Lawmakers Find $21 a Week Doesn't Buy a Lot of Groceries

[squirrely girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If they can subsist on this minimal $21/week, that's good enough for me. In nearly every case I've seen here, soldiers, etc., the $21/week is supplemental to their other income, so saying they're eating on $21/week is misleading at best.

so do you not have other expenses besides food? or am i the only person? (btw this isn't personal and i'm not TRYING to be rude or over critical of you kevin but as far as i can see you're the only person really arguing in the other direction)

granted there is most likely OTHER income, but i also know what its like to have more bills than money in a month. and i'm nowhere near 'poor'. labeling $21/week as misleading IMO is just another way to be able to ignore the numbers and the problem. $21/week for food IS a reality for more than a handful of people in this country. that is a problem.

i think people are also ignoring the concept of food quality. that article was pretty good about addressing the lack of whole foods, fruits and veggies, milk, organic foods, and even semi-healthy options. poor people and people recieving food stamps don't have the luxury of healthy foods. this is a HUGE problem. people wonder why kids and adults in this country are overweight and obese (and don't say 'exercise' if you can afford to be a member of a gym or can work out in a safe neighborhood - i really don't want to hear it). quality of diet is a huge factor. when people can eat off the dollar menu at mcdonalds and be full for SIGNIFICANTLY less than they could if they were paying to buy healthy foods at a grocery store, there's a problem. and this is a huge problem when this is how children are being fed.

then again i'm a fan of not judging other people and the world based on MY situation in life.

- m

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by squirrely girl

so do you not have other expenses besides food? or am i the only person? (btw this isn't personal and i'm not TRYING to be rude or over critical of you kevin but as far as i can see you're the only person really arguing in the other direction)

granted there is most likely OTHER income, but i also know what its like to have more bills than money in a month. and i'm nowhere near 'poor'. labeling $21/week as misleading IMO is just another way to be able to ignore the numbers and the problem. $21/week for food IS a reality for more than a handful of people in this country. that is a problem.

i think people are also ignoring the concept of food quality. that article was pretty good about addressing the lack of whole foods, fruits and veggies, milk, organic foods, and even semi-healthy options. poor people and people recieving food stamps don't have the luxury of healthy foods. this is a HUGE problem. people wonder why kids and adults in this country are overweight and obese (and don't say 'exercise' if you can afford to be a member of a gym or can work out in a safe neighborhood - i really don't want to hear it). quality of diet is a huge factor. when people can eat off the dollar menu at mcdonalds and be full for SIGNIFICANTLY less than they could if they were paying to buy healthy foods at a grocery store, there's a problem. and this is a huge problem when this is how children are being fed.

then again i'm a fan of not judging other people and the world based on MY situation in life.

- m

HERE HERE Squirelly!

[DaemonSeid]

Kevin...and while u are at it....if you ever made that trek into Baltimore or DC....for each and every person you see...

For each reformed or down on thier luck junkie I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

For each abused adult who can't get medical help I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

For someone who is so infirm they can't get a job I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job


For each able bodied Katrina victim displaced this far north I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

[OneTimeSBX]

**blowing kisses at squirrly...

thank you!

milk in VA is 3.50 a gallon. on 21 bucks a week, that leaves 16.50.
eggs run you a buck, 15.50.
juice, even your cheapy store brand? 1.50 a half gallon? 1 gallon worth leaves 12.50
bread runs 1.50 or so? 11.00
a pack of bologna, another 1.50... 9.50
cheese anyone? 2 bucks, 7.50.
a few cans of vegetables at 50 cents 5.50
of course the ever popular ramen noodles (smile!) 10cents a pack, another buck for 10 packs...4.50.
and hell, lets splurge. a box of CORN FLAKES for the milk. 2.50 for those..

you have a grand total of $2.00 left. that goes towards taxes.

now does any of that seem healthy to you? the milk and eggs and veggies are ok, the cereal will cover a few meals, but i know i personally would be starving on this much food! god forbid you need some of that extra money for gas/bus fare...youre doomed!

a bag of greasy, salty, fattening potato chips can cost as little as 99 cents, while a bag of your brand name, baked, low sodium, trans fat free chips are almost $3.00!! that is why the poor can still end up obese!

