Food Stamps and the people that use them

I agree, people have a right to choose what they eat, and if it's considered "junk food", then that is up to them. The problem is, it seems like if the government gives out aid or help they seem to want to also control the recipients like some kind of puppet. Luckily I'm not on food stamps or anything, but if I had to be, and if people thought I was buying alleged junk food, it would be because I am very picky, there aren't many foods that don't make me sick to see, smell, taste, etc. Now, I haven't met anyone *as* picky as I am, but I'm sure that some of these people buying junk foods do so because that is the food they like, it's the food that they were raised on, and you know, by the time a person is grown up and in a position to need food stamps for whatever reason, they already have their tastes established. Actually, from what I understand, I was about 2 or 3 years old when I started getting sick from most foods. Another thing related to this is, I was a strong believer in the need for universal health care, but then the more I read and the more I thought about it.. like I said above, anytime the government is in control of our lives, it takes away our rights to decide what we put in our bodies and everything. Yes, the taxpayers help pay for welfare and stuff, but the taxpayers are also, like someone else pointed out, helping to fund the biggest travesty of a war in decades, personally, I would worry more about that billions of dollars.. a little junk food is not very healthy of course, but it takes many decades of eating like that to die from it, but the war has cost many innocent soldiers lives, most being so young that they haven't even gotten to live. Now that is unethical, if anything is. That is my personal rights stance on it. We have the right to choose what we eat, but of course I believe people should eat better, but nobody, even the government can control that. This really is a black and white issues.. there isn't much grey area. People aren't gonna change, and besides, all the government cares about is money, and they make money whether the food stamps go towards milk or milk duds.

Well, there's WIC, and if they are on food stamps often they are on WIC. WIC just changed their food, I believe, because it was actually contributing to obesity. (Lots of milk and cheese, and other high fat foods.) But most of their foods are healthy foods for children. Still, you can't force parents to feed their children properly. Anyway, I was on food stamps for a short time when I was pregnant. Someone probably thought I was buying junk food because I would buy ramen noodles and regular potato chips. However, at 4 months pregnant that was literally all I could keep down, and I couldn't even mix the flavor packet with the ramen noodles, or else I'd get sick.

The main reason why eating junk food alone, and the only reason that I think is important is, a diet like that will not provide the nutritional needs of children. ANd these children who are fed this junk food may end up with Child Obesity (which is much more common nowdays thanks to tv, video games, Junk food, etc) And Childhood obseity can lead to health problems....such as heart attacks (and it has happened to children), diabetes (on the rise in a big way and can be prevented or controlled through proper diet), and other health conditions. I am realistic enough to know people will always eat junk food, I do too, but when their is help being given to a person they should use it wisely. I know people who use WIC (another form of government aide) for mothers with young children and they list what you can buy for example: 2 gallons of milk, Dry Cereal, Juicy Juice...and they list it on there and the cashier has to double check it and sign it, etc. This makes sense. I do not believe in Governmental Control, but people need to use it wisely, not selfishly. ANd anyone who grew up on one diet can change to a healthier one...hopefully before they get a health condition.

It definitely is a viscious cycle. I really wish the government would refine their aide programs because what they're doing now obviously are not working. The government pays way too much money to people that do not need it and they don't want to work because it's a free handout. The girl in question feels she shouldn't have to work, that it's pretty much beneath her and won't attempt to get summer jobs because she shouldn't have to work. And we pay people for that kind of thinking. It's really, really annoying.

I know it's annoying and the way I look at it is anyone who actually needs to draw this type of aide should get upset about the ones who are abusing it, because eventually the government is going to wake up to the fact that people are misusing the system, and not just buying junk food- I am talking about the people who can work, do work (minimum hours in order to qualify), and lie. So this should make anyone who uses "foodies" ill if they really need the help. I am just speaking from experience of people I have worked and do work along side.

well, at least she is going to school...But i hear ya. I myself got through college on a mixture of Financial Aide and Loans and the dreaded credit cards....but I learned from all of this and maybe one day she will too. You can hope at least...but then again my parents didn't have money, nor aide or buy stupid items that will not help the family like you listed. You know I just thought of something I heard the other day that made me ill just hearing it...a girl was talking about child support and she actually said "I don't worry about him not paying support because I get more that way from the government..." AHHHHHHH. It's such a sad cycle....But at least she is paying taxes to somewhat support herself that way LOL

I agree with you 100%

I know how that is. The girl in my post below was going to get a used car, all of a sudden, she (her parents bought it) ended up buying pretty much a brand new car of which new things are put onto said car all the time. My car however doesn't get worked on until it needs done but stupid things can be added to her car all the time to make it look better. She thinks she's better than everyone and that everything she owns is better than everyone else's things. If someone buys something that she thinks she can rival, she ends up buying it and makes sure to one up them. I take pride knowing I'm better than those people. I know it sounds bad to say it that way, but I'm not living off the taxpayers and milking them for all their worth. I'm struggling to pay bills, struggling to make it through college and I'm OK. Living off the government with such a blatant disrespect for taxpayers and the system is disgusting. They obviously have no plans for that to change anytime soon and it's annoying.

I know. There is a difference between knowing you need help and expecting help. There are far too many people out there who expect to get things for free...like they deserve it. Help is just that help...it is not a requirement or an obligation that has to be met by anyone...it is just an act of kindness....which is usually dismissed. I know several people who just expect things to come to them without any effort. These are the lazies in our world...and to me....they need to grow up. I am fortunate to never had to rely on such a source of income or even consider it, even though there have been many tough times in my life....people overcome them. And I am stronger for it....not reliant on others.... Plus, with budget cutting and such people need to realize one day it may not be there...and what will you have then? I am a firm believer in looking forward as much as possible....and covering your bases. But that does not require effort and work. Like I said before maybe I should look at the same way I look at donating to people on the street.....hoping it actually gets to the REAL people who deserve it.

Yes some people are dressed nice and even have the nicer cell phones such as a Blackberry cell phone.