should people on food stamps be shopping at farmers markets or own homes?

[droski]

Unbelievable article in the wsj today (not sure if this is a paid article or not):

Boost in Food-Stamp Funding Percolates Through Economy - WSJ.com

Some gems:

The lush red strawberries caught the attention of Rachel Patrick, a mother of five shopping at a farmers market along the Mississippi River here. She selected two cartons and ignited a little-noticed chain reaction that is an important part of President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan.

Ms. Patrick handed a plastic card loaded with her monthly food-stamp allocation to farmer Ed Kraklio Jr., who swiped it through his electronic reader. Mr. Kraklio now regularly takes in several hundred dollars a month from food-stamp sales, a vital new revenue stream that has allowed him to hire another assistant to help tend a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables

and

On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers.

Employed by the state as a home aide, she has seen her hours cut and her mortgage payments rise. Still, the food-stamp boost has increased her purchasing power.

and

In Chicago, where the number of households relying on food stamps is up 15% over a year ago, according to the Chicago Community Trust, food-stamp receipts are cushioning the blows of the recession.

 

[allvol123]

Not that I am for food stamps, but given they do exist, I am not sure I uderstand your beef with using food stamps to buy food?

 

[rjd970]

The owning a house part is really bothersome.

 

[droski]

Not that I am for food stamps, but given they do exist, I am not sure I uderstand your beef with using food stamps to buy food?

i have a beef with them buying food at farmers markets. your local walmart is half the price. obviously these people aren't starving to death. and shouldnt' she have to sell her home before going on food stamps?

 

[KB5252]

I see no problem with a family needing help during harsh times and using the food stamp program, however if this family needs food stamps for an extended period of time then perhaps instead of needing food stamps they should probably downsize and not be carrying a mortgage they obviously can't afford. Should the government require they either forgo food stamps or the house, maybe though I am not sure I want the government that involved in peoples day to day lives to that extent.

I have no problem with people getting fresh fruits and vegetables, it is much healthier.

 

[KB5252]

i have a beef with them buying food at farmers markets. your local walmart is half the price. obviously these people aren't starving to death. and shouldnt' she have to sell her home before going on food stamps?

Not in my area.

 

[droski]

I see no problem with a family needing help during harsh times and using the food stamp program, however if this family needs food stamps for an extended period of time then perhaps instead of needing food stamps they should probably downsize and not be carrying a mortgage they obviously can't afford. Should the government require they either forgo food stamps or the house, maybe though I am not sure I want the government that involved in peoples day to day lives to that extent.

I have no problem with people getting fresh fruits and vegetables, it is much healthier.

the govt is already involved in your daily life if it is paying for your food.

i have no problem with fresh fruits or vegetables, i have a problem with them buying them 50% over retail. if they are really starving to death do they really need expensive organic fruits and vegetables?

 

[MWR]

About 10 years ago, I ruptured my achilles tendon. I was unable to do my job in construction and had no income. I applied for food stamps. They gave me $100 a month. And they fought me tooth and nail over it. I had to go in every week, cast on my leg, and explain why I needed food stamps. They acted like the food stamp money I received came out of their pocket. When I got able to walk, I went back to work and that would be a good end to that story. Except...

I know this guy who has never worked anywhere. He went to the employment office, (same people, more or less) and they told him they would NOT help him get a job, because he hadn't ever worked anywhere. And he was proud of this. Don't ask me how much govt. assistance he received. He had a nicer automobile, house, etc than I did. And I worked every day.

These programs are for certain people only. And a lot of them span generations in families. That's their career. Must be nice.

 

[UT IE 95]

In a lot of cases, especially now, home ownership is cheaper monthly that renting.

And to gripe over someone using foodstamps to buy local produce vs. Wal-mart's crap is petty at best.

 

[KB5252]

the govt is already involved in your daily life if it is paying for you food.

i have no problem with fresh fruits or vegetables, i have a problem with them buying them 50% over retail. if they are really starving to death do they really need expensive organic fruits and vegetables?

I know the farmers markets in my area are usually much less expensive than any retail chain or grocery, I will concede however that this is most likely not the case in urban areas.

 

[WA_Vol]

They need to take away their right to vote, until they get off public assistance.

 

[droski]

Not in my area.

10 years ago farmers markets probably had comparable (maybe even cheaper prices). no longer.

 

[WA_Vol]

In a lot of cases, especially now, home ownership is cheaper monthly that renting.

True. Pretty amazing but true.

 

[utvolpj]

Should the government require they either forgo food stamps or the house, maybe though I am not sure I want the government that involved in peoples day to day lives to that extent.

Maybe I misunderstood that but why not? They are being given your/my money but you don't want the gov't to involve themselves? There is no reason for a person to pay extra for produce at a farmer's mkt while complaining their mortgage payment is going up.

 

[droski]

In a lot of cases, especially now, home ownership is cheaper monthly that renting.

so what? you have an asset. it's worth something. you shouldnt' be on public assistance.

 

[KB5252]

10 years ago farmers markets probably had comparable (maybe even cheaper prices). no longer.

It all depends on where you live. At my local farmers market you can expect to pay a little more than half what groceries sell the same product for.

 

[utvolpj]

In a lot of cases, especially now, home ownership is cheaper monthly that renting.

it's only cheaper if you can come up with a down-payment. And if you can do that then fed assistance shouldn't be an option

 

[IPorange]

If I have to pay for their food, I'd rather the eat healthy and support local farmers over wal mart. But that's just me. It's silly that we even run into this kind of discussion, but that is what taxing peter to pay paul creates.

 

[droski]

It all depends on where you live. At my local farmers market you can expect to pay a little more than half what groceries sell the same product for.

are you in a farming community?

 

[UT IE 95]

it's only cheaper if you can come up with a down-payment. And if you can do that then fed assistance shouldn't be an option

There are plenty of zero down buying options now. I can buy a 1200 sq ft house with a $800 note or a 900 sq ft apartment with a $950 payment. Pretty simple choice.

 

[IPorange]

are you in a farming community?

We probably don't suffer the same ridiculous mark ups here in the midsouth that you experience in California. I get tomatoes and cucumbers much cheaper from the farmer's markets or from the back of farmer's trucks than I do at the grocery chains.

 

[droski]

There are plenty of zero down buying options now. I can buy a 1200 sq ft house with a $800 note or a 900 sq ft apartment with a $950 payment. Pretty simple choice.

there isn't a single lender in the country that doesn't require at least 10% down (90% require 20% down) currently.

 

[KB5252]

Maybe I misunderstood that but why not? They are being given your/my money but you don't want the gov't to involve themselves? There is no reason for a person to pay extra for produce at a farmer's mkt while complaining their mortgage payment is going up.

I see where you are going and I was thinking this as I typed it. As long as government only interfered with those who are on food stamps for an extended period I am fine with it in this respect. I don't trust the government.

 

[droski]

The point of public assistance is to not make the life of someone who might lose their home easier. The theory is that without this money this person would literally be homeless and starving. I bet if you went to this women;s house she'd have cable, a cell phone, and maybe even a flat screen tv.

edit: when i was a student there were times i couldn't afford fresh fruit and vegetables. i bought canned vegetables. now i'm paying ridiculous taxes, i don't even own a home, and people on public assistance are living high on the hog and do own a home.

 

[allvol123]

i have a beef with them buying food at farmers markets. your local walmart is half the price. obviously these people aren't starving to death. and shouldnt' she have to sell her home before going on food stamps?

I am not arguing for food stamps, I am obviously against them. But she gets them and uses them to buy food, can't say I have an issue with it.