Comments on: Oregon Gov. Will Live On Food Stamp Diet

For One Week, As He Battles Proposed Cuts In Federal Program

[hypnotoad72]

MichelleM99 - you said it best. Period.

cantshutup - the answers to your question of why they cut programs may or may not be the the same as to why the politicians let offshoring continue to happen. Again, expansion vs migration, which one defines 'globalization' right now?

[randalds]

The WAR yes I agree it sucks...we are spending money lots of it too, but we also need to cut down all this welafare to this fraud, sick minded people.
Posted by patsy2007 at 01:43 PM : Apr 23, 2007

Agreed, but the problem is that the standard republican method of cutting it down is across the board, rather then going after the fraudulent collectors of assistance who give all collectors a bad name that they do not deserve. If a study comes out that says 10% of all food stamps are being spent on fraud then go after the people who are committing the crimes, but Bush and his fellow republicans solution is to either slash the program by 10% or eliminate it completely. Cutting the fraudulent claims 10% of the money they're stealing doesn't hurt the rip-offs of the system much, but it really hurts the people who really do need the help.

[hypnotoad72]

down-ndirty - most of the nations Gates helps grossly pirate software. You know, that one thing he hates the most.

Why is Gates helping pirates? Lots of hard working Americans who legally buy his software have had their jobs offshored to said piracy-happy countries. Many of those people used to work for Microsoft too.

I don't mind globalization if it means 'expansion'. Right now it seems to be more like 'migration', and that should concern you too.

On a related note, it's funny how political and corporate leaders who say Americans who are immoral prop up people in other countries for... doing the same things. And as for said leaders calling American stupid; there's hardly anything in the software or other products since they were offshored that shows they're really any better. More buggy, possibly, but not better. Then comes call center support...

[mainemade]

Put all of government on this diet!! Maybe then they won't be so free to keep starving the hungry!
Yes, there are abuses in the program. There are abusers in every program. But there are people who need the help. Stop taking it away!!

[down-ndirty]

"Further, Gates often ties up health charities with computer education. In India, for example, he gave $100 million for AIDS and $421 million as investment in new software development in India, including a Hindi version of Windows XP. This was duly applauded in the New York Times. During his visit, the former Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, committed Andhra Pradesh to use Microsoft products for all future computerisation."

"The $200 million pledged by Gates for the development of libraries will go for library %u201CInternet access%u201D, which will further promote the use of Microsoft products. Clearly, Gates%u2019 charities are no different than the %u201Cfree%u201D seed distributed by sugar mills to farmers in order to increase the sugar content of the cane produced."

"If Gates wants to truly help the people of the developing countries he should do two things. One, he should open the code of Windows software and other Microsoft products to much more broad-based development of the next generation of software. Two, he should buy the patents of life saving drugs from pharmaceutical companies and provide them free to the developing countries to lower the cost of treatment of diseases."

[down-ndirty]

"Gates is concentrating on development of vaccines for the prevention of malaria and AIDS. But various studies have pointed out that the main problem of morbidity among the poor is that of malnutrition. Rich countries are selling Windows software, computer chips, mobile phones and drugs at high prices. This monopoly pricing of advanced technologies makes them poor, deprives their people of food and increases sickness. Big drug companies enter to provide vaccines from this sickness they have themselves helped create. Gates%u2019 efforts become suspect because Buzzle.com website reports that he has ploughed $76.9m into Merck shares, $37.3m into Pfizer and $29.7m into Johnson & Johnson."

"Perhaps Gates wants to pressure these companies into doing research on these diseases. Even then, he is supporting the monopoly of these companies on life saving drugs while the developing countries are demanding loosening of those patents and expansion of generic drugs. One victory of the developing countries at WTO Ministerial at Doha was to get the right to restrict the patents on public health concerns. Gates%u2019 approach is at crossroads with that of the developing countries in whose interests he claims to make charities."

[michellem99-2009]

If the gov want to live a week on food stamps.Here is my answer.Buy the cheap stuff. No fresh veg, frurt,red meat,the food us poor can't buy. Wear rags, sleep on the floor the like. He be whining allright. Live in an apt for poor. At supper time heat that can of beans,eat it and say grace of thanks. Them at night pull the covers up and say a prayer of thanks for a place to lay down to sleep. At rising dress in the rags, worn out clothes as one has to wear something to cover the body and pray a word of thanks. And no I am not preaching here. And take mass transit too and say a prayers of thanks for mass transit to get about.I am a poor blind older lady that understands us poor. I say a prayer of thanks for what I have and grateful. Easy no.

[down-ndirty]

This one is for you, pixelslinger:
"Andrew Colley of ZDNet Australia explains how Gates aggressively tries to kill the use of Linux. Commerce Minister John Della Bosca of NSW territory had made his intention known to end the state government%u2019s reliance on proprietary software such as Windows. Immediately, thereafter, Gates flew into Australia and announced a charity of 40 million Australian dollars for the spread of computer literacy among the poor people. Gates%u2019 intention, says Colley, was to dissuade the government from using Linux."

"Similarly, he says the BJP government had planned to encourage the use of Linux in 2002. Immediately, Gates flew in and announced a charity of $500 million. Of this, $100 million was to go for AIDS treatment and $400 million for computer literacy. Thereafter, the government became silent on the use of Linux."

