Airport ... saw something Friday that made me think of you

[WhiteTailEER]

I was at the convenience store close to work and a couple was buying 2 20 oz bottles of Pepsi (maybe diet pepsi) a pepperoni roll, 4 sticks of beef jerky and a small bag of chips ... and paid for it with an EBT card.

I don't think I go quite as far as you do, but things like this drive me crazy as I know it does you.

I honestly don't care if people with EBT cards buy steak and lobster. At least it is real food with nutritious value, and they aren't paying the mark-up of buying it at a restaurant.

What drives me nuts is people using EBT cards for nothing but junk food, and then also at the most expensive places to buy that junk food. I'm glad we have these programs for people that really need it, but if you can waste $10-$12 on junk food at a convenience store with your EBT card, maybe you are getting too much.

 

[RichardPeterJohnson]

I was at the convenience store close to work and a couple was buying 2 20 oz bottles of Pepsi (maybe diet pepsi) a pepperoni roll, 4 sticks of beef jerky and a small bag of chips ... and paid for it with an EBT card.

I don't think I go quite as far as you do, but things like this drive me crazy as I know it does you.

I honestly don't care if people with EBT cards buy steak and lobster. At least it is real food with nutritious value, and they aren't paying the mark-up of buying it at a restaurant.

What drives me nuts is people using EBT cards for nothing but junk food, and then also at the most expensive places to buy that junk food. I'm glad we have these programs for people that really need it, but if you can waste $10-$12 on junk food at a convenience store with your EBT card, maybe you are getting too much.

I agree with that. Ideally, someone on food stamps would buy food that would go a long way and for the cheapest price. And things like soft drinks should be excluded and pretty much any drinks except for milk and fruit juice. it would be interesting to see the reactions of some businesss-like Coke, Pepsi, 7-11 etc if regulations were implemented to tighten the noose a bit.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I agree with that. Ideally, someone on food stamps would buy food that would go a long way and for the cheapest price. And things like soft drinks should be excluded and pretty much any drinks except for milk and fruit juice. it would be interesting to see the reactions of some businesss-like Coke, Pepsi, 7-11 etc if regulations were implemented to tighten the noose a bit.

I'm somewhat sympathetic to them buying things at convenience stores. Particularly if they don't have cars and live a fair distance from an actual grocery store. But I'm talking about things like milk and bread, not junk food.

I know they've clamped down on some things, but I think a lot of this other stuff should be ineligible for EBT purchase as well. Of course, maybe making those kinds of purchase decisions indicates a general shortcoming in decision making that necessitates the need for the EBT card in the first place.

 

[Airport]

I was at the convenience store close to work and a couple was buying 2 20 oz bottles of Pepsi (maybe diet pepsi) a pepperoni roll, 4 sticks of beef jerky and a small bag of chips ... and paid for it with an EBT card.

I don't think I go quite as far as you do, but things like this drive me crazy as I know it does you.

I honestly don't care if people with EBT cards buy steak and lobster. At least it is real food with nutritious value, and they aren't paying the mark-up of buying it at a restaurant.

What drives me nuts is people using EBT cards for nothing but junk food, and then also at the most expensive places to buy that junk food. I'm glad we have these programs for people that really need it, but if you can waste $10-$12 on junk food at a convenience store with your EBT card, maybe you are getting too much.

They shouldn't be allowed to get cash anywhere close to Southern Exposure!

 

[eerphone]

I was at the convenience store close to work and a couple was buying 2 20 oz bottles of Pepsi (maybe diet pepsi) a pepperoni roll, 4 sticks of beef jerky and a small bag of chips ... and paid for it with an EBT card.

I don't think I go quite as far as you do, but things like this drive me crazy as I know it does you.

I honestly don't care if people with EBT cards buy steak and lobster. At least it is real food with nutritious value, and they aren't paying the mark-up of buying it at a restaurant.

What drives me nuts is people using EBT cards for nothing but junk food, and then also at the most expensive places to buy that junk food. I'm glad we have these programs for people that really need it, but if you can waste $10-$12 on junk food at a convenience store with your EBT card, maybe you are getting too much.

Sounds like a good balanced diet compared to what I see going on all the time. I fully accept that this will never change. During the big lotto drawing, I saw a couple buy $ 50 bucks of tickets and then pay for their groceries with EBT card. This is a wonderful country.

