Food Stamp Debate :S

[janikanicolepi]

1. Do you think that people who are receiving food stamp should be required to go through drug screening process (Drug Test)?
2. Should any of the following rules/regulations regarding the food stamp program by the state's social service be change?
3. Should there be a "length" of period in which the person are allow to receive these benefits (State the period in which the person should be on food stamp and explain why you believe this is an appropriate length of time)"
4. Is there any else that you would like to contribute (For example: corruption within the food stamp system that can be improved, limit the items that can be bought with food stamp, etc)



Eligibility for SNAP (food stamps) benefits is usually based on gross and net income (for families with at least one elderly or disabled member, just net income).

Gross income limits are established by the federal government and adjusted annually. Current gross income limits are available by clicking here. Gross income is total income minus verified legally obligated child support paid.

A family may have liquid resources (cash, checking accounts, stocks, bonds, etc.) of up to $2,000. With one or more family members who are disabled or age 60 or over, the resource limit is $3,250.

Benefit Determination

If eligible, the amount of benefits received is determined by household size and adjusted gross income after these deductions:

a standard deduction.
a 20 percent earned income deduction.
a deduction for dependent care.
a limited deduction for medical expenses for elderly or individuals who are disabled.
a limited deduction for excess shelter care expenses.

The program requires mandatory recipients to participate in any one or a combination of the following activities as a condition of their SNAP eligibility:

Secondary Education
Job Search / Job Club / Job Readiness
Community Service
On-the-Job Training
Employment
Mandatory participants include:
18 to 59 years old; and
Not in school; and
Working less than the equivalent of 30 hours per week at federal minimum wage; and
Not receiving unemployment insurance or SSI; and
Able-bodied; and
Not the parent/caretaker of a child under age six.
Exempt participants include:

Any child under age 18 (unless applicant and not in school); or
Any adult 60 or older; or
Any parent/caretaker of child under age six; or
Any unemployment insurance applicant or recipient
Any person working more than the equivalent of 30 hours per week at federal minimum wage; or
Any caretaker of an incapacitated person in their home; or
Any person with a health issue that affects their ability to participate; or
Any pregnant woman in her fourth or later month of pregnancy.
Report all Changes Affecting Eligibility

All SNAP recipients must report anytime their monthly gross income is over the maximum allowed for their household size. Income maximums can be found on notices or by calling your Benefits Specialist. The income must be reported by the 10th day of the month, following the month the income exceeds the maximum.

All SNAP recipients are also required to complete a recertification (review) process once every 12 months. Most SNAP recipients will fill out a report form in the 6th month of their recertification period. Recertification and report forms will be mailed to recipients.

Recipients are not required to report any other changes, but they may choose to report changes such as:

the addition of a household member and their income.
increase in expenses, such as shelter costs, daycare costs, etc.
income stops or decreases.


Here is some of the eligbility requirement that I quoted from the South Dakota Department of Social Service. [Only registered and activated users can see links]

[Bexxy]

I think the uk should do them to be honest, so many out of work parents use the kids money to drink or smoke.

Im out of work due to ill health which wont ever improve so ill always be out of work, but before anyone judges me, i used to worlk 3 jobs at one time, and ive worked constantly from aged 15 to 5 yrs ago when i got too ill. All the income i get from our government goes on feeding my kids, but so many here dont use it for that

[wrath]

1. Do you think that people who are receiving food stamp should be required to go through drug screening process (Drug Test)?

As a working person not receiving benefits, I have to take a drug test annually to work at my job. That's right, I have to take a drug test to actually work and earn a living wage. It is my opinion, if I have to take a drug test to work at a company that provides me income that the government taxes to help provide a base of funds for these type of programs, then yes, they should be drug tested to receive them.

2. Should any of the following rules/regulations regarding the food stamp program by the state's social service be change?

Unless the person receiving benefits is disabled, taking care of a disabled person that makes them ineligible to work a reasonable amount of hours, or is over a specific debt-to-income ratio, there should be no 'recertification.' Meaning specifically, that there should be a maximum benefit amount and a maximum term one could receive benefits.

3. Should there be a "length" of period in which the person are allow to receive these benefits (State the period in which the person should be on food stamp and explain why you believe this is an appropriate length of time)"

Yes, as stated above, that is something I would enact. I think 12 months is more than reasonable amount of time for any person to receive benefits unless that person is disabled, taking care of a disabled person that makes them ineligible to work a reasonable amount of hours, or is over a specific debt-to-income ratio.

