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USDA Study Reveals What Food Stamps Are Really Spent On (10% of Budget on Soft Drinks alone!)
The American Thinker ^ | Jan 15 2017 | Thomas Lifson

Posted on 01/15/2017 12:38:16 PM PST by drewh

Michael Bloomberg and Michelle Obama have been lecturing us (or at least those among us who use food stamps, aka SNAP) to no avail when it comes to sugary soft drinks. Anahad O’Conner of the New York Times reports:

What do households on food stamps buy at the grocery store?

The answer was largely a mystery until now. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the $74 billion food stamp program called SNAP, has published a detailed report that provides a glimpse into the shopping cart of the typical household that receives food stamps.

The findings show that the No. 1 purchases by SNAP households are soft drinks, which accounted for about 10 percent of the dollars they spent on food.

The food stamp crowd likes soft drinks a lot more than those who pay for their own food:

SNAP households spent 9.3 percent of their grocery budgets on soft drinks alone. That was slightly higher than the 7.1 percent figure for households that do not receive food stamps.

That amounts to 31% more soft drink consumption by those who don’t have to pay for it. Let me hazard a guess that people who qualify for food stamps also disproportionately do not pay fully for their medical care though either Medicaid or Obamacare subsidies.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ebt; snap; usda; welfare
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To: drewh
This is part of the swamp to drain. What favors did soda lobbyists extend to Capital Hill? This ought to be outlawed at once. Trump's frugal. It looks like 20% of food stamps could be cut immediately.

Clearly food stamps should be limited to nourishing food. Sodas, bottled teas, candy, cakes, cookies, and other desserts should be ineligible. Anything with 0 calories, such as bottled water, coffee, and tea should be ineligible.

Most chips and dips have at least some nourishment, but are generally a very poor value for the money spent, so they could be dropped too.

Instructional guides should be given to food stampers that teach them how to get the best caloric and nutritional value from their funds. This would include how to use the nutritional labels required on food and evaluate food by calories and grams of protein per dollar. There should plenty of recipes with rice, beans, and bacon.

In fact, there should be a required nutritional test that people need to pass to be eligible for food stamps.

Regarding soda sales, I've read of convenience store owners getting sodas with food stamps and then reselling them, but this surely can't be widespread enough to make a small portion of overall soda sales.

21 posted on 01/15/2017 1:30:12 PM PST by The Truth Will Make You Free
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To: drewh

People on food assistance should have their food delivered. Mostly k-rations and prison loaf.


22 posted on 01/15/2017 1:32:58 PM PST by Mr. Blond
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To: redfreedom
These jackals need to be made to work for their welfare goodies.

For every dollar given to human pets, another dollar goes into the pockets of government hirelings to administer the first dollar. Any anger about the lack of work output should be divided evenly between both Democrat groups.

Many human pets never had a job and never will. We should either let them enjoy a few of life's treats or find them a new home.

23 posted on 01/15/2017 1:37:47 PM PST by Reeses (A journey of a thousand miles begins with a government pat down.)
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To: drewh

And that’s just the soda.

That doesn’t include the rest of the junk food they buy with the food stamps.

Welfare needs to be ABOLISHED, completely and totally.

The church should be taking care of those in need, which is NOT the same as supporting those who are too lazy to get off their fat behinds and work for a living.

There needs to be accountability for those who are accepting help from others and having local organizations like churches do it, does that.

And hunger is a great motivation to work. Nobody is guaranteed food on their table and a roof over their heads to be provided to them free of charge simply for the fact of existing.


24 posted on 01/15/2017 1:47:12 PM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: The Truth Will Make You Free

well thought out post, i hope the incoming administration takes that to heart...


25 posted on 01/15/2017 1:48:58 PM PST by drewh
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To: patro; steve86; TigerClaws

Big fraud in both welfare to the rich and welfare to the poor.

For the rich, totally eliminate it. Eliminate subsidy for ethanol, subsidy for solar energy, etc.

For the poor, eliminate all taxes on the working poor. No FICA, no SS, no Medicare withheld from either employee’s or employer’s share. Immediately their take-home pay is much larger. It’s as if they got the $15 minimum wage with no cost to employer; and no increased prices to customer.

At the same time, eliminate EITC, the most fraud plagued welfare program. Cut back eligibility for SNAP, etc bigly.

This is the way to drain the swamp.


