This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Today, America's Foodstamps Program Gets A 6% Haircut: What Happens Next?
Today, one of America's best-known welfare programs with 47.6 million participants or 15% of the total population, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also known as "foodstamps" or EBT, is due for a substantial haircut: beginning Friday, there will be a phased in $5 billion reduction (6% of the program) for the 12 month period starting November 1st 2013. So what happens next?
Nick Colas of Convergex explains.
The U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (a.k.a. Food Stamps) is the largest means-tested social support program in the country, with $6.3 billion in direct monthly cash transfers to individuals for the purchase of food. Some 47.6 million people (15% of the total population) are in the SNAP program as of the most recent data (July 2013) and these individuals receive an average of $132 per month. This support is set for a cut on Friday, with a $5 billion reduction (6% of the program) for the 12 month period starting November 1st 2013. From a Wall Street perspective, these numbers may seem small at 0.0003% of GDP. From the perspective of Main Street, however, is means a cut of $36/month for a family of four receiving full SNAP benefits. Record levels for stocks, record level for SNAP participants… An odd societal disconnect, to be sure.
We’ve written about the U.S. Supplemental Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) in these pages over the years even though the topic bears no direct relationship to corporate earnings, interest rates, the Federal Reserve, or any other recognized business topic. The reason for this focus is threefold:
- It is a very large visible government program with monthly data updates. There are, for example, 47,637,407 Americans in the SNAP program as of the most recent update (July 2013) from U.S. Department of Agriculture. A total of 23,074,914 households receive an average monthly benefit of $272.51. This amounts to $6.3 billion in monthly support. As a percent of the population, this is 15% of all Americans and +20% of all households in the program.
- It is a good measure of how deeply the economic recovery in the U.S. is reaching through the socioeconomic strata. Qualifying for SNAP means you make no more than 130% of the poverty line and generally have limited assets. Those 47.6 million people in the SNAP program are, for all intents and purposes, a record high for food stamp participation once you exclude months where the program includes disaster assistance.
- It generates a large amount of hate email direct to my inbox and voicemail from both ends of the political spectrum. From the right comes criticisms over certain parts of the US population using EBT cards (the debit cards used to distribute the program’s payments) to buy beer and potato chips. This, yes, does occasionally happen. From the left, we get missives that feel a lot like that guy who told the world to “Leave Britney alone!” Food stamps, these folks argue, are part of living in a just society, which doesn’t allow anyone to go hungry. Half of all the people enrolled in SNAP are children, so it is pretty easy to see their point of view as well.
In the spirit of bringing our two warring readerships together, I would propose the following statement: “Something has changed about America since the Financial Crisis, and the still widespread popularity of the SNAP program is emblematic of that shift.” Or, in the words of Bill Parcells, “You are what your record says you are.” The American economic record, based on the Food Stamp data, is still pretty lousy:
- Before the Great Recession of 2009, enrollment in the SNAP program ebbed and flowed with the state of the U.S. economy. There are links to the data after this note, with the high water marks in 1976, 1981, 1992-4 and cyclical lows in the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
- From 2004 to the present day, SNAP enrollment has doubled from 23 million people to more than 46 million. The cost of the program over that period has moved from $25 billion annually to $75 billion in 2012.
- The notional economic “Recovery” which has helped domestic equities more than double from their March 2009 lows is entirely absent from the U.S. food stamp data. As mentioned, enrollments are still essentially at record highs.
- Sometimes big numbers are hard to visualize, so here’s a few ways to think about the size of the SNAP program. For example, if every SNAP participant lived in one state, it would be 20% more populous than California. If every person in the program linked hands, human chain style, they could circle the Earth (assuming a 3 foot reach per person).
We’ll sidestep the inevitable political discussion for a moment longer, and point out that things are about to change in the food stamp program. On November 1st, everyone in the SNAP program will see lower payments. Here’s the hows and whys:
- Monthly payments increased because of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but these increases expire on Friday. The jumps were substantial – the average benefit per person increased to $125 in 2010 from $102 in 2009 and topped out at $133/person in 2010 – 2012.
- The change cuts $5 billion out of the program for the November 2013 – 2014 period, on a base of $75 billion (based on the latest run rate of $6.3 billion/month). The USDA estimates that this will be a $36/month reduction in benefits for a family of four.
- The Center for Budget Policy Priorities, using USDA data, stated in a recent note that 80% of SNAP households live below the Federal poverty line ($19,500 for a family of three) and 40% live in households making less than half that amount. The SNAP program helps feed 25% of all US children and over 9 million seniors.
Let’s see if we can dodge the political bullet for one more paragraph, with a few more fact-based points:
- The SNAP program is explicitly NOT designed to provide the only income available to economically distressed Americans for the purpose of purchasing food. There’s been a raft of celebrity and CEO ‘Live on SNAP benefits’ challenges, where these economically fortunate individuals chose to live on $133/month in food purchases. This ignores the fact that the program is intended to be “Assistance” rather than 100% support.
