About that Obama and food stamp story.

[cornermouse]

Obama timeline.

Obama was born in '61. His father left when Obama was 2 years old, apparently sometime in '63 to go to Harvard and according to the wikipedia bio never came back. His parents were divorced in '63 and Ann remarried two years later in '65 at which time Obama was 4 or 5 years old. I'm assuming he wasn't on food stamps after his mother remarried and she went overseas in '67. So it looks to me that he was on food stamps for, at most, 3 years when he was between the age of 2 and 5.

I think it's safe to assume that he was not on foodstamps after he decided he wanted to live with his grandfather and grandmother in Hawaii. I think it's safe to assume that Grandpa, who had a work history of furniture store management and salesman and Grandma, the bank Vice President, who helped pay tuition so that Obama could attend a very exclusive private school in Hawaii were not on food stamps. I would think that at the very least, the eyebrows of those overseeing the food stamp program would have shot up to their hairline if Obama and his grandparents were on food stamps while sending Barack to a private school.

Basic foodstamp info which indicates a limited possibility of foodstamps. Also wikipedia.

Pilot Food Stamp Program - May 29, 1961-1964

The 18 years between the end of the first FSP and the inception of the next were filled with studies, reports, and legislative proposals. Prominent Senators actively associated with attempts to enact a food stamp program during this period are Aiken, La Follette, Humphrey, Kefauver, and Symington. From 1954 on, Congresswoman Leonor Sullivan strove unceasingly to pass food stamp program legislation. On September 21, 1959, P.L. 86-341 authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to operate a food stamp system through January 31, 1962. The Eisenhower Administration never used the authority. However, in fulfillment of a campaign promise made in West Virginia, President Kennedy's first Executive Order called for expanded food distribution and, on February 2, 1961, he announced that food stamp pilot programs would be initiated. The pilot programs would retain the requirement that the food stamps be purchased, but eliminated the concept of special stamps for surplus foods. A Department spokesman indicated the emphasis would be on increasing the consumption of perishables.

Mr. and Mrs. Alderson Muncy of Paynesville, West Virginia, were the first food stamp recipients on May 29, 1961. They purchased US$95 in food stamps for their 15-person household. In the first food stamp transaction, they bought a can of pork and beans at Henderson's Supermarket. By January 1964, the pilot programs had expanded from eight areas to 43 (40 counties, Detroit, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh) in 22 States with 380,000 participants.

Of the program, Congresswoman Leonor K. Sullivan asserted, "...the Department of Agriculture seemed bent on outlining a possible food stamp plan of such scope and magnitude, involving some 25 million persons, as to make the whole idea seem ridiculous and tear food stamp plans to smithereens."

..................

The fact remains that neither of the candidates should not have to embroider or invent facts in order to be elected. And now that I've no doubt made
both sides mad at me, I'm going to watch the Derby. Knock yourselves out.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5797373&mesg_id=5797373

[JoFerret]

1. Not a welfare queen then?

Phew! That's a relief.
Just so long as he had a elite school background and was not a welfare scrounger.

[FARAFIELD]

3. You know its so much better to have a POINT to your story

It makes it soooo much more enjoyable for the reader and listener. A similar artcile could appear about me saying its safe to assume I wasnt on food stamps, thats because I never was. You leave the impression that there is SOME food stamps story when there is none. Ill tell you one thing HILLARY was never on food stamps because she was never poor. I like the thought of a President that WAS on food stamps I wish to god he was. Again you miss the whole damn point of his life and why people like him, its because you can come from anywhere and become president. Just Like Bill, but certainly not like Hillary, she hasnt done SHIT on her own and you can take that to the bank.

[JoFerret]

7. I think the point of the background

was to provide information.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Sometimes, a family or a head of household might get food stamps

for six months....

You are attempting to cast doubts over what Obama has said without a shred of information that would make your "suggestion" correct.

Obama went to High school on financial aid. Whatever amount his grandparents had to fork over was most likely nominal.....

His grandmother is still living. I'm sure she remembers if there was a need for food stamps as some point.

So, what's the problem? Why are you even questioning this? He wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. I don't get you. :shrug:

[FARAFIELD]

6. Here is my story

"Cornermouse, well known Hillbot, wrote a story suggesting that OBAMA SAID he was on food stamps despite the fact that there is 1)no evidence that OBAMA said this or 2)that anyone in his family ever said they were. Further cornermouse likes to quote WIKIPEDIA in his story and WIKIPEDIA is known to have inaccurate information on it. So Cornermouse wrote a post simply by quoting WIKIPEDIA without bothering to do research and making it seem like something was true. ECK I officially hate HIllbots as of this moment.

[JoFerret]

13. What exactly is a Hillbot?

And why do they consume your emotional life?

