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$100 Billion food stamp question. TikTok posters threaten mass looting if SNAP benefits run out. Does this mean entitlements can NEVER be reformed?

Photo above - @hersheyykisses1 sez "We’re going to f–king Walmart, and walk out with our f–king buggies,” (buggies are shopping carts, if you don't speak slang-onics)

42 million Americans is a LOT. They get over $100 billion (with a B) annually in food stamps. Of course, there’s probably not that in groceries much on hand at any moment in urban NYC, LA, and DC WalMarts. Those stores will close and pull downvtheir overnight grates. Will looters then drive to suburban Whole Foods locations for a more upscale experience? You can’t rule it out.

The underlying problem here might be that food stamps (SNAP benefits) were invented in 1939 by the FDR administration, as the great depression was ending. Those SNAP benefits have continued unabated, with constantly escalating enrollments ever since. Through boom times as well as bad, stock market peaks and pandemic lockdowns. Every president, every year. This is why some economists believe that entitlements are a dangerous path to start down. People become addicted to them and stop learning the skills they need to survive on their own.

It's like the “Wild Birds Unlimited” store near my mom’s home. They have a prominent notice right near the cash register. Once you start feeding the birds this winter, you can’t stop. They forget how to migrate or even find seeds in barren winter fields.

A 10-pound bag of bird seed (no millet, just the good stuff) costs $39.95. Food stamps cost $100 billion. The government shutdown isn’t going to solve either of these problems. It just makes them more visible.

I fully expect people WILL begin shoplifting if they aren't fed.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Walmart, NYC-area grocery stores threatened with mass looting after SNAP benefits expire: sources

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Avectoijesuismoi · 36-40

Long term charity never works, no.matter what it is called the costs will continue to rise and the spiral to the point where it becomes out control and bottom line is it simply can no longer be afforded anymore. There simply is insufficient funding coming in.
While yes you may need to help at the beginning there has got to.be a plan to get the people back to where they are back on their feet and are self reliant and taking care of their own needs.
The longer you keep them in the system the more they eventually accept this as the norm and then start to make no effort to get out of the cycle.

This is going to get me in trouble but there are a segment of the population that have no intention of ever getting a job and see it as the responsibility of others to provide for them unfortunately that segment seems to be growing with each generation as well.

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Avectoijesuismoi · 36-40

@SusanInFlorida Thank you.

There is only one person that can fix or alter a persons individual circumstances the person themselves, it is also your own responsibility to do it.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Avectoijesuismoi i'm reading a book called "free will" by (Dr.) Sam Harris. It's a slim volume - 66 pages, and Doc Harris repeats himself endlessly. His basic premise is that human genetics and environmental influences (hunger, pain, cold) irrevocablly control our behavior. therefore murderers, rapists and saints like mother teresa should not be held accountable for their actions.

as you might guess, i find his (award winning) book unconvincing. He completely avoids other progressive tropes in his quest to absolve the criminal element of responsibility. Nowhere does he deconstruct things like public education, free speech, psychotherapy, etc.

If we can't outrun our genes and the environment, why not just close all the schools, give everyone a gun, and see what happens?

Avectoijesuismoi · 36-40

@SusanInFlorida In short another book of excuses to explain why it is other peoples fault that people do things that they are not supposed to do and that we should not blame them but blame society as a whole and the environment.

kodiac · 22-25, M

How many people receiving snap benefits, turn around and sell the card for pennies on the dollar to buy drugs and alcohol? I've seen people on social media offering to buy the cards and others posting about selling them . People threatening to loot and steal ,posting from their 1500 dollar i phone ,fashion nails expensive wigs . The abuse is rampant.

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kodiac · 22-25, M

@Diotrephes All Republicans vote to open the govt only takes 5 demoncrats to vote yes but govt is still closed you figure it out

LeopoldBloom · M

@kodiac So the Republicans should ask what needs to be added to the bill to get the vote of 5 Democrats, instead of whining about how the Democrats won't roll over and do what they want. Also, why isn't the top Republican, President Trump, dealing with this instead of flying around the world during the shutdown?

Or, since the Republicans have 53 votes in the Senate, they could just eliminate the filibuster and pass any budget they like without any need for the Democrats' help. I guess you think their failure to do that is the Democrats' fault, too.

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Subsumedpat · 36-40, M

Considering all the money we give away to other countries that hate us I don't have a problem giving food money away to those at the bottom in our country.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Subsumedpat no argument. i'm all for MORE support to the truly needy. However, with 42 million people getting benefits, i'd like to take a closer look at high school dropouts, people with felony drug charges, people using stolen identities, people with automobiles nicer than mine

LeopoldBloom · M

@Subsumedpat Foreign aid amounts to one-half of 1% of the budget. We could cut out all of it and it wouldn't make a difference. We also don't "give money to countries that hate us."

LeopoldBloom · M

The way to reform entitlements is to conduct a comprehensive analysis and come up with a reasonable plan, not to suddenly cut them off while telling people "get a job, lazybones." It's like if you have a business and need to reduce inventory. You wouldn't do it by setting fire to your warehouse.

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LeopoldBloom · M

@kodiac Again, the party that has the presidency and majorities in both houses of Congress is responsible. They could pass a budget tomorrow if the Senate ended the filibuster. Although that would require Johnson to call the House back in session and swear in Grijalva, who will be the last vote on the discharge petition to vote on releasing the Epstein files. Those must be a doozy considering how opposed the Republicans are to releasing them.

kodiac · 22-25, M

@LeopoldBloom wrong it takes 60 votes to reopen the govt ,some democrats have to vote yes but they won't because they are afraid of the radical leftist in their own party . What the hell does it have to do with epstein ? If you're right why did democrats in interviews admit they are using the shutdown as leverage. They want their ngo money back and that ain't happening. I mean we all are ok with a million dollars for things like a gay pride parade in africa or lgbtqi support in Hati

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Diotrephes · 70-79, M

Sure, you may be doing well financially right now but things could change within the blink of an eye. What will you do then? Will you have to sleep on the sidewalk and beg for food?

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JSul3 · 70-79

@Diotrephes The only thing worse is the "auto correct" which is bizarre. I try and proofread everything but failed to in this
case.
My bad.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Diotrephes i imagine i'll apply for other jobs, as I have in the past. I've never been unemployed for more than 3-4 weeks at a time. apparently i have skills and good behavior?

Diotrephes · 70-79, M

@SusanInFlorida That's great but lots of people have applied for countless jobs and have gone months without getting a new one. I wonder how those fired government workers will fare in the current environment?

Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M

Walmart is a multi billion dollar corporation that pays very little in taxes.

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SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@Crazywaterspring you're quite the dis-info troll, aren't you?

walmart's taxes are a matter of public record. paid $6 BILLION last year. federal tax rate of 23%. in addition to whatever the state income taxes and real estate taxes were.

LeopoldBloom · M

@JSul3 They used to do that, but stopped due to public outcry.

JSul3 · 70-79

@LeopoldBloom Agree but Walmart has been identified as one of the largest employers of people who receive government benefits, such as Medicaid and food stamps.

missyann · 56-60

How about going to food banks and churches before threatening crime in protest?

LeopoldBloom · M

@missyann The reason these government programs exist is because the charities and churches proved to be completely unable to meet the need when it was greatest.

None of the loudmouths on TikTok are actually going to do anything. In fact, I'd be surprised if the loudest ones aren't even getting SNAP or WIC benefits in the first place. Keep in mind that the TikTok algorithm is designed to foment divisions and get people upset. TikTok in China is very different, mostly educational and science videos.

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