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

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

[infidel_us]

Democrats.......a waste of human flesh. Food stamps (like welfare) are not meant to be a substitute for education and honest work. Quit making excuses for people who make poor choices in life.

I don't mind helping people who need a hand up, but I'll be damned if I'll support some slacker who thinks the government "owes" them a life.

[cj7jeepstir]

Just another on a long list of examples of how this disgusting war is killing this country. It's not enough to send some of the best of our young people over there to be killed, we have to hurt the people at home too. So war profiteers like Cheney and his ilk can get richer. So oil trash like Bush and his ilk can get richer. So the Arabs will have Americans to kill to divert their attention away from Israel. Democracy is dieing in this country, for the sake of the almighty dollar and to protect our "friend" Israel.

[torocaca]

"People who require food stamps have made one bad decision after another in their lives and only continue to do so when the stamps are used. I think the system should be replaced with a work-for-dollars program. Boy that's an idea. Imagine actually working for food!" Posted by drivelphobe at 11:04 AM : Apr 23, 2007

Yeah!! Great idea. Let's make the kids and elderly work to earn their food stamps. Real compassion from a conservative.

Meanwhile the "war for oil" continues on at $1 Billion/day.

More drivel from a phobic!! And stereotyping!!LOL!!

OBTW: Gates' "worth" is equal to that of 40% of Americans. When a nation's wealth is concentrated within a small percentage of the population, a larger percent of the population suffers--needlessly.

And lets send more good jobs overseas and import more immigrants to do the jobs that are left.

[sero5]

Promote eating healthy instead of eating cheap.

[drivelphobe]

I don't know much about the food stamp program. I do know that occassionally I am behind someone in a grocery store line who is using them, and I've noticed they somehow get cigarettes and beer with the stamps. These individuals have always appeared to be scuzzy, trashy, dirty and stupid looking, and quite qualified for such an entitlement benefit. The grocery store employees seem to understand the system very well by transacting in the favor of these people. My gut reaction is that there is little control over the food stamp program if purchases can't be monitored.

People who require food stamps have made one bad decision after another in their lives and only continue to do so when the stamps are used. I think the system should be replaced with a work-for-dollars program. Boy that's an idea. Imagine actually working for food!

[huskerarmy]

"All Republican's seem to have the same attitude! Not a gram of empathy for anyone less fortunate!"
Indeed... most were born on third base and swear they hit a tripple.

[down-ndirty]

"...She was on cell phone most of the time.One older kid had her cell phone..."
Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 10:03 AM : Apr 23, 2007

You see the world through biased eyes... LOL!!

The food stamp program costs less than ONE month of WAR in Iraq. And you COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATIVES would rather pay for the war in Iraq and let American kids starve?

There's more corruption in congress, and government in general, than there is in the food stamp program.

OBTW: A lot, if not MOST, of Gates' and Buffet's charity went overseas. LOL!!

[torocaca]

Food stamp statistics:

51 percent of all participants are children (18 or younger), and 65 percent of them live in single-parent households.

55 percent of food stamp households include children.

9 percent of all participants are elderly (age 60 or over).

79 percent of all benefits go to households with children, 16 percent go to households with disabled persons, and 7 percent go to households with elderly persons.

36 percent of households with children were headed by a single parent, the overwhelming majority of whom were women.

The average household size is 2.3 persons.

The average gross monthly income per food stamp household is $640.


And this one is for you fartknocker2 and barbaraf4:

41 percent of participants are white; 36 percent are African-American, non-Hispanic; 18 percent are Hispanic; 3 percent are Asian, 2 percent are Native American, and 1 percent are of unknown race or ethnicity.

[torocaca]

"Soory but here is what I saw at Kroger saturday night..My basket with hamberger meat..Black lady in front with steaks an chops plus a ton of other stuff..She was on cell phone most of the time... She paid in food stamps ????? I got into my 99 pick up truck..She got into 04 Cadlilac ??? So tell me again why I should care ??" Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 10:03 AM : Apr 23, 2007

You contradicted yourself, fartknocker2. Was she on the cell phone or was the kid on the cell phone? You can't have it both ways. LOL!! Your credibility isn't worth the time it took for you to spew that hateful bigotry.

[gkc99]

Oregonworker--if you're really in Oregon and not part of the RNC, you must realize that Oregon has no--NO--sales tax. So quit yer blubbering. That's one reason the income tax is relatively high. The other is the fat giveway on corporate income tax, which is far far lower than personal income tax.