- There are further cuts in the program coming in 2014 – 2016, to the tune of $11 billion over the period. It is an odd quirk of the SNAP program that its funding is part of the annual Farm Bill in Congress. That means these future cuts could be overturned as House and Senate consider this legislation. For right now, however, these proposed reductions would take the SNAP program down to $60 billion from the current $75 billion run rate. Truth be told, the pressure within Congress is to cut these payments further, rather than to increase them.
- If you are looking for a capital markets impact, retailers in southern and western states are one place to look. There are 13 states with over 1 million SNAP participants: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. The economic “multiplier” on food stamp purchases is about 2:1, so the $5 billion reduction in 2013-2014 looks more like $10 billion in the real economy.
To sum up (apolitically, of course)… The amount of money 15% of the U.S. population uses to purchase food is about to go down, and by enough so this group will notice its absence. It may not matter to the economic data on which Wall Street hangs its fedora, but it is certainly enough to spark a political response. How this plays out, I honestly have no idea. We are in uncharted waters here, as the historical record clearly shows.
»
- 62824 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
Soup kitchens so we can see the real quality and impact of the man-child preezy pres economic recovery. Its a lot harder to ignore long lines of the hungry when you are supposed to report the news.
FORWARD TASS! FORWARD PRAVDA! FORWARD PROPAGANDA!
What happen next? Sadly, nothing. The trance continues, for now.
When they cut the minutes on each BarryPhone I will be impressed
For the next Presidential election they'll be a rumor started, that goes viral; if you vote Republican your Obamaphone will cut off. The rumor will never be denied.
What happens next? The lady with the new Mercedes who shops at the gourmet market where I work will now have to buy four pounds of Chilean Sea Bass with her snap card, instead of the usual five pounds.
Right, because those Cadillac driving welfare mothers are bleeding the rest of us dry. Give me a freakin' break. I thought that rancid old bromide got retired during Bush 1's term.
Allow me to give you a little perspective here, Sparky: The US spends approximately $80Bn a year on SNAP. That's a lot of money. The US spends $85Bn a MONTH on QE3. That's about a TRILLION a year. Compare, contrast, discuss.
Yes, and the more government spends now means less economic growth and fewer jobs in the future.
The government has squandered 200 years of capital accumulation and the economy now relies on printing to stay afloat.
Time to press the government reset button.
Press that government reset button fast, about 1700fps.
Hey Sparky (Elliot): Sure you got the SNAP number right but now add the rest of teh welfare programs and tell me the grand total. It ain't so small when you add them all up.
The real issue is corrupt politicians that don't do what's best for us all - good policies will create jobs; banksters belong in prison or decorating tree branches :)
Nick Colas may be a grand market strategist, but the sentiment in his analysis of the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (a.k.a. Food Stamps) is displaced.
Does he not realize that U.S. Census Bureau statistics on money income do not include non-cash benefits such as those from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (food stamps), or Medicaid? That’s official; it’s from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Since 1970, the Center reports, “cash public assistance for households that are not elderly or disabled has declined sharply, while non-cash assistance has increased substantially. “
Which leads me to the latest report from the Senate Budget Committee. That report shows that households below the poverty line receive welfare payments the equivalent of $61,320, tax free, while the median household wage for non-welfare recipients is $50,054, or $43,680 after taxes.
Townhall.com has the story:
“It's official. Taxpayers are no longer simply helping the poor, they're subsidizing the lives of welfare recipients at a better rate than their own.
“The Senate Budget Committee has released a report showing households living below the poverty line and receiving welfare payments are raking in the equivalent of $168 per day in benefits which come in the form of food stamps, housing, childcare, healthcare and more. The median household income in 2011 was $50,054, totaling $137.13 per day. The worst part? Welfare payments are equivalent to making $30 per hour for 40 hours a week. The median wage for non-welfare recipients is $25 per hour but because they pay taxes, unlike welfare recipients, the wage is bumped down to $21 per hour. From the report:
“For fiscal year 2011, CRS identified roughly 80 overlapping federal means-tested welfare programs that together represented the single largest budget item in 2011—more than the nation spends on Social Security, Medicare, or national defense. The total amount spent on these federal programs, when taken together with approximately $280 billion in state contributions, amounted to roughly $1 trillion. Nearly 95 percent of these costs come from four categories of spending: medical assistance, cash assistance, food assistance, and social / housing assistance. Under the President’s FY13 budget proposal, means-tested spending would increase an additional 30 percent over the next four year…”
Is Colas not aware that, as Investors Business Daily has pointed out, Barack Obama’s administration has partnered with the Mexican government to make sure Mexican nationals living in the U.S. don’t miss out on food stamps?
Or that the USDA Flyer: We Don’t Check Immigration Status for Food Stamps advising Spanish-speaking residents that they need not declare their immigration status to qualify for food stamps has been supplied to the Mexican embassy for posting in its network of approximately 50 consular offices?
