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Soda-buying with food stamps

I just don't see us evolving much between say 1775 and today. The only thing that's evolved is our lifestyle. We're basically the same people who were around back then - farming from dusk until dawn. What's changed is our social and moral values (they've evolved), as well as our standard of living. We're much more used to having "too much" whereas back then, there was never enough. Things like sugar, salt, pepper, fruits ... were not easy to come by. Our bodies only have these cravings because such things are provided to us as toddlers and children. If these things were not given to us and we did not grow up on them - there would be less of a chance to want these things.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you. We're not the same people who were around back then. You said it right: farming dawn 'til dusk. But we don't do that anymore. For most of us, we don't do much, if any, manual labor. We sit at desks all day. We play on our computers. We drive everywhere we go. Modern conveniences have made our lives soooo much easier and less physical. We aren't burning anywhere near the calories that even the last generation did. Heck, many schools have even discontinued physical education. Our bodies have these cravings because prepared/processed foods are little more than chum to whet our appetites and get us craving more. ESPECIALLY junk food. High salt/fat -- High sugar/fat -- designed to sabotage our brain into wanting more.
 
Maybe I'm misunderstanding you. We're not the same people who were around back then. You said it right: farming dawn 'til dusk. But we don't do that anymore. For most of us, we don't do much, if any, manual labor. We sit at desks all day. We play on our computers. We drive everywhere we go. Modern conveniences have made our lives soooo much easier and less physical. We aren't burning anywhere near the calories that even the last generation did. Heck, many schools have even discontinued physical education. Our bodies have these cravings because prepared/processed foods are little more than chum to whet our appetites and get us craving more. ESPECIALLY junk food. High salt/fat -- High sugar/fat -- designed to sabotage our brain into wanting more.

I think we're agreeing. There's been little to no physical evolution going on - but everything else has evolved and as Mega stated - we are a victim of our own success.
 
The title of this thread should be Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You.... The food police, because you're too damn stupid to make food choices for yourself and your family. Welcome, you are now entering the Nanny State where you'll have your needs met, from cradle to grave.
 
People should be able to buy whatever they want. With their own money. But when they are taking the money from someone else, they need to accept the rules that go along with it. And, IMO, that should include imposing restrictions on what they can purchase with that money.

If they can afford to buy soda and other junk food, then they don't NEED food stamps.
 
Probably not a popular opinion, but I think WIC should be expanded so that every working-class family with children under 18 can avail themselves of it if they want to... and that food stamps should be abolished altogether.

With WIC (currently only available to low-income women with children under five), recipients get coupons for a subsistence-level amount of healthy, basic food- cheese, eggs, whole grain cereal, milk, fruit (formerly juice), dried beans- each month.
In exchange for this, they are required to take occasional health, nutrition, and parenting classes.
The foods they are allowed to get must be WIC-approved; in other words, the least expensive generic or store brands.

We could afford to offer this program to a lot more people, and ensure that no kid and teen in America ever goes hungry, if we did away with the food stamp program.
Food stamps are the reason the poor are so disproportionately fat: they get an unlimited lifetime supply of free Twinkies.
They'd be healthier if they were forced to snack on WIC's multi-grain Cheerios instead.
 
Probably not a popular opinion, but I think WIC should be expanded so that every working-class family with children under 18 can avail themselves of it if they want to... and that food stamps should be abolished altogether.

With WIC (currently only available to low-income women with children under five), recipients get coupons for a subsistence-level amount of healthy, basic food- cheese, eggs, whole grain cereal, milk, fruit (formerly juice), dried beans- each month.
In exchange for this, they are required to take occasional health, nutrition, and parenting classes.
The foods they are allowed to get must be WIC-approved; in other words, the least expensive generic or store brands.

We could afford to offer this program to a lot more people, and ensure that no kid and teen in America ever goes hungry, if we did away with the food stamp program.
Food stamps are the reason the poor are so disproportionately fat: they get an unlimited lifetime supply of free Twinkies.
They'd be healthier if they were forced to snack on WIC's multi-grain Cheerios instead.

What a great idea! I have a friend who gets wic but didn't know the details of how it worked.
So really the only differece from that and food stamps is on food stamps you don't have to take classes, your kids can be older and you're allowed to buy junk food and pop?
I bet it could save a lot money.
 
What a great idea! I have a friend who gets wic but didn't know the details of how it worked.
So really the only differece from that and food stamps is on food stamps you don't have to take classes, your kids can be older and you're allowed to buy junk food and pop?
I bet it could save a lot money.

