-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
The Food Stamp program, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a target for Republicans who voted to cut $40 billion from the program. The reasons that Republicans have given are so divorced from reality that one can reasonably suspect their true motivations lie elsewhere. The primacy of fantasy in the GOP has been recently evidenced by Michele Bachmann who sees signs of the End Times, a wished-for global apocalypse.
First up on the list of fantasies is by Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas) who said “the food stamp program [grew] exponentially because the government continues to turn a blind eye to a system fraught with abuse.” In reality, SNAP participation closely tracks the long term unemployment rate, prolonged by Republicans. The sale of SNAP benefits for cash, called “trafficking,” has been cut to $1 in every $100 of SNAP benefits. The reality is a one percent abuse rate, the fantasy is SNAP is “fraught” with abuse.
The next fantasy is that able-bodied people are getting food stamps instead of working. The reality is that 83% of all SNAP benefits go to households that include a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person. The average individual gets $133 a month in SNAP benefits. It is ridiculous to imagine that a person is going to quit their job for $133 a month that can only be spent on food, but Republicans bear ridicule well.
The next fantasy is that SNAP recipients use their benefits to buy cigarettes and alcohol. The SNAP program uses Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, similar to debit cards, that can be used in the supermarket checkout line only to purchase food. The Right likes to point to Jackie Whiton, a Peterborough, New Hampshire, store cashier who declined to accept an EBT card as payment for a pack of cigarettes. In reality, the EBT card contained state assistance money, not SNAP benefits, which can be used to purchase tobacco products. The store she worked for has a policy of accepting EBT cash benefits. In reality, Whiton was fired for violating the company’s policies.
The Republican war on programs that benefit Americans in need isn’t based on a philosophical commitment to small government. If it were, the $20 billion in farm subsidies, a welfare program for agribusiness, would be near the top of their hit list. According to a Greenberg report, the Republicans “are very conscious of being white in a country that is increasingly minority.” The report goes on to say that the “race issue [is] very much alive.” There you have it. Obama is taking their money and giving it to “Those People.”
H/T: Dave Johnson, Paul Krugman, Dottie Rosenbaum, Amanda Marcotte, Brian Tashman, WMUR.
To Shannon: I read a few of your posts… I stopped at the one that seemed to bother me:
“As I have said before, I don’t have all the answers but how it is done is that the beneficiary does one of two things, they accompany whomever they are selling their benefits to, swipe their card and then get paid cash in the parking lot or for the ones who have regular clients, they give their card to other person with PIN and exchange cash…then get their card back. When you are at the grocery store, pay attention…the cashier does not ask for ID with the use of these cards. Also, there have been ads on Craigslist for this very thing. It is not as infrequent as one may think. I would have never guessed it myself until my adult daughter started hanging out with the wrong crowd. So I asked. After I discovered what some people were doing, I asked other people I knew who receive benefits (I am not one of them). It is well known in that sort of community. A community in which thankfully many of us will never encounter.”
“THE WRONG CROWD”? You, obviously, stereotype the unfortunate, as the “wrong crowd”… I say this because in the same breath you refer to “that sort of community” as the people who receive food stamps. and quickly say you do not. “A community in which thankfully many of us will never encounter”… seriously, get real Shannon. What planet do you live on and what make you so much better than your neighbor????? Who may have a touch of bad luck in a falling economy…. who just might hide the fact that they, too, are receiving food stamps because they would not feed their children in the absence of them.. would you close your door to them because they are the “wrong crowd”?? Or, are you just picking and choosing who you deem to be unworthy? It is not a perfect system BUT.. it feeds children who would otherwise go hungry… you know, those people.. Lets hope your life never finds you with an empty wallet and a child to feed…
Tina, My reference to “the wrong crowd” does not mean what you are inferring. The wrong crowd that I speak of are the drug dealers and like.
But this discussion is about “food stamps”… so if you did not intend the title of the “wrong crowd” to be the food stamp recipients… you must be saying, that in your experience, the drug dealers are the wrong crowd in which all of them receive food stamps… I know what you were implying… so do you. Just struck me wrong as I am sure it did to any other person who read it. Thats all.. out of this as I do not agree with your distorted, sorry, way of looking at the snap benefits.
