The pain inflicted upon the American people is above partisanship. It's about FOOD now.

HOUSE VOTES TO CUT FOOD STAMPS BY $2 BILLION

So reads the headline on this story and so I'm outraged by it. How dare these little rodents in the GOP even pretend to speak for anyone in the average level of society right now. How dare they even try! I've got a list as long as my arm of what the OTHER side has done to hurt our great nation but it's not a Right/Left thing and this shows it as clear as anything.

Our nation is hurting. We're looking at running incredible debt to all time record levels for any nation, any time in human history. Some estimates put the combined 2013 total to be around 2 Trillion Dollars. That's debt. For ONE YEAR. We've seen this happen from both parties. Unemployment is still riding high and damn near crippling in many areas of the nation. Ask Detroit, Stockton, Yuma or El Centro how getting a job looks these days.

What do the GOP do? What is their BIG solution to this? Hey, we have too many hungry people out there! Let's solve it by just wiping them off the food support programs like SNAP (Food Stamps) and make life all the harder for those who DO remain on them at all. Not because anything has gotten better but because the GOP have become cold hearted trolls, every bit the equal of any OTHER group or party in Washington.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted on Wednesday to cut food stamps by $2 billion a year as part of a wide-ranging farm bill.

The chamber rejected 234-188 a Democratic amendment to the five-year, half-trillion-dollar farm legislation that would have maintained current spending on food stamps, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The overall bill cuts the $80 billion-a-year program by about 3 percent and makes it harder for some people to qualify.

At this rate, I may never vote for a Republican for a damn thing again. EVER.

Many conservatives have said the food stamp cuts do not go far enough since the program has doubled in cost in the last five years and now feeds 1 in 7 Americans. Liberals have argued against any reductions, contending the House plan could take as many as 2 million needy recipients off the rolls. The White House has threatened a veto over the food stamp cuts.

There is a REASON so many are on food stamps! HALF of it sits in the White House.....but the OTHER half sits in control of the House and won't deem it worthy of their precious time to even WRITE a budget for this nation. Year after Year, we go without even a basic budget as mandated by the Constitution and as one of the ONLY specific duties that IS mandated specifically. Oh, but this wasn't enough for them. They had to do more.

Other amendments chipped away at the program. The House adopted by voice vote an amendment to require drug tests for SNAP recipients, angering Democrats who said the tests would be demeaning to people who apply for the food aid. Lawmakers also adopted by voice vote an amendment that would end a 2004 U.S.-Mexico agreement to educate Mexican-Americans about food stamps. More amendments are expected to try and scale back the program.

Source

This is like saying we're going to do away with poor people by redefining the scale which sets the definition of poor! !

I KNOW people on these programs and it's all that gets them one month to the next right now. Some of our Military families are on these programs! It's all that keeps them and their kids properly fed in this hard times we're all living through. HOW DARE THEY?!

These programs DO need reforms. Absolutely and 100% NO question about that. HOWEVER, when we are spending over SIX HUNDRED BILLION on Military (and a fraction actually pays or equips the men in it) and over ONE HUNDRED BILLION on intelligence to SPY ON US? I think patting themselves on the back like fat cats that just saved the world, over a 2 billion dollar savings that literally comes from the dinner plates of Americans in need is disgusting and obscene.

This should harden others as well. Vote these worthless slugs out of office and lets HAVE some of those budget cuts. Starting with the salaries of THESE men. Each and every last one of them!

It's all about profits for the shareholders. Nothing else matters. Either you make a profit (which is now defined as growing) or you lose.

There was a time when making a profit had nothing to do with growth. It simply meant you were in the black and had money enough to pay your employees a good wage, an occasional bonus, and some benefits.

Those days are gone.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

the GOP have become cold hearted trolls

Main reason I am no longer a Republican. And from what I see their hatred is only growing.

As far as the food stamps, I agree the program needs revamping. However, this is not the time to slash benefits. People are hurting and the idiots in DC have no clue how much.

Peace

reply to post by MsAphrodite

You hit the nail on the head. That's all that matters in business today. And the thirst for those profits has led to a lot of unethical and criminal behavior, to the detriment of our economy.

I hope the food stamp cut-backs hinder the.... "I don't have to worry about the consequences of sleeping around, the tax payers will be my baby's daddy," mentality that is crippling the soul of our society. Too many women are happily sleeping around without a second thought regarding the integrity of the man.... will he be a good father.... a good provider? Nope, it doesn't matter, just hike up the taxes on the working-class to cover it all.

