Maine Gov. LePage threatens to halt food stamp program amid sugar crackdown

[Allerius]

I had no idea that buying your child a candy bar once a week was "unwise".

Three possible scenarios with buying a kid candy:
a) Parents buy no candy for the kid
b) Parents buy a reasonable amount of candy for the kid (i.e. once a week)
c) Parents buy too much candy for the kid (three bars a day)

I think when 40% of the people on food stamps are obese, sacrificing scenario b) to remove scenario c) is perfectly reasonable. The kid will be fine without the candy.

[Zyster]

The line isn't arbitrary. Would you go into someone's house with a gun to take their money to give it to a poor person to buy food so they wouldn't starve? Now would you go into someone's house with a gun to take money to buy a poor person a candy bar? One scenario has a moral basis on some level, the other does not.

Personally I don't feel that food stamps are really at the top of the "bad spending" food chain, but if we're arguing the morality of their existence as they are its a completely bogus system. Go ahead and tell a 2 year old how in 16 years she'll be working to pay for all the candy bars that people bought with EBT because we wanted to be nice to them.

I personally think EBT is a great system. People in this country need help. There are those who abuse the system. You sadly can't just cut it off though. That is why restrictions in place would be the best route to go. Those who are abusing have less things they can abuse the money with. Those who aren't abusing can't purchase things they already shouldn't be purchasing.

[Ayla]

Where or where not they spend or don't spend more money is irrelevant to the topic at hand. Restricting candy bars and sugary drinks on the food stamps does not hurt the poor at all. And in fact, a healthier life style can result in possibly more success. So in theory, restricting them could help some poor individuals, not hurt them.

So, how am I to get my daily dose of caffeine if I can't have a sugary/caffinated beverage? I hate coffee and tea. Similarly, if I didn't have access to sugar, nobody would like that result.

You see, I tend to get pretty fucking ragey, a $1 candy bar could be the difference between me taking a bat to your car or me sitting quietly thinking about it.

[Stacyrect]

Politics basically. For example if a sugar ban goes into effect watch pepsi/coke lose their shit over this and start throwing money out left and right to democrat/opposition politicians.

Also you can have people say that juice is just as bad as pop (it has similar sugar/calorie counts per 12oz) but that is an argument I wouldn't make because it has some side benefits like vitamins.

You can't even call most juice, juice. It's water, sugar, less then 5% juice 95% of the time.

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So, how am I to get my daily dose of caffeine if I can't have a sugary/caffinated beverage? I hate coffee and tea. Similarly, if I didn't have access to sugar, nobody would like that result.

You see, I tend to get pretty fucking ragey, a $1 candy bar could be the difference between me taking a bat to your car or me sitting quietly thinking about it.

Buy no-doz?

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I personally think EBT is a great system. People in this country need help. There are those who abuse the system. You sadly can't just cut it off though. That is why restrictions in place would be the best route to go. Those who are abusing have less things they can abuse the money with. Those who aren't abusing can't purchase things they already shouldn't be purchasing.

Some restrictions would also hinder people trading their food stamps for cash.

[Zyster]

Us having welfare, and other government assistance, is treating the poor far better than other countries which do not have such systems in place.

Not intentionally trying to sound like I'm disagreeing like the EBT system shouldn't be abolished, but we aren't different countries. We should not treat our citizens based off how other countries treat their citizens. Our country has always been under the premise to help out those in need. That is basically part of our mission statement and why the US puts its nose into so many other countries business.

[Kathandira]

So, how am I to get my daily dose of caffeine if I can't have a sugary/caffinated beverage? I hate coffee and tea. Similarly, if I didn't have access to sugar, nobody would like that result.

You see, I tend to get pretty fucking ragey, a $1 candy bar could be the difference between me taking a bat to your car or me sitting quietly thinking about it.

Your anger issues are not the concern of the welfare system. lol.

I used to be like that. I used to depend on caffeine and sugar to keep me in a good mood. But after an adjustment period of removing both those things from my diet, I feel great, and no longer have that rage issue.

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You can't even call most juice, juice. It's water, sugar, less then 5% juice 95% of the time.

Agreed. Buy some fruit, and make your own juice. It is cheaper, and better for you.

[akris15]

You can't even call most juice, juice. It's water, sugar, less then 5% juice 95% of the time.

I completely agree but it seems like its getting a pass in this situation (which is why I said its not an argument I would make I just wanted to point out there are items not included that can just be as bad, its just pop/candy is the easy target).

[Stacyrect]

Your anger issues are not the concern of the welfare system. lol.

I used to be like that. I used to depend on caffeine and sugar to keep me in a good mood. But after an adjustment period of removing both those things from my diet, I feel great, and no longer have that rage issue.

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Agreed. Buy some fruit, and make your own juice. It is cheaper, and better for you.

It's what we do in our house

[Kathandira]

Not intentionally trying to sound like I'm disagreeing like the EBT system shouldn't be abolished, but we aren't different countries. We should not treat our citizens based off how other countries treat their citizens. Our country has always been under the premise to help out those in need. That is basically part of our mission statement and why the US puts its nose into so many other countries business.

I'm all about helping people. But consider this. I used this example earlier.