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by OneTimeSBX

**blowing kisses at squirrly...

thank you!

milk in VA is 3.50 a gallon. on 21 bucks a week, that leaves 16.50.
eggs run you a buck, 15.50.
juice, even your cheapy store brand? 1.50 a half gallon? 1 gallon worth leaves 12.50
bread runs 1.50 or so? 11.00
a pack of bologna, another 1.50... 9.50
cheese anyone? 2 bucks, 7.50.
a few cans of vegetables at 50 cents 5.50
of course the ever popular ramen noodles (smile!) 10cents a pack, another buck for 10 packs...4.50.
and hell, lets splurge. a box of CORN FLAKES for the milk. 2.50 for those..

you have a grand total of $2.00 left. that goes towards taxes.

now does any of that seem healthy to you? the milk and eggs and veggies are ok, the cereal will cover a few meals, but i know i personally would be starving on this much food! god forbid you need some of that extra money for gas/bus fare...youre doomed!

a bag of greasy, salty, fattening potato chips can cost as little as 99 cents, while a bag of your brand name, baked, low sodium, trans fat free chips are almost $3.00!! that is why the poor can still end up obese!

Hole up, thure...u gotta say what kinda Corn Flakes you referring to!!! YA KNOW...Kellogs and the generics are 2 different flavors!!!

and what the heck are we drinking??? You cant splurge unless you get a few packs of koll aid (red) or a bottle of the 1.99 juice and then whatever change u got left...then u can splurge

[OneTimeSBX]

lmao my bad!

get the generic corn flakes (which sometimes taste better), forget the juice and get 10 packs of red (not cherry, RED!) kool-aid and 2 5-pound bags of sugar lol...hell we may even have enough for a can or two of tuna!

point is, you are gonna be one hungry, irritable person at the end of the day.

and another point, i think that is also why some of these kids get labeled as ADHD when their a**es are HUNGRY! you'd be staring into space and acting out too!

[Tom Earp]

I am amazed how many people think they can live on $21.00 a week for food.

I am single and pinch pennies when buying food.

Try owning a smal business and not making much out of it.

If you own a business, you cannot get on food stamps/now vision cards and amazing how many people ahve them and try to buy not approved food items!

Or "Mothers Day" when welfare checks come out and they drive up to one of the infamous liquor stores in their Cadillacs to buy booze and cash them!

Kevin, YOU are a disgrace to man kind for coming from a Mid USA State going to a State School and working to get through and graduating and then going to Law School! How can you be so crass?

Oh, Vision cards will not work in ATMs as I have had some try and get made at me!

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

I am amazed how many people think they can live on $21.00 a week for food.

I am single and pinch pennies when buying food.

Try owning a smal business and not making much out of it.

If you own a business, you cannot get on food stamps/now vision cards and amazing how many people ahve them and try to buy not approved food items!

Or "Mothers Day" when welfare checks come out and they drive up to one of the infamous liquor stores in their Cadillacs to buy booze and cash them!

Kevin, YOU are a disgrace to man kind for coming from a Mid USA State going to a State School and working to get through and graduating and then going to Law School! How can you be so crass?

Oh, Vision cards will not work in ATMs as I have had some try and get made at me!

And some of those people that own thier businesses have a helluva time paying for insurance....if they have insurance

[squirrely girl]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Or "Mothers Day" when welfare checks come out and they drive up to one of the infamous liquor stores in their Cadillacs to buy booze and cash them!

Kevin, YOU are a disgrace to man kind for coming from a Mid USA State going to a State School and working to get through and graduating and then going to Law School! How can you be so crass?

oh dear lord. i won't even get started on the terms you choose to use.

however, tom, i come from a mid usa state and went to a state school, in addition to working the midnight shift all four years while double majoring. oh yah. i've since gone on to get a masters and start work on my phd. i have funded everything on my own through loans and work. but that is NOTHING SPECIAL. i'm still a lucky bastard for the opportunities i've been afforded in my life. not everybody is that lucky. but situation and circumstance don't excuse you from caring or being firmly grounded in reality.

i'm sincere when i say that pinching pennies while food shopping sucks and i fully empathize with you. but then you could always take kevin's earlier advice and get a different job... but i don't think that fixes a SOCIETAL issue.

- m

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Kevin...and while u are at it....if you ever made that trek into Baltimore or DC....for each and every person you see...

For each reformed or down on thier luck junkie I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

Taking drugs is a choice -- an illegal, unhealthy one at that. If they choose drugs over food, so be it. I could care less when they kick off.