For how many honest folk you may know on food stamps that are justified for the help they receive,... I know many, many more who are professional baby factories. Just keep popping out the babies because they know it'll get them more "gov'ment cheese", more social program awards, vouchers, and tax breaks.

I want to see the professional baby factories and the "who cares about a father, I got gov'ment cheese" women extremely hindered by this OP.

I'm all for compassion and helping others,.... but the "baby-daddy" mentality is a stench I can not get used to. Not on the dime of those who work their butts off trying to make an honest living.

McDonald's is always hiring.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


another thing you forgot to mention is the enormous amount of money that we give to other nations, or the UN.
keep that money at home and take care of our own. then and only then help other nations.

here is a article that shows how much we give away.

U.S. foreign aid escapes slashing cuts in fiscal 2012

this has to stop.

here is a more recent foreign aid budget.
State and USAID - FY 2013 Budget

reply to post by Kgnow


How much time or effort was wasted coming out with that faulty logic?

I hope the food stamp cut-backs hinder the.... "I don't have to worry about the consequences of sleeping around, the tax payers will be my baby's daddy," mentality that is crippling the soul of our society.

There is little to no connection between the dots you have lined up. Food stamps have nothing to do with pregnancy (or reproduction). Sleeping around has nothing to do with the tax payers. The only connection is between sex and babies, and that is solved by the tax payers and legislators (in our present societal structure). By providing good education, promoting good morals and responsibility, empowering parents and access to prophylactics and other family planing setups and laws (from adoption to abortion).

People are not rats, even if some would like us to behave as basic animals...

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Dear Wrabit2000,

S and F for raising the issue here on ATS. I have written about how this was coming on my blog; but, I want to dig a little deeper into what it means. On the GOP side, they believe that by subsidizing the mega-agribusiness, they are keeping the price of food down for everyone. The dems believe that increasing what people can pay will allow people to choose for themselves. Both are right and wrong to a degree and neither completely.

Farm subsidies came from a time when the United States was filled with family farms and could not afford a failed crop year. Today the farms are controlled by multi-national businesses that can afford a lost year in a crop. Just some additional things to consider. Peace.

We sure seem to have found the money to put men in Jordan though....damned if I can figure that one out.

reply to post by Panic2k11


The system is rewarding professional baby factories.

The system is punishing hard-working tax payers.

All of the abstinence programs and education hasn't helped very much, as premarital child births, single-mother child births, and teenage child births are on the steady increase.

What happened is the family structure has been severely attacked. What family structure? Exactly.


People who are mentally or physically unfit to work deserve help and assistance. Women who made bad sexual decisions should only get a 1-year help. Period.

If honest, working people have to sacrifice and struggle to try to raise a family,... a promiscuous woman should not be eating fine steak and lobster at the expense of those hard working people.


Mentally ill? Physically disabled? If not, go get a job.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000
Why does this thread come off like a troll? I know you're are intelligent enough to know this isn't law yet and you're also intelligent enough to know they push and pull to get various issues to the surface for discussion. There are numerous amendments being considered to the Farm Bill and by both the House and Senate.

My guess is this headline is a distraction from the real news. Maybe we should first find out what else is hidden in these amendments before getting all pissy. No? Well maybe if you're not REALLY a Republican, then that doesn't make sense now does it?

Considering they're printed up nearly $2 trillion dollars just to give the zombie banks what's printing up another $2 billion gonna do? Break the printing presses over at the treasury?
I have no idea who would support this kind of ruthless measure especially with the crapped out economy we have today. Leave it to Congress to work for nobody's best interest on this one. Not even scrooge would applaud this. So who the hell are they trying to please?

Originally posted by Panic2k11
reply to post by Kgnow

 

How much time or effort was wasted coming out with that faulty logic?

I hope the food stamp cut-backs hinder the.... "I don't have to worry about the consequences of sleeping around, the tax payers will be my baby's daddy," mentality that is crippling the soul of our society.

