Trump's Plan for Food Stamps

[Agent0range]

I'm not gonna lie, I don't hate the plan.  If the government could figure out a way to scale it, and save money, I think it's a great idea.  

Quote

President Donald Trump wants to drastically scale back food stamps and replace them with a "food box" delivery program — like Blue Apron.

Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, told reporters on Monday about the plan by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to redesign the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) as "America's Harvest Box." Under the plan, more than 16 million households would have half of their benefits go toward the food box delivery program.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-wants-replace-food-stamps-blue-apron-type-program-n847586

[Gromdor]

Okay, if they get half the current value in food and the other half as money-  How is it going to save money if we have to purchase, store, and deliver the food?  Food stamp people here in Iowa don't live in concentrated ghettos.  They live in small dying towns spread throughout the state.  Giving them cash lets them buy it at their local grocery store.  Taking half that money and giving it to some contractor isn't going to help put any funds into those small towns either.

[Agent0range]

15 minutes ago, Gromdor said:

Okay, if they get half the current value in food and the other half as money-  How is it going to save money if we have to purchase, store, and deliver the food?  Food stamp people here in Iowa don't live in concentrated ghettos.  They live in small dying towns spread throughout the state.  Giving them cash lets them buy it at their local grocery store.  Taking half that money and giving it to some contractor isn't going to help put any funds into those small towns either.

Don't get me wrong, I highly doubt the ability to make it save money.  My IF was a big IF.  We all know the government can't do anything cheaper.  But..IF, they are somehow able to save money, I don't think it's too bad of an idea out of an administration in which good ideas are few and far between.  I am not against food stamps, this is America, and no one should go hungry, but there are people that abuse the system...I have seen people advertising on Facebook that they were selling their foodstamps.

[Michelle]

It would solve the problem of food deserts and people who have no transportation. Even if there is public transportation it's not easy carrying groceries on and off a bus transferring from one to another along the way. Especially if you are feeding more than a few family members. You also wouldn't have to find a babysitter just to go to the store or take them in tow.

[Piney]

21 minutes ago, Gromdor said:

Okay, if they get half the current value in food and the other half as money-  How is it going to save money if we have to purchase, store, and deliver the food?  Food stamp people here in Iowa don't live in concentrated ghettos.  They live in small dying towns spread throughout the state.  Giving them cash lets them buy it at their local grocery store.  Taking half that money and giving it to some contractor isn't going to help put any funds into those small towns either.

and the whole save the farmer excuse. He already screwed them because they are just about all solar with no feasible storage of electricity and now they have to pay more for panels that are always wrecked by weather and wildlife.  

[acidhead]

https://www.ebt.ca.gov/caebtclient/usebenefit.jsp

Where Can I Use My EBT Card?

You can use your EBT card at any store or ATM that displays the Quest^® mark throughout California and across the country.

For information regarding surcharge-free ATM locations, click here.

The California Restaurant Meals Program is only available in certain counties for cardholders registered in that program.

 

"The locations where you can use your EBT card to withdraw cash may have changed. Please check the list of locations on this website to see where you can withdraw cash benefits in your area. You can no longer get your cash benefits at ATMs and point of sale devices in liquor stores that don't accept your CalFresh benefits. You also can't get your cash benefits at casinos, poker rooms, card rooms, adult entertainment businesses, bail bonds, night clubs/saloons/taverns, bingo halls, race tracks, gun/ammunition stores, cruise ships, psychic readers, smoking shops, cannabis shops, tattoo/piercing shops, and spa/massage salons."

 

[Brandy333]

3 hours ago, Agent0range said:

I'm not gonna lie, I don't hate the plan.  If the government could figure out a way to scale it, and save money, I think it's a great idea.  

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-wants-replace-food-stamps-blue-apron-type-program-n847586

This is not exactly going to go smooth sailing with everyone.   There's going to be a fair number that don't want big bro. gov. telling them they can no longer make their own choice in food selection.   Instead they'll be told that what's in the box is what they'll have to take because the gov. says so.

[Piney]

5 hours ago, Brandy333 said:

This is not exactly going to go smooth sailing with everyone.   There's going to be a fair number that don't want big bro. gov. telling them they can no longer make their own choice in food selection.   Instead they'll be told that what's in the box is what they'll have to take because the gov. says so.

That's what they did on the res's when I was a kid. Most of the stuff was inedible. We use to use the cans of pork for target practice because it got you sick more often than not. The cheese tasted like Elmer's glue and the flour had bugs in it.

