Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have called her on it OP and then slapped the crap out of her. Snatched the iphne away from her and took the ebt card. Your tax dollars are paying for them anyway, right? Why wait for Trump? Poor people certainly don't deserve nice things/delicious food at Golden Corral.

I've been through hard economic times, where I didn't take public aid. I didn't have an iPhone or eat out. I lived on boxes of pasta, day old bread, and tomato sauce. There was no protein because meat was too exoensive. I ended up in the emergency room on thanksgiving, where they did give me a food basket. That's what you do when you have hard times. You save your pennies, and don't cry "I deserve xxxxxxxx." You don't spend every last dime on Air Jordans or iPhones because that's one of the things which perpetuates poverty, this type of entitled consumerism.

No, that's what YOU chose to do in hard times. You should have taken the public aid.

No, some people have pride and would rather "do for themselves" as best they can. I qualified for food stamps at one point - for several months - but didn't take it. Lots of people feel the same.

Do you want a gold star or something? Do you get off on looking down your nose at people? These programs exist to help people when they need it. Why should anyone be ashamed to take help if they qualify for it? I have a close family member who left an abusive relationship with a baby. She needed EBT until she could get back on her feet. It doesnt mean she didn't have any pride. She needed to feed her kid. I wish people could try a little bit of compassion instead of being so nasty.

No, but I and the other poster (at least one) have pointed out that not only is there no recognition of the effort put forth by people who make their own way - but they're actually put down for it! Sorry, but while I understand that people need help, SOME credit should go to people who manage it on their own. Instead, they're attacked. When instances are pointed out where people are exploiting the system, they're defended. It's the upside-down world of liberals where responsible, self-sufficient people are criticized, and people who are on government assistance are almost applauded by comparison. I don't look down on those who go on programs, but yes....I do admire the people who want to make it on their own.

It's important to their world view, political beliefs, and sense of self that the recipients of government assistance be blameless folks who just happen to be down on their luck. Evidence that challenges this notion makes them very upset.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see this every year at the Salvation Army Angel Tree Distribution. There I am with my family looking hot and disheveled, dragging out bags of new selected gifts and bicycles to mom who have been to the beauty salon that morning, have decorated fingernails two inches long, makeup, tight new clothes, boots, new purses and better iphones than I use. In fact they don't even put down the phone to bother to thank us - the donors to the salvation army - nor do they even respond when I wish them a "Merry Christmas". Most, if they check their backs, complain that the microwaved they asked for it is not in there. I'm done with the attitude of entitlement. ANd yes all of these moms are perfectly capable of working from what I can observe.

This is why I stopped contributing to charities in this area. Most of those toys and gifts are re-sold for things the mothers want because the children receive so much through other sources. Through the Salvation Army I found other charities in less affluent areas where the gifts stay with the children. I am also involved with a local charity which allows me to earmark donations for things like medicine rather than rent or food. Recipients charity shop and know how to get food first, then payment of utility bills, followed by rent, school supplies and weekend food backpacks and last medicine. I earmark the money for medicine because the pharmacies are paid directly Donations are also more likely to go to people who are not covered by government or charity programs.

I'm the PP. Yes, I stopped with the angel tree gifts after that experience 20 years ago. (I started giving to local homeless shelters instead, and now I also like to give to veterans' organizations.) But what you say about the mothers selling their kids' gifts for their own wants (since the kids already get from multiple sources) is infuriating. Call me naive, but it never occurred to me the recipients of charity gifts scammed people like that.

Anonymous wrote:I see this every year at the Salvation Army Angel Tree Distribution. There I am with my family looking hot and disheveled, dragging out bags of new selected gifts and bicycles to mom who have been to the beauty salon that morning, have decorated fingernails two inches long, makeup, tight new clothes, boots, new purses and better iphones than I use. In fact they don't even put down the phone to bother to thank us - the donors to the salvation army - nor do they even respond when I wish them a "Merry Christmas". Most, if they check their backs, complain that the microwaved they asked for it is not in there. I'm done with the attitude of entitlement. ANd yes all of these moms are perfectly capable of working from what I can observe.