4. Is there any else that you would like to contribute (For example: corruption within the food stamp system that can be improved, limit the items that can be bought with food stamp, etc)

In my opinion there is not currently a way to fix a lot of the abuse of the system simply because there is so many companies and trade labors that pay cash under the table and people are not held accountable to explain this unreported income.

----

Personal experience: I worked at a gas station as an assistant manager for about a year and one day there was a young couple in their mid twenties that came in with three kids and bought about $45 dollars worth of food stamp items. When they came to pay, I took it with no discrimination, entered in the card number (the strip on Iowa's cards frequently wear off and you have to do them manually) and rang it all up. I bagged their goods and the transaction was completed. Then the man asked me for four blunt wraps, a carton of marlboro reds, and his wife came up with two cases of beer. He proceeds to pay with twenties that came from a money clip that I'd say altogether was about $750-800.

Just saying, there is abuse out there and when I see it, it pisses me off.

[Lilac Tentacles]

Agree with everything Federation said. I get drug tested "randomly" and I haven't missed a single month yet. Every month for almost a year, I get a piss test and that's just for my 2-days of national guard drilling. My full time job is another round of tests.

I'm getting the literal shit taxed out if me for federal taxes and state taxes to pay for these programs.

I worked in a grocery store to get through college. When I saw my "regulars" I knew we're making bank and getting paid under the table, I would always find ways to call them out at the register hoping they'd feel some sort of shame for abusing the system. They didn't. It's sick.

[zmurd]

"As a working person not receiving benefits, I have to take a drug test annually to work at my job. That's right, I have to take a drug test to actually work and earn a living wage. It is my opinion, if I have to take a drug test to work at a company that provides me income that the government taxes to help provide a base of funds for these type of programs, then yes, they should be drug tested to receive them."


Huge difference between being drug tested as part of your job and being drug tested because it's under the assumption that since you are on welfare you do drugs.

[wrath]

"As a working person not receiving benefits, I have to take a drug test annually to work at my job. That's right, I have to take a drug test to actually work and earn a living wage. It is my opinion, if I have to take a drug test to work at a company that provides me income that the government taxes to help provide a base of funds for these type of programs, then yes, they should be drug tested to receive them."


Huge difference between being drug tested as part of your job and being drug tested because it's under the assumption that since you are on welfare you do drugs.

I'm more of an equal opportunity let's see who's breaking the law kind of guy. Besides of which, I do not assume anyone who is on welfare is on drugs, nor do I support the full dissolution of welfare. It serves a valid and noble purpose, however there are plenty of people abusing it. The abuse threatens its existence for those who are using it for its true intent.

[zmurd]

it doesn't serve a valid and noble purpose at all, it's a skewed version of altruism.

[wrath]

it doesn't serve a valid and noble purpose at all, it's a skewed version of altruism.

You're right. Let's just let families that cannot support themselves due to random hardships starve. Screw them.

[John]

Let's keep the potential for arguing to a minimum here guys.

[Kite]

You're right. Let's just let families that cannot support themselves due to random hardships starve. Screw them.
Agree 100% there are organizations dedicated to helping people truly in need.. as it is now a majority of people receiving these kinds of benefits are just abusing the system imo anyways... we don't have food stamps in canada as far as I know but we do have a food bank that you can go to if you're really starving and need food, much simpler and better idea since you don't get an allocated amount of "stamps" to spend on feeding your family every month you just go and get food when you need it and cant afford to buy it

[Lilac Tentacles]

I assume most of the white trash I see using welfare is on drugs. Because the bottom feeders in my family are. As a matter of fact, my distant cousins baby mama had another kid to pull an even bigger check in and I know that broad is cracked out half the time.

[Bexxy]

I dont know how the system works being english and not american, but, alot of americans i know sell the stamps for half the worth to buy non food stamp items also. I think the food stamps are a good idea but they need to be regulated a bit harsher to stop people selling them. Im sure 80% of people on them use them to feed a family and make a home, but the ones who dont shouldnt get them.
Here in the uk we have the same problem. Overall i get the same income as i would working (that is taking into account the cost of my rent and taxes which get paid for me) I have to feed myself, my partner (who is also my care giver - No shame here) and our three children who were born before i got this bad (incase anyone wants to judge) We dont go out, dont drink, dont smoke, dont take drugs, and dont have many nice things. YET there are single mothers with 4 or 5 kids get the same as we do, wear all designer gear and go out till all hours fri/sat/sun every week.

I can only assume thier kids are suffering in some way. My kids are not spoiled very far from it. They eat a good balanced diet, we keep warm, and we have power on, we have decent clean clothes and our house is fairly decent inside. BUT we are flat ass broke.

