Are food stamps and WIC truly exploited in America?

Question

It's really pissing me off. I was at the store with my younger sister who does not have a lot of money at all.

Her pride as an American is to never exploit the system. She goes through great sacrifice, 2nd hand clothing, used old cars, no cell phone, barely any make up, she literally has nothing new or "nice" in her life. She is also a new mother.

She will not go on WIC or Food stamps because she believes that by her sacrifice, she can save the money for those who "REALLY NEED IT" and not exploit America.

How do others justify WIC & Food stamps. I see people all the time in nicer late model cars, cell phones, computers / internet access at homes, new clothes far better than my sisters, nice jewelry...

How do these people justify that?

In my opinion, those things should be left for those who are desperately going to starve. I think they should be made to sell the nice car, no cell phone, sell the jewelry before they come looking for a hand out.

How about you?

Answer 1

I won't argue your point on food stamps, because I know nothing about them. Simply seeing someone grocery shop doesn't make me an expert.

WIC I do have first hand knowledge about. WIC has a very limited list of what you can buy with your coupons. The point of WIC is to provide CHILDREN with nutritious food. When you don't make a ton of money, you still have to pay the electric company, and you still have to buy gas to get to work. Just like everyone else. So often the place where you cut back is on food. Instead of buying chicken b*****s and fresh veggies for dinner for your family, you buy a box of mac and cheese and some hot dogs. So because of your lower income, your family's nutrional needs are not met.

Kids NEED to drink milk with meals. They need the calcium for their growing bones. If you had to choose between a gallon of milk or buying enough food to feed your family for 3 dinners, what are you going to choose?

The average WIC appointment takes 1-2 hours. It is a long process and you spend a lot of time in the waiting room. If I made more money, would it even be worth my time to wait there? Women take off work to go to these appointments because they need it so desperately.

Our family has one car that is over 10 years old. My husband works for AT&T so we get 2 phones through his employee account. We in turn don't have a home phone.  As for the computer, I can go online and get free promotional coupons though companies (given to EVERYONE, regardless of income... it is called a sample :) and print them off... that saves me WAY more money than selling my old used computer... I'd be lucky to get $50 for it.

Why don't you stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and just mind your own business? Most everyone on WIC has a job or their spouse has a job. Your sister needs to swallow her pride and get on WIC if she needs it.

People will look down on your sister a lot more if she ends up starving her kid because she is too proud to ask for help.

Answer 2

of course it is....Ive seen this family (dont want to state the ethnicity because Ill offend someone) go into Walgreens to buy things with WIC and return to their pimped out Cadillac with shiny new rims and custom writing...the car was at least $50K

totally ridiculous....

Answer 3

You've made a judgment based on *the check out line*?  

WIC provides food checks to pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under age five who are at risk nutritionally. Why anyone would be against WIC I would never be able to understand. And I would consider someone putting the health of their child at risk by refusing to participate in WIC because of "pride."  

http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/

Here's some *real* information about food stamps:

http://www.hungercoalition.org/pressroom...

http://www.fbcmich.org/site/PageServer?p...

http://www.alabamapoverty.org/myths.html

http://www.rcscsd.org/Food_Services/Food...

The costs of waste in the food stamp program is tiny compared the the cost of waste in Iraq and in corporate tax breaks. I assume you are even more outraged about military and corporate welfare, which costs you oh-so-much-more?

Answer 4

i have an issue with people that live life times off of the system.

now please tell your sister that the system was designed to help people out through tough times and if she needs the help to take it. this does not mean that she can not get a job or better her situation at any time. and tell her that there are other programs designed to help her better her situation, such as the child care assistance program.

i would rather see my tax dollars go to some one who is trying than some one who has baby after baby to live for free as long as they can, and never even lifts a finger to get a job to better their situation.

as for WIC tell her to go. that is a great program and they do more than hand out coupons.

most important support her decisions and respect her for them. she will be ok, she sounds a lot like me, but i did use WIC, and i saw nothing wrong with it. if it makes her feel like she is not taking a "hand out from WIC" suggest that she contact them and volunteer time to answer phones, or help in the cleaning of the office.