 

[Airport]

I was at the convenience store close to work and a couple was buying 2 20 oz bottles of Pepsi (maybe diet pepsi) a pepperoni roll, 4 sticks of beef jerky and a small bag of chips ... and paid for it with an EBT card.

I don't think I go quite as far as you do, but things like this drive me crazy as I know it does you.

I honestly don't care if people with EBT cards buy steak and lobster. At least it is real food with nutritious value, and they aren't paying the mark-up of buying it at a restaurant.

What drives me nuts is people using EBT cards for nothing but junk food, and then also at the most expensive places to buy that junk food. I'm glad we have these programs for people that really need it, but if you can waste $10-$12 on junk food at a convenience store with your EBT card, maybe you are getting too much.

seriously, there are people who need help. There are people who really abuse it. You cannot give away help open endedand that's what has happened. Too many people make this as a life endeavor and their children do to. I've always thought that there should be a limit to how long a person can stay on govt assistance. A prime example of this is the long term unemployment that has been extended month after month. I believe that one of the lastest Secretary appts masters thesis was on this topic and it stated that unemployment should be limited. That when unemployment runs out, those that lost it, get jobs. I'm not sure who it was but I thought that it was telling. I do care that eBT cards are used to buy lobster though. I make a lot but I haven't bought lobster in years. Of course, I'm thrifty:fries:
!

 

[WhiteTailEER]

seriously, there are people who need help. There are people who really abuse it. You cannot give away help open endedand that's what has happened. Too many people make this as a life endeavor and their children do to. I've always thought that there should be a limit to how long a person can stay on govt assistance. A prime example of this is the long term unemployment that has been extended month after month. I believe that one of the lastest Secretary appts masters thesis was on this topic and it stated that unemployment should be limited. That when unemployment runs out, those that lost it, get jobs. I'm not sure who it was but I thought that it was telling. I do care that eBT cards are used to buy lobster though. I make a lot but I haven't bought lobster in years. Of course, I'm thrifty:fries:
!

Here's where I go in my head with these things. I try to be understanding and sympathetic. So, while the incident I witnessed bothered me, I also don't know if these people will have no food at the end of the month because of this indulgence. I could be naive, but I find it hard to believe that people are getting enough to be this foolish day after day after day. I don't know though.

The life endeavor ... unfortunately I have some in my family that do this. I'm not in regular contact with them, but I know they do it. My family member married somebody from a generational welfare family and has assumed that lifestyle.

I hate the abuses.

I feel differently about unemployment than the others. Where exactly are people supposed to get these jobs? Especially if somebody just lost a $50k-$60k per year job, there may not be anything left but minimum wage. (that's a rhetorical question ... they just closed a plant in my hometown that employed thousands for decades and provided very nice middle class incomes ... there's no place for those people to go)

Ultimately, I come down on the side of just having to live with the abuses in order to provide for the ones that really need it and don't abuse it. And I've asked this before and don't really know. What percentage are abusing it? I've never seen that number and would really like to have it to better gauge if its a bigger problem than I think.

It's been a long time since I've bought lobster too. [cheers] I'm not sure if I'd call myself "thrifty", but I live below my means while also indulging in things every now and then.

 

[Airport]

Here's where I go in my head with these things. I try to be understanding and sympathetic. So, while the incident I witnessed bothered me, I also don't know if these people will have no food at the end of the month because of this indulgence. I could be naive, but I find it hard to believe that people are getting enough to be this foolish day after day after day. I don't know though.

The life endeavor ... unfortunately I have some in my family that do this. I'm not in regular contact with them, but I know they do it. My family member married somebody from a generational welfare family and has assumed that lifestyle.

I hate the abuses.

I feel differently about unemployment than the others. Where exactly are people supposed to get these jobs? Especially if somebody just lost a $50k-$60k per year job, there may not be anything left but minimum wage. (that's a rhetorical question ... they just closed a plant in my hometown that employed thousands for decades and provided very nice middle class incomes ... there's no place for those people to go)

Ultimately, I come down on the side of just having to live with the abuses in order to provide for the ones that really need it and don't abuse it. And I've asked this before and don't really know. What percentage are abusing it? I've never seen that number and would really like to have it to better gauge if its a bigger problem than I think.

