Comments on: Many Florida EBT Cards To Be Deactivated Friday

By: Everett

Everett — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 11:25:53 +0000

Don’t breed um if you can’t feed um.

These “clients” can use them for cash advances now. Most re-sale them for cash for less than face value. I seen it first hand in one particular grocery store parking lot. The cash lets them buy items not allowed with the card.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:16:07 +0000

REGARDING:
“I hate the fact that people using this assistance must somehow justify their purchases ”

Why do you hate the idea that those being helped should be able to justify their purchases?
If you were a hungry child and your mother had EBT benefits, wouldn’t you want her to justify spending the money on things other than food for you?
If you gave the money with the idea that the child not go hungry, wouldn’t you want that money to go toward that food?

Now, if you gave them money and suggested they spend it on the Lottery, they would be justified if they did so.. If you gave them money and suggested it go toward support of the alcohol industry, they would be justified if they did so.

It’s just a matter of being faithful to the intent of the support. If the people come to suspect the users are not being faithful, they will be less willing to help the needy in the future. Isn’t that worth a little bit of justification?

David for a proper safety net

By: mercyme

mercyme — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:11:53 +0000

Return to the voucher and commodity system for feeding people. Processing vouchers will create jobs. America has plenty of food. Hungry people are thankful for essential groceries and won’t waste their scarce food dollars. Stop cash benefits on EBT cards since cash cannot be monitored. Processing requests for non-food Essential services will create jobs. I am thankful for every food stamp penny I got one time when my family received assistance for 5 months. I am thankful for every WIC voucher I received when I was pregnant and nursing my babies. 5 of us lived on $4 an hour and bring home pay was less than $120 a week. Thank you my friends and fellow citizens! You gave us a hand up when we needed it the most.

By: sonors

sonors — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:18:12 +0000

hey Monica ? former Sgt. U.S. Army field artillery here,,,,, rendering proper hand salute to you now,,,,,,,,,you are EXACTLY why these programs were put in place maam….. It does many folks here good to hear your comments because you are why these systems work,,,,,,,, usually we all, including yourself i am sure, hear of so many that raise generations on the welfare train, with no intention at all of getting off their hind ends and doing for themselves, let alone two tours,,,,You said it so well yourself when you stated ” to make it so that we can pick ourselves up after going through hard times” operative part being,, PICK OURSELVES UP… hang in there Maam….we really are on your side ! F A all the Way

By: Monica

Monica — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:53:12 +0000

Seeing some of these comments makes me very sad. One of the great things about our country is that we have established systems to help those who need it and to make it so that we can pick ourselves up after going through hard times. Without some of these programs people would never be able to rebound from devastating life situations. I hate the fact that people using this assistance must somehow justify their purchases or the implication that because you use assistance you didn’t pay into it.
Because of varies life circumstances ranging from illness, child-birth, and job loss my family now finds itself on government assistance. I am thankful each day that it is available and that it allows my family to eat nutritiously. Do I only use my card to purchase generic brand can goods and boxed pasta? No, sometimes I manage my budget so that my family can enjoy treats like ice cream and chips and I don’t apologize for it. Not only have both my husband and I paid into the system for more than 20 years, but as a veteran of 2 deployments I have placed myself in danger in the service of this country (something many of the people looking on ‘clients’ of public assistance with derision can not say..) When I approach the counter holding my daughter and pull out my card I hate this look that people like to give. Like how dare you enjoy anything because you need a little help right now. Before we start judging others, maybe we should take a moment to reflect on where our anger is really coming from. Now I don’t like to see the system getting abused any more than anyone else, but simply because someone has a nice phone or nice clothes doesn’t mean they are the abusers in question. I carry a smart phone and have a pair of expensive sneakers. Both of these items were purchased before my life circumstances changed but I don’t feel I need to explain that to anyone. Maybe if we spent more time focusing on what is going on in our own lives we would spend less feeling angry over all the people we think are getting away with something. A lot of this hatefulness towards people on assistance is misdirected jealousy. No, people are not jealous that others get assistance. They are jealous that :this person doesn’t have to work and they have more than I do. I work and I can’t afford the iphone so why should this person on benefits have one.” Whether this is true or not doesn’t matter. Lets let go of the hate people.