Ok, point made Elliott. Since I've pointed out to the many teenage cashiers about what's going on with these welfare scammers, now instead of passively accepting a snap card and not even thinking about what it is, they get pissed off because they know that they're the one's paying for this shit to go on. Some get outright angry and let it be known that it's unacceptable. I't bullshit for someone to be buying expensive seafood with a fucking snap card. Educate the young ones.
Hell, everyone's getting paid 'cept us...
"The US spends approximately $80Bn a year on SNAP. That's a lot of money. The US spends $85Bn a MONTH on QE3."
Essentially, welfare for the 1%-er's. I never hear the "right" having a problem with that fact.
Duplicate post. Sorry.
I need to fire up my Obamaphone and call my Senator.
!!!! Irony, oh irony.
At the cost of everyone else on the planet. I don't recall God having an American only clause that stated 5% of the worlds population had to worry about strip malls, gun ownership, McMansions or the biggest engine block in most of the auto consumer market.
..nope, I don't remember reading that anywhere.
I do recall a bunch of stuff of everyone helping each other out as they could afford it.
Does it look like the world currently can afford shoveling resources to a country to keep it well heeled and fed? It's time to readjust that piece of dogmatic horseshit.
Seriously, just look at it all. It should be BLINDINGLY appearent to everyone that even under the conditions that 70% of the world resources are pushed to a single country that the country itself can't seem to share among themselves. Ask yourself are you getting any value for the offer. Do you have anything to show for it except a terribly disorganised mess.
It's real easy, right there in front of everyone. Could explain it to a 4 year old. What is the common element to this problem?
I'll take a stab: currency.
So let's talk about what isn't the problem first.
Laws: Have them coming out of our ears in every language from every point on the planet. Some completely in orbit in terms of sanity, others are functional.
Religion: Have lots of those and I've never seen old farts at a Tim Hortons argue with each other about who's right if saying hello to a table of a grab bag of every cross section of religion. from Atheist to Zoroastrians. They don't give a shit, they just want to hang out.
If a man is asking you to fight someone on faith, they are really just robbing you of two things. Your money and your time. Faith in what you believe shouldn't cost a damn thing except what a person puts into it themselves. Not avoiding the fact things cost money to run, I've never been to an expensive religious function. Just people pitching in to help out.
Government: Using today's example of government as shining examples of governance is kind of pointless because everyone is swimming in a sea of horseshit, the debt that accompanies it and the dismantling of the REAL services that a government is supposed to do.
A government is air traffic control for resources and a tracking system to figure out when a problem happens. That's it.
- It is not an economic engine, that takes care of itself with honest money.
- It is not your mother to bitch to or feed and clothe you.
- It is not an army either but an organization standard. Need resources, apply resources by asking.*
- It is not a competition to who's dick is bigger. It's how it's used and asking for better techniques to continuously improve and the real reason this is all broken...
- It is not an Archive. No one throws bad ideas away, even after being given metrics, real world experience and a career of non deliverable project objectives. Nothing to show for all that wasted time, resources and people. The third being removed from the 'resource' pile, sick to fucking death of the 9 women in 1 month baby scenario, get real on what you've got and who is working for you.
(*By organization standard, it can be like the Manitoba floods in the 90's. Government lets the word out there is trouble and they are short handed. Then a bunch of younger loons from Ontario dogpile in a car and drive a day to fill sandbags and help out.Or drought features in Ontario and other farmers see the call for help and send Hay. The hand is extended WITHOUT the government's help, people seen need and applied the patch themselves. Government decided after the fact that it would get involved and of course handed out awards to themselves for adding 'value'.)
"A government is air traffic control for resources..."
Maybe in your ideal world, but not mine. I don't believe humans can or should appoint such a control system over themselves.
When there are 7.2 billion people guess what?
Things need to get organized and allowing that to happen with a minimum of overhead is important. Magic doesn't work in this situation, people sitting down and throwing ideas on the table do.
Why?
Because eventually people get together and will organize something anyways and when they do. Then it turns into the current situation then it's in the ditch. People have to be clear in what they need, want and can afford. Really think about that. You are communicating through a mechanism that is the only international effort that is primarily collaborative and done through volunteer labour with government organization.
I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the extra after hours time it took to get most of all of this set up. And that took organization. Not business, they couldn't be fucked to give another business the time of day. The professional organizations were just useless, most of them are big pots of nepotism. It was the technology groups in the governments as technicians, engineers and geeks that built all of it.
You are typing on the single piece of proof of how government can work. And you know exactly what doesn't. Break the problem down because bitching about doesn't fix it. Keep what works, throw the garbage out and recycle it.
When there are 7.2 Billion People, five billion of them need to die. There; fixed it for you; the same way nature always fixes it.
funny--that's the figure reached by a "rump" conference by myself and several Brasilian professors some years ago in Floripa, Brasil. These prof's were from all different catagories of knowledge. Mielstones
The creators of the Georgia Guide Stones say "dare to dream"...
Careful, you ain't in the club.
You are communicating through a mechanism....
......that is a MIC hand-me-down
unlimited greed
Greed is the carrot that moves the the milestone.
