class. "
Interesting SP500 chart ...
http://stockmarket618.wordpress.com
There are certainly a lot of details like that to take into consideration.I read and understand the entire article and I really enjoyed it to be honest.
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