From snopes.com forum: Food stamp receipt

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Comment: Grocery receipt. Read it carefully This receipt was found in
the parking lot of the grocery store. Menominee, Michigan.

Doesn't this give you a warm fuzzy knowing those who have to solicit
governmental assistance are able to eat well this weekend...

The card should be limited to beans, rice, milk and fresh veggies

There is then a picture of a receipt showing lobster and steak purchased using foodstamps.

It doesn't cost the taxpayer any more for a food stamp recipient to buy $141.78 of steak and lobster than it does for hir to buy $141.78 of "beans, rice, milk and fresh veggies." People only get so much a month in food stamps. If they use it all on lobster and steak, they won't have it to buy other things. So long as the people making the decision to use the food stamps that way are the only ones suffering, what difference does it make?

Now, if other family members are going hungry because somebody ate steak and lobster, that's a problem.

I think the idea is that food stamps funding should be setup so that the person can get just enough staple food to not starve to death. If there is any money beyond that, then they are getting too much food stamp money.

Also, everyone on food stamps is stupid and must be told what is the correct food for them to buy.

Perhaps this person saved up for a while knowing that there was an uber-special event happening, such as a graduation or anniversary and saved their pennies for staples to last the rest of the month, leaving them able to splurge one time for a special dinner?

No. It doesn't surprise me. People suck and they hate those poorer then themselves.

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=73425
 

[vesta111]

There is then a picture of a receipt showing lobster and steak purchased using foodstamps.

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=73425
 

I have never had food stamps but the problem I saw 30 years ago with them was that all the over weight really big folks that used them were buying mostly carbohydrates, noodles, pasta, junk food and what ever to keep their belly full.   

They would sell the left overs for cash for toilet paper, shoes for the kids, laundry supplies, personal hygiene products  The kids were sent out with twine, a bucket and a chicken neck to catch crabs in the river.

For celebrations a block party or what ever, here is how I saw this come down a few times. 

Who ever was hosting the party collected donations from those attending in cash, then they found someone to go to the military commissary with a food stamp book, didn't have a card back then and buy the supplies, they were reimbursed the cost of the supplies in cash. 

A win-win for everyone, It was a BYO for drinks, but the cost of paper plates plastic forks and spoons and everyone bringing in a pot luck dish, A donated cooker for a pig picken and big buckets for a peanut boil, Boiled river crabs-------In the middle of a hot muggy summer these events helped calm down the frustration that  those have in a big city, gave people something to look forward to. 

I would assume that something of this kind was going on when someone bought the Lobster and Steak with a food card.

Survival in the city for those with no hope, education, Also, I must say I was surprised at the number of Military family's that qualified for food stamps.

Was not just the poor, I ran into woman in the commissary from the Captains wife on down that had bought for 60 cents on the dollar  food stamps buying tons of goodies for a Crew party. 

Long ago I did buy food stamps at full price from crew members wives for cash to pay bills, pay rent, school clothes for the kids and personal needs.   

Now you can jump on me for doing this-----BAD Vesta, but today things have not changed that much, our in listed waiting 3 years for base housing and very low pay for risking their lives have now at least 20 centers that collect coupons for the lower ranks to use at the commissary in conjunction with their food cards. The coupons do not to be up to date, they will accept Coupons 6+ months out of date.

Nothing is black or white, most of life has gray areas and people have to make a choice to obey strict regulations or get around them.   

Don't forget I am a Yankee and my roots are in the Underground Railway, not to mention the Rum runners that gave some of my family indoors plumbing.   Hell We Yankees revolted at one time against the Great British Empire, ran the bastards out of town and country.
     

 

[NHSparky]

Congrats, vesta.  You just managed to make a STUPIDER comment than any of those found on the snopes thread.

I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[Chris_]

[DumbAss Tanker]

I suppose the one positive is that at least the loser actually bought food with them.

 

Vesta, your info on how low junior enlisted pay is may be a little out of date.  I challenge you to find an entry-level position anywhere else, with absolutely zero experience required and only a HS diploma for education quals, that pays anywhere remotely near as good or has anything close to a competitive benefits package. 

[compaqxp]

I still find the "Life is full of choices" thing on the bottom funny, considering something was bought with food stamps or whatever they're called now.

[vesta111]

I suppose the one positive is that at least the loser actually bought food with them.

 

Vesta, your info on how low junior enlisted pay is may be a little out of date.  I challenge you to find an entry-level position anywhere else, with absolutely zero experience required and only a HS diploma for education quals, that pays anywhere remotely near as good or has anything close to a competitive benefits package. 