So if you wish to expand to a nth size you are going to have to be greedy. So instead of attempting to hammer a square peg through a round hole when you have an really obvious weakness, you refocus that resource into being productive.
Change the direction on what people are greedy about, the fact remains everyone steps around the idea of all things being equal. They aren't. Any project I've been on works best when I've had the broadest ranges of personalities and strengths. Then while running the project you watch and listen. Example project.
I hire five guys. A brain, some Back office muscle, a statesman and a smiler. All these guys have a base skill set and some specific skill that needs to answer back to the statement of work as I was given. The Brain I stick on a keyboard to make amazing things. The Goons and myself go perform the logistics monkey work in the server room. The Statesman I glue to the Smiler to sit in boardrooms all day and figure out where the client wants to hamstring themselves. Somewhere in the week everyone stops for a sanity check. Rinse and repeat until the project is done.
In the example offered, no one was greedy. It works well, but say I get a greedy guy. In IT there are greedy guys. They don't want money though (lol not exactly true in contracting), they want to learn. They still get paid like anyone else.
Where do you put it? Where would you put the greedy guy? You put them in a role of earning responsibility to temper the steel of the greed. It should never be given.
I know far too many in Engineering and IT that dodged the VERY important step of supporting the role just because of a certification. Or under weirder conditions, the Militaries around the world are really bad for this, they stick a guy on course and throw him in the yard with the other dogs. Can't do that, all you end up with a guy that hasn't got the experience to back up the knowledge.
Why is the Obamacare website is fucked? That's the reason. Everyone is skipping steps in their professional development and it's just killing them once they are put in a situation that they aren't experiences for. It's the reason I like having an old fart on a team. They take the opportunity to tell everyone how ass backwards it's going. It sounds weird, but if no one is bitching, then something is wrong.
"I do recall a bunch of stuff of everyone helping each other out as they could afford it."
And that's how you can tell that USA are not and never were such an exceptional nation, after all .
People are exceptional, whether they are from the arctic or a Polynesian island. Governments crediting themselves with someone else's work is right up there with theft as far as I'm concerned.
Is Johnny Depp a Great American actor or a Great Actor?
Now listen, half-wit; exceptional is a word, it has a definition. "People" are not exceptional. "They" are not exceptions; exceptions to what? If I have an IQ of 145, then I am an exception to the rule that most people, including you, can't think well enough to pass a good 8th. grade Geometry class. But that does not mean "people" are exceptional. I'm proud and happy to anounce in all truthfullness, that I have absolutely no idea who or what Johnny Depp is, or may be. But I am very familiar with the works of John Tyndal, the famous 19th. Century physical scientist. If you didn't have the time to keep up with Johnny Depp; whatever that is; perhaps you could find the time to educate yourself, to whatever degree that's possible. At the very least, try to get used to the idea that words have definitions, and they must be used that way. The result is called language.
It takes all sorts to make the world go round. Even dickheads.
Neither.
Johnny Depp is neither! Fuck! Johnny Depp is a self absorbed cunt.
America was indeed an exceptional nation.
Unfortunately, there are some folks who want us to become a mediocre nation, like the countries in the EU.
And REALLY unfortunately, our current President is one of them.
America, by which I will assume you meant, The United States of America, an interesting example of a conditioned abstraction, was NEVER an exceptional nation. NEVER. Get used to it; fool.
The only thing exceptional about Obama's USA these days is the waistlines of a "healthy" number of its citizens, most of whom probably have SNAP cards.
Oh - they do have "exceptional" domestic and foreign surveillance infrastructure as well.
It's not my fault the rest of the planet had too many babies. They should have had just enought to mine and cut down what we needed here, and not one more! So There.
and hookers...and blow
36 bucks would be what, roughly half a carton of cigs? (Nonsmoker here)
No biggie.
Never fear. God (Obama) will deliver water from the rock for his FSA flock. No way do they get a pay cut.
Bullish!
Free food? Growing my own is as close as I get.
Chicken feed is up to $17.00 frns per 50 lbs.
Cult_of_Reason "Every American is entitled by God to get free food."
I agree. Everyone hop on board. Cult_of_Reason is paying.
All this thanks to the kenyan lying monkeyboy tyrant and the stupid sheeple who enable his patholifical behavior at tax paying workers expense.
People starve. It's all good though, the bankers are well taken care of. I was a bit concerned that they couldn't get that vacation home in Dubui.
http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/the-world-islands-dubai
It's also bullish for the teachers unions!
Malnourished children = lower test scores = schools and teachers need more money to fix lower scores! = more money for teachers!
/winning!
Inhabitants of those islands are slated to get some Biblical justice with the next earthquake (as a consequence of pinching engineering pennies and pumping ROI) - just what a thieving banker deserves.
Isn't that one Palm Island thing is Dubai or Bharain sinking and falling apart? I thought the houses were vacant and unsold and the whole thing is sinking too. Major F Up.
About time for another fuckin bailout to save it then dude.
Biblical justice during an earthquake= liquification bitchez
Drop in sales of Cheetos, Kools, orange soda, and Ho-Ho's......
