More Americans Turning To Food Stamps

Amid Economic Slowdown, Record 28 Million In U.S. Expected To Use Program In Coming Year

(CBS)  Alyn Luna has been struggling to give her family a better life. But after losing her job as a security guard three weeks ago, she did something Monday she hoped she'd never have to do again - apply for food stamps, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

"If it wasn't for this program, it would be really bad for me right now," Luna says.

With jobs declining and prices for basics -- food, fuel and medicine -- on the rise, more Americans are expected to turn to food stamps in the next year than at any time since the program began in the 1960s.

Already, demand is up in 43 states. Fourteen have hit record highs. In Michigan, one in every eight residents is on food stamps; one in seven in Kentucky.

"Their wages are going down or staying the same while the costs that they have to meet each month are going up, and the squeeze on them is so significant that they can't afford food," says Stacy Dean of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Anyone, working or retired, living near the poverty line -- less than about $28,000 per family of four -- is eligible for the benefits, about $100 per person per month.

But even with two jobs and food stamps, Shreel Jackson still is stretching beans and her budget to feed her four boys and granddaughter.

"Because what I get, it helps, but it's not enough, it's not enough, it's not enough," Jackson says.

With Congress fighting over funding, millions like Jackson won't find much more in the pot.

[cantshutup]

ALL AROUND THE WORLD PEOPLE NEED TO STOP HAVING BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!

[barbaraf4]

cantshutup ~ I totally agree!

[hypnotoad72]

cantshutup - I also agree. The question is now "how" as people often do it for fun and can''t be bothered to raise the offspring; at which point EVERYONE suffers.

Maybe if more people kept pets and watched them breed instead...

[timdgrim]

singinrich:

"Hoards of roaming scumbags"...Isn''t that like lunch time at the Capitol?

[formrusmcsgt]

In Michigan, one in every eight residents is on food stamps; one in seven in Kentucky.
----
Peace provides dividends for all while war provides benefits for only a select few.

[republic1776]

I think we should waste our time planting more corn for greener fuels. REALLY MAKE people pay high prices for food. The BIG PIGS of the world are all on the smae side. Gore is NO different than Bush, or hillary, or Obama. Addict people to food stamps, SKYROCK THE COST OF FOOD! Make "rich" country''s buy carbon credits, make all money bad and spread out new money like manure. Control the World and have people "beg" you to do it.

Are we BOOBS?

[linfinster]

There are hard working families that have come upon hard times that need them too! What about our elderly, who''ve worked hard all their lives for the measly SSA check and hardly no savings - ($2,000 asset limit) We mustn''t forget the real reason the program is there.

It''s true, cantshutup, -if you can''t feed em, don''t breed em! is a good slogan. I say we medically alter all adults that has one child, who doesn''t work or hasn''t graduated from High School when they have a second child and have no means to be self supporting. Obviously women will be much more affected by this, but eventually we''ll catch up with the men too. MANDATORY NUETORING!
You have NO idea how disgusting it is to see someone reporting they''ve had ANOTHER baby and wants to know how much more they will get for benefits. One woman came in, 5 kids and wanted to have Medicaid pay for her tubes to be untied, ''cause she and her boyfriend really want a child together ... it was all I could do not to scream at her! Bottom Feeders!

[rebelscout]

I tell you I don''t know what people are going to do. Revolution maybe coming sooner than people think.Remember "Let them eat cake"?

[michellem99-2009]

I am thankful for them stamps. cantshutup Dear AMEN..I hear ye ..I am 53 ,legally blind, and knew at 10 I did not want babies for health reasons as I have health issues. Them docs won''t fix a lady''s tubes for what ever reason..They say their church wont allow it. Yer church is yer personal business but as a doc yer duty is to yer patants.. If they got a problem them doctoring is the wrong duty for them.I feel that way.

[blackwater66-2009]

WWIII is coming soon, ever seen the movie "The Road Warrior" from the early 80''s, than look up a preview game titled "Fuels of War" than you will see what is really going to happen down the road. Everyman for himself !! The Rich will have to live in gated and protected housing developments to keep out the less fortunate! It will come my friend, count it ????

[rebelscout]

That is the problem with the system.Those who really need the assistance get $crewed by those who keep having kid''s so they don''t have to work. Start keeping track of these people and deny them a increase.

