Food stamps anyone?

[LadyKaiko]

My sister told me that unless you have a lot of kids, you're not going to get a lot of money on food stamps. She has a friend that has three kids and she gets like $600. My sister has one kid and gets $367. She also told me that it's real easy to make yourself look like you have money, even on assistance. The people she knows that have nice things while on assistance have them because they're hustling on the side. Like selling drugs and/or stolen items, or doing hair. I think the negative stereotypes about assistance stem from hustling.

[HattieChaos]

I agree with that too, it's shocking how long people with jobs (illegal or not) on the side can go that way without being found out.

And yeah, even here in the UK, if I was to suddenly get pregnant with the guy I'm moving in with, we'd be a whole lot better off. I understand parents need that cash, but I honestly wish the government was a bit harder on parents who choose to have kids when they are so financially poor that they have to be on benefits in the first place. That isn't a wise choice, and it's basically you going "oh here's another human for the taxpayers to look after!". That's coming from someone who was raised off benefits her whole life. It has helped to create a mindset, especially among teen pregnancies, that it will be okay because "oh we're going to get extra cash!".

I think there is shame in being on benefits for a long time if you are not actively trying to get off them, by looking for a job etc. - unless you're on them because you can't work ofc.

[nicheee]

@nicheee: My sister, as a way of saying thank you for me giving her rides to places, bought sushi for me today using her food stamps. I love sushi. I love seafood. ^_^ It sucks that y'all lose it on and off. I don't see they would factor in your money if you're not a parent. But I don't know much about food stamps, so I can't talk.

I have no clue why they are so concerned with my job either. Every time they drop us, i have to be the one to send in like 4 recent pay stubs even though my mom told them I'm not the head of household. New Jersey is very weird with it. Thankfully, my mom has found a new job so hopefully they make her full time and we can finally get back on our feet, it's been so back and forth.

[guestgue]

Why does there always have to be some idiot that assumes the majority of people go on food stamps because they CHOOSE not to work? Just skimmed the thread, but I'm sure someone already brought up the stereotype of people on food stamps with coach purses and manicures. stfu.

I'm one of those "idiots." And it's not that a believe that it's a majority. I'm honestly not sure what the overall percentage is, but in the city I live in, I can tell you it's high. I see it day in and day out. I see parents put back essentials while yakking on their iPhones with their Gucci purses up on my counter, just to get 4 cases of soda and a shit ton of chips.

I have relatives who CHOOSE not to work so that they can collect their welfare checks. Coincidentally, we don't associate with that side of the family.

As Bella said, most of us who have brought that bit up, have done so because we have seen it first hand.

I am STILL in favor of welfare programs but I just want the people who actually need the assistance to get it.

[Kandake]

This thread reminds me of my assignment for school. I'm doing my editorial piece on whether people receiving government assistance should be drug tested (yes people believe this should be done and it has been implemented).

My overall stance is no because it has no basis other than stereotypes, it's ineffective (Florida), an invasion of privacy and cost more than people abusing systems to buy drugs.

People not on welfare are more likely to do drugs actually...lol.

[guestgue]

This thread reminds me of my assignment for school. I'm doing my editorial piece on whether people receiving government assistance should be drug tested (yes people believe this should be done and it has been implemented).

My overall stance is no because it has no basis other than stereotypes, it's ineffective (Florida), an invasion of privacy and cost more than people abusing systems to buy drugs.

People not on welfare are more likely to do drugs actually...lol.

I have to say, I COMPLETELY disagree with your statement on it being an invasion of privacy. If I have to take random piss tests to maintain a job then someone who chooses (out of necessity or abuse) to accept assistance from the government, with the money that I, as a taxpayer, pay into it-they shouldn't be afforded the "privacy" argument.

If I don't want to take a piss test, I can go apply at a place that doesn't do it. If someone taking government assistance doesn't want to take one, stop taking the assistance.

Now, with that being said, you're right it's ineffective. I even mentioned it earlier. I wish there was a better way to monitor abuse. But the fact stands that if you willingly take money from the government, you should have to maintain a clean lifestyle.

As for people not on welfare doing more drugs, I probably know an equal percentage. But honestly, if you're buying drugs while taking government money I have more of an issue with it than if you're buying your own shit and your own drugs.

As I've said countless times, it's about ignorance and irresponsibility to me.

[Decayedbeauty]

I think it's a huge invasion of privacy. Why should poor people have to take a drug test to get help? I, for one, have never had to take a drug test to get a decent job. I may in the future, but that's a private company, not the govt. It's also a huge waste of money. Sure there's probably a few people that buy drugs before food, but I don't think it's enough to warrant mandatory drug tests for anyone requesting financial help from the govt. as the results of the florida testing have shown.