...and Skittles and watermelon punch.
... and KFC and Popeyes
I'm white and love Popeyes. When I used to go to Popeyes in Atlanta, I was treated like I killed the cashier's family. Oh well.
I went in to one in the Mattapan section of Boston. First of all - their food is fucking awesome, there should be Popeye's everywhere. But I got the feeling that the patrons didn't view me as a valuable addition to the locale's diversity.
But there's one thing I've learned - wearing a long, black trenchcoat tends to make all but the most outright psychotic of thugs give you the swerve.
That, and loudly muttering about Jesus, blood, and Martians while waiting for your food.
Crack sales, steady as she goes.......
Cough syrup, Red Bull...
Oh, the horror!
Hydromat Cough Syrup may still be covered though....under Obamacare....Because Obama
BEARISH FOR PURPLE DRANK!
SELL PURPLE DRANK, SELL!
Bullish on Ammo
...and a drop in obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Sounds pretty good to me.
It is not "Orange soda"...It is Oraaaange DRANK!
Whatever you do, stay away from walmarts and dollar stores!
What's a dollar store? Is this a real thing?
Can't Ben just print some food stamps? He prints billions for the crooks in the banks, what's with a few hundred dollars in food stamps
next????...Barry has a presser & blames the evil Tea Party
Yep, to gain the house he will demonize the GOP. Then it's no debt limit and no constraints.
Any surprise?
Cue riots in three......two......
"Ima gonna riot!" /twitter
Forget all that crap about haircuts. Where do I sign up? How about a new phone too?
You don't like the free haircuts? Obamacuts?
They'll make your head look like Yellen.
What was that CEO to average worker pay ratio again?
EBT being cut back and Tapering canceled?
Lets get this class war rolling!!!!
I doubt this group will be acting the same as the last group of love childs in WS
"The change cuts $5 billion out of the program for the November 2013 – 2014 period, on a base of $75 billion"
Realistically, bailouts will increase from 85B to 100-150B/month in the next year....
So the 1/4 the country is being played against less than ONE MONTH of WS bailouts.
I expect chearing in the streets..... (S)
"let's get the class war rolling"
you may be right. the left throws a tantrum when the RATE OF GROWTH of spending is reduced...but this is the first i'm hearing of this actual CUT....to their most dependent voters.
the community organizer in chief hasnt said a word? it's just now coming out? why are they playing along...?
hmnn.
When ask about the cuts to the SNAP program -
Obama replied - OH SNAP - I didn't know they did that.
Double Tap SNAP
"The community organizer in chief"----LOL. You gotta love it. Pravda editorialized that Putin was amazed that Americans elected a Communist to be President; but they said the fact KGB psch. campaigns twenty to thirty years ago had converted the public schools to communism, was probably partly to blame. Whooee. I'm starting to like Russia; at leas their mainstream media makes sense.
Shearing + cheering = chearing. Nice bit of math and +1.
The U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (a.k.a. Food Stamps) is the largest means-tested social support program in the country, with $6.3 billion in direct monthly cash transfers to individuals
This is nothing compared to medicare/medicaid/obamacare.
If congress doesn't want to increase deficit... what about you return SNAP to previous levels but CUT FOREIGN AID to terrorist countries like Israel, Pakistan and Egypt? That ought to be enough to pay for it.
"If congress doesn't want to increase deficit... what about you return SNAP to previous levels but CUT FOREIGN AID to terrorist countries like Israel, Pakistan and Egypt? That ought to be enough to pay for it."
I would say "what about you return SNAP to previous levels but CUT FOREIGN AID to terrorist countries like Israel, Pakistan and Egypt" in addition to the SNAP cuts.
A 6% loss is way more than the losses of GoldmanSachs or JP Morgan. Wonder how that crowd of welfare moochers would handle a 6% cut to their entitlements?
A 6% Haircut means I need a new barber.
At shearing time, sheep usually get a 100% haircut. 6% isn't much.
People are worried about 6 billon a month going to the poor while the Bernank is giving the bankers 85 billion a month. Fricking amazing.
Yep. That's because most people don't know what the fuck QE is or even have heard of it.
+1 (system is not allowing to up arrow your post)
+1 (system is not allowing to up arrow your post)
system failure. Total recall. Overdrive. failure is imminent.
You've gotta talk down to the target audience. Put it on terms they can understand.
Or better yet, turn to "pincers" on one another.
Tell the welfare queens that wall street is responsible for their welfare haircuts and let them go to town when things "snap."
Just need to condition the snap card holders to view any limo/suit wearing thug bankster as the enemy. Or else they'll be going after you and I.
banks are too big to fail. yet poor people are expendible. the system is regarded as more important than the people who live in it. fucking crazy shit man.
Maybe if poor people started burning down banks or car bombing them, politicians would understand that PEOPLE are too big too fail, not banks.
Unfortunately that won't happen until the snap cards run out completely. Even at that TPTB have done such a good job of distract and divide, that most will support any crack down on the rioters that comes from the police state.It amazes me that people can't see where the real problem in this country lies...and it's not with the poor.