[fredegrar]

"As a former recipient, they do give too much."
Posted by pd1032 at 10:27 AM : Apr 23, 2007

So this $3/day/person figure they give in the story isn't accurate? How much did you get? Have there been cuts since 2000? How much? I'm fairly ignorant on this as the only assistance I ever got was a $500 pell grant. I'm just looking 4 real info...

[torocaca]

"It might be of interest to the readers that while he is advocating for the federal government to maintain food stamp programs the governor has also proposed double digit increases on the taxes paid by the "working poor" in his own state. Oregon's income tax is already one of the highest in the nation on the working poor." Posted by oregonworker at 09:53 AM : Apr 23, 2007

Oregon has no SALES tax.

Try living in a state that has a 10-12% income tax and an 8% sales tax.

[pd1032]

10 years ago I was on food stamps. Now working full time at a very good wage, I wish I could afford all of the food for my family that we were able to get while on food stamps. As a food stamp recipient at the time I was amazed at the amount benefits we received. We were also eating steaks (although no manicures or cell phones). If we didn't eat somewhat extravagantly, we barely touched our benefits. As a former recipient, they do give too much.

[fredegrar]

Maybe those who look down on people with foodstamps but still seem to have luxuries (cell phones, expensive shoes, cadillacs) should try the foodstamp diet indefinitely. How long before you start thinking of ways to game the system ya suppose?

[barbaraf4]

FARTKNOCKER2

I saw something similar a few years ago. In line at the grocery store, the young woman in front of me, with her designer handbag, manicured nails, and cell phone stuck to her ear was buying fresh shrimp and steak with food stamps - pet food, since Food Stamps won't pay for pet food.

[oregonworker]

It might be of interest to the readers that while he is advocating for the federal government to maintain food stamp programs the governor has also proposed double digit increases on the taxes paid by the "working poor" in his own state. Oregon's income tax is already one of the highest in the nation on the working poor.

Perhaps it would be more helpful if the governor were to work on his own problems before he concerns himself with the federal budget.

source: www.ocpp.org/cgi-bin/display.cgi?page=nr270307poor

[barbaraf4]

"You must be just like the governor from Oregon who only takes his silver spoon out of his mouth long enough to burp some silly notion about feeling the pain of those less fortunate. Instead of a completely worthless one week diet plan why doesn't he and his equally high paid wife donate a portion of their salaries to help those less fortunate."

Posted by haneyr at 09:26 AM : Apr 23, 2007

Read the article.

The Governor of Oregon grew up in a boys home, joined the military, went to college on the GI Bill, and never looked back. He is living the American Dream, which is within reach of all of us who know how to prioritize. For example, if you get pregnant in high school, chances are you will never graduate and go to college. College is the ticket out, but few who are living in abject poverty can see that.

[jon_mccain]

As long as there are those with money who don't give it all to the poor, the right will have this phony argument to justify their not giving a rats behind. The Clinton's and Kennedy's give far more than the Bushies and their ilk. The righties have to reduce feeding the hungry to political terms so they can justify a policy of "Let them eat cake."
Posted by huskerarmy

As someone on another thread pointed out, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are in the process of giving vast amounts of their fortunes back to the less fortunate in society. It has been my experience that the most "me" orientated, tend to be the type that cast themselves as "compassionate conservatives".

[grumpas]

The Republican's never fail to stick out in a crowd like a sore thumb! It is obvious from his mean-spirited rant haneyr is one! All Republican's seem to have the same attitude! Not a gram of empathy for anyone less fortunate!

[realpatriot1]

huskerarmy,

Thanks for not forgetting where you came from and having some empathy for others.

6 years ago I was fired as the CFO of a nonprofit because I wouldn't miappropriate funds.

For 11 months I received unemployment and worked temp assignments until I finally got another full-time job.

I qualified for $350 per week unemployment,the maximum. I don't remember how much I got in food stamps but I ran up about $7,000 in credit card debt because I had to supplement for all the non-food products, like paper towels and tp that I couldn't buy with food stamps.

People on food stamps don't have it made like some ignorant people think.

As far as fraud is concerned, while I was on the program they did away eith paper coupons and issued debit cards to make it harder for people to sell it to others. I'm sure there's still some abuse, as there is in everything.

My question to those who attack the food stamp program is what is your alternative?