[kaylag04]

My state and surrounding states are suffering form a labor shortage so extreme that convenience stores offer $400-$500 signing bonuses just to show up and pass a drug test. 21 year olds who are drug-free and can lift 50 lbs. get jobs starting at $50k/yr. We sent more than one delegation to Michigan offering incentives including benefits and housing, and had a poor showing for the effort.

In 1917, my great grandfather died - leaving a family on a ranch in North Idaho. His wife packed the younger kids up, sold the ranch, took a train to the coast, and started a new life. Because that was what she had to do; it was her responsibility as an adult and a parent. Entitlement has shackled Americans to dependency and poverty, even when opportunity is only a few hundred miles away.

[libsrweak]

wait wait....this country has a massive illegal immigration problem because there is money to be made and we have families living on welfare??something is wrong with this picture

[mcvet]

My state and surrounding states are suffering form a labor shortage so extreme that convenience stores offer $400-$500 signing bonuses just to show up and pass a drug test. 21 year olds who are drug-free and can lift 50 lbs. get jobs starting at $50k/yr. We sent more than one delegation to Michigan offering incentives including benefits and housing, and had a poor showing for the effort.

In 1917, my great grandfather died - leaving a family on a ranch in North Idaho. His wife packed the younger kids up, sold the ranch, took a train to the coast, and started a new life. Because that was what she had to do; it was her responsibility as an adult and a parent. Entitlement has shackled Americans to dependency and poverty, even when opportunity is only a few hundred miles away.


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Posted by KaylaG04 at 09:16 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

Your post should tell you more about your state and YOUR arrogance than anything ever written.

[mcvet]

It''''s true, cantshutup, -if you can''''t feed em, don''''t breed em! is a good slogan. I say we medically alter all adults that has one child, who doesn''''t work or hasn''''t graduated from High School when they have a second child and have no means to be self supporting. Obviously women will be much more affected by this, but eventually we''''ll catch up with the men too. MANDATORY NUETORING!
You have NO idea how disgusting it is to see someone reporting they''''ve had ANOTHER baby and wants to know how much more they will get for benefits. One woman came in, 5 kids and wanted to have Medicaid pay for her tubes to be untied, ''''cause she and her boyfriend really want a child together ... it was all I could do not to scream at her! Bottom Feeders!


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Posted by linfinster at 08:33 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

So in your poor tortured Nazi brain this one incident which is without a doubt a LIE.... justifies what. You wacked out fascist are beneath contempt. These are real American''s how are in need of food Stamps BECAUSE there aren''t jobs people can work at and make enough to pay for the gas let alone have enough left to pay for food. Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

That is the problem with the system.Those who really need the assistance get $crewed by those who keep having kid''''s so they don''''t have to work. Start keeping track of these people and deny them a increase.


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Posted by rebelscout at 08:47 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

You either haven''t kept up with the law changes over the last 20 years OR you just don''t care.

[libsrweak]

You either haven''''t kept up with the law changes over the last 20 years OR you just don''''t care.

Posted by MCVet at 09:27 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

******

for our edification, what is this new law

[mcvet]

for our edification, what is this new law




Posted by libsrweak at 09:31 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

What''s wrong swastika breath?? LOL YOU know Welfare Reform WAS passed by your hatred and desire to trash anyone who isn''t with the "party" has prevented you from ACTUALLY knowing what the laws about!! ROFLMAO Stupidity is certainly a liability isn''t it? ROFLMAO People can''t just Stay on Welfare anymore swastika breath... Yeah that''s right they MUST work and they MUST attend school. Kinda screws up your hate target doesn''t BOOTLICKER??? ROFLMAO Seig Heil Bush

[libsrweak]

Posted by MCVet at 09:31 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

********

al gore is a fake and a con man..just like you..