Sleeping around has nothing to do with the tax payers. The only connection is between sex and babies, and that is solved by the tax payers and legislators (in our present societal structure). By providing good education, promoting good morals and responsibility, empowering parents and access to prophylactics and other family planing setups and laws (from adoption to abortion).

edit on 19-6-2013 by Panic2k11 because: (no reason given)

edit on 19-6-2013 by Panic2k11 because: (no reason given)

I'm 53. I heard the crap you wrote, spewed forth for the last 40 years or so. It hasn't worked out that way has it? Think it's time for a new plan yet?

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
HOUSE VOTES TO CUT FOOD STAMPS BY $2 BILLION

So reads the headline on this story and so I'm outraged by it. How dare these little rodents in the GOP even pretend to speak for anyone in the average level of society right now. How dare they even try!

They're reducing benefits to discourage the culture of entitlement.

People have said for a long time that Obama gives away too much stuff for free, so this is great news for conservatives and even better news for Democrats, who can now justifiably confirm that Obama isn't a soft touch after all.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000



Its Ironic.

I wonder if they know that the Middle Class also has become dependent on "help".........

Morris County is known for its wealth and million-dollar homes. Median household income there is over $91,000. Yet, the number of people receiving food stamps in the area has nearly tripled in the past five years. Phyllis Tonnesen is on the front lines of the epidemic. She works for the Department of Human Services Office of Temporary Assistance. In her 27 years at the agency, she says this is the worst she's ever seen it. The food stamp caseload has increased 240% since the beginning of the recession.

Living on food stamps in middle-class suburbia

I am sure many of those Middle Class vote Republican.

But......

There is that Part of me that believes in this also.




I am more outraged that this Administration has done nothing to help fix the economy. America needs Jobs. Now.

reply to post by Bilk22


The problem is, things like this will be passed in whole or in part in this environment. The Senate and White House will balk at this, as well they should. Just as Boehner is now balking at the Immigration bill ...also in headlines at this very hour, stating he won't let it come to the floor for a vote.

Somewhere, behind closed doors, a few phone calls get made. Suddenly, the immigration bill loses those roadblocks and some are thrilled! ...at the same time, a bill with amendments like this loses it's roadblocks and without people bringing it to the attention of others, it won't be all that noticeable. Connections like this happen all the time but rarely, in my opinion, on issues as damaging to individual people and households as this one.

This isn't just cutting a budget to a department and who knows what makes up the dollars. This is directly to a program which feeds a good % who cannot, otherwise, feed themselves sufficiently at this point in time. It was early last year we had a Veteran of this nation on ATS all but apologizing and asking forgiveness for taking these very benefits. It was touching and heart wrenching at the same time. Fortunately, I don't recall anyone exploiting it to make him feel bad, but to assure him these benefits WERE for him and millions just like him, when hard times come.

Well.. Times have seldom been this hard in our history. The time for cuts IS now, but NOT here. Damn sure not first and not like this. This almost adds pain in a malicious, not constructive way. It dials up the rage just a few clicks more among an already angry population.

Don't worry, people will do what they need to do to survive. I can see there will be more people in jail now for petty crimes, it will cost more to have them in jail than to feed them. I see great problems with that decision. So far it was the criminal minded that did crimes, now it will be the needy that will be in jail. I hope that they don't expect the food banks to supply food to these people, the donations are way down so they can't afford to help many more.

I suppose it is time to call Amun Ra, The god of the needy, to come and intervene.

reply to post by Kgnow


Your user name is a misnomer.

You can work 40 hours a week at minimum wage and still qualify for food stamps. Who knew?

See also: Tens of millions of people who HAD good jobs before 2001, who lost them through political maneuvering and globalization, who haven't "pumped out the babies" or whatever Reagan-Era saw you are jigging on, and so on.

We spend 700 billion a year on a military to maintain our globalist hegemony, and the "intelligence" to keep the suckers guessin' and your answer is "let poor people work at McDonalds!"

Newsflash: Most of the poor on SNAP have jobs. Look it up.

Not outraged as some people are on food stamps being cut for a few reason.

IF it wasn't rampant with fraud and abuse is one as well is food stamps are an agricultural subsidy, and banking subsidy, and corporate subsidy all rolled in to one.

When EBT cards are being used at stip clubs, and alcohol retailers well I'm just not seeing the 'outrage'

Sorry.

reply to post by AQuestion


There are still plenty of family owned farms, ranches and dairys. The current administration is not friendly to small business. No doubt the revised law will cause even further consolidation of these industries. I'm sad for our small farms. Say goodbye to even more organically grown and antibiotic free foods.