Wow! Great article David. I am late to the party, but it always amazes me that people get bent out of shape because there maybe 1 or 2 percent fraud or mistakes in the system that allows people to have the most basic of necessities. As someone mentioned earlier, where is the hue and cry over the wealthy paying little or no taxes or large corporations paying little or no taxes?? What about the billions of subsidies to the oil industry?
One more piece to my rant, where does the talking point come from that we need to drug test welfare recipients even when Gene has shown evidence that it cost more to test than it saved in Utah and I wrote an article a while back about the same experience in Florida where it cost more than it saved? is it just greed that someone who needs help is getting it??
For those who think a commodities program would be better than food stamps. I remember when there were commodities. The usual things were peanut butter, big blocks of cheddar cheese, powdered milk, and other staples that would keep a long time without refrigeration. The staples used for commodities were not suitable for everyone, and did not represent a balanced diet. I also remember those commodities being swapped around among people for goods and services. Many employees of the distribution system helped themselves to the goods, which they would either consume, or hand them out to relatives and friends. The EBT system makes that next to impossible, considering how easily the EBT system can be audited with computer tracking.
So, suppose you have a huge chunk of cheddar and a lot of powdered milk. Wonder if anyone has any suggestions for folks who are lactose intolerant? Or five pounds of peanut butter and a peanut allergy to go with it?
What do you suggest for mothers with babies and toddlers who need formula and baby food? That is not going to be on the commodities list of available foods.
Shannon,
Any minuscule fraud or waste in the Food Stamp program is not worth worrying about. The issue is that so many of us need Food Stamps. Why is that?
Any abuse of tax dollars in the defense budget, due to moving personnel around the country, is not the issue. The issue is why we need a defense budget larger than the combined defense budgets of the ten nations with the next highest defense budgets. Why do we find it necessary to constantly start wars all over the world?
The issues are our imperialism, and our merciless, cut-throat, corrupt “business model.”
I believe all of this can be summed up with the description, “fearful, greedy, and nasty.”
That’s what makes this country the “best country in the world.”
Mostly asserted by those who’ve never lived anywhere else.
And kindly stop looking down on those less fortunate than you. Bullying the weak doesn’t speak well of you, or of this nation.
Tom Thumb in his comment above, a ways up, focused on the correct aspect of the article. I will put it like this. The Rich want to denigrate the poor so that y’all take your minds and eyes off of what the rich steal in the name of farm relief etc. T
“Being observant does not give anyone the right to call names or make assumptions regarding our lives.” (Shannon)
“There are some truly mean spirited individuals on this blog,” (Shannon)
“What an absolute moronic statement.” (Shannon)
“RoninH, you sound like a complete narcissist. I will excuse your attempt at projection since it is a symptom of your illness.” (Shannon)
“Let who eat cake? What does that have to do with anything? I am shocked how an intellectual debate can quickly turn into a bunch of children fighting in the sandbox…” (Shannon)
“Another idiot with nothing positive to add to an intellectual debate. It is bullies like you who have brought this country to its knees. Shame on you.” (Shannon)
Practice what you preach, sweetheart, and you may find you don’t have to call down so much shame on others.
“Another idiot with nothing positive to add to an intellectual debate. It is bullies like you who have brought this country to its knees. Shame on you.”
Shannon merely one of your comments. Take the speck out of your eye.
“There are some truly mean spirited individuals on this blog, I shall pray for you as I leave for church. All I ask is that you open your eyes and look around you.” (Shannon)
A pluperfect example of pious self-righteousness.
LK — I remember my grandpa talking about his victory garden. Growing up, my family had a 1/2 acre garden — a heck of lot of work when all you have are hand tools. My uncle had a tractor — his garden rows were a quarter mile long! In addition to being a farmer (who happened to be allergic to dirt!), he was also a pastor. Most of his garden produce went to to feed the poor. i picked, cleaned, and packaged a whole lot of it.
Another thing I like about King Corn is its discussion about how a free market is absolutely disastrous for a secure, stable, and inexpensive food supply. i liked the pre Eral Butz farm program. Family farmers had a chance back then.
