Saturday, October 23, 2010

More money same benefit?


So did you know it is becoming a lot easier to get food stamps in some states? Since 2007 requirements for food stamps have gotten easier to meet in 30 states. This might explain why at this point in time we have a record number of 42 million people relying on them.

Just one example listed in the article, although on the higher end of the spectrum, is Hawaii. Here the limit for earning food stamps is $59,328 a year. Compare this to the pre-Oct. 1 limit of $38,568 and you see quite an increase.

In all the number of people on food stamps has risen dramatically. In May of 2007 only 27 million people were participating in the program. That number has increased by 70% to current levels where 1 in 8 Americans are in the program.

As for the program, it provides families a per person average of $133 dollars per month. This money can be used to buy diet staple foods such as bread, milk, fruits, and vegetables. On the other hand the program has been a big target of Republicans this mid-term season. Republicans are calling it just another federal entitlement program that could be cut back as result of Republican policies to create jobs.

Anyways, what do you think of the food stamp program? I mean personally I believe it is a great program that allows family to spend money on things other than food. I also do not like the Republicans targeting it because it is such a widely used and beneficial program. But maybe it has become to easy for it to be accessed? I don't know what do y'all think of the situation?

4 comments:

Anjana Amirapu said...

This is definitely a complicated issue. On one hand, the cost of living has risen like crazy in the past decade or two alone. Even middle class and upper middle class feel the pinch sometimes. If the state can help out, why not take some of that help. On the other hand, people drive Mercedes and own more than one house while saying they are in dire need of help from the state. A good number seem to take advantage of this program. Its like the reduced student-lunch thing all over again. It is unfair that some people who can clearly feed themselves use this system, but then again, we are looking on the outside at them, who are we to judge whether they need it or not.
Finally, I think that while it is good that food stamp qualifications are more lax, I think that the state should try and ask more questions of those who seem like they could be hiding income sources just to qualify for this program. And, we should think about the amount of money that food stamps provide. $133 dollars is how much the average middle class family eats in a week, let alone a month (I remember this from some TIME article I read a year ago). Its not like we are giving Fresh Choice buffets to half the state every day. Republicans are only prissy about this because they see that money as a viable source for tax breaks to go to the Caribbean Sea with. (I'm biased as you can tell) Hey? If we can give food to more people than argue about lower taxes, which is never going to happen, that's good to me.

Rashmi said...

I think that Anjana raises a good point: many of the people who are on food stamps are actually spending money on second houses and Mercedes cars. To curb this outrageous abuse of our government program, I think that there need to be more regulations on the food stamp program. For example, people who are using food stamps should be required to show that they actually still need food stamps; if they are capable of saving money for houses and cars, they don't need food stamps. This increase in the number of people using food stamps is not a good thing for society, as it decreases incentive for people to actually work hard and earn money; people just become dependent on the government to provide for them. Maybe funding for food stamps should be decreased by a little bit, so that only those who need it most will get it, and those that are abusing it can be removed from the system.

Michelle Bunarjo said...

I definitely think that the food stamp program should be better regulated. It's a really beneficial program for those who actually need help from the government and has probably helped countless people that truly would not be able to support themselves without the program, but it doesn't help people from looking long term. Eventually these people on food stamps would want to earn enough money to support themselves and their family, but if it is so easy to be qualified in this program, more and more people will look into the food stamp program as an easy way out instead of working to get out of the program. I found it pretty shocking when I read that 1 out of 8 people are in the program, but it could be due to the fact that the food stamp program is quite lenient and more and more people are seen as qualified because the limit for earning food stamps is rising.

Ariana Sacchi said...

I agree with Roslee in the sense that I don't think that Republicans should be getting involved with the program. Then again, politians get involved in everything that goes on in the country, whether it's political or not!! They always find a way to interfere with the things that go on in society. I think that this is a good program that has helped many families so that they are able to buy food and other necessities.
I hope the program continues on serving citizens throughout the country in such a positive way that more people can benefit from it, especially during the recession that's going on.