Answer 5

I agree. It angers me that there are so many people abusing the system. I actually know of a couple that kept having chldren simply for more state aid. I have seen many MANY people buying groceries for friends in exchange for cash, and seen many people buying things that simply aren't neccessities. I know lots of parents, including myself, that respectfully chose to find jobs and work hard instead of freeloading off the government. I understand that sometimes people need extra help and see no reason to judge people out there that are actually trying to help themselves. It is my own personal belief that if you have 2 legs and can say "do you want fries with that?" then you can get a job somewhere. and then use the state, if you must, to pay for babysitting. Perhaps the government should pay for birth control instead of c**p that people don't really need.

Answer 6

Well . . . to be honest, I don't really have a problem w/ food stamps and WIC.  I don't know their situation and wouldn't like the thought in anyone in the USA going hungry.  Even if they could technically purchase it on their own (which I don't think highly of getting stamps and WIC when you don't need it),  really whats it cost us to fork over a few eggs and some chicken for low income folks, it's not so bad.

That being said, I do have a problem with the abuse of section 8 housing and disability pay.  My husband works for an apartment locator service and he would tell you that you have NO IDEA how many people go in there that receive section 8 housing checks and are looking for a landlord that accepts them, and they lead a real high quality of life w/out even having a job.  9 times out of 10 they drive in w/ a better vehicle than us and we work 6 jobs between the 2 of us!  Not that materialism is my bag but if you can afford a $600 car payment then you can pay your rent.

With the disability pay, I knew a lady that worked in a clinic that approved the disability pay and she said that most people who got approved were perfectly capable of holding a job.  When I think of disability pay I think of somebody who is paralized or severly wounded, etc, but that is just not the case.  One time I was over at another friends house and her dad was staying w/ her.  He told me he was just staying with her until his check came in the mail, he had already been approved.  I asked him why he didn't just work (he WAS perfectly capable!)  He told me that "I have worked for many years and I believe I am entitled to not work now."  . . . Well isn't it YOUR responsibility to plan for retirement??  Not steal from those that did . . . Anyhow . . . I know with all the programs that are already in planning mode, the government will probably steal my retirement that I worked three jobs to earn . . .

I think the general problem comes from this obnoxious sense of entitlement . . .I am ENTITLED to cell phones, housing, internet, nice new clothes, everything that anyone else has, etc.  No folks . . . you are entitled to get off your booty and go EARN them . . . thanks.

Answer 7

About 4-6% of all people getting welfare benefits are cheating the system.  That leaves a LOT of people who are truly in need.   I also know people who refuse help, but if your sister is raising children, she has a duty to get aid in order to ensure that her children have good nutrition.  

I get no financial assistance, and I can't afford a nice car, as I'm sure is the case for many people.  It's unfortunate that people don't take responsibility for their own lives, but we can't cut off those who really do need the help.

All the welfare cheating in the US is probably worth a week of our folly in Iraq, to put things in perspective.  We pay rich people with "farmland" not to plant anything.  We give corporations who don't need money tax breaks for certain activities.  We give retiring military high-level officers a huge promotion right before they retire so they a great retirement that they technically earn.

Answer 8

WIC is not government funded.  it is provided by privately funded companies.  i was once in that situation and debated on going back into it.  i didn't go get WIC until i was 2 weeks away from my due date, and stayed on it until i found a way better job so i then let it run out.  i could have stayed on it, but chose not to because of those "who really need it."  i was also on food stamps, and i was too scared to use them in front of my peers.  unfortunately the only way to food stamps is either being poorer than poor, older than dirt, or pregnant.  the funny part about this is that those people that have food stamps and drive really nice cars don't really drive nice cars.  they know how much u make, if u lie, they'll find out.  they send forms to ur employer, trust me.  i got jipped on my food stamps.  after having my baby they went from $150 a month down to $75 a month.  u tell me how thats justified.

Answer 9

I agree.  Instead of just having income requirements, there should be behavioral requirements as well.

Answer 10

My mother works at a food bank and the bank prequalifies people. All of the women have cell phones and many smoke cigarettes. When these people get lung cancer, the hospitals are forced to treat them for free and pass the cost onto us.

I was on WIC for maybe two years. I was in your sister's shoes. I had paid into the system for 20 years, so of course, I had more than covered the cost of me being on WIC.

I think your sister should go on WIC and get her benefits. She is who the program is designed for.

I think there are people in America who are not fair or honest and they either don't try to justify their behavior or they are delusional and believe the world owes them something. They are the takers who will never succeed because you can't be a taker at work or in a marriage. It just doesn't work. Their attitude is probably what keeps them down in the first place.

The flip side of these people are the givers and the masochists who can't take for themselves what is due them.