Yeah, I was on WIC, back in the day.
It's a good program.
Yeah, the difference is, WIC gives vouchers for specific types of healthy, inexpensive foods, while with food stamps, recipients can choose whatever kind of food they want. Not always a wise idea, when said "recipients" are uneducated 16-year-old single moms.
 
The title of this thread should be Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You.... The food police, because you're too damn stupid to make food choices for yourself and your family. Welcome, you are now entering the Nanny State where you'll have your needs met, from cradle to grave.

I would not support mandates on food from private purchases, but when someone is poor enough that they need help, than they should get proper help and not junk food. I think ideally, the best use of welfare is to give people the tools to make a better life for themselves, not give them free stuff. That would include things like career classes, healthy food, help learning how to find a job and interviewing skills, help with hygeine issues, etc.
 
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I would not support mandates on food from private purchases, but when someone is poor enough that they need help, than they should get proper help and not junk food. I think ideally, the best use of welfare is to give people the tools to make a better life for themselves, not give them free stuff. That would include things like career classes, healthy food, help learning how to find a job and interviewing skills, help with hygeine issues, etc.

The system is easy to milk, as well.

When I was on it (single mom - 3 kids (ages 6, 3 and 1) I received $300.00 in TEA benefits (this is just cash - it's on a debit-like card and you can withdraw it and use it wherever) and $500.00/month for food (EBT card - only for use at a grocery store, etc). For me and 3 young children that was *more* than enough money for all of our needs.
They also covered childcare and we all received free health and dental care. (for other people their utilities, cell phone and transportation might also be covered)

Downside: you cannot live with family who earns decent money *and* be on the program. I moved in with my Mom and she had to move out (well, move in with my DAD - they were separated at the time) in order for me to receive benefits at all.

I was in the TANF (temporary assistance for needy families) program and a key part of that is that they'd provide you these things - as long as you provided proof that you were looking for a job.

Proof was: filing out an application, turning it in - and then filling out a form with a list of job-sites-applied-to on it with a phone number for contact. The state *was suppose* to verify my application for each job.

Well - if I was trying to milk the system all I had to do was apply for jobs I didn't qualify for - ones that required experience and things of that nature.

Downside:
When someone's on the program there is absolutely *no* incentive to actually get off the program. I didn't *want* to be on benefits - my pride was the only incentive I had. When you're on - you're very well taken care of. But once you get a job your benefits will be curbed, at least - or cut off completely. You'd have to make *more* than what you received in benefits to maintain that current lifestyle ($500.00 food/ $300.00 extra/ childcare/ health and dental)

The benefits of being on such a program are *so* good that even a regular 40hr/week job might not actually be enough to cover those same things. Meaning that if you get a job and start working you'll take yet another dive down in life - something which NO ONE wanted to do and what many, even when working, *can't* do.

They need to provide a stronger step-ladder program that focuses more on getting people *on* their feet and heading in the right direction which rewards hard work and diligence - and doesn't reward laziness.
 
We should make food stamps as undesirable as possible. You don't get steaks, you get ground beef. You don't get grey poupon, you get mustard. You don't get soda, you get water. You don't get juice, you get V8. Stuff like that. Make the tastier unavailable and force them to get the less desirable things. This is just supposed to be so people can live, not so that they can be comfortable living on handouts.
 
We should make food stamps as undesirable as possible. You don't get steaks, you get ground beef. You don't get grey poupon, you get mustard. You don't get soda, you get water. You don't get juice, you get V8. Stuff like that. Make the tastier unavailable and force them to get the less desirable things. This is just supposed to be so people can live, not so that they can be comfortable living on handouts.

I disagree that food stamps should be used to purchase water, either.
Tap water is free, and healthier, as it contains minerals and flouride which bottled water doesn't have.
I read that there's recently been an increase in tooth decay among the children of the affluent; upon further investigation, it was found that they were giving their children mostly or only bottled water, and so their children were not getting the protection of the flouride found in tap water.
I also don't think food stamps should be used to buy either juice or V8.
Neither is as beneficial as fresh fruits and vegetables. Although V8 is superior to fruit juice in that it is not packed with concentrated sugar and calories, it's expensive and unnecessary, and it doesn't have any of the fiber found in fresh or frozen veggies. Give them a bag of carrots and some frozen broccoli instead.
I'd love to see vouchers for fresh produce for everyone.
I don't really think food stamps should be used to buy meat at all- WIC doesn't offer any meat vouchers. Their protein voucher will only get you peanut butter or dried beans.
 
