(Reuters) - Nearly 40 million Americans received food stamps -- the latest in an ever-higher string of record enrollment that dates from December 2008 and the U.S. recession, according to a government update.... "This is the highest share of the U.S. population on SNAP/food stamps," said the anti-hunger group Food Research and Action Center, using the new name for food stamps, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). "Research suggests that one in three eligible people are not receiving ... benefits." Enrollment has set a record each month since reaching 31.78 million in December 2008. USDA estimates enrollment will average 40.5 million people this fiscal year, which ends Sept 30, at a cost of up to $59 billion. For fiscal 2011, average enrollment is forecast for 43.3 million people. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6465E220100507
And 98% of the 40 million on Food stamps look like marine mammals beached in front of a large-screen plasma TV with a cell-phone stuck in one ear.
This is rather heartless and blatantly false, don't you think? Many people out there are really struggling. I mean REALLY struggling. I do not doubt that you are accurate in a certain population group. But that number is way out of line.
Lack of food isn't the problem. Obesity is. It's an epidemic. End the food stamp program, reduce the deficit, and advance health care all at the same time.
Just curious, but have you ever spent time at a soup kitchen? Or a food pantry? Try doing so. You'll see that 98% of them aren't obese. Not even 50% of them are. Times are tough right now for a lot of folks. Many are embarrassed to come to the pantries, but they do so because they have to feed their children/families. These are the people you're verbally pissing on here, and they don't deserve it. They're not sitting on the couch with a cell phone and watching TV. They're doing all they can to get by. Show a little compassion for someone a lot less fortunate than you.
With half the country on welfare or broke, the situation is nearly impossible to extradite ourselves from. Greeks rioting over pensions and bonuses today. Americans rioting over food-stamps and Social Security, tomorrow. Sure, there's abuse. But we also lost 9 Million jobs last recession. The 2001 "jobless recovery" was consumer borrowing. The 2009 "jobless recovery" supplanted consumer borrowing with Government borrowing. With both the private and public sector up to their eyeballs in debt, how do we keep this train going?
Now you're making this personal? Based on personal, anecdotal evidence? What is the reported obesity rate for the US? Here's a report from John Hopkins, a rather prestigous institution: The US has the fattest poor people in the world.
The problem isn't what to do. The problem is HOW to do it. It's like some fat-ass asking what to do to lose weight. What to do is obvious: diet and exercise. The question is how to do it. How to regularly drag his fat lazy ass out of bed at dawn and get in a hard 5K run. How to hit the gym and lift weights three days a week, and pass up the Big Macs with a large side of fries. What to do is get the government the hell out of everything. Government programs distorted housing, education, and health care to the point that it is completely FUBAR. Get government out of health care and a hospital visit will cost about the same as taking your pet to a veterinarian. It will cost pretty much about what people can afford and are willing to pay, because if it costs more the hospital will be out of business. It's basic economics.