Discussion on Welfare and other Social Programs

[Luke]

I'm not exactly sure how government aid works, and I'm not sure if WIC vouchers = food stamps or not, but what I do know is that yesterday North Carolina announced that due to the government "shut down" they would no longer give out WIC vouchers.

From my limited understanding, WIC vouchers are used by the financially unfortunate (too pc?) to purchase grocery items deemed as necessities by the state, including items like baby formula, milk, cereal, etc.

Perhaps due to public outrage, NC stated this morning that WIC vouchers will in fact be issued today. As long as the vouchers are used for their intended purpose, I'm glad the state changed their mind.

[AppleQueso]

As long as the vouchers are used for their intended purpose, I'm glad the state changed their mind.

WIC and SNAP/Food Stamps aren't the same thing. You literally can't use WIC for non WIC-approved items, the transaction won't even go through.

Same thing with SNAP/Food Stamps, despite the occasional odd anecdote you'll hear from people about "that guy in front of me at the grocery store who bought cigarettes and beer with his food stamps" you can't use them for non-food items. Same deal, the transaction flat out won't go through.

[Luke]

Same thing with SNAP/Food Stamps, despite the occasional odd anecdote you'll hear from people about "that guy in front of me at the grocery store who bought cigarettes and beer with his food stamps" you can't use them for non-food items. Same deal, the transaction flat out won't go through.

Some low lifers use vouchers as currency. Also some low lifers return items for cash or store credit.

[AppleQueso]

Same thing with SNAP/Food Stamps, despite the occasional odd anecdote you'll hear from people about "that guy in front of me at the grocery store who bought cigarettes and beer with his food stamps" you can't use them for non-food items. Same deal, the transaction flat out won't go through.

Some low lifers use vouchers as currency. Also some low lifers return items for cash or store credit.

I'm aware that benefit fraud exists. I suspect the number of people who do that sort of thing isn't anywhere near as high as some would want you to believe though.

And it's more of a debit card type thing as opposed to individual vouchers.

[KitKatCara]

Same thing with SNAP/Food Stamps, despite the occasional odd anecdote you'll hear from people about "that guy in front of me at the grocery store who bought cigarettes and beer with his food stamps" you can't use them for non-food items. Same deal, the transaction flat out won't go through.

Some low lifers use vouchers as currency. Also some low lifers return items for cash or store credit.

I'm aware that benefit fraud exists. I suspect the number of people who do that sort of thing isn't anywhere near as high as some would want you to believe though.

And it's more of a debit card type thing as opposed to individual vouchers.

In some states they are still physical vouchers. WIC has a list of items that you can buy, down to brand and weight and have to be checked off by a manager of the store usually. The only thing you get to choose is fruits and veggies, and you get a pre-set amount of money to spend on it. You can't buy some packaged fruit, or processed or pre-made fruit products. Also, you have to get everything that is given to you before the vouchers expire, or they will take the whole thing away. The clinic that I got them from even made us take parenting classes and nutritional classes to show people how to cook with the food they got before we received our vouchers for the month.

Food stamps I'm not sure on. I have heard of the buying cigarettes and booze on them, but it was from the older crowd. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't fly with the general public if that practice was still allowed.

I really hope the people in need are getting their WIC though. Formula is outrageously expensive and some women are unable to breastfeed. This whole thing shut down thing needs to be resolved soon, too many people who aren't at fault are suffering greatly. Can you imagine hearing that your relative was killed in the war, and the government won't pay for the funeral? It's sick.

[BoringSupreez]

When my parents had food stamps, it was essentially a debit card that could only be used on certain items. No per-prepared foods (ie, supermarket deli fried chicken), cigarettes, or alcohol. Everything else was fair game.

[Flake]

What drives me nuts is when I see people using food benefits like SNAP or WIC in line at the grocery store and then see them putting their groceries into the back of a luxury car while texting on their new model iPhone before pulling their keys out of a name brand purse.

It's assholes who game the system that A) eat up resources that could be better spent on people truly in need and B) give those people who are truly in need a bad name and make them fodder for cheap political attacks.

Smile: 6 days till I take Network+ and I'm having trouble finding any practice tests or study resources that have information that I don't know.

Frown: Still nervous as hell. Failing the test and losing the money would suck but it'd also hamper my getting into a training program that would set me up for a really nice job this fall.

[aaron]

What drives me nuts is when I see people using food benefits like SNAP or WIC in line at the grocery store and then see them putting their groceries into the back of a luxury car while texting on their new model iPhone before pulling their keys out of a name brand purse.

It's assholes who game the system that A) eat up resources that could be better spent on people truly in need and B) give those people who are truly in need a bad name and make them fodder for cheap political attacks.

i agree with the sentiment that assholes who game the system are ruining it for those truly in need, but making judgement calls on who is "truly in need" based on what kind of car they drive or phone they have is baseless and inaccurate, to put it lightly.

[AppleQueso]

No cigarettes, alcohol, or general non-food items will work with food stamps.

I grew up in a single parent household with two siblings. Of course we had food stamps.

I only ever hear the "cigarettes and booze" thing from people who basically want to paint all food stamp beneficiaries as being lazy scammers.

What drives me nuts is when I see people using food benefits like SNAP or WIC in line at the grocery store and then see them putting their groceries into the back of a luxury car while texting on their new model iPhone before pulling their keys out of a name brand purse.

Uh yeah... this is exactly the kind of anecdote I was referring to.

I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe that anybody actually bothers not only taking note of how people in line pay for their items, but actually bothering to follow them to their car.

[Flake]

i agree with the sentiment that assholes who game the system are ruining it for those truly in need, but making judgement calls on who is "truly in need" based on what kind of car they drive or phone they have is baseless and inaccurate, to put it lightly.

Name one reason why someone with the latest and greatest in fashionable tech, clothes, and vehicles should rate assistance in buying food from the taxpayers?

@Applequeso - it's not like I stalk the people but if I'm behind them in line and then parked near them in the parking lot, it's not like I could fail to take note.