This is why I stopped contributing to charities in this area. Most of those toys and gifts are re-sold for things the mothers want because the children receive so much through other sources. Through the Salvation Army I found other charities in less affluent areas where the gifts stay with the children. I am also involved with a local charity which allows me to earmark donations for things like medicine rather than rent or food. Recipients charity shop and know how to get food first, then payment of utility bills, followed by rent, school supplies and weekend food backpacks and last medicine. I earmark the money for medicine because the pharmacies are paid directly Donations are also more likely to go to people who are not covered by government or charity programs.

Anonymous wrote:I see this every year at the Salvation Army Angel Tree Distribution. There I am with my family looking hot and disheveled, dragging out bags of new selected gifts and bicycles to mom who have been to the beauty salon that morning, have decorated fingernails two inches long, makeup, tight new clothes, boots, new purses and better iphones than I use. In fact they don't even put down the phone to bother to thank us - the donors to the salvation army - nor do they even respond when I wish them a "Merry Christmas". Most, if they check their backs, complain that the microwaved they asked for it is not in there. I'm done with the attitude of entitlement. ANd yes all of these moms are perfectly capable of working from what I can observe.

I had the same experience with distributing "angel tree" gifts. (Not sure it was the Salvation Army program....it was similar, though.) It was more than 20 years ago, so I don't remember the logistics of how we did the distribution, but I know that we (the individual gift-givers) actually handed our gifts to the specific families. (We had been given a list of wishes from each family, and some of the items they were asking for were a fortune. I stuck with the more modest gifts for a fsmily of three children and ended up spending about $100.) On "distribution day," we handed out the gifts - and as I gave a big Meeey Christmas to each of the kids, they took the gift and left. No smile. No thank you. Nothing. And the mother was with the kids, of course, and SHE didn't even say thank you. They just figured that they're poor, I'm "rich," and they're entitled.

Anonymous wrote:I see this every year at the Salvation Army Angel Tree Distribution. There I am with my family looking hot and disheveled, dragging out bags of new selected gifts and bicycles to mom who have been to the beauty salon that morning, have decorated fingernails two inches long, makeup, tight new clothes, boots, new purses and better iphones than I use. In fact they don't even put down the phone to bother to thank us - the donors to the salvation army - nor do they even respond when I wish them a "Merry Christmas". Most, if they check their backs, complain that the microwaved they asked for it is not in there. I'm done with the attitude of entitlement. ANd yes all of these moms are perfectly capable of working from what I can observe.

I agree. It's amazing how other people become practically enraged when a financially responsible citizen criticizes the people her taxes support for how they spend "their" money - and comments on how they live a better lifestyle than a new college grad in her "salad days." (I'm the one who posted how I struggled with the bills in my 20s, while the teenager with the baby, on assistance, lived in an apartment three times the size of mine and dressed to the nines every day.) And what makes it worse, as you observe, is the absolute entitlement they have.

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend, who happens to be a conservative fundamentalist christian--has 8 kids with DH--and gets EBT. And has an iphone. And dines at Golden Corral. Wonder if OP saw her? They will be voting for Trump, according to her facebook page.

Her wealthier parents subsidize the luxuries and pay for private christian school for the kids.

So she has wealthy (or wealthier) parents who can pay for private school for her eight kids - and then underwrite life's luxuries as well - while the taxpayers fund the basics of living? That's not what EBT is for - for middle-class taxpayers to cover your necessities so money your parents allocate can pay for things the middle class can't afford. And for all you liberal do-gooders who say it's none of my business how she spends her "other" money, it is when she spends "my" ("our") money for her basics.