Ok Mr Tank, that is not difficult, I find zero that demands  uprooting a family every few years to move to far away places, to leave family there for months at a time to fend for themselves, no jobs that hold the worker responsible for actions of family they have been away from for months.

   Sailor, controll your wife and kids, wife is bouncing checks and kids selling drugs.  Request for leave to go home denied, we need you here. 

Sub pulls into port after 3+ month patrol and Red cross is waiting on the dock, Every crew member gets that got awful lump of fear his name Will be called to be informed of a death in the family while he was gone.

Military know their family, be they married or not may NEED him but he cannot go to them if there has been a disaster unless they are in a job that can be filled the next day.   

 Few civilian jobs without benefits place this as a job requirement. 

-------Welcome to Burger King, We have a wonderful benefit package to make up for low pay, We are sending you to Iraq for 9 months, when you return you will get a 30 day leave and then go back to Iraq go back for another 9 months.   BTW--Your wife got a DUI a month ago, you have to either controll her or get rid of the bitch.

Bull shit Tank, it is the low entrants into the military that need to be paid their worth and keep them aware of their value. One can not compair a civilion with a HS diploma working in the civilian world to the kids that are being shot at, see friends killed and live on the edge.

The pay for the low and even the middle to over the top military is a disgrace, those with desk jobs, family's in the immediate area are paid the same as someone laying in a mound of sand being shot at.

The military has to up the pay for the lower ranks, I was a Chiefs wife for years and the crap I saw coming down on Hubby's people was a heart breaker.   

 

[JohnnyReb]

Frankly, I think the lobster and steak were probably bought for resell. Those being the things that would get the foodstamp user more than 50% of purchase price.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Ok Mr Tank, that is not difficult, I find zero that demands  uprooting a family every few years to move to far away places, to leave family there for months at a time to fend for themselves, no jobs that hold the worker responsible for actions of family they have been away from for months.

You don't know very much about real jobs, do you?

ETA - Or for that matter, what military life is like now as opposed to 30 years ago.

[renewal2012]

the receipt may or may not be real. Photoshopping is a rather common skill these days.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

the receipt may or may not be real. Photoshopping is a rather common skill these days.

Yeah, but the stupidity is 100% authentic.

[Wineslob]

Wow, if real, people on food stamps eat better than I can afford to.  NEAT!   



















 

[NHSparky]

You don't know very much about real jobs, do you?

ETA - Or for that matter, what military life is like now as opposed to 30 years ago.

Navy Relief existed 30 years ago too.

Frankly, I shudder to think how Vestanumbers would have survived with a couple of kids with a husband in heavy construction, oil, utilities, etc., like my father was.

[Chris_]

All the information that we have here is that somebody bought steak and lobster with food stamps.

We don't know the circumstances, or the motive, or anything else, we just know that it happened.

I think the Christian thing to do here would be not to pass judgement, especially since we don't have any idea how this came about.

[compaqxp]

All the information that we have here is that somebody bought steak and lobster with food stamps.

We don't know the circumstances, or the motive, or anything else, we just know that it happened.

I think the Christian thing to do here would be not to pass judgement, especially since we don't have any idea how this came about.

Good thing I'm not Christian because I am going to judge provided this is real. Can you think of any situation where it would be acceptable to buy stuff like that though the food stamp/card (whatever it's called in the US) program?

[Rebel]

the receipt may or may not be real. Photoshopping is a rather common skill these days.

Just one problem, I'm not saying it's real, but I wouldn't be surprised AT ALL. I worked at Kroger in Jackson, Ms. in HS. These leeches would buy the BEST meat, while people paying cash were buying the 2-day old "quick sale", and would NOT bag their own groceries. They also were DAMNED sure not about to cart their own groceries out to their cars. Their cars? ALL late models. Yes, I HAVE carted out buggies to Cadillacs. I f'n drove a damn '68 GMC my mother had an '87 Camry and my father had an '86 Mazda. This was in '88. ...and their shit was brand new. BTW, my parents lived within their means. Mom was a nurse, dad in sales. How in the HELL does that happen? We're not trying to help these people because the shit we're doing ISN'T helping them. It's creating a voter bloc that's paid JUST to vote! Call me the board asshole, but I think if people don't want to work, and only want to get entitlements, they should be airdropped into a jungle on a deserted island and be left to DIE. They offer NOTHING to society.

THIS is what you Damn libs have created. You've conditioned an entire culture. You should be proud of yourselves, you Pavlov-clone sons'a'bitches.

