Trump budget plan: End SNAP and deliver boxes of food

[BmorePat87]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-wants-replace-food-stamps-114015814.html

The administration claims it will save $129b over a decade while others suggest it will cost more and a "one size fits all" approach does not work well with providing dietary needs for a diverse group of people.

[GMDino]

(02-13-2018, 12:12 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-wants-replace-food-stamps-114015814.html

The administration claims it will save $129b over a decade while others suggest it will cost more and a "one size fits all" approach does not work well with providing dietary needs for a diverse group of people.

My wife works at a food bank.

This might be in the top five dumbest things Trump has done/said...this week.

[Benton]

If done right, this could be a good fix.

I worked in a grocery store back in college. Food stamp abuse is pretty common (people selling their stamps, giving cards to other people in exchange for stuff, etc). Likewise, I don't think the intent of the program is for hungry kids to get all the Mt. Dew they can chug and Doritos they can eat. But nobody wants to overhaul the program.

Now, I volunteer for a food bank. It amazes me the number of people who come in and 1- ask if they can trade stuff and 2- ask if we've got any [insert favorite junk food].

If done right, I don't have an issue with food assistance being designed to be more nutritious and better regulated. My only concern is the history of outsourcing Meals and Wheels and similar programs has been disastrous. It's usually businesses that try to maximize profit by minimizing food, so you get meals of high protein goop.

[GMDino]

(02-13-2018, 12:43 PM)Benton Wrote: If done right, this could be a good fix.

I worked in a grocery store back in college. Food stamp abuse is pretty common (people selling their stamps, giving cards to other people in exchange for stuff, etc). Likewise, I don't think the intent of the program is for hungry kids to get all the Mt. Dew they can chug and Doritos they can eat. But nobody wants to overhaul the program.

Now, I volunteer for a food bank. It amazes me the number of people who come in and 1- ask if they can trade stuff and 2- ask if we've got any [insert favorite junk food].

If done right, I don't have an issue with food assistance being designed to be more nutritious and better regulated. My only concern is the history of outsourcing Meals and Wheels and similar programs has been disastrous. It's usually businesses that try to maximize profit by minimizing food, so you get meals of high protein goop.

There has to be a better solution than Trump's people grocery shopping for what THEY think everyone needs and sending a box.

[Benton]

(02-13-2018, 12:44 PM)GMDino Wrote: There has to be a better solution than Trump's people grocery shopping for what THEY think everyone needs and sending a box.

I dont think Sonny Perdue is going to be pushing a shopping cart down isle 7 at Kroger looking to fill up the box for the Smith family from Toledo. 

If done right, the box would have contents based on need. Sort of like WIC, which I think is a solid program that works well for mothers and children. It's also got very strict guidelines.

If they're not trying to cheap up and fill it with substandard food, then this could be a good thing for improving children's nutrition and fixing the problems in SNAP.

[GMDino]

(02-13-2018, 01:20 PM)Benton Wrote: I dont think Sonny Perdue is going to be pushing a shopping cart down isle 7 at Kroger looking to fill up the box for the Smith family from Toledo. 

If done right, the box would have contents based on need. Sort of like WIC, which I think is a solid program that works well for mothers and children. It's also got very strict guidelines.

If they're not trying to cheap up and fill it with substandard food, then this could be a good thing for improving children's nutrition and fixing the problems in SNAP.

I don't have that kind of faith in a group that considers food stamps the needed cut while increasing military spending...again.

If they want to funnell funds to the local organizations that can make it specific for their population, maybe.

Given Trump's lack of planning for anything I can't see it being a good thing.

[Belsnickel]

I know some will say "beggars can't be choosers," but I think that this would need to be able to have some level of customization in order to work efficiently. If you send people things they won't eat then it just results in increased food waste and malnourished individuals. I am sure there is a way to make this type of system work, but I don't have faith in this administration putting something together that would actually perform well.

[BmorePat87]

(02-13-2018, 01:20 PM)Benton Wrote: I dont think Sonny Perdue is going to be pushing a shopping cart down isle 7 at Kroger looking to fill up the box for the Smith family from Toledo. 

If done right, the box would have contents based on need. Sort of like WIC, which I think is a solid program that works well for mothers and children. It's also got very strict guidelines.

If they're not trying to cheap up and fill it with substandard food, then this could be a good thing for improving children's nutrition and fixing the problems in SNAP.

I saw a comment suggesting something more like WIC, which works. You can then go to the store and get the specific item. That's a solid solution. The issue, though, is that WIC is designed to give mothers with these young children specific things that they need for the kids health. Food stamps exist to supplement your food budget, not to provide you with specific foods. It's hard to say what each person needs since they're all in different situations.

