Food Stamps, a New iMac and Happiness
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/us/29foodstamps.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=food%20stamps&st=cse
The Safety Net
Food Stamp Use Soars, and Stigma Fades
Stephen Crowley/The New York Times
By JASON DePARLE and ROBERT GEBELOFF
Published: November 28, 2009
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Nationwide, food stamps reach about two-thirds of those eligible, with rates ranging from an estimated 50 percent in California to 98 percent in Missouri. Mr. Concannon urged lagging states to do more to enroll the needy, citing a recent government report that found a sharp rise in Americans with inconsistent access to adequate food.”
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Trust me; I am not uncharitable. BUT! This article really rankles me as a taxpayer. Despite being unemployed, I continue to make my charitable contributions because I feel that there are people who are worse off than me.
When you feed stray cats, (indiscriminately), you get more stray cats. Fat gooferment bureaucrats are self-interested in making sure they have continued employment. True charity has an element of involvement where we demand accountability. In my charitable contributions, I KNOW there is no one get rich off the poor and the poor are getting real help. (Anecdotally, the lady who runs one of the charities is convinced that the welfare bureaucrats’ sole objective is to keep their clients poor.)
Welfare isn’t charity. It is money extracted forcefully from taxpayers. And, after extracting a huge handling fee, dispensed to the politically favored group. Creating a permanent underclass of “welfare farmers” who vote for more benefits. We now have four generations of families that are stuck in the “family business” of collecting welfare. Johnson’s “War on Poverty” has been a total failure.
We need to take poverty seriously. And forced gooferment solutions have a long track record of failure. So lets, downsize government and let the people take care of the problem. The Salvation Army has a far better record on helping than any welfare office. And, at a much lower cost.
Argh! It’s frustrating. TO see people “trained” to accept this type of treatment.
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Reinke Faces Life 