By: TAXPAYER

TAXPAYER — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:54:17 +0000

i think ifyou get food stamps or WIC or anything of the sort you should be walking around with a cell phone, much less a smart phone. I see this all the time in walmart ect. Not to mention many of they folks have other people that work living with them, so they are pretty much just getting free food to they can spend thier money elsewhere. I do like how some people have the money to pay for internet to complain about being “offended” on here….. but not for food. Nice one “DANIELLE. Its to bad people have no pride anymore and would rather jump on the free food and money fed train instead of actually doing without “luxurys” I don’t care what you say you don’t HAVE to have a cell phone or internet to live day to day. Most people i see getting free assistance have nicer cars and phones and cars than me not to mention buy the more expensive brand food since its free. They also need to check on all the “disabled” people. i know people who are blind or in wheelchairs that work. Most just jump on that gig so they can draw a check and lay around…. makes me feel so good everytime i see the taxes out of my check.

By: Observer

Observer — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 08:13:29 +0000

Danielle, You are NOT the type of welfare or food stamp recipient that the majority of people have a problem with, and on another note, that I will get to in a minute, is that You are also the EXACT kind of person that we have a problem with,
The problem lies with those who ARE able to work but are unwilling to do so. Our government is a shockingly giving government. It seems that all you have to do these days is have a child and you are on the governments payroll for ,basically as long as chose to be there. And SOME people will continue to have children, receive monetary assistance and food stamps as long as our government is willing to hand them out so freely.
Nothing bothers me more than to be in the ER (primarily the Pediatric ER that I used to work in) and watch mothers parading in day in and day out who are on government assistance who have an Iphone, carrying a Coach bag and wearing more gold either a jewelry or in thier dental work than should be legal. THOSE are they types of welfare and food stamp recipients that I have a problem with.
I also have a problem with the big out cry about the fact that our government is trying to implement drug testing for those who DO receive assistance. I don’t understand what the big out cry is about. Do they have something to hide? I have to be drug tested in order to get a job as well as to maintain that job and you don’t see us hollering about it.
Now………Why are YOU one of the people that we have a problem with? Because YOU are the type of recipient who deserves MORE help, you go hungry one to one and half weeks per month? Then you are being failed and it should be unheard of. If there were fewer people receiving benefits who should NOT be receiving them, then maybe YOU would receive enough to get you through an entire month but it’s the people who are abusing the system that prevent YOU from getting what you need. I think you should be pissed off.
I don’t even mind the young mother who has a couple of kids and needs a hand receiving benefits as long as those benefits are used to help her while she is going to college and bettering her life for herself and for her children. These government benefits should be to give a hand up NOT a hand out.
Sorry for the rant and I will keep you and others like you in my prayers.

By: mlw

mlw — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:37:43 +0000

Danielle no one blames people that are really in need! That is what food stamps and government assistance is for. I have studied the statics most of the day and I learned that the government spent 75 billion dollars this year on food stamps alone, 33 billion dollars on housing and 1.01 TRILLION on social welfare programs. That is just to the people who do not work. You can’t help believe that somebody is taking advantage of the system. When the government tries to take away Social Security of the people who paid that money in (not a welfare program)and give to the people who does not work, then what can anyone expect. According to the internet, government welfare has doubled in the last 3 yrs. I know at least 10 people who is completely physically and mentally able to work, but they had rather receive government assistance.

By: barbara

barbara — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:33:05 +0000

corp. subsidies are incentives for growth. the more growth a corporation has, then people they will hire. the more people they hire the more taxes people will pay…it works. Also, those who pay into taxes, yet receive a full refund of their payments, their money is used to make money throughout the year, so they are still contributing…maybe in a smaller way, but still, there is a contribution.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:02:01 +0000

REGARDING:
“59 billion is spent on food and housing assistance . . . . 92 billion is spent on corporate subsidies!”

Folks keep talking about corporate subsidies.
I generally assume they’re telling the truth because why bother to lie to me?

Still I wonder sometimes.
A subsidy of any kind would be the taking of money from the subsidizer and giving it to the subsidized (the client?).

So the claim is hereby made that the federal government gives out money to corporations. Maybe they do and it may show up on the payments if we know where to look.

The alternative explanation is that corporate taxes are reduced for reasons which seemed reasonable to the administration and that less taxation is taken FROM them and those who consider all money the property of the government consider THAT a subsidy.

I wonder if they’re talking the first case or the second?

David in an Orwellian world