Questionable food stamp use?

[[ChaosweaveR]]

This is just, crazy:

http://www.salon.com/life/pinched/2010/03/...stamps_pinched/

This quote, from an art school graduate who was working at museums before the crash, pretty much sums it up:

"At first, I thought, 'Why should I be on food stamps?'" said Magida, digging into her dinner. "Here I am, this educated person who went to art school, and there are a lot of people who need them more. But then I realized, I need them, too."

The core of this whole deal is that no one is asking why. Why does she think she needs food stamps? She can't get a job to pay for food. But why can't she get a job?

What incentive has she to get a useful skill or a better job if she eats for free? The answer is none.

Discuss.

[ponta2147]

Agreed.

A friend of mine from high school is doing AmeriCorps in New York right now, and she is on food stamps. I don't begrudge her too horribly for it, because she is working for next to nothing for a good cause, but when she posted a blog article talking about how being on food stamps is not a horrible thing and you can buy some fancy food with it, it made me a little uncomfortable.

And as for jobs... as part of my freelance work I work for CareerBuilder.com doing the banner ads and fancy webpages for companies that want to spend extra money attracting people. I have not been lacking in any of that work for the last two years. There are lots of jobs out there, I get to see a lot of them. They may not be the job you *want* but there are hundreds and hundreds out there, enough that companies still want to spend the big bucks making the fancy custom CareerBuilder sites (thus keeping me employed as well).

[kaymo]

there are jobs, people just dont want to lower their standards. someone who is an artsy fartsy person would probably scoff at a walmart greeter job, but a job is a job. GO GET ONE LAZY B****

i think monthly drug testing should be mandatory for anyone getting help from government programs like this and welfare. i dont care if you use drugs, but if you do, dont suck off the government teat!!

[ponta2147]

I was thinking about it and realized... my real problem with the article isn't that more and more people are going on food stamps (economy bad, jobs tanking yadda yadda) but this "being on food stamps is nothing to be ashamed of" attitude that they were talking about.

I mean... it kind of is. At least you should feel a bit guilty, or anxious to pull yourself out of it and not be on them anymore. There should be a stigma. As soon as it goes from feeling like something shameful to feeling like something necessary, it's not a far leap to feeling entitled to it.

[1BADG6GT]

Some help... no biggie... living off it... another story...

kaymo... drug testing... there are ways around it and agreed people need to take ANY jobs available... I hate when people say... eww Mcdonald hell no... wallyworld ewww.. get a phukin job!!!

OH BTW... I know a liquor store who takes foodstamps for beer...

[kaymo]

well yeah theres ways around everything, but it would cut back definatley

[Ringo64]

I completely agree that you should feel kinda ashamed and need to be more motivated to get off "Food Stamps" and all governmental help. Another thing is if your on Food Stamps they should only work for store generic items. I have to buy these because I'm poor yet not poor enough to have Food Stamps so I think they should as well. I have a whole list of things against the government for being too lenient on people with economical issues because either they're too lazy to work or they having spending issues. In case both are for this woman at my moms work, she drives a brand new Escalade and is on welfare yet to mention her husband doesn't work. Yet to mention she always buy things for all the co-workers, WTF!!! Why do these people get to drive Escalades and nicer cars then people like my family that are just barely getting by.

The government just makes me mad more ways then one because of their stupidity and thinking that the problem will just go away. The problem is they're throwing too much money at people and they're like "Hey I don't need to work, I'll just scam my fellow American. It'll be awesome!"

I'll stop before this just turns into another rant thread

[Sam]

Maybe because they went to ART SCHOOL!

[markpetersonii]

Some help... no biggie... living off it... another story...

Maybe because they went to ART SCHOOL!

['86_TransAM]

Maybe because they went to ART SCHOOL!

I actually am attending an art school... I don't see any problems with that. where do you think designs for your cars come from... the car fairy?

I do however work at Publix, in the bakery and had someone with food stamps ask if they were good for gourmet desserts... *face palm*

[[ChaosweaveR]]

I actually am attending an art school... I don't see any problems with that. where do you think designs for your cars come from... the car fairy?

Art is one thing, car designs are more of a technical skill. I did some classes in HS and college (DDP = Design & Drawing for Production) and there isn't much of an art skill to it, it's very technical, and you're constantly putting out measurements for what part you're drawing, and how it'll be built on the full scale model. While I did have fun with it, I found it easier to just get the materials and make whatever came to mind. Not only did I have some of the niftiest designs, other students were constantly pestering me for help.

[ponta2147]

' date='Mar 18 2010, 08:54 AM' post='17741']

Art is one thing, car designs are more of a technical skill.

In terms of concept cars, there's probably a pretty good overlap with Industrial Design, which is something you do go to art school for. (Industrial design is the design of 3-D things, anywhere from products to furniture to vehicles). An industrial designer has to work with all the technical-types to make sure the thing would actually be feasible, but there is some "art" involved.

I too went to "art school" technically (or at least an art major at a state school) but I majored in the "sellout" field of Graphic Design (as opposed to Fine Art or Art History or something)... hey, sellout=money!

[Mariachi]

You know, i hate being on food stamps. I am not on them now but man they helped me out when i needed them though. i take food stamps seriously and for emergencies only. Hell... I pay taxes too and know where that money is coming from. I do have help medical wise from the government but thats bcuz i can't afford regular insurance. I am still ashamed of using it but hey, when the kids are sick, thank god i have that insurance to use instead of having nothing and not be able to afford to cure my kids if they are sick.

I also hate it when people that DO NOT need food stamps are out sellin their food stamps for money. THATS BS!!!! Give the food stamps to someone who REALLY needs it and will use it for good. JEEZ WHAT IS THE US COMING TO?!?!?!?!

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Money is king, and people will do anything to make themselves more wealthy. I'm disgusted by our society's obsession with money.

[Mariachi]

but like they all say, MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND! lol

[Sam]

I actually am attending an art school... I don't see any problems with that. where do you think designs for your cars come from... the car fairy?

I do however work at Publix, in the bakery and had someone with food stamps ask if they were good for gourmet desserts... *face palm*

I'm not talking about people that actually take passion in art school and take technical courses. I'm talking about the idiots that don't know what they want to do for a career and just go to the community college and sign up for 5 art classes and get a gen-ed degree with nothing to use it on.

Case and point my buddy. Has no motivation, or desire to do anything. Parents made him go to college so he got an art degree. He works at a gas station and complain about not having money or a good job.

My view maybe biased. But everyone I see personally with an art degree just gets one to say they have some sort of degree.

[Ringo64]

3 People were just arrested today in Naples and Ft. Myers (Florida, where I am) for allowing Food Stamps to be used at their stores for alcohol, smoking products and lottery tickets lol.

[Sam]

3 People were just arrested today in Naples and Ft. Myers (Florida, where I am) for allowing Food Stamps to be used at their stores for alcohol, smoking products and lottery tickets lol.

so much for the basic needs.

[Mariachi]

that seems to be the basic need for those in "stress" lol