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

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Aaaaactually, flash frozen veggies retain more nutrients than fresh veggies.


Here's some info from a few pages back:

I appreciate your calling my attention to it, but it doesn't really explain at what point a person qualifies and for how much in food stamps. Is it the single person making less that 11,000 who qualifies for the $21 bucks a week? So even such a person would have some limited about of money to supplement the stamps.

I'm not saying it's enough, but the congressional stunt is silly.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

I appreciate your calling my attention to it, but it doesn't really explain at what point a person qualifies and for how much in food stamps. Is it the single person making less that 11,000 who qualifies for the $21 bucks a week? So even such a person would have some limited about of money to supplement the stamps.

I'm not saying it's enough, but the congressional stunt is silly.

I'm not sure they would have much more to spend on food. $10,000 a year is $833 a month. One of my mom's friends who is looking to move into a section 8 apartment makes about that. The rent for his apartment is going to be $375 a month plus all utilities. Figure $100 for heat, electricity and water each month. Add some money for a phone.. $30 minimum. He has a car that is paid for, so he only has to pay car insurance.. about $50 a month for the minimum required by law in Michigan. His medicare premium is $60 a month and he pays about $200 a month for prescriptions. That's $835 and he hasn't bought toilet paper, napkins, shampoo or hygiene products, etc. The $21 a week in food stamps only pays for actual food, none of those other things. He hasn't done laundry yet or bought gas for his car. That's a pretty minimal amount of money to live on.

I don't think it's silly for the congressman to get a taste of how some people live.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'm not sure they would have much more to spend on food. $10,000 a year is $833 a month. One of my mom's friends who is looking to move into a section 8 apartment makes about that. The rent for his apartment is going to be $375 a month plus all utilities. Figure $100 for heat, electricity and water each month. Add some money for a phone.. $30 minimum. He has a car that is paid for, so he only has to pay car insurance.. about $50 a month for the minimum required by law in Michigan. His medicare premium is $60 a month and he pays about $200 a month for prescriptions. That's $835 and he hasn't bought toilet paper, napkins, shampoo or hygiene products, etc. The $21 a week in food stamps only pays for actual food, none of those other things. He hasn't done laundry yet or bought gas for his car. That's a pretty minimal amount of money to live on.

I don't think it's silly for the congressman to get a taste of how some people live.

Oh, if they really got a taste of it, it wouldn't be silly. But I don't really think that's what's happening here.

I certainly don't think that people are living well and getting food stamps, but they aren't living like congress lives except for $21 dollar for food.

It's the artificial nature of what they are doing that offends me about it. It's just a publicity stunt. (And I think it's only four people total, right?)

If your mom's friend disabled in some way? (I don't mean that in an insulting way; I'm just wondering what his circumstances are.)

It's hard to talk about this issue without making it sound like I feel 21 dollars is enough and I don't think that it is. On the other hand, what would be the right amount per person to give out weekly for food? How much money should a person have to earn to feed oneself? Is the answer that a person should not have to earn any money? That "enough" money for food should be provided by the government for able bodied adults?

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

Oh, if they really got a taste of it, it wouldn't be silly. But I don't really think that's what's happening here.

I certainly don't think that people are living well and getting food stamps, but they aren't living like congress lives on except for $21 dollar for food.

It's the artificial nature of what they are doing that offends me about it. It's just a publicity stunt.

If your mom's friend disabled in some way? (I don't mean that in an insulting way; I'm just wondering what his circumstances are.)

Yes, he is disabled and his income is his Social Security Disability. The VA and Worker's Comp both say the other should pay for stuff and it's a big mess. He had old war injuries that weren't debilitating at the time but then after working a physically demanding job for a couple decades, his hips and back and majorly screwed up and he should have hip replacements. It's a pretty major mess. He can't get his pension benefits for another 10 years or so either.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Yes, he is disabled and his income is his Social Security Disability. The VA and Worker's Comp both say the other should pay for stuff and it's a big mess. He had old war injuries that weren't debilitating at the time but then after working a physically demanding job for a couple decades, his hips and back and majorly screwed up and he should have hip replacements. It's a pretty major mess. He can't get his pension benefits for another 10 years or so either.

