Question for the food stamp soda defenders

[DaveinJapan]

If you're in favor of allowing food stamps to be used for cola drinks, do you also support food stamps being used for liquor purchases?

If not, why not? Both are non-nutritional, "recreational" drinks which contain drugs right?

[Doremus]

1. If you have nothing else to worry about ..... wanna swap lives?

[donheld]

8. +1

[robinlynne]

12. +2.

[ourbluenation]

20. +3

:rofl:

[Zoeisright]

44. +4

This focusing on poor people has got to stop. They are NOT the problem in this country - it's the uber-rich assholes who have run us into the ground. Start getting mad at them, for pete's sake.

[wellstone dem]

48. +5

[CatWoman]

18. hahahahahahahahaha

:rofl:

[niyad]

31. could you, or anybody other than the OP tell me what the hell this is all about? I must have missed

something today, because one has been able to purchase sodas with food stamps for quite some time, to my knowledge.

[Doremus]

41. Sorry, all I know is that some people need a life.

What started all the talk of food stamps, and what one should be able to buy with them, I have no idea.

[SammyWinstonJack]

51. !

:thumbsup:

[virgogal]

2. Good point.

[rockymountaindem]

3. Nobody ever killed anybody in a car crash because of Coca-Cola

Nor did anybody ever go on a Fanta bender and beat up a random person because they were out of their head.

You're comparing apple cider and orange soda here.

[RoyGBiv]

4. Jesusfuckingchrist ...

Is this REALLY what's going to obsess DU for the next few weeks? Really?

[DJ13]

5. Sure

What good is Coke without the rum?

[DaveinJapan]

27. Agreed.

[The Straight Story]

6. Would depend on the state for me

Some states, like CA, sell liquor in grocery stores - some do not.

If you sell it, people should be allowed to buy it IMHO.

[donheld]

7. Can we get rid of the food/drink taliban?

[petronius]

13. Can we get rid of the hateful 'you're all a bunch of elitist control-freaks if

you don't agree with me 100%' wing? :shrug:

[blogslut]

9. Can I coat it in corn flakes

...and serve it to nursing mothers at the NYC Olive Garden?

[jmm]

32. Only if you feed PETA approved snacks to pit bulls while listening to Laura Branigan. (n/t)

[blogslut]

38. Gloria!

Gloria! Everybody wants her! Everybody needs her!

[niyad]

10. wow--did you just now learn that one can purchase soft drinks with food stamps? I know your name

indicates you live in japan, but are you seriously that clueless?

[DaveinJapan]

30. Why does that make me clueless?

The only conversation I've ever had about food stamps is occurring right now. I've been lucky enough not to need them (yet), and I know nothing about them.

My apologies for being so clueless.

Man, there are a lot of angry people around here these days!

[niyad]

36. "a lot of angry people"--no, only a lot of people who are wondering why in the hell

there is even this stupid discussion.

what in the world made you ask that question in the first place? and, were you seriously not aware that one has been able to purchase soft drinks on one's food stamps for quite some time?

so glad you don't need them, but your question smacked of a certain kind of self-righteous piety that is just a tad annoying.

[Iggo]

11. Yes.

[Birthmark]

14. I have an idea!!

Let's stick a pleasure-o-meter on all poor people and the moment the needle begins to move we'll make them stop whatever it is that's bringing them pleasure.

It's the only way they'll learn, right?

[DJ13]

21. Oh, dont give them any ideas

They have to keep us poor and unhappy so they can get their 16 hours per day hard labor out of us.

Happy slaves arent productive slaves.

[Gemini Cat]

23. Good idea

We as a society can't allow the poor to have fun or do anything enjoyable. We must be forever vigilant in our fuck-waddiness anti-poor-person-having-a-treat stance!

[ourbluenation]

15. This reminds me of a conversation I had w some righties about Katrina victims

using some of their cash aid from fema to purchase things that the righties deemed innapropriate. Like new clothes. The thing for me is if we start saying soda is not allowed...what's next? White bread? Beef? Soda crackers? where does it end? Leave these people some dignity to make their own choices.

[iamjoy]

42. +1

Exactly what I was thinking! If we start saying they shouldn't buy soda, then next it will be they shouldn't buy potato chips, or cookies, blah, blah.

A little while ago some one on DU posted a little story. Basically, a woman was buying ice cream sandwiches with food stamps and a person in line saw fit to make some sort of snarky comment. And the woman pointed out that she couldn't afford to take her kids to the movies, etc and this was the only treat she could provide.

[wellstone dem]

47. That was me. Let me repeat it.

This post is for the kids who got made fun of for the clothes they wore, and then, when their mom got a good job and was able to go off of assistance and (after several pay checks able to buy them some "name" tennis shoes) who heard, "Hey, welfare kids aren't supposed to wear shoes like those."

For the parents who volunteer at one food shelf, and then go to another to get help because of how we shame those in need.

For the parents who wear "poor looking" clothes when they go to the grocery store so that the clerk won't make comments about how nice they dress when the use food stamps.

For the woman in line ahead of my co-worker who was using food stamps when the women behind my co-worker said, "Must be nice to have food stamps to buy ice cream bar." That woman had the courage to respond, "It sure is nice. And tonight when your kids go the football game, think of my kids who have to stay home because we can't afford for them to go. And Saturday, when your kids go to the movies, think of my kids, playing in the park because we can't afford a movie. And Sunday, when you take your family to brunch, think of my kids, because that's the day we will have our ice cream bar. All weekend, I will have reminded them, 'On Sunday, we get our ice cream bar.'"

[toocoolforschool]

16. i personally think you should be able to buy whatever you want.

just act like its regular money and do as everyone else and buy like everyone else. you should know if you buy non-nutritional drinks you should exercise more to work it off.