I'll give an example. A woman I know has a dsughter (the daughter's in her 40s) who lives paycheck to paycheck, so when her car broke down, she said she didn't have the $1300 to fix it. She told her mother, saying she needed the car to get to work, buy groceries, you know - the basics - and the mother (who herself didn't have a lot extra to spare) gave her the money so she could cover her daily needs. Three weeks later, the woman flew to California for a vacation. The reason she was able to enjoy that luxury was because she didn't have to spend her OWN money on the car. Her mother was furious when she found out.

I see this every year at the Salvation Army Angel Tree Distribution. There I am with my family looking hot and disheveled, dragging out bags of new selected gifts and bicycles to mom who have been to the beauty salon that morning, have decorated fingernails two inches long, makeup, tight new clothes, boots, new purses and better iphones than I use. In fact they don't even put down the phone to bother to thank us - the donors to the salvation army - nor do they even respond when I wish them a "Merry Christmas". Most, if they check their backs, complain that the microwaved they asked for it is not in there. I'm done with the attitude of entitlement. ANd yes all of these moms are perfectly capable of working from what I can observe.

I have a friend, who happens to be a conservative fundamentalist christian--has 8 kids with DH--and gets EBT. And has an iphone. And dines at Golden Corral. Wonder if OP saw her? They will be voting for Trump, according to her facebook page.

Her wealthier parents subsidize the luxuries and pay for private christian school for the kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have called her on it OP and then slapped the crap out of her. Snatched the iphne away from her and took the ebt card. Your tax dollars are paying for them anyway, right? Why wait for Trump? Poor people certainly don't deserve nice things/delicious food at Golden Corral.

I've been through hard economic times, where I didn't take public aid. I didn't have an iPhone or eat out. I lived on boxes of pasta, day old bread, and tomato sauce. There was no protein because meat was too exoensive. I ended up in the emergency room on thanksgiving, where they did give me a food basket. That's what you do when you have hard times. You save your pennies, and don't cry "I deserve xxxxxxxx." You don't spend every last dime on Air Jordans or iPhones because that's one of the things which perpetuates poverty, this type of entitled consumerism.

No, that's what YOU chose to do in hard times. You should have taken the public aid.

Let me clarify. I wasn't speaking about not taking public aid. I was speaking of money management skills. You can't get ahead spending everything you earn. When you get back on your feet, if you don't learn to delay gratification, the next crisis in your life puts you back in public aid unless these skills are learned. This type of materialism perpetuates poverty. You never save up for down payments on cars, you never become a property owner, you never accumulate wealth or stability. Without stability, your kids are at risk for failing school, and perpetuating this cycle. But go ahead a defend the right to an iPhone as a God given right and keep these poor people paying rent at your section 8 rentals instead of learning skills to build their own security.

I didn't take it because I thought I could get by (I had family with whom I could stay for a while), and I thought it was more important for a limited resource to go to people who really needed it.

I am the woman who posted about the ER - my reason for not taking assistance is bolded. Brought it to the back of the bus for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have called her on it OP and then slapped the crap out of her. Snatched the iphne away from her and took the ebt card. Your tax dollars are paying for them anyway, right? Why wait for Trump? Poor people certainly don't deserve nice things/delicious food at Golden Corral.

I've been through hard economic times, where I didn't take public aid. I didn't have an iPhone or eat out. I lived on boxes of pasta, day old bread, and tomato sauce. There was no protein because meat was too exoensive. I ended up in the emergency room on thanksgiving, where they did give me a food basket. That's what you do when you have hard times. You save your pennies, and don't cry "I deserve xxxxxxxx." You don't spend every last dime on Air Jordans or iPhones because that's one of the things which perpetuates poverty, this type of entitled consumerism.

No, that's what YOU chose to do in hard times. You should have taken the public aid.

No, some people have pride and would rather "do for themselves" as best they can. I qualified for food stamps at one point - for several months - but didn't take it. Lots of people feel the same.

