On Nov 22, 8:20*am, George M. Middius > wrote:
> Bryan wrote:
> > This is what I posted to Facebook yesterday:
>
> > I told a guy off today in line at Shop'n Save. He offered to pay for
> > my groceries with his SNAP card because he wanted the cash. Anyone who
> > knows me knows that I am a huge supporter of "food stamps." I hate the
> > idea of letting folks go hungry. When I see people abusing the
> > program, it really ****es me off.
>
> How much of a discount did he offer you? Around here, it's at least
> 33%, up to 50%.
>
> > I'd like to see the SNAP program extended to more families, but
> > narrowed to exclude foods that are patently unhealthy, and I think
> > that such a change could garner bipartisan support. Liberals will
> > object, but sensible ones will realize that this type of reform will
> > benefit those who are down on their luck by incentivizing better
> > eating habits. Conservatives will object because it means expanding
> > the social safety net, but moderates don't want to see folks buying
> > cookies and soda pop with govt. benefits.
>
> I consider myself progressive, and I object because it's nanny-state
> policy. Do you embrace what Bloomberg did in NYC with large sodas?
> Also, your plan would impose a burden on merchants because they'd all
> have to purchase an ad-hoc software update with the new categories of
> food.

If they accept WIC, they already have that. WIC is very restrictive.
Each state sets its own restrictions within certain federal
guidelines.
Here is Virginia's:
http://www.vahealth.org/dcn/Publicat...odlist_web.pdf
Here is California's:
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicw...5-2011.pdf.pdf
Here's Florida's:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/wi...s_eng_1-12.pdf

I'm not suggesting anywhere near as restrictive as the WIC programs,
but somewhere in between.
>
> > I'd love to see a person with a shopping cart full of veggies, eggs,
> > meats, cheeses, milk, bread, peanut butter, fruits, beans, whole
> > grains, etc. pay for them with a SNAP card. That would make me proud
> > to be a taxpayer, but when I see folks using SNAP benefits to buy
> > patently unhealthful junk food, even my progressive self is offended.
>
> They can't have even a little junk food? Say, 5% of the monthly
> allowance? Don't be such a grinch.

They can buy junk food if they have unsubsidized money to do so, but
no, no subsidizing crap. Restricting eligible items to those that are
at least reasonably healthful would be a wiser use of *limited* funds,
and I think it's safe to assume, would increase the percentage of the
population who view SNAP positively.

--Bryan