26 posted on 01/15/2017 2:08:13 PM PST by spintreebob
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To: Concentrate

While I do not know about the debit food stamps line, google says the store address at the bottom is real https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwisw_LGlcXRAhXMx4MKHRFBAl0QFgglMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yelp.com%2Fbiz%2Fangelis-county-market-menominee&usg=AFQjCNEXIqjmHe4taEmd-r0G8bTUQJe8dA&bvm=bv.144224172,d.amc


27 posted on 01/15/2017 2:13:00 PM PST by Fraxinus (My opinion, worth what you paid.)
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To: Fraxinus

Program the EBT cards to just pay for rice and beans(protein). Throw in Thunderbird for the unserious. Problem solved.


28 posted on 01/15/2017 2:50:25 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: chiller

That is why Philly’s “soda tax” is OK with me; the gibsmedats living there are just returning our tax dollars to the coffers.

If Newark NJ (next door to me, but separated by a river/moat) was to institute such a tax, I doubt ANY taxpayers would be caught in it - they live and shop in the suburbs. Heck, even Newark residents can’t shop for groceries there - they created a “food desert”, and shop in my town.


29 posted on 01/15/2017 3:37:45 PM PST by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Concentrate
The “Debt Food Stamps” line looks doctored, to be frank.

SNOPES of all people, says it is true, but tried to blur the situation by saying the guy used a "Bridge" card, (another welfare scheme) which is legal.

30 posted on 01/15/2017 6:42:52 PM PST by Oatka
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To: drewh

What happened to commodities?

Not good enough for them?

Nope. They expect me to work my ass off to give them better than I can afford for my own family.


31 posted on 01/15/2017 7:21:21 PM PST by Sequoyah101 (It feels like we have exchanged our dreams for survival. We just have a few days that don't suck.)
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To: Fungi

AMEN! That is what I was taught.


32 posted on 01/15/2017 7:22:13 PM PST by Sequoyah101 (It feels like we have exchanged our dreams for survival. We just have a few days that don't suck.)
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To: sheana

IMO, they should only be allowed to buy beans, rice, lettuce, stuff that’s good for you! Soda pop, no! Anything with sugar, no!


33 posted on 01/15/2017 10:57:56 PM PST by Concentrate (ex-texan was right. And Always Right was wrong, which is why we lost the election. ( Pizzagate, Podt)
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To: lacrew

In Michigan the welfare leeches buy carts full of soda and dump them out on the parking lot. Then they return cans for 10 cents cash to buy cigarettes and booze.

The sad fact is that most welfare bums have boyfriends dealing drugs or working for cash. They eat out and sell the food stamps.


34 posted on 01/15/2017 11:14:03 PM PST by Beagle8U (Long live Yoga Pants!)
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To: The Truth Will Make You Free

Anything with 0 calories, such as bottled water, coffee, and tea should be ineligible

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zero calories would also include:

Zucchini, turnips, spinach, radishes, onions, lettuce, green beans, garlic, cucumbers, celery, carrots, green cabbages, broccoli and asparagus.


35 posted on 01/16/2017 12:03:49 AM PST by Graybeard58 (Jan 20, 2017 Rich white man evicts black family from public housing)
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To: Graybeard58

Any assistance program that allow you to buy canned chili
but prohibits you from buying toilet paper
is fatally flawed from the git-go.


36 posted on 01/16/2017 12:07:32 AM PST by Repeal The 17th (I was conceived in liberty, how about you?)
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To: spintreebob

At the same time, eliminate EITC, the most fraud plagued welfare program.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The “E.I.T.C. - First proposed by Nixon, signed into law by Ford and increased under every administration since, without exception.


37 posted on 01/16/2017 12:08:57 AM PST by Graybeard58 (Jan 20, 2017 Rich white man evicts black family from public housing)
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To: lacrew

Exactly... and the c stores rake in the cash.


38 posted on 01/16/2017 7:39:55 AM PST by momincombatboots (Pray for Sky, 20, two gunshots to abdomen, college student, hostess, easy prey n transformed US)
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To: Graybeard58

EITC..Milton Friedman’s biggest mistake.


39 posted on 01/16/2017 9:01:15 AM PST by spintreebob
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To: Sequoyah101
What happened to commodities?

I eat commodities all the time but I have to pay for them.

40 posted on 01/17/2017 4:13:32 AM PST by itsahoot (Five words I want to hear, I will build that wall.)
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