[libsrweak]

for our edification, what is this new law




Posted by libsrweak at 09:31 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

What''''s wrong swastika breath?? LOL YOU know Welfare Reform WAS passed by your hatred and desire to trash anyone who isn''''t with the "party" has prevented you from ACTUALLY knowing what the laws about!! ROFLMAO Stupidity is certainly a liability isn''''t it? ROFLMAO People can''''t just Stay on Welfare anymore swastika breath... Yeah that''''s right they MUST work and they MUST attend school. Kinda screws up your hate target doesn''''t BOOTLICKER??? ROFLMAO Seig Heil Bush

Posted by MCVet at 09:34 PM : Mar 31, 2008
report abuse

************

THAT does not sound like a "law" sounds more like HOT GAS coming out of your ***...gore might have to give you a ticket for causin global warming

[libsrweak]

Posted by MCVet at 09:34 PM : Mar 31, 2008
+ report abuse

********

let me guess..you collect welfare and you use food stamps..

[jcr103]

More Americans turning to food stamps...another proud accomplishment of the Bush Administration.

[excoachken]

Bush will probably ask Congress to allow the wealthiest 1% to get "their share" of food stamps. Maybe they would invest them like they did with the Cowardly Cowboy''s tax break. Yeah, that one worked well, you moron!

[mcv57]

This does not surprize me. The rich has their own food stamp - the U.S. Dollar. The poor must be mocked for their oppression with food stamp looking money. The currency value of both hold the same worth - CREDIT.

[apprxam]

Not only the top 1% would get them, but they''d be bumped up 40% to match that insulting 9/11 victims compensation pattern.

The right always complain when Edwards and other progressives speak about wealth disarities as "classwarfare". Well maybe it''s time that that happens.

Make you wonder if the Federal Reserve print food stamps with the JP Morgan/ Bear Sterns logo?

[apprxam]

JAmesM.....successful people are treasured in this country, otherwise, they''d be strung-up and quartered. Let''s not confuse enterprise with corporate welfare and corruption. These is a difference.

[tsnell44]

I am all for these programs to help out the needy, but my question is why is she feeding her granddaughter and 4 sons...shouldn''t that be 3 sons and the other son should be feeding himself and his daughter.

[kaylag04]

Bush will probably ask Congress to allow the wealthiest 1% to get "their share" of food stamps. Maybe they would invest them like they did with the Cowardly Cowboy''''''''s tax break. Yeah, that one worked well, you moron!

Posted by exCoachKen at 10:02 PM : Mar 31, 2008

Um...in 2005, the top 1% of wage earners paid 39.38% of all federal personal income taxes. The top 5% of wage earners; 59.67%. The bottom 50%; 3.07% of all federal income taxes. What a break for the evil rich!!

[barbaraf4]

I hope they reach those who really need them (elderly, for example). With the debit card program, I''ve seen people sell their card for cash. I have also see people buy the card, because they could get $350 worth of food for $250.

[ontheleft]

Posted by KaylaG04 at 10:23 PM

The top 1% in this country are not "wage earners". They get most of their income through capital gains (stocks, real estate, etc.) and the top tax rate for long term capital gains is ONLY 15%. Something to think about the next time you work overtime and the government takes 40% of your income (federal, state & social security taxes).

Working class people in this country are more worried about what the people below them are "getting away with" rather than what the people above them are getting away with. The biggest supporters of the status quo are often the ones who benefit the least from it. Just ask Hitler. Or Bush.

[element51]

Lots of interesting points here. We don''t get food stamps..never have..never needed to. But I don''t object to feeding people under certain conditions. People who breed in order to get more welfare should be cut off. I think there are laws in place that deal with that. People who are physically fit to work should be on their own. But people who really need help should have it. The elderly, physically disabled, mentally disabled all should be helped. But, I do get pis*ed when I see people in the check out line paying for quality cuts of meat and other expensive items that most of us can''t afford using food stamps. If the government is going to do this they should limit what items are covered. Milk, bread, hamburger, cheese, ect. Just the other day I saw a lady purchace 9 lobster tails with food stamps and pay for a 35 dollar bottle of wine with cash. What is needed is a little common sense but when was the last time we got that from the government?

[dremn1]

Did Bush convince America take use thier house as a credit card? Did he convince America to sign up for incredibly stupid loans? I feel bad for people in these situations, but at some point they need to take responsibilty for thier actions.