Now Guestgue I have no idea how one can get welfare checks by not working, if you can explain how you do that and survive on those checks we're all the idiots for working jobs. I wonder when I can get one of those neato obama phones too, that would look fly in my welfare escalade.

[LadyKaiko]

I don't agree with drug testing either, but we can agree to disagree.
On a sidenote, I got a letter in the mail and I have a phone interview on Monday morning at nine for food stamps! Yay! I wish the interview was no earlier than 12 though. I get to sleep in real late thanks to my job. Lol

[BellaJane]

Because many of those people who are forever unemployed and collecting welfare, especially the ones who are driving fancy cars and buying expensive clothing and jewelry, are the ones who are making their real money illegally. I can't even tell you how many people I know who are living on welfare and either fencing or dealing drugs on the side. It far outnumbers the amount of people I know who are actually working legitimate jobs and getting government assistance. And these people can do so because the government doesn't know. They're not very well going to go fill out their welfare applications and put down "drug dealer" under current employment, so they just put "unemployed" and they're given money. As long as they say that they're trying to find a job, that's all there is to it.

Do these people actually need this money? Hell no. But really why should they spend their "hard earned" money on food when they can just get $600 put onto their Access card every month? That is a paraphrased version of something that one of my former classmates said to me a few years back. Thankfully he is in jail now, but there are undoubtedly and unfortunately many others just like him.

And this isn't even taking into account the POS junkies that also get SS benefits because of their "back problems" or their "depression." My ex boyfriend has been collecting disability $ since he was 18 because he has 'anxiety'. That anxiety doesn't stop him from going to raves or concerts or from breaking into people's houses and stealing their TVs and computers...but it stops him from finding a job? No, his heroin addiction stops him from finding a job. Same with the meth head who lives down the street from him. She gets her disability because she has "back problems." But she has no problem stripping at a crack den 3 nights a week or posting ads selling herself on craigslist for extra cash.

See, these are the types of people that I know who live off of government assistance. I have no doubt in my mind that there are people out there who genuinely need some help, who would use this assistance responsibly and temporarily until they can get back on their feet. I have zero problem with my tax money going to help them. Hell I'd give them money out of my own pocket if I could. But when I see some of the people that this money is actually going to...like the ones I mentioned above...it makes me physically sick. And that is what I have a problem with.

[LadyKaiko]

@BellaJane: I so agree with your post! But, are you saying that you're glad your former classmate is in jail because of what he said? :/ Or because he was a deadbeat or something?

[Kandake]

This thread reminds me of my assignment for school. I'm doing my editorial piece on whether people receiving government assistance should be drug tested (yes people believe this should be done and it has been implemented).

My overall stance is no because it has no basis other than stereotypes, it's ineffective (Florida), an invasion of privacy and cost more than people abusing systems to buy drugs.

People not on welfare are more likely to do drugs actually...lol.

I have to say, I COMPLETELY disagree with your statement on it being an invasion of privacy. If I have to take random piss tests to maintain a job then someone who chooses (out of necessity or abuse) to accept assistance from the government, with the money that I, as a taxpayer, pay into it-they shouldn't be afforded the "privacy" argument.

If I don't want to take a piss test, I can go apply at a place that doesn't do it. If someone taking government assistance doesn't want to take one, stop taking the assistance.

Now, with that being said, you're right it's ineffective. I even mentioned it earlier. I wish there was a better way to monitor abuse. But the fact stands that if you willingly take money from the government, you should have to maintain a clean lifestyle.

As for people not on welfare doing more drugs, I probably know an equal percentage. But honestly, if you're buying drugs while taking government money I have more of an issue with it than if you're buying your own shit and your own drugs.

As I've said countless times, it's about ignorance and irresponsibility to me.

I don't see how anyone could think a drug test wasn't invasion of privacy. Any drug test is an invasion of privacy for examples jobs in the private sector, but they are just that, private we're talking government. However the circumstances can be debated I guess. I just don't think it's right for every poor, disabled, or elderly ( the three main recipients of welfare) to have to waive their privacy because they have to sign up for welfare. Shouldn't the government assume that the recipient will not use welfare for drugs until proven otherwise. Why can't their be that trust between the two? I just feel like the whole thing would be a violation of the 4th amendment.