Poor people? Cry me a river. The overwhelming majority of the poor people are lazy scumbag breeding criminals who would kill you for the $20 in your pocket.
FRuck the bankers and the "poor" people.
They're not just worried about the poor getting $6 billion, they hate them for it and dwell on it and throw insults whenever possible.
Mention banker welfare on the other hand and it gets a passing disparaging remark, then it's off to hate the poor welfare folks some more. The wealthy owners of this country have done an excellent job of keeping their serfs loyal and willfully ignorant. Now, shut up and salute the flag and get ready to sign up for the next war the owners want to have to increase profits.
I forgot to add...then they go to church on Sunday to learn about Jeezus and how to become better Christians. Afterwards, it's back to hating those poor welfare moochers.
i gots mah agri-subsidies watchyu talkin bout?
GeorgeHayduke - I really thought your first comment was the best on the thread, but your second was a bit innacurate.
Politicians may go to church for show but you will very seldom see VERY wealthy at church. If one read the gospels and tried to live the way Christ advocated you really would be happy, but people do not read there own bible or spend time in prayer to know the creator.
I do not wish to get too preachy so I'll net it out, if the two commandments of Christ were followed which were love your neighbor as yourself and love God, you would have heaven on earth.
As for foodstamps, it is the only form of welfare I do not mind my tax dollars being used for. However, the items should be limited to proteins, wheat pasta or rice and vegetables. While the general amount per person is not much, subsiding sugars or carb laden white starches increases obesity and other health conditions which are also now subsidized.
Means testing should be applied as well. I do admit wincing seeing the welfare queens having kids to get more benefits as long as possible but they are exceptions and not the norm during this depression.
If I really had choice, I would cut all subsidies in the financial and military industrial complex first but my vote no longer matters. Voters are like fans on the top row of mile high stadium these days.
How much you got on your EBT card?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzspsovNvII&feature=player_detailpage
Obama blames the nasty, mean, rich Republicans. What else ever happens?
i was just joking with my mom, whom which i take care of both financialy and medically. she couldnt believe that they can buy 85 billion per month yet cant afford to cough up the cash to let poor people eat. crazy world we live in.
Yeah - those (fat) poor people with two carts of grocercies and a new SUV.
I hate that that happens too. BUT, there are always bell-curve distributions in any population. Crooks who are in the ranks of the rich. Crooks who are in the ranks of the poor. People of integrity in both populations as well. Why lump them all together?? It is the failing of the system that lets the "bad apples' get away with fraud - not the failing of those who actually need help with basic sustenance.
Logged in just to give you a greenie on that one. Call out all the frauds and swindlers and maybe we'll be getting somewhere.
There are degrees of theft.
The 0.01% x 350,000,000 = 350,000
Now divide their govt/Fed handouts in the form of 85,000,000,000 by the population and you get = 242850 "THEFT INDEX"
Do the same calculation for the poor Food stamp people.
.15 x 350,000,000 =52,500,00
Now divide their gov handout, 6 billion by the population and you get =115.4 Theft Index
Now you get 242850 divided by 115.4 = 2104.4
In other words the .01% rob the rest of us (middle class) 2104 times more than the Food stamp population. That is 210400% more.
That, in anyone's investment world is a great ROI.
So how come you predominantly speak against the poor thieves? IMO, everybody should be speaking against .01% theft 2104 x more than against poor welfare theft.
There are degrees of theft.
The 0.01% x 350,000,000 = 350,000
Now divide their govt/Fed handouts in the form of 85,000,000,000 by the population and you get = 242850 "THEFT INDEX"
Do the same calculation for the poor Food stamp people.
.15 x 350,000,000 =52,500,00
Now divide their gov handout, 6 billion by the population and you get =115.4 Theft Index
Now you get 242850 divided by 115.4 = 2104.4
In other words the .01% rob the rest of us (middle class) 2104 times more than the Food stamp population. That is 210400% more.
That, in anyone's investment world is a great ROI.
So how come you predominantly speak against the poor thieves? IMO, everybody should be speaking against .01% theft 2104 x more than against poor welfare theft.
I don't like or agree with QE, however, the best part about it is that its affects are applied evenly to all!!
No. Fraid not. QE goes directly into commish. and profits for the Banks and the Bond Dealers; (one and the same); and nothing for you and I.
dup
Maskone909 "i was just joking with my mom, whom which i take care of both financialy and medically. she couldnt believe that they can buy 85 billion per month yet cant afford to cough up the cash to let poor people eat. crazy world we live in".
You lie like a rug.
I know nick doesn't want to make it political so I will... OBAMANATIONNN!! He turned us into a bunch of welfare babies on Medicaid. Murica
Also explains why Franken wants a new Farm Bill passed...
Just like Minimum Wage, it's all about keeping the haves and havenots in the Free Shit Army happy!
riot
Straddle the line in discord and rhyme.