I'm sorry.

I'm a little surprised he has to pay any health related costs since he'd have the VA stuff, but I guess it depends on how long he was in and whether he can receive treatment from them. (Not that just the health costs are the problem.)

I'm also a little surprised that workman's comp would fight it. Was he able to find a lawyer to represent him for free?
I guess he's going to need one.

Does he have family who can help him?

[DolphinChicaDDD]

Congressman Ryan's tired to take his PB&J sandwich past airport security! Tsk tsk tsk...
I just had to share...

As the agent sifted though my bag, I tried to recount what could possibly be in there that was threatening...my mouthwash? Toothpaste? Yeah, it was those two, but it was also my peanut butter and jelly.

Sure enough the very nice TSA agent explained to me the 3-1-1 regulations for liquids....He politely put the peanut butter and jelly to the side, closed my bag and gave it back to me. I was too astonished to talk. I took my bag and walked towards the gate thinking about the 4 or maybe 5 meals that she had taken from me. What am I going to do now? It’s not like I can just go to Safeway and grab another jar. I have .33 cents and a bag of cornmeal to last today and tomorrow.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DolphinChicaDDD

Congressman Ryan's tired to take his PB&J sandwich past airport security! Tsk tsk tsk...
I just had to share...

As the agent sifted though my bag, I tried to recount what could possibly be in there that was threatening...my mouthwash? Toothpaste? Yeah, it was those two, but it was also my peanut butter and jelly.

Sure enough the very nice TSA agent explained to me the 3-1-1 regulations for liquids....He politely put the peanut butter and jelly to the side, closed my bag and gave it back to me. I was too astonished to talk. I took my bag and walked towards the gate thinking about the 4 or maybe 5 meals that she had taken from me. What am I going to do now? It’s not like I can just go to Safeway and grab another jar. I have .33 cents and a bag of cornmeal to last today and tomorrow.

Ummm...well...because I don't know too many poor people who fly...my suggestion would be...chew those peanuts VEEEERRRRRY slowly!!

BWUUAHHAAHHAHA

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

I'm sorry.

I'm a little surprised he has to pay any health related costs since he'd have the VA stuff, but I guess it depends on how long he was in and whether he can receive treatment from them. (Not that just the health costs are the problem.)

It doesn't necessarily depend on how long he was in--it's more an issue of when. It's still taking some red tape, even now, for Vietnam-era veterans to get benefits. Sometimes it requires referrals and declarations from an outside doctor, which is tough to get if you have no or limited health insurance. The VA benefits can be great, but they're not as easy to get as some people believe.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

It doesn't necessarily depend on how long he was in--it's more an issue of when. It's still taking some red tape, even now, for Vietnam-era veterans to get benefits. Sometimes it requires referrals and declarations from an outside doctor, which is tough to get if you have no or limited health insurance. The VA benefits can be great, but they're not as easy to get as some people believe.

In reality, few insurance benefits are easy to get as some people believe. For example, when I worked in mental health and someone's insurance company said they had to leave an inpatient psych unit after 5 days, they would say "But my policy says I get 30 days". They didn't realize that you only get as many days as they decide you need. If someone documents in your chart that you smiled when you are supposed to be depressed then BAM, you're outta there.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

I appreciate your calling my attention to it, but it doesn't really explain at what point a person qualifies and for how much in food stamps. Is it the single person making less that 11,000 who qualifies for the $21 bucks a week? So even such a person would have some limited about of money to supplement the stamps.

I'm not saying it's enough, but the congressional stunt is silly.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10101.html

Also check out the pre-screening tool: www.foodstamps-step1.usda.gov

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10101.html

Also check out the pre-screening tool: www.foodstamps-step1.usda.gov

Thanks! I'm trying to play with the site to figure out what the level of benefits are.