BOONEVILLE, Kentucky — Rosanna Troyer is coping with the drop in her monthly federal food assistance from $367 to $303 by cutting back on meat purchases and buying more canned goods and macaroni and cheese. Her 12-year-old daughter is already sick of the hot dogs they’ve been eating frequently at their home in Owsley County, which has the lowest median household income of any U.S. county outside Puerto Rico.
“She says ‘mom, can’t we have something else? I told her, you got to wait, maybe next month,” said the 36-year-old Troyer. Troyer is one of the more than 47 million Americans who receive food stamps, all of whom saw their allotment drop on Nov. 1 as a temporary benefit from the 2009 economic stimulus package ran out. Few places feel the difference as profoundly as Owsley County, an overwhelmingly white and Republican area whose own representative in Congress voted against renewing the benefit. Food stamps are vouchers that can be used to purchase groceries.
Bunch of undeserving TAKERS! I'll bet they don't pay taxes either. /sarcasm/
h/t Leslie P.
15 comments:
Shaw... one of things that puzzles me are stats like this one.
Can you imagine the anarchy in these areas if aid was removed, as many advocate? Then the state governments of places like Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and texas would be forced to deal with the poor on their own.
Those states would collapse because even if we returned every dollar they pay into our federal system, they still could not care for their people.
For evidence we need look no further than the fact that the most red southern states take more in federal aid than they pay in every year.
Those states are surviving on the largesse of places like California, New York and the rest of the "liberal" north.
Dave, another irony is that the people Mitt Romney accused of being the 47% "moochers" in that video that sank his campaign--those people are the ones who voted for him in the red states where their local governments look the other way as they sink further into poverty, sickness, and hunger.
And the LONG term answer is, other than just printing more devalued currency and doubling the food stamp (welfare) allotment?
This nation has a problem that will not just evaporate over time. Nor will the nation be able to support a growing under employed and unemployed population forever.
Structurally some major adjustments will have to take place. Maybe they will before it is too late.
Left, moderate, and right all have valid points to a greater or lesser degree. IMNHO it is time for politicians and lawmakers to acknowledge this and begin to move out of the boxes that constrain them. Finding solutions I think needs to begin with building on similarities while honestly discussing and debating differences.
COMPROMISE must be part of the process for all and not be taken off the table.
MORE! MORE! SHE WANTS SOME MORE?
I believe Oliver was essentially sold into slavery after that stunt. Maybe she can be sold to West Virginia to work on water cleanup projects or risk losing the rest of her benefits.
As an aside but also a possible validation of their business model, Wal-mart is reporting lower earnings, partially because of the food stamp cut back.
They keyword, RN, is multiplier. It's pretty large and the money is borrowed at a rate lower than inflation so the rational reason for reducing food stamps for these souls is absolutely beyond me.
Coal country.
Most U.S. areas that qualify as coal country are economically depressed. Severely so. This has been the case before President Obama took office.
RN //Structurally some major adjustments will have to take place....//
concur. I would start by eliminating the Bush Era Tax cuts for those with incomes over $250K.....they were never meant to be Permanent...NEVER...and they did not have the result GWB wanted.
Love the lead link, Shaw.
Call Hillary the antichrist and pass out .50 caliber rounds at your campaign event.
"Hang 'em High" Black got the attention of the secret service for similar shenanigans but I am wonder if Hillary receives Secret Service protection.
Anyway, the hits keep coming and moderates must be thoroughly convinced that the Republican clown car has morphed into the completely batshite crazy bus.
Man, .50 caliber rounds. What a wimp I am, my mind just cannot go there.
Ducky, the guy handing out the 50 caliber rounds, Mr. Zinke:
“Who trusts the U.S. government?” he asked rhetorically. “No one in this room. I’ve served in 25 nations. I’ve seen where people don’t trust their government. We’re there. In the military, the last option is to send in the SEALs.”
His career, of which he is very proud, was SERVING THE U.S. GOVERNMENT! And now he wants to be a politician IN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT!
More:
"Zinke said he supports work visas for illegal immigrants, who[sic] he said currently number 25 million. 'The right path is work visas and make sure a border is controlled.' ”
He supports requiring citizens to be fluent in English. “It infuriates me when driver’s license tests are in 15 different languages,” he said.
Of course it does! This guy is a deadly sniper with over 150 kills who gets INFURIATED by government agencies helping non-English speaking people to get driver's licenses so they can wor. (He sounds like a something waiting to happen, IMO.)
“We need to focus on the real enemy,” he said, referring to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom he called the “anti-Christ.”
(It sound like this guy is marinating in anger and rage, AND he's a really, really, really good sharp shooter.)
"Zinke said he asked seven powerful Republicans if they think the nation is fixable. Only one in seven said, “Yes,” and that was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich."
I can see why he'd admire the guy who suggested that poor kids should clean school latrines in order to earn their "free lunches."
Zinke has a really good chance at a big career as a Gee-Oh-Pee-er!
It amazes me that these people consistedly vote against their economic interests. Poor people and middle class vote the republicans in who vote against aid (food stamps, medical care,etc).
Dave, no one has advocated doing away with assistance
I didn't ever hear Mitt say moochers, 47% don't pay FEDERAL INCOME TAX (wanted to make that clear so no one goes off the deep end) which is true.
How will eliminating the obama/bush tax cuts for small business owners who have a profit of 250 K help, other than run them out of business. Why not just reform the TAX CODE and make the FEDERAL TAXES fair for all not just the super rich.
Why not just reform the TAX CODE and make the FEDERAL TAXES fair for all not just the super rich.
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By all means. let's have a progressive tax that taxes according to the level of the national wealth a class controls.
This means hedge funds/venture capitalists (i.e. useless leeches) like Romney will at least be taxed at a level higher than he average wage earner.
Or are you going to carry on with the "job creator" meme?
Corporations, hedge funds and banks ae swimming in cash. Why aren't they creating jobs?
Fair is subjective. Why not equitable based on objective criteria.
Yes I know. You'll argue objective is subjective to somebody.
Duckmeister,
Companies, large or small, are not going to hire people just to create jobs, there has to be a need for that job. The majority of small businesses are just trying to stay open and with every regulation, government program and tax, it make it more difficult. Now the government comes out with myira to waste taxpayers money and burden small businesses.
We have a progressive tax system in this country, it just favors the rich. People who make millions can take advantage of deductions and shelters the rest cannot.
Lower the tax rate and eliminate deductions or go to a fair tax and it will increase tax revenue and is the right thing to do.
Ah yes compromise. That's how we got to a 17 trillion dollar dent.
Capitalism is not fulfilling its promise. Employment, or unemployment is a private sector responsibility. So is making sure employees make a living wage. We no longer have a supply and demand society in either our products, or employment. It's no surprise capitalistic methods don't work.
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