Oh by the way get your facts straight

Top 1% Pay Greater Dollar Amount in Income Taxes to Federal Government than Bottom 90% combined

http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/22652.html

[element51]

If a single mother or father with children is working and is not able to make ends meet what with rent, unilities, gas, food, child care I have no problem with assistance for food. But if they produce another child while on assistance I don''t feel they should get an automatic increase. People need to take some responsibility for their actions. Yes, there are things that happen that put people in a bad situation but getting laid and pregnant isn''t one of them. The sad part of it is that kids shouldn''t have to suffer because of irresponsible parents. I don''t quite know how society can protect the kids. But it''s time to meet this problem head on and come up with some solutions. There are limits to society''s responsibility. As long as someone is making a sincere effort to care for themselves and their family help should be available but not to those who think the world owes them a living.

[enoughya]

Yet another example of Republican "compassionate conservatism." Bush has really brought the point home with his blatant catering to the wealthiest 2%, and then they have the audacity to scream "income redistribution" when those on the bottom, the working class, seek enough compensation to eek out enough to put food on the table. The sheer arrogance of the rich, to rob from the masses of working class people and then lobby for rules that put more millions of their tax dollars in their already deep pockets--and they still have no shame in pointing the finger at those they are stealing from. At least our great grandparents had enough sense to call them what they are, "robber barons." When will the masses wake up, and rise up, in this new gilded age? It has to be soon, or our nation is gone.

[michellem99-2009]

I am disabled and so in my friend. I KNOW THIS IS A SORE SPOT. I use my stamps to buy the low cost tv dinner as I can''t cook but must use a microwave. I was a foster child. Yes they have babies just get this/that or like my mother throw me and my sister and brother on the state. I have never seen their face never heard my brother talk. I am legally blind. I HAVE READ EVERY ONE''S POST USING A POWERFUL HAND MANGIFIER. I think the sad thing is children are used. They are nothing more tham a bloody check and the hell with them mind set. I know that was the case in foster home. crzmeat knows my family. They were as I ware housed.

[dremn1]

You make good points element51. What happen to the America where people were too prideful to file for bankruptcy or collect food stamps.

That pride drove people to hard work to make it by themselves. There is not a person in this country that would mind helping these people out with food stamps when they still did not have enough money to feed thier family.

What bothers me is all the people sitting on thier a** collecting on the goverment or even the people that say they can not make ends meet, but yet they all have cell phones, HD direct TV with DVR''s.

Time to get back to the basics in this country.

[dremn1]

enoughya, I am assuming you were speaking to me so I will respond. My wife and I are professionals earning a good salary, but we are not rich by any means. We earned every dime we made by making correct decisions in our lives. We both work and pay a large some of money to the goverment each year. We also give a lot of money to charities becuase we feel the United Way, Salvation Army or local food banks can help the people in need with a lot more effectiveness than the Federal goverment.

Maybe if the liberals belived in organizations like I mentioned above and start contributing money to them we could help these people out who are in need.

I know you do not live in the world of facts, but I do so I will again back my statements with one.

"Though liberal families'' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227)"

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/03/29/opinion/syndicated_columnists/327576.txt

[enoughya]

dremn1:

If you were half as informed as you think you are you would have caught the "2% wealthiest" in my previous post. Incidently I have 2 college degrees as well and probably have made as good or better decisions in my life than you have. That is really irrelevent. These wealthiest 2% are people taking $15 million and above in base pay, and sometimes $100 millions more in hidden compensation, as CEOs of fortune 500 companies. It is 700 times what the rest of the workers make (way beyond any historical norms), you know the working class actually producing product, and over 10% of profits from each corporation. This is out of whack by any measure of reasonable "income distribution." Then on top of all this these same robber barons have the brazenness to lobby the government for many billions more of hand-outs from the taxpayers, through subsidies and laws that net them a bonanza in profits. Go read "Free Lunch," or many other well-researched exposes out there, if you are really that clueless about how these billionaraires are scaming the public, like a giant mafia racket. I do not have time to educate dullards like you, and you really represent what is wrong with Americans in general and America--mass ignorance on such grave matters.

[afcutie]

I am a divorced single mother of two girls. I have a bachelor''s degree. I have served in the US Armed Forces (cannot mention which branch because I am now a reservist) and I have the DD214 to prove it. And I receive food stamps. Since when did receiving food stamps make you a bad person? When I was working 12 hours a day in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I never imagined that I would return home to my children in this situation. I am having the most difficult finding adequate employment because I am a "risk" due to my curren obligations(remember I am a reservist-eligible for recall, as well as a single mother). Does that make me lazy? Does that mean that I am sitting on my butt doing nothing? Oh, I almost forgot, I am also a grad student because in Jacksonville Florida, that''s what you need to get an entry level job. I say to those who don''t ge government assistance: do not judge those who do receive government assistance today; you just might find yourself in the welfare line tomorrow.

