Trump budget plan slashes food stamps, healthcare for poor

[Ahab]

7 minutes ago, Scott said:

Well, there is a little problem with getting a scanner and a till to ring up cigarettes and beer (as well as a number of other disallowed products, including cleaning products) as food.   Most people using food stamps, or the card that is issued, pay for non-food items with cash.  

You can easily sell the value on the card for cash. Such as $100 USD to be used for food, I give you $50 cash and you let me use your card to buy $100 worth of ribeye steaks. I get $100 of food for half price and you have $50 cash to buy food, beer, or crack cocaine. Win win.

[ilostmypassword]

3 minutes ago, Ahab said:

Food stamp fraud has been occurring since the system started and well before FOX News was a glimmer in Roger Ailes eye. I don't know the exact level (high, very high, all time high) but it is common.

Food stamp fraud has actually been on the decline. From about 4 percent down to 1 percent. One big reason for this is that stamps are no longer used. Now it's a card. So the stamps can't be traded like cash.

 

[thehelmsman]

3 minutes ago, Ahab said:

Food stamp fraud has been occurring since the system started and well before FOX News was a glimmer in Roger Ailes eye. I don't know the exact level (high, very high, all time high) but it is common.

I can tell you from first hand knowledge that it exists. Maybe not to the level of the past. Before when you had the Viet Nam era refugees, they perfected fraud to new level. Kids who were 18 became 12 yrs old, married parents became single, orphans suddenly became someone's kid, folks who were 50 yr. old suddenly became 65, Then you had the disability angle. All the while entire family working hard for cash. Food stamps were sold of to the Asian stores for cash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[iReason]

8 minutes ago, Ahab said:

Food stamp fraud has been occurring since the system started and well before FOX News was a glimmer in Roger Ailes eye. I don't know the exact level (high, very high, all time high) but it is common.

 

Paper food stamps have been discontinued since 2004.

All states use the EBT electronic card only, which only allows food.

 

You are just making stuff up...

[iReason]

9 minutes ago, Ahab said:

You can easily sell the value on the card for cash. Such as $100 USD to be used for food, I give you $50 cash and you let me use your card to buy $100 worth of ribeye steaks. I get $100 of food for half price and you have $50 cash to buy food, beer, or crack cocaine. Win win.

You are just perpetuating a cliche cartoon scenario of your own mind.

 

The federal government is aggressively fighting SNAP trafficking.

USDA aggressively acts to control trafficking by using SNAP purchase data to identify suspicious transaction patterns, conducting undercover investigations, and collaborating with other investigative agencies.

 

USDA uses the latest in available technology to track and control abuse of the SNAP. 

We use the electronic “audit trail” from EBT transactions to identify trafficking and other suspicious activity.

The Anti-Fraud Locator using EBT Retailer Transactions (ALERT) system monitors electronic transaction activity and identifies suspicious stores for analysis and investigation.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/fraud/what-snap-fraud

[Scott]

13 minutes ago, Ahab said:

You can easily sell the value on the card for cash. Such as $100 USD to be used for food, I give you $50 cash and you let me use your card to buy $100 worth of ribeye steaks. I get $100 of food for half price and you have $50 cash to buy food, beer, or crack cocaine. Win win.

Yes, but that's not what you said, you said you saw people using food stamps to purchase cigarettes. 

[iReason]

Who Gets Food Stamps? White People, Mostly

 

"Twenty-three million households and 47 million Americans received benefits on an average month in 2013; enrollment declined slightly to 22 million households and 46 million individuals in 2014."

 

"Three-quarters of those households included a child, an elderly person or someone with a disability."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/28/food-stamp-demographics_n_6771938.html

 

[mtls2005]

Posters should stop trying to sway Ahab with "facts". The myth of "welfare mothers" is a time-honored dog-whistle for conservatives, I think Reagan started using this (welfare queen) in 1976. 

 

An amazingly large percentage of voters/residents in red counties/states rely on the government for many, many, many, many forms of public assistance. Trump's Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney likens this to "theft", and even though Trump "promised" some/most/all of these programs wouldn't be "touched", he seems to have forgotten about that, conveniently. 