Nosy Neighbor, Good posting and I’m sorry to hear of your difficulties.
$285,000 is just a wee bit shy of 1% of $70 billion, the already admitted amount of fraud in the food stamps program
Oro Lee: “There is a another reason for all these food subsidies besides hunger. Due to all those various subsidies, Americans spend a smaller percent of their income on food than any other country, Keeping the costs of necessities artificially low frees up money to be spent elsewhere.”
*
++++++That’s it! “King Corn” is the documentary! It’s enlightening to say the least. The information about what a diet of corn does to beef cattle is pretty amazing eh? Thanks for posting it.+++++++
Good observation quoted above. I don’t have any problem with the government working to keep food prices low, or lower than they would be in an absolutely free market. A government can’t have a sizable portion of its citizens hungry or worried about the food supply and unhappy with that situation. I see families shopping and there’s 2 carts with a kid in each one and another one walking with mom or mom and dad and I’ve been behind them when they get the bill. I don’t know how people feed a family. They don’t buy much meat from my observation.
I saw a documentary about Britain during WWII titled something like “The Wartime Farm”. It was just what you would expect from the title. Wheat was a big deal, the government kept raising the farmers wheat quota as the war dragged on and other food became more and more scarce. A farmer that didn’t meet his production quotas, wheat quotas specially, could lose his farm to the government and someone else would be brought in to run it.
Bread was the only manufactured foodstuff that wasn’t rationed and it was generally not as scarce as other foods. You could always find bread for sale according to the documentary. Churchill’s food advisers kept recommending that bread be rationed, the wheat quotas were just killing the farmers. Churchill refused. He stated to the effect that the psychological damage of that would be devastating to the population, a country that couldn’t supply its citizens with bread wasn’t worth fighting for. If you had no other food you knew you always had a loaf of bread.
I agree with that. If you can’t supply your citizens with adequate, affordable food what are you doing calling yourself a country?
THERE IS NO EBT FRAUD
This guy DID NOT got to jail on EBT Fraud.
He committed another crime and they just said it was EBT Fraud
A Quincy convenience store owner who pleaded guilty to welfare fraud pulled jail time and a hefty restitution order at his sentencing yesterday — but one top Beacon Hill EBT reformer says they didn’t throw the book hard enough.
Pat Lu, 49, owner of Pat’s Mini Mart, nabbed in an EBT fraud sweep in April 2012, pleaded guilty yesterday and was sentenced to 21⁄2 years in jail and 10 years probation. Superior Court Judge Kenneth J. Fishman ordered Lu to pay $285,000 in restitution.
http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/09/state_rep_ebt_fraud_sentence_not_tough_enough#sthash.19rnRLN0.dpuf
THERE IS NO EBT FRAUD
This is why they are firing EBT Fraud Agents
DTA is in the process of hiring 10 investigators, some of whom will double as the liaisons. Monahan said officials are still “building out” the exact number, but state Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, who learned of the new initiative on a DTA office tour last week, said she was told there would be at least four.
This after the Herald reported in May how a Dedham detective, after faxing in a fraud referral report when police found drugs and $65,000 cash in a welfare recipient’s home, waited five weeks without hearing from an investigator with the state auditor’s office.
O’Connell welcomed the change, noting she had proposed a police-only fraud hotline earlier this year after hearing repeatedly from frustrated cops.
“They said they don’t even bother reporting fraud because they feel like they never get a response,” O’Connell said. “I am very glad it’s finally happening. I know how important it is to law enforcement.”
– See more at: http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/10/ebt_fraud_agents_assigned_to_work_cop_tips#sthash.o6VQR3jm.dpuf
“THERE IS NO EBT FRAUD
This is why they are firing EBT Fraud Agents”
Joe Blow,
Nice to hear from you on another topic than climate change. I guess you’ve got new funding sources for your trolling.
LK, good post especially food subsidies. What you are talking about is the real Hunger Games in America
I wasn’t complaining about food assistance programs for the poor in the US on the basis of some hidden assistance to big ag. I was pointing out that that food stamps isn’t some bleeding-heart liberal program but a general welfare program helping to keep food cheap for all of us and a lot of folks employed in agra-business and food distribution.