Do you want a gold star or something? Do you get off on looking down your nose at people? These programs exist to help people when they need it. Why should anyone be ashamed to take help if they qualify for it? I have a close family member who left an abusive relationship with a baby. She needed EBT until she could get back on her feet. It doesnt mean she didn't have any pride. She needed to feed her kid. I wish people could try a little bit of compassion instead of being so nasty.

No, but I and the other poster (at least one) have pointed out that not only is there no recognition of the effort put forth by people who make their own way - but they're actually put down for it! Sorry, but while I understand that people need help, SOME credit should go to people who manage it on their own. Instead, they're attacked. When instances are pointed out where people are exploiting the system, they're defended. It's the upside-down world of liberals where responsible, self-sufficient people are criticized, and people who are on government assistance are almost applauded by comparison. I don't look down on those who go on programs, but yes....I do admire the people who want to make it on their own.

So you do want a gold star. You are like the good son in the prodigal son parable. It is okay to help your brother. There is love/room for you too. Some need more help than others. It is good that you could do it on your own and it is good that there is help for those that need it.

Exactly. I admire those who do it on their own but there's no need to play the martyr. The help was there if you wanted it. You chose not to take it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have called her on it OP and then slapped the crap out of her. Snatched the iphne away from her and took the ebt card. Your tax dollars are paying for them anyway, right? Why wait for Trump? Poor people certainly don't deserve nice things/delicious food at Golden Corral.

I've been through hard economic times, where I didn't take public aid. I didn't have an iPhone or eat out. I lived on boxes of pasta, day old bread, and tomato sauce. There was no protein because meat was too exoensive. I ended up in the emergency room on thanksgiving, where they did give me a food basket. That's what you do when you have hard times. You save your pennies, and don't cry "I deserve xxxxxxxx." You don't spend every last dime on Air Jordans or iPhones because that's one of the things which perpetuates poverty, this type of entitled consumerism.

No, that's what YOU chose to do in hard times. You should have taken the public aid.

No, some people have pride and would rather "do for themselves" as best they can. I qualified for food stamps at one point - for several months - but didn't take it. Lots of people feel the same.

Do you want a gold star or something? Do you get off on looking down your nose at people? These programs exist to help people when they need it. Why should anyone be ashamed to take help if they qualify for it? I have a close family member who left an abusive relationship with a baby. She needed EBT until she could get back on her feet. It doesnt mean she didn't have any pride. She needed to feed her kid. I wish people could try a little bit of compassion instead of being so nasty.

No, but I and the other poster (at least one) have pointed out that not only is there no recognition of the effort put forth by people who make their own way - but they're actually put down for it! Sorry, but while I understand that people need help, SOME credit should go to people who manage it on their own. Instead, they're attacked. When instances are pointed out where people are exploiting the system, they're defended. It's the upside-down world of liberals where responsible, self-sufficient people are criticized, and people who are on government assistance are almost applauded by comparison. I don't look down on those who go on programs, but yes....I do admire the people who want to make it on their own.

So you do want a gold star. You are like the good son in the prodigal son parable. It is okay to help your brother. There is love/room for you too. Some need more help than others. It is good that you could do it on your own and it is good that there is help for those that need it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My nephew and his young family have an Ebt card. And he and his wife have iPhones. The phones were free with service and are paid for on a family plan my parents pay for. Each additional line is 15 dollars a month. Living several hours apart and having no other computer, phone, Internet, so on, this allows my family to keep in contact. Both my nephew and his wife work full time jobs. They are back breaking low paying jobs however and they have two small children.
You are judging something you have no knowledge about.

And you are defending a different EBT recipient about whom YOU have no knowledge - based on what? Your personal experience, which amounts to a sample size of one family. That's it.

In general, EBT recipients should be saving their money so they don't end up on EBT long term.

I personally do not believe that iPhones and eating at restaurants is a wise use of money by someone on EBT. Don't you agree?