 

I do feel for these red-state (mostly white), poorly-educated folks who fell for the "populist" promises. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2017 by mtls2005

[selftaopath]

12 hours ago, jerojero said:

Way to go Trumpy! F.the poor! You're such a fine specimen of decent human being. Such a caring individual. You will be sainted (in hell).

Oh I hope he gets back a portion of the things he's given out... shaft this one/deny payment for that one/ publicly ridiculed by someone b/c he's done it repeatedly/physically assaulted/ etc. I think this would be karma. He deserves to experience his and hopefully it will be for all to see. 

[selftaopath]

5 hours ago, Ahab said:

Enforcement should be stepped up and the fraud if widespread and well known. People work for cash, don't report the income and apply for assistance, or druggies sell the food stamps (it is actually a debt card now) for cash to buy drugs (typically 25-50% of the value). The sad thing about the fraud is that  the people who really need the assistance will find it harder to get.

I agree. I think "big business" is part of the fraud challenge. They - like WalMart - deny their workers full time status etc. to benefit the company. Yes some will say it's "good business." My question is does "big business" always decide to put their workers (those who help generate profits) LAST?  Many treat workers like trash. How much money do these families/corporations NEED? One company that - from what I've read - treats it's workers well and like "family." That company is Google. Pity more don't really value workers. 

[selftaopath]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

Really?

This nonsense about the high level of Food Stamp Fraud was started by Fox News which later retracted the story.

http://thehill.com/homenews/media/312213-fox-news-retracts-claim-food-stamp-fraud-at-all-time-high

 

 

That's what Fox "News" specializes in i.e. lies. No wonder Lying Trump loves them so much.. same same but different. 

[iReason]

Montana Republican Congressional Candidate Allegedly Assaults Newspaper Reporter

 

"A reporter for The Guardian newspaper was "body slammed" to the floor Wednesday by Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate in Thursday's special election for Montana's open U.S. House seat, the reporter and multiple witnesses said."

 

"Jacobs told MSNBC's Chris Hayes that he was trying to ask Gianforte about the Congressional Budget Office's financial analysis of the Republican health care plan when "the next thing I know, I'm being body-slammed." 

 

"He's on top of me. My glasses are broken," Jacobs said. "It's the strangest moment that's happened in my entire life reporting."

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/montana-congressional-candidate-allegedly-assaults-newspaper-reporter-n764421

 

'murica.

 

[Rob13]

5 hours ago, Ahab said:

Makes no sense to me, but leftism makes no sense to me either.

 

Think about leftism next month when you get your social security.  Should make more sense to you that way.

[iReason]

Greg Gianforte: Fox News team witnesses GOP House candidate 'body slam' reporter

 

"On Wednesday, I joined field producer Faith Mangan and photographer Keith Railey in Bozeman for our scheduled interview with Gianforte, which was to take place at the Gianforte for Congress Bozeman Headquarters."

 

"During that conversation, another man — who we now know is Ben Jacobs of The Guardian — walked into the room with a voice recorder, put it up to Gianforte's face and began asking if he had a response to the newly released Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act."

 

"At that point, Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him. Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the reporter."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/24/greg-gianforte-fox-news-team-witnesses-gop-house-candidate-body-slam-reporter.html

[Ahab]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Posters should stop trying to sway Ahab with "facts". The myth of "welfare mothers" is a time-honored dog-whistle for conservatives, I think Reagan started using this (welfare queen) in 1976. 

 

An amazingly large percentage of voters/residents in red counties/states rely on the government for many, many, many, many forms of public assistance. Trump's Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney likens this to "theft", and even though Trump "promised" some/most/all of these programs wouldn't be "touched", he seems to have forgotten about that, conveniently. 

 

I do feel for these red-state (mostly white), poorly-educated folks who fell for the "populist" promises. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are correct about one thing, they should stop trying to sway me. I observed this stuff with my own two eyes. After my mother and father died (I was 10 and 11 years old at time) I went to live with my older sister and we were on government assistance. No one wants to cut assistance to those that need it, to get them back on their feet, but welfare fraud is rampant in the USA and only someone that willfully ignores it or chooses not to see it would state otherwise.

 

Sometime after I joined the US Navy and moved out from my sister she was convicted of welfare fraud for working under the table (cash) and claiming food stamps. She is now a convicted felon and definitely is not the only person in the USA to do this. She knew many people doing the same thing, the only difference is that she got caught.