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I was just making a point, not making a specific policy recommendation.
 
I disagree that food stamps should be used to purchase water, either.
Tap water is free, and healthier, as it contains minerals and flouride which bottled water doesn't have.
I read that there's recently been an increase in tooth decay among the children of the affluent; upon further investigation, it was found that they were giving their children mostly or only bottled water, and so their children were not getting the protection of the flouride found in tap water.
I also don't think food stamps should be used to buy either juice or V8.
Neither is as beneficial as fresh fruits and vegetables. Although V8 is superior to fruit juice in that it is not packed with concentrated sugar and calories, it's expensive and unnecessary, and it doesn't have any of the fiber found in fresh or frozen veggies. Give them a bag of carrots and some frozen broccoli instead.
I'd love to see vouchers for fresh produce for everyone.
I don't really think food stamps should be used to buy meat at all- WIC doesn't offer any meat vouchers. Their protein voucher will only get you peanut butter or dried beans.

Actually, some areas at least, still give juice on WIC along with fruit/veggie money vouchers. And breast feeding women also get tuna.

I do agree with expanding WIC overall though. It would be a better alternative to food stamps, even if it doesn't fully replace food stamps. It would probably be beneficial to make it mandatory that to receive food stamps, you must be receiving the expanded WIC, which would include the mandatory classes and checkups that come with it or at least going to similar health and nutrition classes. The biggest problem would actually be from the extra state employees that would be needed to cover it (since WIC requires more visits, most of which have to be face to face with someone). In this area, appointments to initially set up WIC can take 2 to 4 months to get. Food stamps just involves filling out paperwork, that a worker verifies as correct and decides if you are within the financial limits to receive them. It might be a benefit to opening up new jobs though.
 
Actually, some areas at least, still give juice on WIC along with fruit/veggie money vouchers. And breast feeding women also get tuna.

I do agree with expanding WIC overall though. It would be a better alternative to food stamps, even if it doesn't fully replace food stamps. It would probably be beneficial to make it mandatory that to receive food stamps, you must be receiving the expanded WIC, which would include the mandatory classes and checkups that come with it or at least going to similar health and nutrition classes. The biggest problem would actually be from the extra state employees that would be needed to cover it (since WIC requires more visits, most of which have to be face to face with someone). In this area, appointments to initially set up WIC can take 2 to 4 months to get. Food stamps just involves filling out paperwork, that a worker verifies as correct and decides if you are within the financial limits to receive them. It might be a benefit to opening up new jobs though.

Good points. And interesting that they're giving out tuna now.
When I was on WIC and breastfeeding, they just gave out extra vouchers for the regular stuff.
In fact, when I was on WIC, they didn't even give peanut butter: it was dried beans, lentils, or peas. The end. :lol:
I had so many bags of that crap in my pantry, it wasn't even funny.

Here, I believe they've entirely replaced the juice with fruit now; juice has too many calories, and causes too many cavities. It's a bad habit to start kids on. People should drink water, and get their calories from food. Drinking calories is unnatural, and not a particularly healthy habit. It's routine for most of us in the US, but it needn't be. We'd be better off if it weren't.
I wish WIC would give yogurt. I don't like it, personally, but a lot of kids do. It would be good for them.
 
Good points. And interesting that they're giving out tuna now.
When I was on WIC and breastfeeding, they just gave out extra vouchers for the regular stuff.
In fact, when I was on WIC, they didn't even give peanut butter: it was dried beans, lentils, or peas. The end. :lol:
I had so many bags of that crap in my pantry, it wasn't even funny.

Here, I believe they've entirely replaced the juice with fruit now; juice has too many calories, and causes too many cavities. It's a bad habit to start kids on. People should drink water, and get their calories from food. Drinking calories is unnatural, and not a particularly healthy habit. It's routine for most of us in the US, but it needn't be. We'd be better off if it weren't.
I wish WIC would give yogurt. I don't like it, personally, but a lot of kids do. It would be good for them.

Yeah, I have peanut butter up the wazoo now. Which is funny because the pamplets the WIC office gives out says not to give children under 4 peanut butter because of the choking hazard, but they give peanut butter on WIC. They also give whole grain bread/tortillas/rice here too.

My sons love yogurt. I am always getting some for them. It would be good to have it on WIC.

I give my kids juice, but I cut it in half with water. They don't get anything else to drink but milk and water though. I like getting the fruits and veggies, but I have a picky eater. My oldest eats very few fruits or veggies, eventhough he loved them as a baby. Convincing a two year old that he needs to eat his fruits and veggies for the vitamins doesn't work so well. So at least he can get some of his needed nutrients from the juice.
 
