Sorry, sorry, like I said, irrational.
This seems stupid logistically. It’s got to be a hundred times cheaper to send electronic money to people and let them buy what they want than it is to contract someone to coordinate the shipping of millions of pounds of food around the country.
Small-government conservatives championing a program that involves the government in your meal planning. Just out of some misplaced hatred for poor people. I’m with Brian, that shit’s infuriating.
First off they should get rid of the stamp moniker, it is basically a debit card of some type now. Secondly, if people are buying things they shouldn’t (and there are restrictions) maybe you hold the stores up to more scrutiny.
Haven’t studies shown that the food “stamp” program is actually a very successful one? Bang for the buck wise?
Good point, I hadn’t thought about it from that perspective. No way to make it cheaper than it is unless you are going to cut corners/cost and somehow making it less expensive. I was on SNAPP for 6 months due to a temp disability while being a single parent to my daughter. They give price incentives from buying from the local co-ops here in Portland However, the money they gave us encourages you to buy cheaper because they already don’t give you a lot. Safeway 2 pack of burritos last 8 meals for 2, while fresh food of the same price last 2 meals. To get cheaper, means the meals they are shipping CANNOT be healthier! yeah, the logistics of this means their solution will NOT make anyone healthier…
It’s not about health, it’s about shame.
Also, “delivery.” Poverty and homelessness, not to mention the basic insecurity of many places where people who do have domiciles have to live, makes any sort of package delivery program iffy. And then, preparation. Maybe people are using EBT/foodstamps to get stuff that is easy to prepare with the limited space and equipment they have. And of course, as noted, the logistical idiocy of this is astounding.
One day, maybe the US will understand that yes, some humans are going to game any system you have, and no, it’s not that important in the grand scheme of things. The vast majority of people will do the best they can, and it’s far more important to treat them like human beings and just eat the costs of the few outliers who are scamming things. So far, though, our obsession with “cheaters” has only grown larger. Everything, from Social Security to disability to welfare programs are run in such a way that the top priority is putting obstacles in the way of people, supposedly to minimize fraud, but which really just make it a bureaucratic nightmare for everyone.
Except lawyers. The reason so many people that you might find undeserving (however that is defined, or however inaccurately) are receiving government aid has more to do with rapacious lawyers than with anything else I think. The system is positively rigged to nearly require specialized legal help to navigate, and those folks take a large chunk of the benefits.
Shouldn’t we encourage people to buy lean meats like steak and shellfish instead of Cheetos with their EBT card? If they eat well, they’re healthier and have lower medical bills. Seems like a no brainer to me.
I don’t think the idea of government provided meals is necessarily a bad one. There are a lot of problems to address, obviously, like allergies and dietary restrictions, and the fact that the USDA nutrition standards have led to an obesity epidemic.
All that aside, I just don’t trust this crew to implement it. They’d probably ship the poors cans of poison with a big skull and crossbones on it, and then say the Democrats slipped it in there FAKE NEWS.
Just take an aspirin and “tough it out” they’d tell you. If they deigned to speak to you at all.
Republicans: the party of the free market, except when it comes to the poors, because, you know, fuck’em.
So there are no requirements that people be drug tested before they get their cans of spam and beans?
Better inspect their homes as well, for luxury items like refridgerators.
I suddenly understand why there have been Spam commercials on tv lately…
Its by Trump and Republicans. So without seeing it I predict it is mean spirited, ill thought out and designed to attack those less well off rather than help them.
So shelf stable food. Cans, vacuum sealed stuff. High in sodium and sugar. Nothing fresh. If I was living in a bunker waiting out nuclear winter, I’d eat it.
It’s also a good way to give a poor family various health issues. Hypertension, diabetes… Good work shitgibbon.
If this plan were actually implemented like a Nationwide co-op, where you got boxes of fresh local food, it could actually be a great idea.
But I doubt that’s what would happen.
It will also be a MASSIVE hit to every grocery store in the nation.
Food deserts are a real thing, but they’re generally specifically about access to fresh food. Non-perishable / canned goods don’t really solve that problem.
A national co-op plan would be interesting, but you’d really need to be delegating to a very local level for that, and a solution there would probably involve a range of approaches in addition to the food delivery, like community gardens and mobile markets.
Exactly, Walmart will never let this happen.
Patton nailed it.
The plan will be to pay Walmart $10 to deliver canned goods and Guaranteed Value food worth $2. That’s America.