[janikanicolepi]

Agree 100% there are organizations dedicated to helping people truly in need.. as it is now a majority of people receiving these kinds of benefits are just abusing the system imo anyways... we don't have food stamps in canada as far as I know but we do have a food bank that you can go to if you're really starving and need food, much simpler and better idea since you don't get an allocated amount of "stamps" to spend on feeding your family every month you just go and get food when you need it and cant afford to buy it

The idea of food bank seem like a solution in Canada, but there are people who are still abusing the food bank system. As a volunteer for second harvest food bank. I see corruption within that system as well. Those family in poverty are given a brown bag of hand picked grocery; perishable goods like canned good and some fresh fruits, which ideally would last over a week. I remember seem people throw away some of the stuff they do not want like peas and bean related product on the side walk. Which really irks me because me and fellow volunteers from the community work hard to sort and distribute these good. What is worse is I saw with my own eyes that people are selling the canned goods in the alley for cash. Volunteering in food bank isn't as glorious or easy as people think, you often had to handle rotten fruit, or broken canned goods that have maggot crawling out of it.

Personally, I am very much in-line with what Federation had said in the previous post regarding the whole food stamp issue

[SpecialisAlio]

As someone who was on food stamps before my family and I were deemed ineligible for it, I think the program is perfect in theory, but like many of you have pointed out, flawed in practice.

Do you think that people who are receiving food stamp should be required to go through drug screening process (Drug Test)?
I think this is an interesting question. I certainly don't see anything wrong with it. Sure, it may carry an assumption that people on welfare are crackheads or drug addicts, but if it helps those who really need the help and separates them from those who simply use it to their advantage, I would be for it. I would be frustrated if I was on the other side of the field and saw a family getting money for food while they use other money for drugs and so forth. Heck, I would be frustrated if I was still receiving food stamps and my dad was shooting up.

Should any of the following rules/regulations regarding the food stamp program by the state's social service be change?
Okay, so I'm certainly biased. But I think the regulations need to be changed overall. I know taxes are high enough as they are, and I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining, but we were cut off from our food stamps because my dad got a job and was making "too much." From the monthly income he makes, about 57% of it goes to rent, 10% goes to gas money (keep in mind we don't fill our tank) and other miscellaneous costs, we're left with 33% of my dad's monthly income for electricity, television, internet, phone, my university charges, my sister's school costs (after-school activities, etc), car insurance, etc. I know these sound like commodities, but we honestly have pretty basic plans for everything. Aside from all that, we have very little left for food. Honestly, the only reason we have food right now is because we're very frugal with our food stamp and we had a lot left over from the previous session when they stopped renewing our benefits.

Should there be a "length" of period in which the person are allow to receive these benefits (State the period in which the person should be on food stamp and explain why you believe this is an appropriate length of time)"
This is sort of an extension of my previous answer. I think that this is a difficult question to answer. Ideally, I want to say until a person gets a job or a family can support themselves, but honestly? No one can tell. I know a family that made about 85k, then they got fired and lost their house. Then they got another job for about 45k and then got transferred and laid off--again. With the unstable economy today, it's difficult to answer this.

Hope my response was clear. Sorry if I seemed to get emotional about it haha. I just get frustrated about the whole process...

[Skins]

Really, in America are using "Money" only for food? It's so strange...

[SpecialisAlio]

Really, in America are using "Money" only for food? It's so strange...

Yeah, haha, it's kinda a weird concept. But they do have alternative programs like EBT Cash that can be used on all items. While a food stamp only gets you non-prepared food, the EBT Cash gives you a similar amount of money on a card to be used on all types of groceries, I believe.

[Miri]

1. Do you think that people who are receiving food stamp should be required to go through drug screening process (Drug Test)?

I'm thinking to CONTINUE benefits DTing should be used. What if we have a mom leaving her crack addiction behind to make things better for her kids? There's a lot of situations here.

3. Should there be a "length" of period in which the person are allow to receive these benefits (State the period in which the person should be on food stamp and explain why you believe this is an appropriate length of time)"

Depends on the family. A few years back shit went down in my household, my mom was the sole breadwinner, so we were getting stamps for those years. Really depends on the family.

4. Is there any else that you would like to contribute (For example: corruption within the food stamp system that can be improved, limit the items that can be bought with food stamp, etc)

I don't understand the kind of food stamp money that you can use for anything. Because then we're going to have people come on here to buy ucs like they do with financial aid. Strictly food, strictly in a physical store. Giving out money that can be used freely is asking for abuse.