[BklynChick]

8. ita, my husband's mother went on food stamps for a 3-6 mos period when his parents were divorcing

[K Gardner]

4. You've done an entire fabricative speculation on your "assumptions" ? There is

a fucking book about his entire life, you know. But that would require R e a d i n g. And not speculating.

[JoFerret]

10. Suddenly you are into facts and research

before character assassination and rush to judgment.

Good.

[emilyg]

18. His book is not necessarily the truth.

[DAGDA56]

5. Admittedly, I don't know the facts in this particular case, but I do know

something about current Food Stamp policy. Eligibility is based on income. If Obama's father was not a US citizen, he would not have been eligible, but his income (if any) would be deemed to his wife and child. As a child, Obama could have recvd Food Stamps from birth throughout his residence in the United States. His mother's student loans or scholarships would not count as income. It appears to be very possible that, as I have heard reported, he lived with a mother who recvd Food Stamps. I agree that he would likely not qualify once he began to live with his grandparents, due to their income. Still, I don't see any embroidery going on here.

[FARAFIELD]

9. Exactly

Only "EMBELLISH" and "EMBROIDER" job, is cornermoust CLAIMING that OBAMA is lying. Of course cornermouse will say something like "WIKIPEDIA SAID IT!, not me" TYpical hit job.

[rodeodance]

16. REFUTE IT instead of whining.

[DAGDA56]

19. Refute what, rodeo?

Do you contend he did NOT recieve food stamps? I don't understand what you're demanding.

[graycem]

11. Yeah..

and John Stewart's show did an expose on Hillary having "elite" Mary Jane shoes and socks with ruffles. This is just as silly. My sister utilized food stamps for a short time, with 2 kids and being out of work, as a TEMPORARY means of feeding her children. Most people don't enjoy using them, and get out of the system as soon as other options are available.

[JoFerret]

26. Sanity

Neither candidate grew up in deep poverty and deprivation.

Both went to good schools, were very accomplished, and did well at elite institutions and have been successful since then.

[graycem]

30. A single mother

with a bi-racial child in that era is hardly elitism and you know it. Just because he faired better later, doesn't mean that his mother didn't struggle for the time period after his father left. It is absurd to dig up facts about the food stamp program to try to discredit something like this.

Is he elite in the "intelligence" sense, of course. But he earned those scholarships because of that brain. Do we have to discredit every inch of his life to make people happy? He's a Democrat you know.

[JoFerret]

31. We don't need to parse details

the op provided them for us.

And I am not "attacking" him. The facts are the facts.

[graycem]

33. We don't indeed...

Facts are surely facts. I'll take him at his word, I assume he knows more of his childhood than anyone here on the internet. You didn't attack but you gave credence to the original point as if it were a good one. It's silly. It's still silly. Have a good day. :)

[JoFerret]

35. I still give credence to the original point

which I understand to be as follows.

At some point in Obama's childhood there was a brief period when the family relied on food stamps.

His childhood however was not chronically marked by deprivation and poverty and economic hardship.

If someone were to make that claim it would be false.

[graycem]

36. Of course you do.

However, Obama himself does not make that claim. In fact he credits the military & government for giving his grandparents a hand up, which in turn helped him to avoid a life in chronic poverty, which is his entire point. The government should help everyone have a fair chance out of economically unfair situations. He's illustrating how it did just that in his life.

Obama does make a fair point that I agree with, people who have ever been recipients of food stamps can hardly be "elitists." George Bush is more of that type born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He only pretends that he doesn't think he's better than a certain class of people. I do not see that in Senator Obama. He seems to be the type who remembers his roots.

You can be sly and phrase it however you'd like, but we both know what was implied, and what label they're (the media) attempting to attach to him.

It doesn't matter, I was remarking it's silly, apparently you disagree. Our biases will not let us sway each other's minds. Simple as that. G'day. :)

[cliffordu]

12. I'm on food stamps right now, what's your fucking point?

[JoFerret]

15. I think the point is obvious

Here are some basic facts.
Here are some claims.
How do they connect?
What is technically accurate versus the overall reality of the situation.

I have no idea whether Obama was fed with food stamps at some point in his life.
Is he claiming that? If so it is probably true.

Truth is he was not brought up in poverty and deprivation.
It seems fairly clear he suffered some emotional deprivation in spite of a very caring and loving extended family.

[cliffordu]

20. DRUM ROLL.....

What he actually said was that his mother was on food stamps for a while.

He never said HE was on food stamps at any time in his life

Please try not to lie so transparently.

Thanks for playing!!




Use the hand-over-heart smear, it's much more effective...

[JoFerret]

22. I realise that. that was obvious

But the implication is/ was - that he was fed with food bought with stamps. Is that accurate?

And I am not smearing anyone. But I do think it is accurate to say that Obama's childhood was not marked by poverty and deprivation even though times may have occasionally been hard.