[GlitterRose]

41 minutes ago, Piney said:

That's what they did on the res's when I was a kid. Most of the stuff was inedible. We use to use the cans of pork for target practice because it got you sick more often than not. The cheese tasted like Elmer's glue and the flour had bugs in it.

That's sad, Piney. 

[Piney]

3 minutes ago, ChaosRose said:

That's sad, Piney. 

When your 3 percent of the population of the U.S., you don't matter. 

[aztek]

iirc there is similar program in Jewish community. in nyc.  i do not know how to sign up, and what are the conditions to be qualified, but once a week, people who are on that program, get a box with none perishable food. mostly canned food, and matzo. gvmnt does not pay for it, it is paid for by synagogue and donations (of course all tax deductible). 

as far as this case, idk who will be in charge of what goes in the box, but as with almost everything gvmnt does, it will turn into another failure like  obama's school launches. otoh if we privatize it, i see huge opportunity for abuse, and fraud, same way as some privatized home attendant agencies are. 

from what i see around me, the way gvmnt works, and the way people always find a way to cheat and defraud programs, i am not optimistic about it at all. 

Edited February 14, 2018 by aztek

[Brandy333]

7 hours ago, Piney said:

That's what they did on the res's when I was a kid. Most of the stuff was inedible. We use to use the cans of pork for target practice because it got you sick more often than not. The cheese tasted like Elmer's glue and the flour had bugs in it.

Shame ya'll were treated that way.   Iron fist then and now.   Sounds like the same iron fist of the regime long ago, know what I mean?

[RavenHawk]

4 hours ago, Piney said:

When your 3 percent of the population of the U.S., you don't matter. 

At one time, it was a bit more than that.  I was born among what are known as "Next Year's People".  The poor cousin of Appalachia.  Although, I was not born during the Dust Bowl Depression, when I was born, the way of life had not changed that much.  Most were still hunkered down.  Although, it was still agrarian, i.e. people canned their own foods, companies like Del Monte and Green Giant became mainstays for sustenance existence.  It was this food that carried a nation out of depression, to war and victory.  It was the food that generations grew up on.  But it's not the food of a prosperous people.  It was a tough existence and there were no safe places.  People eat to live.  They didn't know how bad processed foods were and then you add BPAs in later years, food can become unhealthy.  And now with GMOs, it's a crap-shoot.  In my youth, I would eat pretty much nothing but processed and fast foods.  College students live off of pizza and Ramen Noodles anyway.  Even though, I believe I have that double detox gene, I know that lifestyle is unhealthy and when I married my wife, I started to eat more healthy and fresh foods.  Trump may be one of the few with the double detox gene but most people that live on processed foods/fast foods cause more health problems.  I like the idea of providing basic foods, but people need fresh.  If it is going to be up to each state, they need to call upon faith-based charities, co-ops and utilize the local farms (which will be hurt under this program if it is restricted to only processed foods).  Encourage community gardens and hydroponics.  Here, with all our wineries and micro breweries, we could use the same concept with food.  Processed and fast foods are the primary source of obesity and autoimmune diseases.  If people want better healthcare, we need to improve our diet.  Processed foods can be a part of our diet, just not a mainstay.

[aztek]

4 hours ago, Piney said:

When your 3 percent of the population of the U.S., you don't matter. 

it's not %% that matter,  jews are only 2% of the country. it's who you have in Washington on your side

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

15 hours ago, Brandy333 said:

This is not exactly going to go smooth sailing with everyone.   There's going to be a fair number that don't want big bro. gov. telling them they can no longer make their own choice in food selection.   Instead they'll be told that what's in the box is what they'll have to take because the gov. says so.

I can see there being a website, you order your food and it gets delivered. 

I think it’s a brilliant plan, ups employment (chefs, cooks, drivers, website managers, food buyers etc), everyone on it gets nutritional food, gives some human contact to the folks who might otherwise eshew others.

[aztek]

Just now, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

I can see there being a website, you order your food and it gets delivered. 

I think it’s a brilliant plan, ups employment (chefs, cooks, drivers, website managers, food buyers etc), everyone on it gets nutritional food, gives some human contact to the folks who might otherwise eshew others.

great idea, but as reality shows, it can easily be turned into a nightmare, every time there is tiny avenue for abuse, fraud,  it will be exploited, i'd say it will be cheaper to keep system as it is. even if the "box'  thing looks good on paper, in reality it usually different,

not to mention, if this takes off, it has to be only none perishable food, aka processed food, (otherwise waste will be enormous, warehouses\transport....) with little nutritional value,. and often outright bad for people. (even my cat wont touch half of the stuff that comes in cans, i'm talking about human food, not catfood) at least now people can go to the store and buy fresh food using ebt card.  