It's been a long time since I've bought lobster too. [cheers] I'm not sure if I'd call myself "thrifty", but I live below my means while also indulging in things every now and then.

I never try and pass judgement in a check out line! The thing about the unemployment was what the Sec's own thesis stated about it. People thought that it would be interesting on his take now that he was a Sec of HUD,. When people call and up say they have an emergency just to get an ambulance ride to the mall, like what happens in Atlanta area, they deserve to lose some benefits. Trying to help people is hard, esp when there are many who thinks it's ok to abuse it. That's probably why there should be finite time for the benefits to last.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I never try and pass judgement in a check out line! The thing about the unemployment was what the Sec's own thesis stated about it. People thought that it would be interesting on his take now that he was a Sec of HUD,. When people call and up say they have an emergency just to get an ambulance ride to the mall, like what happens in Atlanta area, they deserve to lose some benefits. Trying to help people is hard, esp when there are many who thinks it's ok to abuse it. That's probably why there should be finite time for the benefits to last.

They deserve to be prosecuted. That's not much different than pulling a fire alarm IMO. By occupying those resources in that way, you are putting others in danger or not getting help in a timely manner.

I agree with the finite time to receive benefits to a degree ... but this is one of those things where I think a higher minimum wage will help also. It's different in different states, but right now in WV the welfare benefits workout out to $12+/hr, while minimum wage is about $8/hour. You get a 50% "raise" for doing nothing instead of going to work. There are usually unintended consequences to any changes in these programs though.

 

[Airport]

Here's where I go in my head with these things. I try to be understanding and sympathetic. So, while the incident I witnessed bothered me, I also don't know if these people will have no food at the end of the month because of this indulgence. I could be naive, but I find it hard to believe that people are getting enough to be this foolish day after day after day. I don't know though.

The life endeavor ... unfortunately I have some in my family that do this. I'm not in regular contact with them, but I know they do it. My family member married somebody from a generational welfare family and has assumed that lifestyle.

I hate the abuses.

I feel differently about unemployment than the others. Where exactly are people supposed to get these jobs? Especially if somebody just lost a $50k-$60k per year job, there may not be anything left but minimum wage. (that's a rhetorical question ... they just closed a plant in my hometown that employed thousands for decades and provided very nice middle class incomes ... there's no place for those people to go)

Ultimately, I come down on the side of just having to live with the abuses in order to provide for the ones that really need it and don't abuse it. And I've asked this before and don't really know. What percentage are abusing it? I've never seen that number and would really like to have it to better gauge if its a bigger problem than I think.

It's been a long time since I've bought lobster too. [cheers] I'm not sure if I'd call myself "thrifty", but I live below my means while also indulging in things every now and then.

There's fraud in everything we do. There's fraud in medicine, food stamps, welfare, military spending. Everything. I googled that and looked and I've seen everything from 10% t0 35%. My gues would be somewhere around 20% for most things. The only way to not lose more money would be to cut the spending. Still, a certain percentage is lost in everything we do. Blue collar and white collar.

 

[Airport]

They deserve to be prosecuted. That's not much different than pulling a fire alarm IMO. By occupying those resources in that way, you are putting others in danger or not getting help in a timely manner.

I agree with the finite time to receive benefits to a degree ... but this is one of those things where I think a higher minimum wage will help also. It's different in different states, but right now in WV the welfare benefits workout out to $12+/hr, while minimum wage is about $8/hour. You get a 50% "raise" for doing nothing instead of going to work. There are usually unintended consequences to any changes in these programs though.

Exactly, but if those benefits ran out, they would have a chance to move up the ladder instead of sitting at home. There's a definite reason to not to work when the benefits out weigh work.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

There's fraud in everything we do. There's fraud in medicine, food stamps, welfare, military spending. Everything. I googled that and looked and I've seen everything from 10% t0 35%. My gues would be somewhere around 20% for most things. The only way to not lose more money would be to cut the spending. Still, a certain percentage is lost in everything we do. Blue collar and white collar.

That's where I get hung up ... even at 35%, would it ultimately cost more in everything we'd have to implement to get rid of the abuses than what the abuses are costing. And would it hurt more people that aren't doing anything wrong.

You're right. There is fraud from the lowest levels to the highest. Unfortunately it seems to be human nature.

