Government Advertising Food Stamps and Unemployment Insurance
August 28, 2012 at 1:33 pm in News by Tea Party Patriots 15 Comments
When most Americans think of federal assistance such as food stamps and unemployment insurance, we envision people who are trying to get through hard times. Unfortunately, it appears the federal government sees things differently. From yesterday’s Washington Examiner:
“Given that only 15 percent of you turn to government assistance in tough times, we want to make sure you know about benefits that could help you,” USA.gov announced today. The ”government made easy’ website has created a “help for difficult financial times” page for people to learn more about the programs.
The government got that statistic from a poll asking Americans what helps them the most during tough times. Here are the results:
- Savings 44%
- Family 21%
- Credit cards/loans 20%
- Government assistance 15%
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking seems to be prevalent in the federal government. This summer it was reported that the Department of Agriculture has been advertising the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps):
Yesterday, Daily Caller reported that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is using tax dollars to push the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, in Spanish advertisements. This series of advertisements, while not new (they have been out since 2008), is another bit of controversy surrounding the ever-more expansive and expensive food stamp program. They also follow on the heels of an English ad encouraging people to sign up for assistance.
Just as terrible is the fact that the food stamp program even provides some corporate welfare. This is what our federal government “assistance” programs have come to – instead of basic assistance to help people through very tough times, their federal overseers seem to think they should exist for their own sake. To quote Rachel Sheffield of The Heritage Foundation back in April, in writing about the food stamp program:
In other words, the federal government seems to be saying that federal dependence translates to poverty relief.
One would hope that even liberals would hop on board in opposing this kind of thinking. It Is one thing to think the federal government has the constitutional right to provide these programs (it doesn’t, of course). It’s another to think that the programs should exist regardless of whether or not they accomplish their assigned tasks.
Te first time I heard about Welfare and food stamp program was in 1964 . It was supposed to be a help out not a hand out . Over the years the Govt and the stated have tried to to do that but some seem to keep on taking advantage of the sysytem. They don’t care that hard working citizens pay for “ASSISTANCE” . But in 1996 then President Clinton had a good Idea look for work . I have workrd since I was 17 in 1972 and have continued to work. No one ever gave me a free handout and why should they? .I was able bodied to work as of July of this year Mr Incumbent just allowed free “welfare” for all . Whose going to pay for this ? We are the working Americans . Is this right ?Heck no and one more reason to boot his incumbent out.He just gave the another excuse to suck up the
govt spending some more. (Sarcastic eye roll) good going MR Dimwit.
Absolutely, we should not be advertising for such government customers!!!
Thanks tea party for the wake up call.
Had no idea things were getting this bad..
Yes, let’s not let poor people or people with poor English skills know that healthy food for their children and help is available. That’s unAmerican! It’s what’s dragging this country down. My goodness, if we didn’t spend all this money helping these kids we could pay for like another 6 hours of our unfunded wars.
Maura,
I concur. What’s wrong with letting people know there’s help out there?
I guess I’m one of these “useful idiots,” as Craig puts it, supporting a socialist welfare state, as I’m glad there’s advertisement about food stamps or I would not have thought about them to apply. Then again, to some people, I suppose I’m considered to be a lazy, poverty-stricken nuisance who depends on the rest of the world to support me since I actually enjoy the humiliation of standing in a welfare line, not being able to feed my children, pay my bills, or my keep my house given 5 years of rollercoaster unemployment due to a crappy economy, company bankruptcies and layoffs. Never mind that I have a college degree, 25 years work experience, home & a car, and previous six-figure salary, of which I’ve paid into the system. With the job market still a mess, it doesn’t take long for savings, retirement, and any remaining assets to be gone. I’m not happy to be on food stamps but as a middle-aged, divorced single mom, I’m certainly grateful for the help right now. It’s sad to know some people think my kids and I don’t deserve to have help – especially from a program I’ve been paying into for half my life.
The self-righteous better be careful…you never know when you may be in such a state.
Martha, you sound like what Marx called a “useful idiot”.
What I’m reading between your few lines is, you think it’s the duty of patriotic Americans to support a socialist welfare state.
What would you nave a person do in the event that they have lost their job after 23 years, my employer only had to pay unemployment for 8 months. (after being employed 23 years)?
If I couldn’t get government unemployment what would I do?
Americans need jobs, and i would like to see our politicians live on 8.25 an hour. pay their house payment, utilities, everyday living cost, and still eat.
Lori, I understand it is hard times, but why should i pay for your mistake in lifestyle. I had to make it on $9 an hour for 3 months while I was trying to get a better job. I went from a $60K+ ayear job to a $40K ayear job, and still make it by quite nicely.
But I live well below my means. I drive a 2012 Hyundai Accent, but own 2 other cars that are paid for. (I don’t feel I need the big SUV in the drive way). I have two kids and stopped at that. Because that is the amount of children I can raise on my wages.
So why if I planned well, should I have to raise others kids with my tax money? Why should I have to support another human being that lives above their means to survive on lower salary? And mine you,
I never in my 40 years on this earth, taken any government funding or support. Because I got off my butt and worked to support me and mine. I didn’t sit around like a sad panda feeling sorry for myself.
That is the problem with this Obama Care generation…….they want everything for nothing. No morals, values and yes SELF PRIDE!
So you have 3 cars? A new one, not a US automaker brand?
You poor thing.
What would Jesus do?
Also, I think you all missed the point of this ad. It wasn’t to advertise food stamps, it was to advertise healthy foods for those who receive food stamps. Why? To decrease spending on healthcare costs. I hope that we can all agree that supporting healthy lifestyles in an effort to decrease spending is a good idea. Well, ehem…I guess then it’s government in your business. But wait government should ban abortion, ban gay marriage- but stay out of everything else. Very, very confused.
Obviously there are a lot of people out there, who have never had a company close without notice and lay them off, when you have a family to support and didn’t know where to turn. Especially when the “Job Creators” getting the Bush Tax Cuts are not hiring. But, that aside, please help me to understand why all the members of the different Tea Parties are not livid over the Republican voter suppression laws. At last count, there were 11 states and 4 pending. Isn’t the Tea Party all about protecting the US constitution? Come on, show some backbone. Live up to your ideals. This is about as anti-US constitution as you can get!!!
I recently learned of a candidate that seems to be perfect for all the different Tea Parties to unite behind. His name is Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party. Find out more about him. If you like him, write him in this November, because he may not appear on most ballots. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Goode
I’m affraid I’m not understanding the objection to the ads. The laws and statutes regulating who can and can’t qualify for food stamps aren’t being changed. Neither it seems are the guidelines. If someone who otherwise would not have qualified for aid wouldn’t have been eligible before the ads ran, nor will they now. Am I missing something?