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by aztek

[Brandy333]

4 minutes ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

I can see there being a website, you order your food and it gets delivered. 

I think it’s a brilliant plan, ups employment (chefs, cooks, drivers, website managers, food buyers etc), everyone on it gets nutritional food, gives some human contact to the folks who might otherwise eshew others.

That would be great IF it worked out in your scenario.   But would there be a website where one could order what they want?  Is the food guaranteed to be good tasting and nutritional?  Someone's got to pay for the chefs, cooks, etc. (we taxpayers).  How compassionate would the food deliverers be? 

[Agent0range]

16 hours ago, Brandy333 said:

This is not exactly going to go smooth sailing with everyone.   There's going to be a fair number that don't want big bro. gov. telling them they can no longer make their own choice in food selection.   Instead they'll be told that what's in the box is what they'll have to take because the gov. says so.

Well, if you are fine with taking food money from "big brother", you should be just as fine taking the food.

[Brandy333]

2 hours ago, Agent0range said:

Well, if you are fine with taking food money from "big brother", you should be just as fine taking the food.

I'm not fine taking anything from big bro. gov., FYI, as I won't have the gov. tell me what I can or can't wear, eat or anything else.   They can keep their stinking food too.

[Piney]

5 hours ago, RavenHawk said:

At one time, it was a bit more than that.  I was born among what are known as "Next Year's People".  The poor cousin of Appalachia.  Although, I was not born during the Dust Bowl Depression, when I was born, the way of life had not changed that much.  Most were still hunkered down.  Although, it was still agrarian, i.e. people canned their own foods, companies like Del Monte and Green Giant became mainstays for sustenance existence.  It was this food that carried a nation out of depression, to war and victory.  It was the food that generations grew up on.  But it's not the food of a prosperous people.  It was a tough existence and there were no safe places.  People eat to live.  They didn't know how bad processed foods were and then you add BPAs in later years, food can become unhealthy.  And now with GMOs, it's a crap-shoot.  In my youth, I would eat pretty much nothing but processed and fast foods.  College students live off of pizza and Ramen Noodles anyway.  Even though, I believe I have that double detox gene, I know that lifestyle is unhealthy and when I married my wife, I started to eat more healthy and fresh foods.  Trump may be one of the few with the double detox gene but most people that live on processed foods/fast foods cause more health problems.  I like the idea of providing basic foods, but people need fresh.  If it is going to be up to each state, they need to call upon faith-based charities, co-ops and utilize the local farms (which will be hurt under this program if it is restricted to only processed foods).  Encourage community gardens and hydroponics.  Here, with all our wineries and micro breweries, we could use the same concept with food.  Processed and fast foods are the primary source of obesity and autoimmune diseases.  If people want better healthcare, we need to improve our diet.  Processed foods can be a part of our diet, just not a mainstay.

I never ate processed or fast food in my life. Then when I was in prison I had a full microbiom collapse, what they use to call "Indian Fever". I'm still not right.

[Agent0range]

8 minutes ago, Brandy333 said:

I'm not fine taking anything from big bro. gov., FYI, as I won't have the gov. tell me what I can or can't wear, eat or anything else.   They can keep their stinking food too.

Clearly, I didn't mean you specifically.  You do realize this is in place of food stamps, right?  And it's only for half of the benefit, with the other have given the traditional method.  I pay for my children's food, and you know what?  They eat what I tell them.  When they pay, they can choose.  Just call me Big Daddy.

[aztek]

there is a big difference what you yourself buy\cook, and canned processed sht that will be in those boxes,  but when you get free food,  you are not really in a position to demand anything, here i agree with you. 

[Gromdor]

I'm expecting to see more of this to be honest:  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/06/us/fema-contract-puerto-rico.html

[hatecraft]

They should give them the stuff they ate in The Matrix. 

[Hankenhunter]

Just like everything else, the contract would go to the lowest bidder. If you want an example check out prison food services. The Rural folks will be better off than the Urbanites in that they can suppliment their diet with wild game and garden produce. The Urbanites will get what they get. Food allergies? Eat your peanut butter and quit whining. This wont end well. 

Hank