[justinwhite660]

I think your forgetting about single mothers who work and still dont make enough money and need help feeding their children. I dont think marijuana is a bad thing and if parents or injured people want to smoke it before they go to the grocery store and spend their food stamps thats not horrible. especially with parts of this country legalizing it. I dont think there should be drug tests because dont these people already have it hard enough? It would add 1 more obstical in getting funds that these people need to survive. Do you know how long it already takes with the application process? weeks, weeks of figuring out how your going to feed your child while your not making enough money. and a drug test would extend the process even longer and lets face it any1 can beat a drug test, with chemicals or some1 elses pee. A drug test wouldnt help any1 and just cost more money to our government. sorry that was unorganized but my rant is over.

[SpecialisAlio]

4. Is there any else that you would like to contribute (For example: corruption within the food stamp system that can be improved, limit the items that can be bought with food stamp, etc)

I don't understand the kind of food stamp money that you can use for anything. Because then we're going to have people come on here to buy ucs like they do with financial aid. Strictly food, strictly in a physical store. Giving out money that can be used freely is asking for abuse.

Good point. From my own experience, I know that we couldn't use our food stamp to buy items like:
+ From the Salad Bar of a grocery store like Giant or Safeway
+ From Restaurants. At all.
+ Only recently, places like 7-11 allow for certain food items to be bought with food stamps.

I am aware, however, of some people "trading." I knew of this one family that would offer to pay for food in return for cash of the equivalent amount (ex. they went grocery shopping and bought $80 worth of food; the food stamp holder would pay for it and then get cash from their friend in return). I dunno how you guys feel about that, but it happens.

There is, at least in MD, an EBT Cash card that works similarly to a food stamp, except it is eligible for a wider array of items like toilet paper and non-food items. I don't know much about it, but I've seen people use it.

Also, for further elaboration about the Maryland program:


It does not cost you anything to use the Independence Card for Food Stamps.
You do not ever get cash back when you use your Food Stamp benefits.
You can buy the following items with your Independence card: Any food to be eaten at home by people, including baby food, non-alcoholic beverages, and seasonings. Seeds and plants to grow food for your own family�s consumption.
You cannot buy non-grocery items with the Food Stamp benefits, such as cleaning products, pet food, paper products, alcohol, or tobacco.



And about the Maryland program for cash on the food stamp card:



You can buy non-grocery items with your Cash benefits, such as cleaning products, pet food, and paper products.
Some grocery stores will let you get cash from your cash account.
You can get your Cash benefits from any ATM displaying the Quest logo.
You may have to pay a surcharge at the ATM.
You will receive 3 free cash withdrawals per month. Additional cash withdrawals will cost you $.85 each.

[Toasted]

I can mostly agree with justinwhite660 on this one.

My friend Amber receives EBT and FoodStamps for her and her 2 children, but she smokes marijuana. Until it becomes legal in our state, I would hate to see her lose her benefits over the occasional joint/bowl.

I'm a firm believer in marijuana, though.
Some here may not be, but really try to think of what harm it does. None.
The only harm marijuana causes is if you can't afford to buy enough food, then don't buy a bag.
If you just need a little extra bump in being able to get the food that's healthier in grocery stores rather than going to McDonald's every night for a meal because it saves money...nothing wrong with that.

[jaedyn32]

i agree with food stamps, they are a necessity, but as pointed out they are way too abused and taken advantage of. they are definately a good thing tho. they helped me and my hubby out when we first started dating. when we first started we both had jobs, but ended up losing them both out of work at the same time. the only way we made it was borrowing from friends/ family and selling timber. and living off of ramen noodles!! we decided to go to get food stamps to help us out finally, and what a blessing!! we were expedited and within an hour of going to the social services we had received a foodstamp card with $400 cash that was going to replenish itself every month. then they like to screw w/ you. soon as hubby got a job, starting at 8 50 an hour, they decided he was makin good money now and we got cut back down to $75 a month. they do it in a messed up way. they do it by before taxes, NOT after taxes are taken out. once he started gettin raises there we lost it all together. it's like u hafta be flat broke in order to get em here. (Now we are ok. :) ).

[kgs]

So the main one I want to respond to:

1. Do you think that people who are receiving food stamp should be required to go through drug screening process (Drug Test)?

100% absolutely yes. I don't even understand why this is controversial. Many people who have paid jobs need to take drug tests. If you are getting handouts from the government, I don't see why you shouldn't also have to take drug tests. I feel like this would also help cut the amount of abuse of the system - you would have more honest folk who can't find a job and less druggies who are spending all their money on illegal substances and then using food stamps for necessities.