For each abused adult who can't get medical help I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

Each "abused adult"? You mean the ones who can go to the numerous battered womens' shelters, possibly obtain victims protection orders (or whatever the local equivalent thereof is), etc. It's their choice to continue to be abused. If they want out of that position badly enough, there is an out, although, admittedly, they may not agree. It's still a choice.

Besides, in that case, I don't think an extra ten bucks in food stamps is going to be the answer to their problem.

For someone who is so infirm they can't get a job I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

They qualify for social security and disability and a myriad of other benefits. Therefore, no job needed. My arguments only really reach able bodied/able minded "working people" (as the Democrats would call them).

For each able bodied Katrina victim displaced this far north I want you to look them in the eye and tell them get a job

I actually have. A guy hit me up for cash a few months back, gave me his Katrina spiel. I directed him to the standby manual labor company a few blocks from here.

Again, Democrats argue that there are immigrants here to do jobs "Americans won't do." If they won't work, why should I owe them a living?

[JWithers]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Taking drugs is a choice -- an illegal, unhealthy one at that. If they choose drugs over food, so be it. I could care less when they kick off.



Each "abused adult"? You mean the ones who can go to the numerous battered womens' shelters, possibly obtain victims protection orders (or whatever the local equivalent thereof is), etc. It's their choice to continue to be abused. If they want out of that position badly enough, there is an out, although, admittedly, they may not agree. It's still a choice.

Besides, in that case, I don't think an extra ten bucks in food stamps is going to be the answer to their problem.



They qualify for social security and disability and a myriad of other benefits. Therefore, no job needed. My arguments only really reach able bodied/able minded "working people" (as the Democrats would call them).



I actually have. A guy hit me up for cash a few months back, gave me his Katrina spiel. I directed him to the standby manual labor company a few blocks from here.

Again, Democrats argue that there are immigrants here to do jobs "Americans won't do." If they won't work, why should I owe them a living?

Amen, Kevin. I have a pre-schooler who can already chant the family's mantra "You are responsible for your own actions". Yes, sometimes people are handed a crap deal, but you can't take it lying down. Get up, get moving and get over it. Often times, people make their own 'bad luck' which is just a symptom of 'bad choices'. I know it isn't always the case, so no flames.

[kddani]

This thread is a hell of a lot like this one: http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showth...light=homeless

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by squirrely girl

so do you not have other expenses besides food? or am i the only person? (btw this isn't personal and i'm not TRYING to be rude or over critical of you kevin but as far as i can see you're the only person really arguing in the other direction)

I think the answer is obvious. Of course there are other expenses.. but thank God there are other government programs! If 97% of poor households can own color TV's, I guess they aren't starving.

granted there is most likely OTHER income, but i also know what its like to have more bills than money in a month. and i'm nowhere near 'poor'. labeling $21/week as misleading IMO is just another way to be able to ignore the numbers and the problem. $21/week for food IS a reality for more than a handful of people in this country. that is a problem.

Right. They should have jobs and therefore, much more money to spend.

I think people are also ignoring the concept of food quality. that article was pretty good about addressing the lack of whole foods, fruits and veggies, milk, organic foods, and even semi-healthy options. poor people and people recieving food stamps don't have the luxury of healthy foods.

And you think we owe people luxury foods just because they exist? Screw that.

this is a HUGE problem. people wonder why kids and adults in this country are overweight and obese (and don't say 'exercise' if you can afford to be a member of a gym or can work out in a safe neighborhood - i really don't want to hear it).

For kids, there are sports.. those are free if played in most schools.

Otherwise, get a job.

quality of diet is a huge factor. when people can eat off the dollar menu at mcdonalds and be full for SIGNIFICANTLY less than they could if they were paying to buy healthy foods at a grocery store, there's a problem. and this is a huge problem when this is how children are being fed.

True. Parents shouldn't have kids they can't afford to feed. That is why we have abortions and adoptions and contraceptives.

then again i'm a fan of not judging other people and the world based on MY situation in life.

Yeah, I guess expecting other people to value themselves enough to be responsible for feeding themselves is expecting a little much...

[DaemonSeid]

you know...u should stop...that plumber's crack is turning into a full moon.

And when you moon like that you really start to show how ignorant you are of other people's misfortune.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

And when you moon like that you really start to show how ignorant you are of other people's misfortune.

Misfortune and bad luck as that preivous poster said are just methods to displace ones own poor choices on some mystical force.

Not being a bleeding heart liberal does not make me an ass. It means I have a difference of opinion. Please tolerate my differences.

Can't we just all get along?