Gohmert: Cutting food stamps not evil because poor people buy king crab legs

[kurtharp]

117. I do work with people.

I didn't say ANYTHING about organic food. I go to Aldi and I can get 3 peaches for the price of a box of mac-n-cheese, I can get a pound of strawberries for the price of mac-n-cheese. I have the ad sitting on my desk next to me right now!

I have had families in the past ask for food/electric/gas/heating/car insurance assistance. They always get pissed when I suggest, you know, shutting off the cable TV (I have no cable, can't afford it), drinking water from the tap instead of purchasing Gatorade, having a garage sale to raise money, selling something on Ebay, shopping at thrift stores, using coupons, living on less than you make. I do understand that being a single parent if extra difficult.

As far as the swapping for alcohol, cash etc goes ... people do what people gotta do, and there are always other people around willing to take advantage of that and offer to 'make them a deal'. That's human nature.

Yep, and people rob banks and liquor stores because "you gotta do what you gotta do". You act as if "you gotta do what you gotta do" makes it okay to commit fraud. It doesn't.

By the way, your veggie salad for you and your 6 year old daughter? On sale this week at HyVee for 0.69, house brand ranch dressing on sale at Kroger for 0.99, house brand cheese on sale for 0.99, chicken breast on sale for 4.99 for 3 lbs. Purchase all of that (including 2 bags of lettuce) plus 3 house cans of veggies and you eat dinner for 7 days. (0.69*2 + 0.99 + 0.99 + 4.99 + 0.5*3 = 9.85). Thats Chef salad (3 oz of chicken each) on Monday and Wednesday, baked chicken (6 oz each) and mixed veggie on Tuesday and Friday, (2 1/2 cup servings total), grilled chicken with small salad and vegetables on Thursday and Sunday. On Saturday night, for a girl's night, get a McChicken sandwich each and an ice cream cone each from the McDonald's dollar menu (total about $4.50 including tax) and take it to the park to play. There, you now have dinner for the entire week that is fairly healthy for less than about 15 bucks. The medical card and food stamps are supposed to be there to assist the family, not to replace the parent's responsibility to supply for the family.

I do work with people and I'm pretty good at what I do. Don't confuse being solution oriented with being cold hearted. ALL of the things I suggested above, I do myself with my family. I haven't had cable TV in years. I have a STACK of coupons on my desk in front of me right now with area food ads. I drive at 55 on the highway to conserve gas (drives those passing me crazy but I don't care). We shop at the good will store for many of our clothes including my work clothes and my 6 year old son's school shoes. If I can do this then you can too. If it still isn't enough then THAT"S why we have a social safety net. It's a net for when people fall, not a warm blanket to get comfortable in and fall asleep. It was NEVER meant to be a long term solution.