i don't know how accurate this is but it sounds bad.

[doorknob]

Americans on food stamps increased to 1 in 7 and 1 in 4 children . My daughter is on food stamps I certainly can afford to feed her on my shitty income. And when I worked I was still on food stamps. Working poor is increasing in America and I'm not surprised. I can't help but feel our government is failing us.


http://beforeitsnews.com/politics/2012/12/the-irony-of-47-7-million-americans-subsisting-on-food-stamps-2479396.html

[Mermaid]

According to the USDA data and stats page on assistance, it's not true.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/data-and-statistics
Specifically:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/datastatistics/Keydata-June-2014.pdf

[stromboli]

The article is nearly 2 years old to start with. I think the economy has improved enough that the numbers aren't the same. And using words like "subsist" is a little inflammatory.

[doorknob]

well I do like how they mixed the immigration issue into the subject. I do know plenty of people on food stamps though. But I know a lot of minimum wage workers and there is no way to live on minimum wage realistically. Still it makes me angry that the same people have smart phones.

I don't have one, know I can't afford one. The only reason I even have internet is for my daughter she's in cyber school. Part of it does get reimbursed but it's still an added expense that I wouldn't have other wise.

Yeah I guess I should have looked at the date instead of trusting facebook.

[stromboli]

I live in an area where there are a lot of Hispanics. I suppose there are some on food stamps, but the ones I know all work hard and are well deserving of their wages. They are an upwardly mobile group who have worked their way from laborers into white collar jobs. I just hope they vote Democrat.

[Minimalist]

I can't help but feel our government is failing us.

The "government?"  The government is held hostage by a bunch of republicunt fuckwits who are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Upper 1% who are happiest when wages are kept so low that even people who work full time are eligible for food stamps.

Stop voting for these republicunt shits, enact significant minimum wage reform, and tax these corporate motherfuckers...and churches, and things will change in a hurry.

[josephpalazzo]

The "government?"  The government is held hostage by a bunch of republicunt fuckwits who are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Upper 1% who are happiest when wages are kept so low that even people who work full time are eligible for food stamps.

Stop voting for these republicunt shits, enact significant minimum wage reform, and tax these corporate motherfuckers...and churches, and things will change in a hurry.

The sad state of affairs in the US has been indeed the wreckage of the Republicans on Roosevelt's New Deal. Such things as United Citizens, the repeal of Glassâ€"Steagall Act (yes, it was Clinton who signed it, but it was the GOP who spearheaded it) were significant laws that  increased an already large disparity between the top 1% and the other 99%, shrinking the middle class to a point of oblivion.  Those who insist that both parties are of the same cloth are making a huge mistake. Should the Republicans take control of the Senate, this will only add to this sad tragedy. 

[Solitary]

Ditto to the last two posts, and I agree with Strom. The Hispanics here work in the most demanding physical jobs in 115 degree weather and earn every penny they get. Also, they are a lot friendlier than the rich I've had to deal with. Where there is trouble here in Arizona is where it has the most poverty, that leads to drugs and crime. My wife worked with a white girl, and her and her husband were dealing in marijuana and retired with a house paid for, knew truck and car. With crack and cocaine there is an even bigger profit, and the main dealers here come from the rich dentists, doctors, and lawyers that get it from their Hispanic yard workers and maids.

My two sons had a friend that lives by us that was white, and was the biggest dealer of drugs in town that got them from a orthodontist that he helped the drug enforcement agencies catch in a plea agreement to let him go because he was a teen at the time. He made over $10,000,000 in three years and had a limousine and driver take him everywhere. Also a Ferrari and Porsche. People don't get enough to live on and it is wondered why there is a drug and crime problem. Blame the rich that exploit people by using cheap labor, the real crooks that get subsidies from the politicians. 

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Ditto to the last two posts, and I agree with Strom. The Hispanics here work in the most demanding physical jobs in 115 degree weather and earn every penny they get. Also, they are a lot friendlier than the rich I've had to deal with. Where there is trouble here in Arizona is where it has the most poverty, that leads to drugs and crime. My wife worked with a white girl, and her and her husband were dealing in marijuana and retired with a house paid for, knew truck and car. With crack and cocaine there is an even bigger profit, and the main dealers here come from the rich dentists, doctors, and lawyers that get it from their Hispanic yard workers and maids.

My two sons had a friend that lives by us that was white, and was the biggest dealer of drugs in town that got them from a orthodontist that he helped the drug enforcement agencies catch in a plea agreement to let him go because he was a teen at the time. He made over $10,000,000 in three years and had a limousine and driver take him everywhere. Also a Ferrari and Porsche. People don't get enough to live on and it is wondered why there is a drug and crime problem. Blame the rich that exploit people by using cheap labor, the real crooks that get subsidies from the politicians. 

I've always said and it's true.. Law enforcement is LAZY with a capital L. They ALWAYS go for the low hanging fruit gladly busting people who can't afford lawyers and seldom touch wealthy criminals because they know they can afford lawyers to make them look bad.

[Solitary]

That's funny, because the orthodontist had less money than the teenager who could afford better lawyers.  Money talks and bull shit walks.