So what? What is all this about?
Is it about the presumed glory of having overcome great economic hardship symbolized by food stamps? If so then I think the case is not really made.

[cliffordu]

38. I don't think he ever implied HE was fed with them....

just his mother -

I think what he was saying is that he understands that level of poverty because his mother was there once...

My wife was raised by her grandparents because her mother could not care for her - I THINK that is the subtext of what he is saying, that the reason his grandparents raised him is because his mother couldn't.

Sorry if I popped ugly

[fight4my3sons]

17. me too, thanks for saying that.

This whole thing is upsetting me more than it should :(

[cliffordu]

21. Some of these little scumsuckers will use any smear no

matter how foul to muddy the water.....


I think some are paid semi-pros who just post variations on the same slime.

[Justitia]

25. Don't let these assholes get to you. Hell, my family stood in line for GOVT CHEESE once upon a time

The people trying to poke holes in Obama's recollection of food stamp benefits HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE how many people actually struggle w/putting food on the table at some time in their lives.

Middle class, hardworking people who probably live in their neighborhood, go to school w/their kids and look exactly like them!

My parents were divorcing, we had to move out of state and my mother WALKED to 2 jobs every day - at the very same time we 3 girls were attending PRIVATE CATHOLIC SCHOOL (our tuition was subsidized by the Catholic Church).

These idiots simply have no idea. They figure that "foodstamps" mean homeless drunks or something.
They'll know better when tragedy hits their own family.
Ignore these assholes.

I want a President who knows what it means to struggle to feed your family, even when the neighbors are CLUELESS.

[cliffordu]

39. THanks for that, I want a President who understands the

working class, at most and understands what poverty looks like, at least.

[Cha]

14. What's "safe to assume" is that you're a desperate little

mouse who likes to start shit but you can't finish it.

[JoFerret]

23. why so vicious?

rather the overkill
pile driver to a pin

[blogslut]

24. Have you been reading right wing blogs again?

That stuff with rot your brain, you know.

[DevonRex]

27. Wow, assume much? How about some facts about Obama?

You assumed everything about him and then said he embroiders or invents facts?

Seems like you are the embroiderer/inventor.

[bunnies]

28. You want him to PROVE his family needed foodstamps?

Fucking pathetic. Shame on you.

[BlooInBloo]

29. "I think it's safe to assume" (2x) "I would think"...

"neither of the candidates should not have to embroider or invent facts"

Good thing you're not a candidate.

[Melinda]

32. Epic Fail: Not only could his grandparents have received FS for him, but AFDC as well.

Obama's grandparents were not legally responsible for his care; his parents were. A child's eligibility for public assistance depends upon several criteria:

1) economic situation wherein both parents are in the home but the household income falls below the federal poverty levels

2) where one parent is in the home but the income falls below federal poverty levels

3) where there is one parent in the home with adequate income for the household EXCEPT the child suffers from what is known as "absent parent deprivation"

4) when both parents are absent from the child(ren)'s lives and a caretaker (related or not) provides a home for the child.

Under the law, when a parent is absent, the caretaker of the child can in fact apply for public assistance for the minor child in the form of Food Stamps, TANF, or medical assistance, and the income of the caretaker MAY NOT be used to determine the eligibility of services for the minor child.

Neither the Food Stamp, nor the now defunct AFDC (put to death by Bill Clinton and now known as Tanf in most states, CALWORKS in Ca), nor the medical assistance programs eligibility requirements for the care of a minor child whose parent(s) are absent have changed since the inception of these programs back in the 1960's.

Obama's grandparents income were most certainly not used to determine Obama's eligibility to Food Stamps during the time period he was living with them. And yes, they could have received FS for him without receiving FS themselves.

And yes, as a Human Services Worker with a combined total of more than 25 years working with clients eligible to FS, AFDC, and medical assistance, I know what I am talking about.

Your assumption is fatally flawed.

Enjoy the derby.

[Justitia]

34. Thank you for the pertinent info & thank you so very much for the work you choose to do. -eom

[Melinda]

40. You're welcome, although I don't work in the field now... notice the OP *poofed* once proven wrong?

All that work too... the lengths some people will go to in their attempts to smear the candidates, eh? cornermouse, indeed.

It boggles the mind.


*on edit- lengths, not link. ;)

[jody]

37. Good post although the Obama worshipers will flame you with their chants "Hope, Change"!

Obama keeps Changing his story Hoping people will believe the latest version.

[CreekDog]

41. the period was 1974-77 apparently

the food stamp program was different 10 years later.

he went to that private school on scholarship.

by the way, my grandfather was wealthy and close to my mother, but in the 1970's she was broke all the time when i was a little kid. just because your grandparents have money doesn't mean you and your parents see any of it. and my mom had a good job, but she was a single parent.

i wish you'd researched before you besmirched.