[Bucco]

To the direct thread, yep...it is a publicity stunt. My opinion which means very little is that americans do not in any way want to turn their back on the poor. Mostly they are upset by the ATTITUDE that is generated in this country about the money being spent.

Should those considered rich in this country NOT have loopholes...YEP...but notice that nobody will discuss those loopholes...only want to raise the rates...those loopholes are so close to so many constituents they do not want to talk about them !!!!

This country is in trouble when we cannot even determine why folks are upset about the money being paid out to help others...it is not the money...it is the facilitating of it and that goes both ways and watch our leaders run from both.

[Villageshooter]

Was at Walmart the other day gal bought huge birthday cake and 2tubs of ice cream with food stamps....made me so proud.. I

[mrfixit]

Originally Posted by Villageshooter

Was at Walmart the other day gal bought huge birthday cake and 2tubs of ice cream with food stamps....made me so proud.. I

Hope the cake and ice cream was for a birthday party for children.

I remember my favorite day of this past summer....
...was delivering a BUNCH of watermelons to a local (Villages area)
food bank.....a sweet little girl walked up to me and said...
" thank you mister...this is gonna be my best birthday ever..."
Think about it...
..just TWO watermelons for "her" party made it the "best birthday ever"....

....... PLEASE share with those in need......ESPECIALLY the children.
Yes, we live IN The Villages.....the Melon Patch is OFF Campus.
I'm just glad the lady you saw in WalMart didn't go to one of the special "PARTY" stores and sell the EBT $$ balance for 35 cents on the dollar.... and then go buy illicit drugs with the cash.

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by Trish Crocker

I agree. There are many people that cheat the system but there are many, many more that have legitimate needs. My granddaughter just turned 18 in September, a month before her daughters first birthday. Should she have gotten pregnant?? Of course not!! I have the feeling that a lot of people reading this forum had pregnancies that weren't at the most convenient time. She went to social services for assistance and was told that she would be given food stamps and medicaid but if she wanted money she would have to work for it. They provided a job for her and are helping with child care costs. Is she using tax payers money? Yes. Is she learning skills? Yes. Is she learning responsibility? Yes! Is she doing the best she can to take care of the beautiful child she brought into the world? You bet. I am very proud of how she is handling this and very grateful to the State of Michigan for helping her but not enabling her. Now is she brings another child into this...I will personally kick her butt!

A perfect example of one who wants a "hand up" instead of a "hand out".

[twinklesweep]

Originally Posted by villagerjack

The other HALF should not be on Food Stamps. Actually it is about 50 Million people growing way out of control this last 4 years.,

While it is true that an enormous number of Americans screened for food stamps do qualify, to suggest that it is only the last four years is downright inaccurate, as this table will show (unless, of course, the writer is commenting on issues other than food stamps...):

http://www.trivisonno.com/wp-content...s-Monthly2.jpg

According to this chart, the most recent sudden spike was in Sept 2008, after the beginning of the tanking of the economy, and the increases since then have been significant. But it certainly didn't START four years ago. Our economy took many, many years to "walk into the woods," and we're not going to be able to walk out in four months or four years.

The stock market crash that took place in October 1929 took a couple of years to manifest itself into the Great Depression. It took President Roosevelt many years to get us out of the situation that he inherited, finally ending with the onset of World War II, and even then it took years. I guess wars are good for the economy. Certainly major corporations benefit greatly from war!

As another poster pointed out, what's the difference between those of us who qualify for food stamps versus those of us who use loopholes, sometimes questionable, on our tax returns, and even more questionable "corporate welfare" issues. At first I opposed the bailouts in the auto industry, feeling business should float or sink according to supply and demand principles, but now I look back and eat my words, seeing an industry with thousands of jobs having been saved and is back to profitable.

[twinklesweep]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

Are there people on food stamps and other forms of welfare who job the system? Absolutely! Are there millionaires and billionaires who benefit from tax loopholes, offshore accounts, subsidies, and other government gifts? Absolutely! It seems to be the nature of many people to take whatever they can get, no matter what their economic status. By the way, which of the two categories I mention cost the American system the most?

I cannot answer the last question but I'm sure the answer is out there somewhere. I am in agreement with the poster who wrote that this poster (eweissenbach) has been the fairest and most impartial commenter on this thread. My compliments to your parents who must have raised you with such values!

Of course a "tax loophole" is part of the tax code. That's why it's called a tax loophole. (Duh.) The question should be how and when these loopholes became part of our tax law. There are people who are quick to criticize those on the lower end like food stamps and (hope I get this name right) earned income credit. However, they completely ignore the point made that the wealthy (using the $250,000/year guideline) pay a lower tax rate percentage-wise and even at times dollar-wise than the middle class, an economic status which has made great strides toward disappearing, with goodness knows how many decent American jobs having been sent overseas--the greed factor mentioned earlier.

I received a tax cut in the early part of this century on my comfortable income that netted me just about $10/month. There were others who received disproportionately enormous tax cuts. Yes, this became tax law, but is there any decency, morality, or validity to it?

I am grateful to my working class parents who raised me with the values I have today. I have been fortunate in having been way more successful financially than they were (a goal of parents that in the last quarter century has been disappearing). My parents would spin in their graves if my successes resulted in my losing these values, in effect for "thirty pieces of silver"!

[Moderator]

The topic is about a current events news story.... A mayor attempting to live on food stamps.

Please restrict your comments to this topic and refrain from any political statements, name calling, or partisan discussion.....or, the thread will have to be closed.