Monday, March 18, 2013

State Representative wants to break federal law telling food stamp recipients what to eat.

They must be disciplined.

That’s what the Republican Party is all about, “teaching” and punishing the “takers,” without spending any money. And in the following case, restrict food stamp users to healthy foods, even though legally that would break federal law. (Just a note, below Bill Maher discusses food stamps and the hunger problem. We actually beat the hunger problem once, but that all changed under Ronald Reagan. Too much of a good thing.)
LeaderTelegram: A Wisconsin state lawmaker wants food stamp users to eat healthier — whether they want to or not. Rep. Dean Kaufert, a Republican from Neenah, would cut the use of food stamps on junk food. "The system is being abused," Kaufert said. "Some people are not spending their benefits wisely."

States aren't allowed to set their own definitions of what's "healthy" or "junk," and Kaufert's bill doesn't actually name any products or food groups. The state also can't change what FoodShare covers without a waiver from the federal government.
Should we ask Rep. Kaufert for this months grocery bills and then proceed to tell him what he should or shouldn't eat? Perhaps government should step in and reprimand people for not “spending their money wisely.”

There is one program that helps those who can buy healthy foods:
The success of a Massachusetts program where food stamp users earned 30 cents on every food-aid dollar when purchasing certain fruits and vegetables.
To clear up the mystery of the food stamp program, check below. But first, this interview with chef Tom Colicchio, who appears in the film "A Place at the Table," it might change a few peoples perspectives: 


Here's the trailer:

FoodShare uses federal money to help individuals and families buy almost any food they need other than alcohol, cigarettes, non-food items and restaurant meals. Eligible recipients include people of all ages who are employed but have low incomes, are living on small or fixed incomes, have lost their jobs, or have disabilities and can't work. About 15 percent of Wisconsin's population, or 850,000 people, got such benefits in January. Nearly half of them were children. 

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