Tuna is on the menu because sales are down. People don't want mercury poisoning.
 
Instead of going through the process of taxing stuff(like we don't have a complex enough tax code), just do as others here have stated and eliminate FS, and replace with WIC, or limit what can be bought with food stamps. There is no need for yet another tax. An increase in the tax affects everyone, not just people on the government dole. Those of us not on it, should not have our choices mandated to us or our behaviors influenced through taxation.
 
We should make food stamps as undesirable as possible. You don't get steaks, you get ground beef. You don't get grey poupon, you get mustard. You don't get soda, you get water. You don't get juice, you get V8. Stuff like that. Make the tastier unavailable and force them to get the less desirable things. This is just supposed to be so people can live, not so that they can be comfortable living on handouts.

Agree with everything except the juice. You should get the healthy stuff and the low end... store brand juice for example, not Tropicana...
 
Just an example of a poorly regulated system. This sort of service wasn't created for the intent of soda pop. I don't want money going towards items that are not necessary. I want people using food stamps to get quantity over quality as well.
 
People need to mind their own damn biz and stop worrying about what is in others shopping carts. Gawd for ****ing bid someone on food stamps slurges a little to get some soda and junk food.

Lets force those awful people on Food Stamps to eat and drink right all the while posting when eating Chips and drinking beer. Right.

People need to worry more about themselves and stop trying to get all pissed off over someone with some food stamps who is buying soda.
 
People need to mind their own damn biz and stop worrying about what is in others shopping carts. Gawd for ****ing bid someone on food stamps slurges a little to get some soda and junk food.

Lets force those awful people on Food Stamps to eat and drink right all the while posting when eating Chips and drinking beer. Right.

People need to worry more about themselves and stop trying to get all pissed off over someone with some food stamps who is buying soda.

I disapprove of people using tax dollars for things that destroy their health and harm their bodies, especially when they'll also be using taxpayer dollars for medical care.

I'd happily extend food assistance to more families... with the stipulation that they must choose healthy foods. Or at least neutral foods, such as bread, pasta and rice. Not foods which are actively destructive and unhealthy to the human body.

By the same token, I would disapprove if recipients were allowed to use government assistance to obtain tobacco products and alcohol.
Not because I want to control their lives and choices, but because I want more people to be able to eat nutritious food, and when some people are squandering government resources on unhealthy and unnourishing products, that's one less child who gets a square meal.

If you don't want to work to support your unhealthy habits, then make a cardboard sign and stand on the street corner begging. Plenty of people do it.
But don't expect others to support them with their taxes.
State and federal assistance programs are intended to aid and benefit the populace, not harm and damage them.
 
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People need to mind their own damn biz and stop worrying about what is in others shopping carts. Gawd for ****ing bid someone on food stamps slurges a little to get some soda and junk food.

Lets force those awful people on Food Stamps to eat and drink right all the while posting when eating Chips and drinking beer. Right.

People need to worry more about themselves and stop trying to get all pissed off over someone with some food stamps who is buying soda.

If they are buying soda on their own dime, fine with me. If they are buying it on the taxpayers dime, the taxpayers have the right to ensure the money is being used as efficiently as possible (ok, don't laugh -- I know it is government work). If you are taking charity, you do NOT have the absolute right to decide what you are going to spend it on. Those giving it have the right to impose restrictions.
 
Nah, certain elements in the democrat party, and certain liberals, don't want to control every aspect of ones life, nah not at all. :doh:
 
People need to mind their own damn biz and stop worrying about what is in others shopping carts. Gawd for ****ing bid someone on food stamps slurges a little to get some soda and junk food.

Lets force those awful people on Food Stamps to eat and drink right all the while posting when eating Chips and drinking beer. Right.

People need to worry more about themselves and stop trying to get all pissed off over someone with some food stamps who is buying soda.

Give me some money and I'll buy a gun. I'm sure you won't care, after all you said you need to worry more about yourself instead of getting pissed off over what someone else is buying.
 
I still say if welfare came with mandatory birth control, we could nip this even further in the bud.

I'm sorry, but if you're having kids you can't afford, I really can't even support giving you staples. Poverty breeds poverty, and this is a large part of why this is becoming invasively rampant.

I'd rather see Madonna and Angelina Jolie adopt an African village and buy them all Toyota Priuses than see one crack ho get knocked up from her equally dumb pimp.
 
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