[brianbwb-2009]

"People who are physically fit to work should be on their own." Posted by Element51

There is a fault in your logic with this point. There are many people who are physically able and willing to work, but there are no jobs. Do you know, for example whether or not the lady who bought lobster was simply using the food stamps to buy something she could cook and sell at a profit, thus increasing the benefit of the stamps?

I grew up and was a teen in the mid 70s Detroit, where people who had gotten halfway to retirement were suddenly thrown out of their jobs as factories relocated to slave labor countries. At the same time, economic fascists were calling for the end of welfare programs, using the false and insulting reasoning that those who weren''t working weren''t only because they were "lazy", or falsely pointing to a few "abusers" as the norm.

The end of auto, TV, and other decent wage jobs in America rippled through the steel mills and mines of the central states, making millions of people jobless. This was not because of their "laziness", it was the greed of the market that squeezed every last cent of profit, at the expense of those who would be the consumers of their products.

There are millions of people who are physically able and willing to work, but there are no jobs for them that pay a wage enough to survive on. The illegal immigrants have become a source of low cost labor, because they are willing to sleep twenty or more in a room, or even on the street.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by afcutie at 12:46 AM

You obviously aren''t a bad person because you receive food stamps. By what you have written, you sound very responsible. What is sad is that many people here feel it is perfectly okay to provide corporate welfare but not okay to take care of our own people who are in need. It is easy for them to make up stories about the mythical lady who drove off in a brand new car and bought lobster with food stamps, than it is to show some compassion for others. They are not capable of that, because it destroys their ficticious lives.

[enoughya]

I was reminded by subsequent posts, not only are these renegade CEOs taking 10% of their company profits, they are taking every opportunity to ship jobs over seas to bust their profits even further, and collect tax breaks as a final insult to Americans. To point to the unemployed or people struggling on the bottom (victims of the greedy few) is ludicrous, when you have criminals ripping everyone off in mass from positions of vast power at the top. It is about time the collective working class starts pointing its finger at the out-of-control robber barons. Why is there this distorted view only in America to exalt to extremes only a very few, while sinking the masses in poverty and degradation--and there seems to be so many dullards on the bottom so easily duped in going along with this pyramid scheme, against their own interests.

[dremn1]

How does one derive from your initial comments that you were using the term "robber barons" to define a issue that I tend to agree with you on. I also believe that CEO''s earning are out of whack with the worker bee, but there earnings are not a result of them pursing unfair business practices which defines the term robber barons. They earn what the market will pay them.

Second, I think the scope of attacks on the rich by the liberal groups go far beyond the group you are addressing in your postings.

I am in the top 15% wage earners and believe me between federal income tax, state income tax, sales tax, property taxes, real estate taxes,automobile licensing taxes, gas taxes, utility taxes . . . I pay an enormous amount of money to the state and federal goverments.

I will concede that coorperations are paying thier top executives too much money, but I will not concede the fact that the top 20% of wager earners basically fund the goverment and then get lambasted by the liberals for not paying enough.

[afcutie]

@rudy654:

I appreciate your open-mindedness;it is refreshing to know that there are people who don''t look down on me because of my current situation. It just ticks me off how judgemental Americans are when in reality ALL OF US-EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN CITIZEN is ONE PAYCHECK away from needing food stamps. All it takes is for oil to hit $200/barrel and instantly, we are a third world country (trust me it''s possible). You wanna see wealth, go to Kuwait. America has been decimated in the eyes of the rest of the world. Sorry, I digressed. In the philosophy of the Friedmans, all I want is equality of opportunity, not an equality of outcome; I say to the "well-to-do" don''t judge the poor so harshly and erase the sterotypical baby momma image from your minds. Some of us are actually decent American citizens. Hell, I fought for their right to insult me and get angry because my children can eat "Fruit Loops" instead of store brand "froot wheels".