[Ahab]

14 minutes ago, Rob13 said:

 

Think about leftism next month when you get your social security.  Should make more sense to you that way.

I am not getting social security yet. I would be more than happy to take all the money I have paid into social security (required to pay into social security) and move it into my 401K retirement plan, but of course that is not allowed. Neither is non-participation.

 

Or maybe it is time to make participation in social security optional and see how many think it is a good deal. Cannot do that though because the Ponzi scheme that social security is would collapse completely. Yes I will claim it as soon as I reach age 62 because it is very difficult to take away government entitlements once they are being given, and everyone knows a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[iReason]

7 minutes ago, Ahab said:

You are correct about one thing, they should stop trying to sway me. I observed this stuff with my own two eyes.

 

Ten Examples of Welfare for the Rich and Corporations

"Here are the top 10 examples of corporate welfare and welfare for the rich. There are actually thousands of tax breaks and subsidies for the rich and corporations provided by federal, state and local governments, but these 10 will give a taste."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/ten-examples-of-welfare-for-the-rich-and-corporations_b_4589188.html

 

Government Spends More on Corporate Welfare Subsidies than Social Welfare Programs

"About $59 billion is spent on traditional social welfare programs. $92 billion is spent on corporate subsidies. So, the government spent nearly 50% more on corporate welfare than it did on food stamps and housing assistance in 2006."

https://thinkbynumbers.org/government-spending/corporate-welfare/corporate-vs-social-welfare/

 

The 8 Biggest Corporate Welfare Recipients in America

"In the U.S.,  it is rather commonplace to see welfare recipients demonized, people on food stamps ostracized, and anyone on any form of public assistance is often made to feel guilty that they need help."

"That demonization seems to shift, however, when it comes to giving assistance to big business."

http://www.cheatsheet.com/business/high-on-the-hog-the-top-8-corporate-welfare-recipients.html/?a=viewall

 

https://www.cato.org/research/corporate-welfare

 

Meanwhile, the rubes squabble over "food stamps" with their parlor talk...

[soalbundy]

1 minute ago, iReason said:

 

Ten Examples of Welfare for the Rich and Corporations

"Here are the top 10 examples of corporate welfare and welfare for the rich. There are actually thousands of tax breaks and subsidies for the rich and corporations provided by federal, state and local governments, but these 10 will give a taste."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/ten-examples-of-welfare-for-the-rich-and-corporations_b_4589188.html

 

Government Spends More on Corporate Welfare Subsidies than Social Welfare Programs

"About $59 billion is spent on traditional social welfare programs. $92 billion is spent on corporate subsidies. So, the government spent nearly 50% more on corporate welfare than it did on food stamps and housing assistance in 2006."

https://thinkbynumbers.org/government-spending/corporate-welfare/corporate-vs-social-welfare/

 

The 8 Biggest Corporate Welfare Recipients in America

"In the U.S.,  it is rather commonplace to see welfare recipients demonized, people on food stamps ostracized, and anyone on any form of public assistance is often made to feel guilty that they need help."

"That demonization seems to shift, however, when it comes to giving assistance to big business."

http://www.cheatsheet.com/business/high-on-the-hog-the-top-8-corporate-welfare-recipients.html/?a=viewall

 

https://www.cato.org/research/corporate-welfare

 

Meanwhile, the rubes squabble over "food stamps" with their parlor talk...

Divide and conquer, there are the working class with a bum deal, the working poor, the unemployed, and the very poor, let them scramble over the crumbs and the 1% have won

[Rob13]

39 minutes ago, Ahab said:

I went to live with my older sister and we were on government assistance. No one wants to cut assistance to those that need it, to get them back on their feet, but welfare fraud is rampant in the USA and only someone that willfully ignores it or chooses not to see it would state otherwise.

 

So you understand leftism after all.

 

Fraud is a reason to enforce the rules not a reason to cut out the programs. 

[thehelmsman]

2 hours ago, Rob13 said:

 

Think about leftism next month when you get your social security.  Should make more sense to you that way.

Social security benefits are the ones I've been paying into since I was 15, now after 47 yrs of paying my fair share I should somehow align myself with the liberals because it's my turn to collect what's mine. Absolutely ludicrous.