LOL!!

[realpatriot1]

sclaires,

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstance. It's a crime that a Federal program is adminstered differently from county to county but tha's how it is.

It makes me angry that clerks would give you a hard time and ask you to prove your disability when so many able bodied people have no problem getting handicap stickers. These are probably the same people who say they eat steak on food stamps...baloney!

[sclaires]

I gave up on food stamps when they cut what I was getting from $75 a month to $11 a month. And all because I started receiving Section 8 assistance with my rent. I still had the same medical expense, utilities, etc but they didn't care in the county where I was living at the time. And, after I started receiving Medicare, I am disabled, I had a case worker try to make me prove my disability if you can believe that. I flatly told the woman that I didn't have to prove a d*mn thing and after an argument, another individual came in and said that I was right.

At this time, I have a hard time paying my bills, getting groceries, and all the things that people take for granted. I wear clothes until they can't be worn anymore, drive a car that is 16 years old, and put off some bills until the next month. If I could get food stamps it would be a big help but here in SC, I doubt I would get enough to put up with he hassle, etc. The disabled should get enough food stamps where they can get proper nutrition for themselves without having to go through a hassle.

[michellem99-2009]

The gov. got no idea of the poor. He wants to lives on food stamp diet,what a week. He got no idea. I get $27 a month in stamps. I am blind and old. The rich and well to do have their world of comforts that they can and will fall back on. I don't. So when I heat my one a day meal each evening thankful for the meal.

[cantshutup]

I received food stamps while attending college. It was very difficult to provide a variety of nutritious foods for myself and my son. I got very good at purchasing a weeks worth of food with only 30$ a week...However, it was always the cheapest, which most often meant poorest quality, food and forget about lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I am certainly glad to be past that period in my life...Why are they cutting these programs??? To possibly continue to fund their illegal war? Bush will answer to SOMEONE some day it may not be the AMERICAN PEOPLE, but he will answer to SOMEONE.

[pixelslinger]

"And he's not exactly GIVING it away without the expectation of benefiting the profits of Microsoft. You might want to educate yourself about how and where Gates is "investing" his "charity." Some countries and local governments are even rejecting his "offers" because they have "strings" attached. Strings that are tied back to Microsoft. LOL!!"

Dirtydog - k, first, get your spin off of something, anything, that isn't a conspiracy theory website. The only countries that have rejected aid of almost any sort from the US do so due to most of the strings put in place by the treaties and other incredibly complex laws about foreign charities - it's not just as simple as 'here you go, Chile, take a few billion.'

Second, if you just took a few moments to think about the preposity of your statement - that Gates charities only give with the expectation of profits to MS, you'd realize how counter-intuitive it sounds. 1) It's GATES giving the monies/services, not MS - can't make a corporate tie-in from this in any fashion. 2) What POSSIBLE profits is MS hoping to see from any aid in Zimbabwe or Chad or Venezuala? Is there going to be a surge of Windows Vista sales there?

Take your own advice and get a little education about foreign aid from private parties. More importantly -

"Only 60%?? How many "BILLIONS" does it take to live the life of the wealthy?"

How many BILLIONS should he be giving if 45 isn't enough? How much of your paycheck are you giving?

[twhitne]

Let's see, how about a drug test before they get money on that card. There are a lot of people who I do believe misuse the system but also make the president go on them and nothing else and also lets send him to war...

[barbaraf4]

"My mother gets $18 PER MONTH. Try eating on that!"
Posted by homespunlady at 02:35 PM : Apr 23, 2007

How much extra do you kick in?

[dblbar]

Governor - Ramen noodles and hotdogs for a week.....what a sacrifice......try doing it for 22 years, then come talk to me.

[barbaraf4]

"I was eventually able to go back and get my college degree. It was not the easiest thing to do while raising my son, but it is do-able."

Posted by yoopermom at 01:34 PM : Apr 23, 2007

Just imagine how much easier it would have been if you had not been a single mom. I applaud your achievements; however, I suspect you are one of the few.

[naithom]

I have and educational an vocational background in social services. I have worked for Department of Human Resources. And just as in all walks of life you find good people and bad people. But especially in the poor you find individuals who have issues, educational issues (Learning disabilities that make it incredibly difficult to get a job or flat out illiteracy where applying for a job is nearly impossible), social issues (unaddressed addictions), emotional and/or mental issues (Agoraphobia, PTSD, bipolar) and coping issues where because of many of the above they don't have the same ability that you or I may have in just getting by.

Just throwing money at the problem does nothing. When an individual comes in needing financial assistance there needs to be other assistance which should be mandatory: counseling, vocational assessment, lessons in budgeting and a life coach.

We need as a country to learn to teach people to fish, instead of handing them the fish and complaining that they don't know how to use a rod and reel.

[wdgliude]

if you think everyone believes you get 20 or 30 dollars a monthin food stamps you are the fool i see the people in the supermarkets buying steaks and any junk food they can.

[realpatriot1]

infidel,

When Christ said that the poor will always be with us he did not say to ignore their suffering. Also, he was referring as well to the poor in spirit. I won't point any fingers toward who that may apply to.