[catlady1412]

Statistics are NOT facts. They are trends extrapolated over sets of data. When using statistics as "proof", you have to determine where the numbers come from, who wanted the statistic in order to "prove" something, in other words, their motive for gathering the data in the first place. In the case of "liberals" giving only 6% of their income to charity, the data does not indicate how many liberals went out to build houses, donate blood, assist at a church sale or drop a load of stuff off at the Salvation Army. Also, someone had to decide who was a "liberal" in the study and who was not. Nobody called me to ask my political affiliation and how much of my income went to charity. Nobody I know got that call either. Did they get the numbers from the census? Nope. Voting records? Nope, they don''t record charitable donations. The IRS? Nope, they don''t share data with other organizations and they don''t ask political affiliation. So where did the numbers come from? Phone survey? So we assume people did not lie? So there you go, "proof" of that statistic. And getting a statistic from one website is kind of sloppy research to base your life''s beliefs on. And no, I am not particularly a liberal, I just expect people to stop spewing nonsense and calling it "proof".

[dremn1]

afcutie

The system was built to help hardworking or disabled people who can not make ends meet. There is no shame in your receiving food stamps and I agree if this economy gets worse a lot of us maybe in your position.

I can say that if things were turned upside down in my world I would take a job working minumum wage with food stamps to support my family. I would not say that I can earn more money on welfare because I have three children so I am going to sit on my a** at home.

People need to work no matter the wage to give themselves a sense of pride.

Thanks for serving our country.

[enoughya]

dremn1:

You again. I do make more than you do then also, and yet I can still acknowledge when the guy on the bottom is getting a raw deal. Why are you so stubbornly ignorant on this? If you think CEOs are taking way more than their share because of the "invisible hand of the market" you are really ill-informed. Have you not heard of Kenneth Lay at Enron, Dennis Kozlowski at Tyco International, Bernard Ebbers at Worldcom, and these are just the ones that were so blatant in their cheating that it was impossible to hide. We won''t even get into insider trading, market manipulation, anti-trust behavior of monoploly power and other such schemes, deregulation for unfair competition and other such scams used by the powerfull. Is it not curious that wages go down for everyone else as they compete with labor over seas, but CEO postions are free from that competition and only go up. You are really ill-informed if you think CEOs are fairly compensated. Go look up Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and ask yourself what was that all about, and then maybe you could do something novel for you, research a bit. You obviously are lacking in even very basic research on this topic.

[brianbwb-2009]

"I am in the top 15% wage earners. . . I pay an enormous amount of money to the state and federal goverments." Posted by dremn1

I will not dispute your claim of economic status, but I will suggest that the only reason you do pay is because you don''t hire crooked accountants and lawyers to hide your money, stash it in offshore accounts, or use convoluted schemes, a la Enron, World com, Bear Stearns, Countrywide, Bechtel, Halliburton, Raytheon, Northrup Grummond, Ford, GM, Chrysler, and most others in your bracket.

The proportion of taxes paid by the top earners would indeed be large if they actually paid them, but we both know that most have found ways to avoid and evade taxes, and with the help of the "trickle down" crowd, have become ever more brazen about it.

[dremn1]

catlady1412

You address me for using statistics as a source, but do not address posters who make statements out of the thin air?

[afcutie]

@dremn1
You''re welcome. It was my honor to serve. Now to beat you up (satirically speaking). Sense of pride working for minimum wage!? Are you serious? What pride is there in not being able to buy a decent automobile even though a person may work 50-60 hours a week? What pride in there in not being able to buy you kids new shoes because mom/dad has to pay the electric, water and rent? Who really expects people to feed a family, keep them in decent housing (not the projects, Section 8 or rental assisted properties)provide adequate clothing and recreation on $9.75/hr? That''s not the American Dream; it''s a social nightmare. And no, child support is usually not enough (as in my case I only get $200/month for BOTH OF MY GIRLS). Dad does what he can but his job is minimum wage; he can''t provide for his children like he really wants. What pride is there in that?And yes he also is a college student and served 8yrs in the Navy-which other than the kids is the only things he has to be proud of. Thanks for reminding me to talk to him; when we finish school, we just may put our family care plans in effect; just thinking about how broke I am after my $10/hr paycheck makes me wish for those war-torn days of allotments and family seperation pay.