They're gonna be hungry like the wolf, I suspect.
another reason to hate o-care. Healthcare does need to be addressed but my concern is that we were not attacking the more important problem. What good is a $1T health care complex if you can't afford to eat? ask any of these welfare recipients which program they wanted, and i guarantee you 100% would say food. So we gave them healthcare and now must reduce other, more important benefits. Great mgt obama.
Welfare benefits (even for coroporations) are too high in this country...but there should be some safety net. If we ONLY focued on the most basic needs, food, shelter (and i'll toss in education to help break the cycle) the cost of entitlements would be significantly lower and we'd at least keep people from dying in the streets. and i think only focusing on the most basic would finally motivate those that can help themselves to do so.
WTF are you talking about? Try some personal responsibility too. I am so sick of people blaming other people for their condition as they do nothing except hold their hand out.
There are lots of people who need some support for a while -- and then they move on.
There are some people whose lifestyle is support from the government.
It is a matter of values. Look around and you can pretty easily identify which "groups" fit into which category. Is education valued? Entrepreneurship? If not, you will find those who are the long-term beneficiaries and the core of the welfare state.
I propose we focus our attention on changing the 2nd group, without injurying the 1st.
So they begin tapering with those least able to afford it.
yes, it is basic trickle down econ. the only difference between each party is how they pour the water, either by spending or reducing taxes.
"the only difference between each party is how they pour the water, either by spending or reducing taxes."
Not so sure about that anymore. Both parties spend quite well, it's just a matter of where they spend it. As for tax reductions, they always seem to go toward the same crowd with endless assurances of how that will cure all ills, with little to show that this is true.
The missing factor in that two party stereotype is that both parties borrow money, from the banker parasites, which must be paid back at interest. That mistake adds a huge blood-sucking parasite to the whole mix because regardless of the pour or the trickle on the peons, the bankers have a mainline to an artery and that is slowly killing the host.
This is one of the most unconsciousable acts I've ever seen. They throw people into the street so they can take care of their oligarich friends, and then remove the one support they to those they've seen rejected, to give them something to eat. I know a woman running a single home because her husband moved out because he's no good, working a staggered shift driving a school bus so she can see her kids, who doesn't make enough money to pay for gas to get to work... and they're going to cut back on her food stamps? WTF!!! Burn Washington DC. Throw every damn rascal out on the bread line and replace them with candidates that have sworn to restore Liberty as our daily operating model of government. See how at www.electanewcongress.com It can be done. Serfs Up Mutherfuckers!!!
There is something really wrong with American woman and who they choose to procreate with. www.hotchickswithdouchebags.com and that is just the start of it. That doesn't even get into people from the ghetto or trailer parks, where it would seem they try to find the most dominate criminal (who probably has kids from six different baby mama's).
That site sure does know a thing or two about judging a book by it's cover. Hell, if you saw me, you might think me a douchebag. I'm not, guaranteed. But you might if you are into judging books by their covers. I ride a big bad-ass motorcycle. Drive a supercharged pickemup truck. Grow my hair a little long. But otherwise live a neat and orderly life.
That site is funny though. As long as it's intended as humor, I can live with it. But just because the site's owner does not like the way smeone looks, does not make them a douchebag.
Less intelligent organisms tend to judge the book by the cover. They're incapable of understanding there's more to a person than their own egocentric appraisals of them.
Also, less intelligent organisms do this as a survival mechanism. Probably grew up in bad neighborhoods, or in hostile environments where quick, shoddy decision making meant survival.
Fuck you, your Pauly D haircut, and your sleeve tattoos. Most of the time the judgments passed on these people are par for the course. If you don't like it, get the Chinese characters that you have no clue what they mean removed from your body, asswipe.
BTW, Incubus as a band sucks balls. You are a douchebag.
lol.
episodes of jersey shore I've seen in my life: 0.
Number of "asian" themed tattoos I have: 0.
S'all good, though. I'll play the pinata for your mental coping mechanism.
There, there. Feel better now?
I feel as about as good as an idiot who uses a picture of a woman wearing a thong as his avatar could feel.
Let's do some psychoanalysis: what's the root of your concern?
Do you feel threatened, and feel the need to reaffirm your certainty of the world you exist in? So here you are, you're broadcasting to the world that you're certain of your assumptions of other people, and you're coming off as a presumptious little bitch.
Here's a little ad hominem for you: If only more people were like you! The world's issues would be addressed over the weekend and we could all exist in Bobbyrib's utopia because he is undeniably the beacon of light that will guide civilization. There was darkness, and then there was bobbyrib. Fiat Bobbyrib. Why the fuck hasn't he bestowed his great wisdom upon us in order to fix the world since he is the greatest objective thinker of our time.
Get out of here you fucking little shit. Go presume shit about someone else, 'cause you know nothing about me, fuckface.
And pardon me, everyone else: I got dragged down to base level ad hominem attacks because I was dealing with a philistine who knows only "smash and bash" vulgarity as his sole means of communication. And I do admit he ruffled my feathers a little because of the absurdity of his belief that he can sit behind his computer on his pastey ass and draw some sort of conclusion of the type of person I am. Such is the way of low-level thinker.