IIRC SNAP benefits are only available for 24 months of any 60 month period, with a lifetime cap of 60 months.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the time limit extends only to childless adults between 18 and 60. If you have children or are over 60, you can stay on SNAP indefinitely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got in to an argument with a really mean person last week about this. She was severely bothered that poor people dare have cell phones. I told her to blame Reagan for starting the Lifeline program and Bush for expanding it to include cell phones. I certainly don't begrudge anyone a cell phone, but if you are going to be mad about it, start with Reagan and Bush.

Wait, what??? But I thought republicans hated poor people & want to get rid of programs that help poor people??? So democrats aren't responsible for these programs? So republicans actually do care and want to help poor people? I'm so confused.

Yes, they used to. Now the party is full of clowns and lizards. It is really sad how the GOP has been destroyed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have called her on it OP and then slapped the crap out of her. Snatched the iphne away from her and took the ebt card. Your tax dollars are paying for them anyway, right? Why wait for Trump? Poor people certainly don't deserve nice things/delicious food at Golden Corral.

I've been through hard economic times, where I didn't take public aid. I didn't have an iPhone or eat out. I lived on boxes of pasta, day old bread, and tomato sauce. There was no protein because meat was too exoensive. I ended up in the emergency room on thanksgiving, where they did give me a food basket. That's what you do when you have hard times. You save your pennies, and don't cry "I deserve xxxxxxxx." You don't spend every last dime on Air Jordans or iPhones because that's one of the things which perpetuates poverty, this type of entitled consumerism.

No, that's what YOU chose to do in hard times. You should have taken the public aid.

No, some people have pride and would rather "do for themselves" as best they can. I qualified for food stamps at one point - for several months - but didn't take it. Lots of people feel the same.

Do you want a gold star or something? Do you get off on looking down your nose at people? These programs exist to help people when they need it. Why should anyone be ashamed to take help if they qualify for it? I have a close family member who left an abusive relationship with a baby. She needed EBT until she could get back on her feet. It doesnt mean she didn't have any pride. She needed to feed her kid. I wish people could try a little bit of compassion instead of being so nasty.

No, but I and the other poster (at least one) have pointed out that not only is there no recognition of the effort put forth by people who make their own way - but they're actually put down for it! Sorry, but while I understand that people need help, SOME credit should go to people who manage it on their own. Instead, they're attacked. When instances are pointed out where people are exploiting the system, they're defended. It's the upside-down world of liberals where responsible, self-sufficient people are criticized, and people who are on government assistance are almost applauded by comparison. I don't look down on those who go on programs, but yes....I do admire the people who want to make it on their own.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have called her on it OP and then slapped the crap out of her. Snatched the iphne away from her and took the ebt card. Your tax dollars are paying for them anyway, right? Why wait for Trump? Poor people certainly don't deserve nice things/delicious food at Golden Corral.

I've been through hard economic times, where I didn't take public aid. I didn't have an iPhone or eat out. I lived on boxes of pasta, day old bread, and tomato sauce. There was no protein because meat was too exoensive. I ended up in the emergency room on thanksgiving, where they did give me a food basket. That's what you do when you have hard times. You save your pennies, and don't cry "I deserve xxxxxxxx." You don't spend every last dime on Air Jordans or iPhones because that's one of the things which perpetuates poverty, this type of entitled consumerism.

No, that's what YOU chose to do in hard times. You should have taken the public aid.

No, some people have pride and would rather "do for themselves" as best they can. I qualified for food stamps at one point - for several months - but didn't take it. Lots of people feel the same.

Do you want a gold star or something? Do you get off on looking down your nose at people? These programs exist to help people when they need it. Why should anyone be ashamed to take help if they qualify for it? I have a close family member who left an abusive relationship with a baby. She needed EBT until she could get back on her feet. It doesnt mean she didn't have any pride. She needed to feed her kid. I wish people could try a little bit of compassion instead of being so nasty.