[Chris_]

Good thing I'm not Christian because I am going to judge provided this is real. Can you think of any situation where it would be acceptable to buy stuff like that though the food stamp/card (whatever it's called in the US) program?

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/eligible.htm

From the website:

You are here: Home > SNAP > Retailers
 
 
 
Eligible Food Items
Households CAN use SNAP benefits to buy:

 Foods for the household to eat, such as:
  -- breads and cereals; 
  -- fruits and vegetables; 
  -- meats, fish and poultry; and 
  -- dairy products. 
 Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.
 

In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.

Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:

 Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco;
 Any nonfood items, such as:
 
  -- pet foods; 
  -- soaps, paper products; and 
  -- household supplies. 
 Vitamins and medicines.
 
 Food that will be eaten in the store.
 
 Hot foods.
 

Additional Information

“Junk Food” & Luxury Items
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) defines eligible food as any food or food product for home consumption and also includes seeds and plants which produce food for consumption by SNAP households. The Act precludes the following items from being purchased with SNAP benefits:  alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, hot food and any food sold for on-premises consumption. Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, medicines and vitamins, household supplies, grooming items, and cosmetics, also are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
 

 Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items
 Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes are also food items and are therefore eligible items
 
  Since the current definition of food is a specific part of the Act, any change to this definition would require action by a member of Congress. Several times in the history of SNAP, Congress had considered placing limits on the types of food that could be purchased with program benefits. However, they concluded that designating foods as luxury or non-nutritious would be administratively costly and burdensome. Further detailed information about the challenges of restricting the use of SNAP benefits can be found here:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/menu/Published/snap/FILES/ProgramOperations/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf

 
 
 

[whiffleball]

However, they concluded that designating foods as luxury or non-nutritious would be administratively costly and burdensome. Further detailed information about the challenges of restricting the use of SNAP benefits can be found here:

Funny, when the program first started they had absolutely no problem restricting food items.   Recipients even had classes that offered cooking lessons and ways to stretch their food stamp purchases.  The policy change was most likely due to pressure from 'compassionate' folks not wanting to deny food stamp users the right to luxury and convenience foods, thereby allowing the users to blow their ration within the first week of the month.  Yeah, that made sense.

[JohnnyReb]

  The policy change was most likely due to pressure from 'compassionate' folks not wanting to deny food stamp users the right to luxury and convenience foods, thereby allowing the users to blow their ration within the first week of the month.  Yeah, that made sense.

When has any liberal or government run touchy-feelly program ever made sense?

[Rebel]

Buying $141.78 worth of lobster, steak and Mountain Dew with a Bridge card violates no laws or rules.

But turning around and selling the stuff for 50 percent of its value, well ... that's a different matter.
Louis Wayne Cuff, a 33-year-old Menominee man was arraigned in 95th District Court in Menominee last week for food stamp trafficking, a felony. Cuff's arrest resulted from a month-long joint investigation by the State Department of Human Services' Inspector General and the Menominee County Sheriff's Department. Cuff allegedly bought the lobster, steak and Mountain Dew and resold it for 50 cents on the dollar.


http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110607/NEWS01/106070329/-1/RSS13

[Eupher]

Whaddya say about THAT one, stelz?

Gonna defend THAT kind of shit?

Good job, Reb, in birddogging that story. h5

[mamacags]

I actually stood in line behind some girl buying lobster with her food stamps card once.  It pissed me off to no end.  Ask any cashier at any grocery store if they see it happen and they will tell you how bad it is.  This isn't something that is rare.

[Chris_]

Whaddya say about THAT one, stelz?

Gonna defend THAT kind of shit?

Good job, Reb, in birddogging that story. h5

Why would I defend it?

None of that information was available in the OP, so no reason to join the mob at that time. Now, yes, the guy appears to be guilty and will face prosecution.

I would still be more concerned about corporate welfare and bailouts than some clown flipping a few food stamps, though.

[seahorse513]

What makes me ill, is when a couple with very small children in the carriage are buying junk food upon junkfood, bragging about the party they are having....

I work in retail, i see it all the time. WIC, is very strict about things you can buy, i wish EBT cards were too...

[Eupher]

I would still be more concerned about corporate welfare and bailouts than some clown flipping a few food stamps, though.

Even after it's been demonstrated that this isn't just a single clown flipping a few food stamps? That it's more than just a single clown? That there's a whole freakin' circus full of clowns all buying lobster with taxpayer money?

Granted, the dollar impact for some clown buying lobster and selling it doesn't equate to a $14 trillion deficit, but fraud is fraud.

When we're done with the food stamps, I think we oughta go after Congress' Crackberry phones. They can get along with a plain jane phone just fine.