Sounds like a good idea.
MAGA - Trump welfare cuts will hurt the poor
- Thread starter Spike Trader
- Start date
Sounds like a good idea.
This brings about the whole national ID debate, same as voting.
Here are some of my additional thoughts on "food security" issues in low income households in a previous post - https://www.elitetrader.com/et/thre...rampant-gao-report.286077/page-2#post-4014604
There is a significant issue with a parent or guardian trading the family EBT benefits for drugs, alcohol, or cash instead of feeding the children. Many of the children only get fed from the free lunch programs at schools - and never get much at home because the pantry is empty. The school that my wife works at sends home backpacks with food (from a private program) for many children on Friday afternoon -- hoping they will have something to eat over the weekend.
The problem is that the United States Department of Agriculture may show that about 45 percent of food stamp benefits went to children under 18, totaling about 20 million youngsters. However in reality in many of these households the food is not reaching the youngsters.
The question is how to eliminate the fraud in the EBT system and make sure these children are being fed with the food stamp money.
There is a significant issue with a parent or guardian trading the family EBT benefits for drugs, alcohol, or cash instead of feeding the children. Many of the children only get fed from the free lunch programs at schools - and never get much at home because the pantry is empty. The school that my wife works at sends home backpacks with food (from a private program) for many children on Friday afternoon -- hoping they will have something to eat over the weekend.
The problem is that the United States Department of Agriculture may show that about 45 percent of food stamp benefits went to children under 18, totaling about 20 million youngsters. However in reality in many of these households the food is not reaching the youngsters.
The question is how to eliminate the fraud in the EBT system and make sure these children are being fed with the food stamp money.
When you apply for Food Stamps (SNAP) the preferred way of establishing your identity is with a picture ID -- even thought there are alternative methods. Seeing that you must apply in person -- why not have the government office simply simply take your picture - and place your picture on your EBT card, or give you both an EBT Card and SNAP Photo ID card.
These would be required when making am EBT purchase.
Well I don’t think the problem of fraud is as widespread as you may believe. I think the real problem with our nutrition programs is the junk and luxury foods you can buy with it.
Now the countervailing argument is that is too much government control of people’s decision making but we already do this with WIC. The real problem are the bid food company lobbyists that want the money.
I think if the program only allowed for “whole foods “ we would see better nutrition outcomes and maybe even less fraud. After all, healthy nutrition is the desired result of the program.
While you bring up additional issues -- I don't believe you can dismiss the fraud in EBT programs. North Carolina has at least 8% fraud in Food Stamps as announced by our state HHS department. Other states have far higher percentages.
At this point I can support limiting the ability of EBT to not pay for luxury foods; however I cannot support limiting EBT to not pay for "junk" food. The reason for this is that some children will tend to not eat if "junk" food is not part of the menu. The easiest example of this is when school lunch programs went to only providing "healthy" choices (thanks Michelle) then most of the food in the cafeteria went into the garbage. Kids want to eat pizza and things they enjoy, not someone else's concept of healthy food.
Limiting EBT to some third party's definition of healthy food will be work just as good as not feeding the kids at all.
The best way in my opinion to move low income households towards healthy foods is to provide deep discount coupons for healthy items (with the rebates effectively being provided by the food mfg/distributors) as part of the EBT program when purchased with an EBT card. Also provide additional awards each quarter for buying some level of healthy items with an EBT (cash or something).
How would someone come across ads like those on Craigslist? Hmmm
Yeah, no. I would rather they eat luxury foods than junk food so I guess this is where we part ways.
Also, I highly doubt the fraud rate is anywhere near 8%. Do you have a source?
You want people on food stamps to eat more expensive food than people who buy with their own money?