That's probably full of typos and made no sense, I'm tired lol

[ECH]

I don't think we have a thing like food stamps in the UK, but me and my family live off benefits because my dad was born with bones missing in his back and he can't work anymore and my mum died a few years ago. I hate it because of the stigma that comes with it, which is why I don't tell anyone that we receive help or invite them round to my house, because our house isn't in the best state-our sofas have scratches all over them and some things in our kitchen are broken and we can't afford to fix them, and I know if anyone came round and saw I would get picked on for it, especially because I go to school in a very well off area where some kid's parents are millionaires.
I also hate the idea that everyone at my school seems to have about benefits. We're learning about the Liberal Reforms in History at the moment and we were having a class discussion about benefits and financial aid for the poor and nearly everyone was like 'Why should the poor get benefits? It's there own fault they're poor' or 'We should cut off help for the poor and make them WORK for their money' which lead to me coming home in tears that day because it frustrates me so much that people think this way and that they've never considered that people have genuine reasons for being on benefits rather than them all being lazy people who don't want to work.

Ugh, sorry I wrote so much, I just tend to get worked up about stuff like this.

[moomin.]

This thread reminds me of my assignment for school. I'm doing my editorial piece on whether people receiving government assistance should be drug tested (yes people believe this should be done and it has been implemented).

My overall stance is no because it has no basis other than stereotypes, it's ineffective (Florida), an invasion of privacy and cost more than people abusing systems to buy drugs.

People not on welfare are more likely to do drugs actually...lol.

I have to say, I COMPLETELY disagree with your statement on it being an invasion of privacy. If I have to take random piss tests to maintain a job then someone who chooses (out of necessity or abuse) to accept assistance from the government, with the money that I, as a taxpayer, pay into it-they shouldn't be afforded the "privacy" argument.

So you are in favour of degrading and dehumanising people just because they need monetary welfare? Your tax dollars are used to fund state schooling, the police etc does that mean you should also be subject to such invasions because you do know the majority of people utilise some form of government assistance be it benefits or not.

How effective would it be? Where are the stats showing that drug abuse is more prevalent for those receiving monetary welfare? You are also demonising addicts rather than treating it as a medical and sociological issue which just leads to crime and poverty. You are demonising anyone that uses these benefits by assuming that they have drug issues.

I'm not sure if drug testing is seen as the norm in the states, because to me it seems extremely invasive.

Wouldn't it be better to have a proper welfare state with healthcare and address the issue of drug abuse properly rather than making it a criminal matter?

[guestgue]

I admit, I'm jaded on the subject because of the abuse I've seen. I ACTUALLY know a woman who makes a career choice out of having children and then saying she can't work because she has to take care of them, and its not cost effective to get a sitter. What does she does she do every weekend? hits the bars and clubs.

I also know a family who receives shit for assistance, but both parents work and are just trying to make ends meet. when they're home they stretch their food as far as it can go to try and make it last. they actually would love to see the system reformed and wouldn't care if they had to take a piss test to prove they aren't funneling their money into other avenues.

I'm not saying to degrade the poor. And I've even said that drug testing doesn't work. but there needs to be something, because if you're honestly telling me the system isn't being abused than you don't seem to know much about it. I've actually had people advise me how to not have to work and go to school and to just have the government take care of me.

maybe it's because I live in the city, but even in my small town I knew about it. as I said I have family who abused the system and get drunk every day. they don't want treatment. they just want their checks.

So, I'm jaded. I admit that. I've seen far too many of the wrong people getting the help when I see deserving families struggling.

[moomin.]

^^
Ofcourse the system is open to abuse, I don't think anyone would be naive enough to argue otherwise. However what are the statistics of fraud, what are the statistics on drug abuse and dependency of this group? Is it right to do something invasive and degrading in because potentially a very small minority of the overall claimants are using drugs? It seems obsene that drug testing is even a valid option, does this not breach the 4th amendment ?

That's avoiding the issue of the war on drugs which is hardly something positive.

[GoGoYuBari]

My aunt last fall tried to put me on food stamps. Signed up and everything...it made me feel so bad because I thought "Is this what my life has come to now. Food stamps?!!?" But my mother quickly told me I would not be going on food stamps because she said her mother never went on food stamps and neither would I.

[Decayedbeauty]

So your mom would rather you starve than get food stamps? Screw that bitch.

[LadyKaiko]

@GoGoYuBari: Your mom actually said that? Wow... :/

[allcarriedaway]

Yeah...unless she's offering to pay for your food then that's pretty mean. I'm sorry.

[GoGoYuBari]

So your mom would rather you starve than get food stamps? Screw that bitch.

Ok first of all fuck you!! Don't fucking call my mother that just because she told me not to go and sign up for food stamps!! Second to the other two what is so mean and wrong about that??

Let me explain....I do not nor have I ever thought about getting food stamps. When my aunt told me to sign up for them I did not want to, but did it anyway. When my mother found out she's basically saying that my grandmother (her mother) and herself did just fine without government help and so can I.