[Berkshire]

3 hours ago, Ahab said:

 

Sometime after I joined the US Navy and moved out from my sister she was convicted of welfare fraud for working under the table (cash) and claiming food stamps. She is now a convicted felon and definitely is not the only person in the USA to do this. She knew many people doing the same thing, the only difference is that she got caught.

On 5/23/2017 at 9:25 AM, funandsuninbangkok said:

Last trip home I learned my sister got food stamps. She has a well paid job, owned a home and has a tenant paying rent for her back yard cottage. 

 

Obama got everyone on the dole. Time to toss out the leaches(love you sis)

It sure seems like Trump supporters have a disproportionate number of sisters committing welfare fraud with food stamps.  What's that about?

[selftaopath]

33 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

 

It sure seems like Trump supporters have a disproportionate number of sisters committing welfare fraud with food stamps.  What's that about?

I believe it was shown on MSNBC that the majority of individuals receiving various forms of govt. assistance live in "Red States." lol lol  Boy there be alot of bitching from them soon. 

[iReason]

The attack on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is rapid and brutal 

 

"New reports show Trump’s 2018 budget proposal will include about $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid and other programs such as Meals on Wheels―completely apart from the healthcare cuts―and he tops it off with additional cuts to Social Security Disability Insurance."

 

http://www.peoplesworld.org/article/the-attack-on-social-security-medicare-and-medicaid-is-rapid-and-brutal/

 

 

Never ending lies, lies, lies...

[soalbundy]

6 hours ago, thehelmsman said:

Social security benefits are the ones I've been paying into since I was 15, now after 47 yrs of paying my fair share I should somehow align myself with the liberals because it's my turn to collect what's mine. Absolutely ludicrous.

actually it isn't yours,you have paid in to support the pensioners when you were young in the belief that the next generation will pay for you,whether they are as generous to you as you were to the old depends on politics, demographics and if you are an American, on a semi literate wealthy orange who doesn't like the old and poor.  

 

 

[thehelmsman]

19 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

actually it isn't yours,you have paid in to support the pensioners when you were young in the belief that the next generation will pay for you,whether they are as generous to you as you were to the old depends on politics, demographics and if you are an American, on a semi literate wealthy orange who doesn't like the old and poor.  

 

 

It will be mine as soon as I register,  from what I see it will be business as usual. 

[Ahab]

18 hours ago, Berkshire said:

 

It sure seems like Trump supporters have a disproportionate number of sisters committing welfare fraud with food stamps.  What's that about?

Not a Trump supporter, I voted Libertarian. Your next inane comment will be that a disproportionate number of Libertarians have sisters committing welfare fraud. Post about something that you have a clue about.

[Ahab]

22 hours ago, Rob13 said:

 

So you understand leftism after all.

 

Fraud is a reason to enforce the rules not a reason to cut out the programs. 

So enforce the rules, cut out the fraud and you could also cut the money required to fund the people that actually need the help. 

[Scott]

3 minutes ago, Ahab said:

So enforce the rules, cut out the fraud and you could also cut the money required to fund the people that actually need the help. 

It is possible to cut down on fraud, but it is not possible to eliminate it -- just as it isn't possible to eliminate it in any other organization or program.  

 

The cost of fraud detection in the past has been very high.   At one point some years ago, 25% of the welfare budget for one state went into various forms of fraud detection and verification of claims.   That's a lot of money.   The return was very, very small.

 

On the other hand, laws and detection of dead beat dads and re-claiming child support benefits has significantly lowered welfare costs.  

 

The point is, that most agencies take fraud seriously and every reasonable effort is made to reduce or eliminate it.  

[Berkshire]

2 hours ago, Ahab said:

Not a Trump supporter, I voted Libertarian. Your next inane comment will be that a disproportionate number of Libertarians have sisters committing welfare fraud. Post about something that you have a clue about.

Most of your posts indicate that you're a Trump supporter and/or support his policies.  So aside from being largely delusional, you're also dishonest....much like your hero. 

[Ahab]

3 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Most of your posts indicate that you're a Trump supporter and/or support his policies.  So aside from being largely delusional, you're also dishonest....much like your hero. 

I was going to reply to you troll post, but decided it would be a waste of time because like your other posts on this topic you are clueless.