I think a determining factor on how much is spent on food stamps is mostly driven by how much does it achieve the goals of cheap food and helping the two mentioned industries. If it was just about need, the program should be much larger.
There is a another reason for all these food subsidies besides hunger. Due to all those various subsidies, Americans spend a smaller percent of their income on food than any other country, Keeping the costs of necessities artificially low frees up money to be spent elsewhere. It helps keep our materialistic hyper-consumer driven economic model primed.This is true of all most all programs which put money into the hands of the poor (or makes credit really cheap for the middle class)
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/01/america-food-spending-less
HULU hosts several food type documentaries free for the watching, including King Corn
http://www.hulu.com/watch/255609
I like the part re Earl Butz. In addition to [boosting/tanking] the farming industry, he helped Jimmy Carter defeat Gerald Ford with this little doozy
^http://tabloidbaby.blogspot.com/2008/02/so-what-did-earl-butz-say.html
Remove the [ ^ ] to follow the third link.
I’m all for changing the system from cards to real food. But I don’t think that is the problem the Republicans have with the system. They know the abuse rate is 1% and drug testing is not going to find much difference in this rate. You see they still want to give money away but only to the rich. A farmers that make up to $750,000 a year qualifies for welfare. They support welfare it’s just not for the poor. It’s the same old thing, socialism for the wealthy, capitalism for the poor. They just hate poor people. It what Jesus would do, right.
From my objective observation, being a foreigner from France, the feelings generated by the stampless food give away program in America arise in the checkout line. JoeBob is there buying all sorts of stuff and pays with a food card and hardworking or retired hardworking Sam is behind him in line with a small assortment of necessaries for which he is about to pay with hard earned cash. Then after paying JoeBob is not done, he gets out a wad of bills and buys cigarettes. Then he heads next door to the liquor store. I suggest that you in America urge your Congressmen and Women to change the system and go back to giving out real food and not credit cards in the name of “food stamps”. The farmers would like it.
If trafficking in SNAP funds is truly the concern, rather than elimination of benefits for the needy, then why not concentrate on methods to reduce fraud and abuse?
As a start, it would seem that the use of a photo ID with an EBT card would do much to reduce trafficking in SNAP funds as well as other benefits.
So far we have been talking about two kinds of crime. The first has to do with fraud to qualify for benefits. Mike Spindell and others have pointed out that benefit fraud in programs like SNAP seem to be very low, perhaps much less than 2%.
The second kind of crime, mentioned by Shannon and others, has to do with food stamp trafficking.
Feeding America (FA), a national charity, and the Weekly Standard, both reference a USDA study from August 2013. Both FA and Weekly Standard agree that trafficking has ranged from 3.8% in 1993, to as low as 1% in the years 2002 through 2008, and trended upwards to 1.3% in the years 2009 through 2011.
Until the government reopens and we can download the actual documents we are left with secondary sources like FA and Weekly Standard.
But the story they tell is pretty impressive:
Overall SNAP error rate: 3.8% (two thirds due to worker error)
SNAP fraud rate: likely less than 2%
SNAP trafficking rate: less than 1.3% from 2002 through present.
I doubt that any government program gets much better than that.
“Overall SNAP error rate: 3.8% (two thirds due to worker error)
SNAP fraud rate: likely less than 2%
SNAP trafficking rate: less than 1.3% from 2002 through present.”
BFM gives those figures above regarding SNAP. The link below shows the basic percentages of retail theft and other loss in 2012. They come from the National Retail Federation, the industry’s trade group. Surprise….they are almost completely identical to the figures for SNAP and they are very very low.
http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=1389
What this illustrates is that the government does at least as well in controlling loss as does private industry and that control is quite effective. Those objecting to the SNAP program here are really full of hot air when they complain about SNAP with anecdotal evidence that seems in its fantasy to come from their own pre-judgments about sections (ahem) of this society. The argument really isn’t about mythical SNAP fraud is it? It is about some lacking both the ability to be compassionate about those less fortunate and the ability to critically differentiate propaganda from factual information.
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