If you loaned your friend $50 to buy food for the week because he lost his job and has no money. Would you rather him spend it on actual food? Or junk food?

[Stacyrect]

I completely agree but it seems like its getting a pass in this situation (which is why I said its not an argument I would make I just wanted to point out there are items not included that can just be as bad, its just pop/candy is the easy target).

The right way to go about it is not targeting specific foods. It's requiring foods to have a base nutritional value to be eligible for purchase with federal dollars.

[Kathandira]

It's what we do in our house

Damn right! My g/f loves to make home made smoothies. They are tasty as hell, and super good for you.

[IIamaKing]

Do you want to live in a free society or one completely ruled by government for peoples daily life?

It wouldnt be in MY life they are meddling it would be in the lives of those on the dole.

I am all for this. FOod stamps should not be buying lobster tails, NY strips, candy, soda, assorted junk foods.

If you need tax payer subsidies to live you should have to take that with the caveat that you are limited to necessities.

[Zyster]

So, how am I to get my daily dose of caffeine if I can't have a sugary/caffinated beverage? I hate coffee and tea. Similarly, if I didn't have access to sugar, nobody would like that result.

You see, I tend to get pretty fucking ragey, a $1 candy bar could be the difference between me taking a bat to your car or me sitting quietly thinking about it.

Being dependent on caffeine is a personal issue. It's also one thing the government can try to prevent from those who use food stamps as their primary source of caffeine. In some instances there are issues with a person not producing enough of what caffeine can help with. In those cases though a doctor can prescribe the necessary medication. Under the assumption you are on food stamps, you probably also receive state and/or federal medical assistance meaning you can receive the necessary help most likely for free also.

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I'm all about helping people. But consider this. I used this example earlier.

If you loaned your friend $50 to buy food for the week because he lost his job and has no money. Would you rather him spend it on actual food? Or junk food?

Well exactly why I've been arguing that restrictions are great for food stamps in this thread.

[TZucchini]

Three possible scenarios with buying a kid candy:
a) Parents buy no candy for the kid
b) Parents buy a reasonable amount of candy for the kid (i.e. once a week)
c) Parents buy too much candy for the kid (three bars a day)

I think when 40% of the people on food stamps are obese, sacrificing scenario b) to remove scenario c) is perfectly reasonable. The kid will be fine without the candy.

There's no evidence of scenario c). That's kinda the point that I've been harping on this entire time. If there was evidence, I'd think about supporting it.

[Ayla]

Your anger issues are not the concern of the welfare system. lol.

I used to be like that. I used to depend on caffeine and sugar to keep me in a good mood. But after an adjustment period of removing both those things from my diet, I feel great, and no longer have that rage issue.

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Agreed. Buy some fruit, and make your own juice. It is cheaper, and better for you.

Actually, my rage issues are the problem of the welfare system. Keep me happy and you won't have problems. My rage won't go away because people keep fucking me over. I wouldn't need to use food as a coping mechanism if that wasn't the case.

People who know my personal situation and my perpetual unemployment know this as more or less people being douche bags and taking advantage of me because they think they can get away with it. Instead I prefer to sit quietly and plan my next mode of attack.

[Immitis]

No, but I think if you're on government programs you should follow government rules. For instance I see nothing wrong with someone wanting to buy a candy bar or coke, but I don't agree you should be able to buy these things with food stamps.

are they food? yeah? then thats what the fuck food stamps are for.

your 700+ friend is a fucking anomaly.

if you take the sugar away theres gonna be fucking riots.

every generation people go full retarded and try to restrict the things poor people buy because they forget POOR PEOPLE NEED TO SELF MEDICATE. being poor fucking sucks and if you dont have outs you go insane and shits gonna burn to the fucking ground.

you guys are acting like people on food stamps only buy junk food. no, they buy fucking food and some of it happens to be for pleasure.

bread and circus mother fuckers. its society 101

[Zyster]

There's no evidence of scenario c). That's kinda the point that I've been harping on this entire time. If there was evidence, I'd think about supporting it.

There doesn't need to be evidence. The government should not support scientifically backed unhealthy habits.

[IIamaKing]

Are you OPPOSED to people having a good standard of living?

I am opposed to paying for it, yes.

They are getting free food, they do not need the best foods. They need nutrients to live. Thats what state funding should provide, not fruit roll ups, lucky charms, soda, steaks or crab legs.

[Polygons]

are they food? yeah? then thats what the fuck food stamps are for.

your 700+ friend is a fucking anomaly.

if you take the sugar away theres gonna be fucking riots.

every generation people go full retarded and try to restrict the things poor people buy because they forget POOR PEOPLE NEED TO SELF MEDICATE. being poor fucking sucks and if you dont have outs you go insane and shits gonna burn to the fucking ground.

you guys are acting like people on food stamps only buy junk food. no, they buy fucking food and some of it happens to be for pleasure.

bread and circus mother fuckers. its society 101

This guy gets it

[the game]

I'm all about helping people. But consider this. I used this example earlier.

If you loaned your friend $50 to buy food for the week because he lost his job and has no money. Would you rather him spend it on actual food? Or junk food?

I'm loaning my friend money because I wanted to help him he asked for it. I'm not his father and have no business telling him what to buy with it.