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Codeine

(25,586 posts)

66. Why not just increase the existing benefits card allowance?

Reply to Sunlei (Reply #65)

Wed Apr 29, 2015, 03:44 PM

Apr 2015

What does giving food away accomplish that increasing benefits would not?

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Why doesn't the Federal government just take over SNAP food distribution? [View all] B2G Apr 2015 OP

"That's Big Gummint." xfundy Apr 2015 #1

They used too yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #26

The USDA cheese/milk program was in addition JimDandy Apr 2015 #33

Oh thanks. I did not know that. yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #34

I was a grateful recipient JimDandy Apr 2015 #49

SNAP or Food Stamps is a misnomer. Downwinder Apr 2015 #2

How much do they make? B2G Apr 2015 #3

We make the same amount we would make if the product was purchased any other way. Codeine Apr 2015 #6

But the cost is different depending B2G Apr 2015 #7

They buy in huge bulk. Codeine Apr 2015 #10

That's my whole point B2G Apr 2015 #12

Centralized Food Committees? Five-Year Grocery Plans? Codeine Apr 2015 #15

That's not at all what I'm saying. nt B2G Apr 2015 #18

Thank you Codeine. Downwinder Apr 2015 #8

I'm fairly certain it's the same as any other card, about a nickle a transaction. Codeine Apr 2015 #11

I used to use cash for all transactions. Downwinder Apr 2015 #13

The convenience is fantastic. Codeine Apr 2015 #14

It is more convenient for me. Downwinder Apr 2015 #20

From what I hear it is the banks that make the money off of the program. jwirr Apr 2015 #58

The main problem with cash on EBT cards daredtowork Apr 2015 #73

Probably. They get a piece of everything they touch. Downwinder Apr 2015 #74

SNAP is absolutely fantastic for my store. Codeine Apr 2015 #5

This is the secret agenda of this thread daredtowork Apr 2015 #72

It really is bizarre. Codeine Apr 2015 #76

It makes sense to me now daredtowork Apr 2015 #87

Food programs never were altruistic, they were also a defense department program dflprincess Apr 2015 #78

Nutrition, Health, and Education are all National Security issues. Downwinder Apr 2015 #80

Terrible idea daredtowork Apr 2015 #4

Why not implement Michelle Obama's food program yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #27

Mmmmm, government-mandated shopping lists Codeine Apr 2015 #29

Were discussing different ideas yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #30

It's a school lunch program. Codeine Apr 2015 #31

Why is it better than what we have now? daredtowork Apr 2015 #40

You want adults to eat like the school lunch program? daredtowork Apr 2015 #35

See number 4 in the post above yours... MaggieD Apr 2015 #81

Fair enough yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #82

I agree - the poor need a raise MaggieD Apr 2015 #85

Govt funding the war machine, especially in these days of endless terror, is bipartisan and merrily Apr 2015 #50

Do you think this thread is about gaining bipartisan support for helping the poor? daredtowork Apr 2015 #53

Three different issues merrily Apr 2015 #54

I think there's another agenda here daredtowork Apr 2015 #70

No worries, daredtowork. merrily Apr 2015 #71

PS You might consider blogging on this subject and/or creating an online community of poorer merrily Apr 2015 #55

Keep distribution as local as you can karadax Apr 2015 #9

I agree. One issue is geography and another is who is in charge. merrily Apr 2015 #51

So if I understand right, in addition to all the money for SNAP, the government hughee99 Apr 2015 #16

Yeah, and you'd support a myriad of family-owned businesses. Codeine Apr 2015 #17

If they're going to spend that much money, it's better to spend it on better benefits than hughee99 Apr 2015 #19

Sort of like a PX. Downwinder Apr 2015 #21

Buy out Walmart. moondust Apr 2015 #22

There ya go. B2G Apr 2015 #23

Food from Walmart is massively unhealthy. nt daredtowork Apr 2015 #36

If that's true then food from ANY grocery store is massively unhealthy Revanchist Apr 2015 #42

Not sure about that daredtowork Apr 2015 #43

Are you thinking of Walgreen's and not Walmart? Revanchist Apr 2015 #44

Yes I'm assuming Walmart is just like Walgreens and CVS daredtowork Apr 2015 #45

BIG difference! Revanchist Apr 2015 #46

I see bigger daredtowork Apr 2015 #52

Used to do this 1939 Apr 2015 #24

What is a ghetto mother? Kalidurga Apr 2015 #28

Just to show 1939 Apr 2015 #47

That was me years ago. Poor 17 years old and a mother. The point is that the program was like jwirr Apr 2015 #63

I think those programs are good if they are additional resources Kalidurga Apr 2015 #75

On that I agree. Someone in the thread mentioned the cheese/milk give away and that is a help. jwirr Apr 2015 #83

Sounds appalling. Starry Messenger Apr 2015 #32

when I lived in MS in the mid 1990's I knew a teacher who qualified for WIC dsc Apr 2015 #25

I believe WIC does daredtowork Apr 2015 #37

Don't most states do WIC as vouchers now? Recursion Apr 2015 #39

Honestly don't know about this daredtowork Apr 2015 #41

they do use vouchers in most states dsc Apr 2015 #48

Yes, they use vouchers now and yes, the rules are byzantine. Sheldon Cooper Apr 2015 #56

We had a WIC co-op in MS in the 80s Recursion Apr 2015 #38

We already tried that. It is called the commodities program. Most counties had it after the Great jwirr Apr 2015 #57

I agree and said in the OP B2G Apr 2015 #60

Something like the COOP grocery store we used to have here in our town might work. jwirr Apr 2015 #68

they should pull all the for profit middlemen out and just provide food like they used to. Sunlei Apr 2015 #59

People need the autonomy to choose their own foods. Codeine Apr 2015 #61

I agree with all of that B2G Apr 2015 #62

Why is such a system, Codeine Apr 2015 #64

Also, grocery stores in the 'hood that are operating at a slender profit margin XemaSab Apr 2015 #84

you're right of course. what perhaps would be good is use US post office mail to send some basics. Sunlei Apr 2015 #65

Why not just increase the existing benefits card allowance? Codeine Apr 2015 #66

That would have to be after control of the Federal money is removed from the 50 states control. Sunlei Apr 2015 #67

States do not control it - it is a federal program. States administer it. Counties take the jwirr Apr 2015 #69

Because there is a lot of overhead to running grocery stores MaggieD Apr 2015 #77

+1 Codeine Apr 2015 #79

Yes, that too! MaggieD Apr 2015 #86