My concern will then be the quality of the food and the real cost saving in coordinating buying the food, packaging it, and then delivering it. 

[GMDino]

(02-13-2018, 01:35 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I know some will say "beggars can't be choosers," but I think that this would need to be able to have some level of customization in order to work efficiently. If you send people things they won't eat then it just results in increased food waste and malnourished individuals. I am sure there is a way to make this type of system work, but I don't have faith in this administration putting something together that would actually perform well.

[*Nately120*]

I think we should replace food stamps with pieces of paper that say "GET A JOB" instead.

[fredtoast]

Remember when Michelle Obama wanted to get the junk food out of school lunches and serve more healthy food for the kids?

Remember how all the conservative Republicans around here applauded that move?

Yeah, me neither.

[fredtoast]

I actually agree that the food stamp program has some problems, but it just seems like it would cost more than it would save to package and deliver millions of tons of food all over the country every month. Do you realize the amount of manpower and resources it is going to require to deliver all of these individual boxes to each individual family every month?

Food stamp abuse is rampant. There is a large, well-organized black market where food stamps are traded for a fraction of their face value. Something needs to be done about that. But I don't think going back to the old "commodities" system would save any money.

BTW here is a good story my dad told me about the distribution of government commodities back in the 30's and 40's. Where he lived in rural Kentucky no one would ever use powered milk or "oleo" (what we call margarine) so the local guy who was charged with distributing the commodities would use it to fatten hogs. My dad said that guys hogs would grow so fast you could see them getting fatter every day.

[Belsnickel]

I do find it interesting that they are talking about this direction, which is a more socialist direction than SNAP currently is.

[Benton]

(02-13-2018, 01:35 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I saw a comment suggesting something more like WIC, which works. You can then go to the store and get the specific item. That's a solid solution. The issue, though, is that WIC is designed to give mothers with these young children specific things that they need for the kids health. Food stamps exist to supplement your food budget, not to provide you with specific foods. It's hard to say what each person needs since they're all in different situations.

My concern will then be the quality of the food and the real cost saving in coordinating buying the food, packaging it, and then delivering it. 

I'd be happier with a more WIC-like program. But if nothing else, I think this is still a step away from giving kids potato chips and Coke, which is a step in the right direction.

Ideally, to me, people in need would meet with someone and identify what they need in the house (kids, diabetics, elderly, etc), and the case worker would provide a voucher for food they need. If the needs change (kids get older, health issues change, etc), then what they get changes.

I think that would be a cheaper, more efficient way of handling it, and providing better quality food.

[*michaelsean*]

What about all these convenience stores that now accept EBT cards in areas where there are plenty of grocery stores. That's just throwing money away if you are the person with the card. I would make these stores show they serve a need in the area.

[Benton]

(02-13-2018, 02:18 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I do find it interesting that they are talking about this direction, which is a more socialist direction than SNAP currently is.

It'll be run pretty capitalist, though. 

It's socialism to take peoples taxes to provide for other people. It's capitalism to take peoples taxes and provide for a business. Which is ultimately what this program will become, a business raking in profits off boxing up food.

[Belsnickel]

(02-13-2018, 02:59 PM)Benton Wrote: It'll be run pretty capitalist, though. 

It's socialism to take peoples taxes to provide for other people. It's capitalism to take peoples taxes and provide for a business. Which is ultimately what this program will become, a business raking in profits off boxing up food.

Yeah, I guess I wouldn't expect for them to utilize a government agency to do this. Instead they will outsource it to Amazon or something.

[BmorePat87]

(02-13-2018, 02:49 PM)michaelsean Wrote: What about all these convenience stores that now accept EBT cards in areas where there are plenty of grocery stores.  That's just throwing money away if you are the person with the card.  I would make these stores show they serve a need in the area.

Depends. 711 does offer some decently priced lunch/dinner options on the go. I know the rules for prepared foods are different, but not all of them are that overpriced and often times they're more readily available in low income areas. 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(02-13-2018, 01:59 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Remember when Michelle Obama wanted to get the junk food out of school lunches and serve more healthy food for the kids?

Remember how all the conservative Republicans around here applauded that move?

Yeah, me neither.

Being forced to eat healthy while paying for it =/= Being forced to eat healthy while getting it for free.






..............................Also don't F with pizza day.

[BmorePat87]

(02-13-2018, 04:56 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Being forced to eat healthy while paying for it =/= Being forced to eat healthy while getting it for free.






..............................Also don't F with pizza day.

20 million of the 30 million school lunches served each day are free. Another 2 million cost the student $0.40. 

For the most part, it is kids being forced to eat healthy while getting it for free.