Republican States Want To Tell Poor People What They Can Eat
[su_publirb]
Just because you get food stamps, the government should not get in the way of what a person purchases. Poverty is not a reason for more government intervention in personal lives.
“It’s not meant to shame anyone or be punitive,” Wisconsin state Rep. Robert Brooks, who is pushing the bill, said. The proposed legislation follows a bill in Missouri that prohibited SNAP to be used for purchasing energy drinks, steak, seafood and other food items. The bill, which went through the state Assembly last week, would require a federal waiver in order to introduce such changes to the program. Chances of the waiver being granted, according to Fox News, are slim.
“It would make sense for the federal government to adopt new guidelines but they don’t,” Brooks said, adding that regardless of the bill’s success it’s still important to “drive the conversation.”
“We’re saying at least two-thirds of the food should come from a list of nutritional items that the government has already said it recommends,” Brooks said of the proposed restrictions. “The other one-third can be spent on whatever else they want to.”Taryn Rozenkranz, CEO of digital strategy company New Blue Interactive, said she feels as though the effort put into enacting such a measure could be better utilized elsewhere.
“I do think it’s a distraction and a waste of time for us to kind of try to home in on what’s in people’s grocery carts,” Rosenkranz said. “You are balancing a lot of things here… of which I am not sure we have all the answers to in order to try to legislate it and legislate what’s in people’s shopping carts.” Rosenkranz argued that lawmakers should spend more time dealing with the “war on poverty” and “really try to find ways to help the poor.”
[su_facebook]
[su_center_ad]
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker May 24th, 2015 at 8:04 am
Conservatives always like to make headlines punching down on the poor with their “small government”.
Yeah, small enough to fit into a uterus and small enough to follow every single man woman and child to the grocery store.
Hirightnow May 24th, 2015 at 8:11 am
Rick Brattin, the representative who is sponsoring the proposed legislation in Missouri, said “My intention wasn’t to get rid of canned tuna and fish sticks.”
(You know…two of the worst ways to consume seafood.)
“I have seen people purchasing filet mignons and crab legs with their
EBT cards,” he said. “When I can’t afford it on my pay, I don’t want
people on the taxpayer’s dime to afford those kinds of foods either.”
Two words, Rick: Prove it.
allison1050 May 24th, 2015 at 8:21 am
He’s an mfin liar when he said that he saw people purchasing filet mignong and crab legs with their cards.
Dwendt44 May 24th, 2015 at 4:46 pm
This idiocy stems from the imaginary ‘welfare queen’ Lord Reagan spouted off about.
Nobody has seen has seen her, but they know she’s out there.
BigDumbWhiteGuy May 24th, 2015 at 10:13 pm
He’s also said that he couldn’t imagine spending $1,000/month on food, that he’d just have to start throwing stuff in the cart if he had to spend that much in a month. He’s married w/ 5 kids. Something tells me he doesn’t do the grocery shopping.
ohpaleasegivemeabreak May 25th, 2015 at 10:54 am
He can’t prove it because it’s a lie.
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker May 24th, 2015 at 8:21 am
Let’s look at the numbers and where our tax dollars go.
This should be a mandatory graphic posted when and conservative opens his mouth.
Just like the graphic that says that the Hoover Dam, police, the US Military, firemen and the interstate highway system are all examples of socialist programs.
William May 24th, 2015 at 8:34 am
Looks like this twit is trying to start another urban legend.
The sad reality is that there very cheap foods that over time contribute to horrific health issues and obesity.
If I were going to discourage certain items from EBT card purchases, Ramon noodles and pop tarts would be on the list.
To a point I agree that we are not getting the most bang for our buck.
The GOP mantra is to go after poor people, unions or anything that will distract from the real welfare queens.
ohpaleasegivemeabreak May 25th, 2015 at 10:50 am
Why are republicans focusing on that 10 cents per day?
Easy
HATE
Budda May 24th, 2015 at 8:47 am
While they are at it lets have someone check everybody’s shopping cart on the way out. Anyone who appears the slightest overweight..no cookies for you! A twelve pack of beer… oh no, you are obviously an alcoholic All those fruits and vegetables…what are you a vegan?..think of the poor cattle ranchers.
tracey marie May 24th, 2015 at 10:10 am
ground beef but no steak. When will these same polititions realize that many poor people do not have access to grocery stores, that buying a steak, round steak is cheaper then unsafe ground beef, less fat and healthier.
tigerp May 24th, 2015 at 10:27 am
never
tracey marie May 24th, 2015 at 10:36 am
Sad and infuriating, yet theses same types would howl if they had to pay a single penny more for their medicare or lose their ability to eat steak with SS funds.
ohpaleasegivemeabreak May 25th, 2015 at 10:50 am
What’s worse is the INSANE ban on BULK dried beans.
WTF? I get it about the Death By White Rice but not bulk dried beans. I’m guessing that buying in bulk something that ‘keeps’ readily so that the poor can stretch their benefits farther is the reason – can NOT have the not starving for at least part of the month.
tracey marie May 25th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I did not know that fact, I thought that would be a no brainer.
eyelashviper May 24th, 2015 at 10:22 am
Coming from the party that wails about government overreach, this is another example of their hypocrisy and violation of the rights of citizens who happen to be poor, dark skinned, or have names they cannot pronounce.
Let these legislators eat spam and catfood, with a side order of cheetos….all produced in China, of course.
ExPFCWintergreen May 24th, 2015 at 10:31 am
“Small government.” “Liberty.” Uh-huh.
rg9rts May 24th, 2015 at 12:51 pm
Wait till you catch them peeking into your bedroom!
rg9rts May 24th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Think it will fly with the feds picking up the tab?? Wait till the see how expensive it is to try to monitor a plan like that..
KillAllTheRednecks . May 24th, 2015 at 3:16 pm
Seems that these rightards want the Government in everything in our lives BUT in the government.
ohpaleasegivemeabreak May 25th, 2015 at 10:47 am
The COMPUTERS police it.
Ever paid any attention to those pesky little boxes full of lines? They SCAN them with their magic wand and the magic wand tells them what the item is and if it qualifies as food under the SNAP program. If it does not, the SNAP benefits card will not pay for it and the cashier will ask for the cash or DC or CC to cover the cost of non-food items and if the buyer can not pay for them with one of those methods, they have to PUT IT BACK.
Wisconsin wants to have BULK DRIED BEANS put on that list of banned foods.
Makes absolutely no sense unless you are a republican who wants to be sure that they have to buy a SINGLE SERVE size so it will cost them more of their benefits so the benefits will not stretch as far.
There is NO OTHER REASON TO BAN BULK DRIED BEANS – they are EXTREMELY healthy so it’s a lie that they are trying to ban bad food.
Their entire purpose in life is to punish the poor.
Dwendt44 May 25th, 2015 at 4:12 pm
And that’s only one of the many stupid ideas they have for restricting SNAP use.