Back to the pygmy: come on, paint a picture. What else do you think I am? ...actually scratch that. I've no need to play with you anymore. Get back to me when you've got something of substance to use on me.
So I basically posted a website about total and complete morons who were being mocked for being tools and you ran to the defense of the people on the site. Yet you claim not to have anything in common with them.
"And pardon me, everyone else: I got dragged down to base level ad hominem attacks because I was dealing with a philistine who knows only "smash and bash" vulgarity as his sole means of communication. And I do admit he ruffled my feathers a little because of the absurdity of his belief that he can sit behind his computer on his pastey ass and draw some sort of conclusion of the type of person I am. Such is the way of low-level thinker.
Back to the pygmy: come on, paint a picture. What else do you think I am? ...actually scratch that. I've no need to play with you anymore. Get back to me when you've got something of substance to use on me."
Don't you find it ironic that you were basically saying that I was trying to show how high and mighty I am, but then you type those paragraphs above? Newsflash: No one gives a shit that you argued with me dumbass.
SERFS UP !! Good Bumper Sticker.
She made a poor decision on who to breed with. Why should people who made better decisions be FORCED to pay for her brood? It's unConstitutional. You claim to want Liberty while demanding we pay for your friends brood? That's slavery dude.
Charity, voluntary charity, is the way to help those in bad circumstances. Buying votes with taxpayer money is theft.
Oops. Gosh darn it all. Who coulda seen this coming?
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2013/02/duluths_operation_crackdown_30_arrested_in_connection_with_cocaine-for-ebt_card_scheme.php
What about all the food sent to other countries so people can make cash off of the system? I would keep cutting the program until the shitheads who run the agency are forced to take on the fraud.
6% increase in grocery store shoplifting.
The weakest link in the chain is the wifi router mounted above the cash registers. Heaven forbid some fuzzy kids figure out what that does.
Look out for the camera.
Hey useless eaters.....See Georgia Guide Stones for playbook...
WMT shaking in their boots
A welfare check today, will keep the guillotine away.
I heard that they allocated another $80 million in NYC to what has been called the world's 6th largest standing army in case of unrest. I hope people are able to keep their heads and their souls. There is no good reason for anybody to starve or go hungry.
There are plenty of good reasons for somebody to starve and go hungry:
stupidity
laziness
illiteracy
lack of future time orientation
irresponsible procreation
inadvertently marooned in a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific
turning your currency over to a private banking cartel
etc.
You can't fix stupid. And you can't cheat Mother Nature. The Second Law of Thermodynamics and there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. Paying gangbangers and high school dropouts to live and breed as parasites on the productive may seem compassionate. It is really just another higher order of stupidity. One (combined with the rampant parasitism from the top) that will soon spell the collapse of this iteration of Western Civilization.
Sure it's a dysgenics program, but the Welfare Plantation keeps the Cheap Vote Democrats and the Cheap Labor Republicans humming, as well as enhancing the bottom line of many a TBTF corporation. So, apparently we're stuck with it until the parasites kill the host, or the productive burn Washington DC to the ground.
But, please, spare us the false morality used to justify it. Someone wants bread? Let him earn it. Otherwise, starve.
Those that will not work, shall not eat.
I live near an area where there are a lot of people who truly depend on EBT for their food.(not luxury car driving scammers buying steak & lobster). With our "non-inflation" hitting food costs very hard, the local grocery had already become a sad & depressing place, People at the end of the month have desperation in their eyes, and the store is now stocking weird cheap "meat"items, including packs chicken feet.
The EBT cuts will just be a new miserable experience for these folks while Jamie, etal. live the subsidized good life. I once read that one of the worst forms of torture is to tie up at starving person and place a banquet in front of him. We get to be tied up and starved while the elites go to the banquet.
And I'll bet not one of them has ever considered a patio garden with tomatoes, squash, beans, or what-have-you. If they only knew that they could grow more food than they could possibly eat if they put their minds to it.
Most of them probably do not have a patio. Most of them, like me, probably live in an apartment. My wife has the house, I live in an apartment. Even if I did own a home, I would not want the problems of a garden of food stuff growing. It only invites the wildlife, and family cat from next door to come over and sup at your expense.
Red fer ya.
Cats are not vegetarian, most of yer problemz would come from two-legged beasts...
Then don't whine about not getting enough free food off the sweat of my brow.
Rice and beans at .50 cents a pound means nobody is starving unless they live on cheetos and pop.
Of course, bank welfare is multiples squared of food programs so eliminating that might make the middle class slow their descent into the working poor.
Saving God's workers seems to be the priority.
Love Shovelhead's. Had a 80cu.inch stock shovelhead I bought new and rode all the way to Guadalajara Mexico and back from northern Calif. then rode it to Canada and back.
Just looked @ my waistline...
I could use a 6% reduction...
Then again, I'm not on that program...
Guess I'll just have to take responsibility
for myself (again)...
Oh well... :-)