[Lars39]

17. I think the real question should be why are such piddly amounts given for food

that a six-pack of cokes is going to cause a real setback in the food budget.

[madeline_con]

19. No. Because cola is not alcohol.

[MajorChode]

45. Correct. It's more like liquid candy.

[rucky]

22. You don't have kids, do you.

[DaveinJapan]

33. Jesus, you get THAT from my simple question?

The hostility is really amazing.

Yes, I have kids. No, they don't drink soft drinks. In fact, none of them even LIKE soft drinks.

They do drink caffeinated tea though, everyone does where I live (they serve it in the schools, in fact).

What's your point?

[RoyGBiv]

43. Simple question my ass ...

Given the threads on DU in the past couple days, your "simple" question is flame bait, and you damn well know it.

OnEdit: And before you say it or ask, I reject your "simple" question's premise that alcohol and soda are in any way equitable.

[rucky]

50. well if your kids don't drink it, I guess that's all that matters. n/t

[mwooldri]

24. Yes.

Guinness used to be available on prescription in the UK; my grandmother was prescribed it on the National Health Service after the birth of my dad - apparently to help with milk production. That was the wisdom of the time, alas Guinness and baked beans were removed from the prescription list many years ago.

Also in some cases it has been shown that *some* consumption of certain alcoholic beverages does have health benefits. Of course going down the ABC store and purchasing 3 litres of vodka a day and imbibing that is no good at all but the occasional beer or wine can not hurt.

Plus it's a Nanny State thing to say Food stamps can be used for the purchase of food. I'd much rather food stamps be eliminated in its entirety and a proper welfare system be in place for those who genuinely need it. They're supposed to be adults. I never heard of a "food bank" until I came to the States - those who are in true dire need get their rent for their house paid, and a budget that allows to buy food, pay the basic utilities, and have a little left over for "personal stuff". I don't think it should be unearned though - "Workfare" is fine by me - can't get a job, then go back to school, go volunteer, do SOMETHING. Mom of 8 kids with different dads? No problem, child care provisions can be arranged and you can do something ... if all your kids are of school age then perfect! - go ride the school bus with your kids and help out at the school!

[niyad]

34. pretty sick society we have here, yes? we have all the money in the world for wars, for killing

people in multiple and unusual ways, but can't find the money, or the decency, to take basic care of our citizens.

[Kali]

25. I would.

Prohibitions don't work. People trade food bought with food stamps for booze anyway. And why the fuck shouldn't a poor person be able to have a drink? Not all are alcoholics believe it or not. Sorta like not all middle class are good teetotalin' sober citizens either.

[Gormy Cuss]

26. Read this.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/MENU/Published/snap/FILES/ProgramOperations/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf

[Sukie]

28. Do you work in a food bank? The one that I voluteer at

gets its food two ways. Through donations of food and donations of money. With the money, we buy cereal like fruit loops, cocoa puffs, etc. When we get food donations of cereal, it is usually cheerios, shredded wheat, etc. It is hard to give that stuff away. Most of the clients at our food bank, when they see shredded wheat in their bag, will ask for something their children will actually eat. You see, the purpose of the food bank is to feed people, not to make them eat what you think they should eat. So if you ever donate food to a food bank, please don't send stuff like shredded wheat, diet foods, low sugar foods, etc. These people need substantial meals, yes, but they also need food that they will eat, that they are used to eating. Macaroni and cheese, spaghetti noodles and sauces, hamburger helpers, instant mashed potatoes, canned vegetables, spam, tuna, ravioli, canned beef stew, ramen. The main purpose of food stamps and food banks is to keep people from starving. If they need a soda now and then, I don't see what the problem would be, although we don't give out soda. We do give out sugary fruit juices though, because children drink them. Liquor is not equitable to soda, whatsoever. It is somewhat of an uppety attitude to think we should ban cola's.

[blogslut]

37. I give formula now

Not every mother can feed from the breast and when I saw what a can of powdered formula costs nowadays, I broke down and cried.

[mrcheerful]

49. Kind of reminds me of this food bank I went to few years ago

I got 14 cases of sugarless chocolate bars that a business that was behind in taxes gave to the food bank for a tax write off, something like 1,500 cases of the crappy stuff was donated to the food bank. Reason I got so many was the food bank couldn't get rid of it folks kept saying they didn't want it.

[DaveinJapan]

29. I think you guys missed the point of my topic.

Personally, I'm in favor of both being allowed. Why shouldn't a person, on assistance or not, be allowed to enjoy a beer with their dinner? Or a coke.

I was just wondering about the folks who were in favor of one and not the other, what their justifications might be.

So far we've got drunk driving, which is a fair point.

[dflprincess]

40. There's the addiction issue

True, people can get addicted to the caffeine in colas but I doubt if anyone would spend their food stamp allotment on pop while their kids go hungry. But an alcoholic may spend it or most of it on liquor.

[MajorChode]

52. Alcoholics represent about 4% of the adult population

And just because you're an alcoholic, doesn't mean you're currently on the sauce. Some alcoholics don't drink at all, and just because someone is an alcoholic, doesn't mean they would necessarily spend their food stamps on alcohol while their kids go hungry. About 75% of adults in the US drink alcohol. So while what you say is undoubtedly true and there would be abuses, the question is to what extent and why are we penalizing the vast majority of non-alcoholic alcohol drinkers in the process?

[MajorChode]

46. Actually I think alcohol has more nutritional value than soda

It's certainly better for you. One or two drinks a day can benefit one's health. You can't say that about soda.

[jwirr]

35. As far as I know there has never been a pop drunk driver who killed

another driver and passengers? I happen to know that pop is not exactly safe to drink but your comparison is faulty.

[Life Long Dem]

39. Everything we put into our body slowly kills us.