 

[Airport]

That's where I get hung up ... even at 35%, would it ultimately cost more in everything we'd have to implement to get rid of the abuses than what the abuses are costing. And would it hurt more people that aren't doing anything wrong.

You're right. There is fraud from the lowest levels to the highest. Unfortunately it seems to be human nature.

Yu can't legislate morality. Back in the 90's with Clinton and Gingrich, they did it right. You had some accountability but it takes both sides willing to do it, for the good of the country. That's the problem with human nature, many don't want to work. We have to be willing to pull the rug out and say, hit the road.

 

[eerphone]

I was at the convenience store close to work and a couple was buying 2 20 oz bottles of Pepsi (maybe diet pepsi) a pepperoni roll, 4 sticks of beef jerky and a small bag of chips ... and paid for it with an EBT card.

I don't think I go quite as far as you do, but things like this drive me crazy as I know it does you.

I honestly don't care if people with EBT cards buy steak and lobster. At least it is real food with nutritious value, and they aren't paying the mark-up of buying it at a restaurant.

What drives me nuts is people using EBT cards for nothing but junk food, and then also at the most expensive places to buy that junk food. I'm glad we have these programs for people that really need it, but if you can waste $10-$12 on junk food at a convenience store with your EBT card, maybe you are getting too much.

Since so many Americans are favoring socialism , maybe it is time for ;

Mandatory military service, one year, room, board and stipend. For everyone but disabled, unless they vol.

Receive welfare for more than 6 months, have to report to state job for 20 hours a week or amount equal to min. wage. Have to pass drug test. Grass is exempt.

Receive medical - first kid ok, if second child- must agree to be neutered to receive any more benefits. Must pass drug test minus grass. No smoking. No booze.

Must attend trade school or college. Progress reviewed, moved if warranted. If paid for in any way by gov.

Go to jail, must work six hours a day for the good of the general population. Paid min wage, can buy your way out.

Wait, I've got to have another drag.

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

They deserve to be prosecuted. That's not much different than pulling a fire alarm IMO. By occupying those resources in that way, you are putting others in danger or not getting help in a timely manner.

I agree with the finite time to receive benefits to a degree ... but this is one of those things where I think a higher minimum wage will help also. It's different in different states, but right now in WV the welfare benefits workout out to $12+/hr, while minimum wage is about $8/hour. You get a 50% "raise" for doing nothing instead of going to work. There are usually unintended consequences to any changes in these programs though.

What's the point? Seriously, I'm with you, and it enrages me, but what is the point? These people already don't give a damn, and you really think incarcerating them will matter? Or fining them? They clearly don't have money so no point in fining them.

 

[Airport]

What's the point? Seriously, I'm with you, and it enrages me, but what is the point? These people already don't give a damn, and you really think incarcerating them will matter? Or fining them? They clearly don't have money so no point in fining them.

Take away some of their benefits but that would require a bureaucrat to make a decision that they aren't equipped to do.

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

Take away some of their benefits but that would require a bureaucrat to make a decision that they aren't equipped to do.

LOL, I would actually love to see the political fall out from "targeting" the inner cities for this type of behavior. BLM would be akin to a bongo drum circle.

 

[Marleer]

LOL, I would actually love to see the political fall out from "targeting" the inner cities for this type of behavior. BLM would be akin to a bongo drum circle.

That's why the inneer cities are the shape they are in. The great society has really worked, hasn't it? Who knew that the Great Society that LBJ promoted would end up in the south side of Chicago, East StLouis, Baltimore and Harlem. I'm leaving out all the other places cause I need to get some sleep so I can keep making money to support all these great society programs. The unintended consequences of good intentions.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

What's the point? Seriously, I'm with you, and it enrages me, but what is the point? These people already don't give a damn, and you really think incarcerating them will matter? Or fining them? They clearly don't have money so no point in fining them.

Yeah, I get that. I feel that way about a lot of things a lot of the time. But if you don't do anything you get total anarchy. We do get painted into a corner on a lot of issues, but you gotta draw a line someplace.

But then you have the cost of incarceration ... so it's back to what I was saying before. Is it ultimately more expensive to stop the behavior than the behavior is costing?

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

Yeah, I get that. I feel that way about a lot of things a lot of the time. But if you don't do anything you get total anarchy. We do get painted into a corner on a lot of issues, but you gotta draw a line someplace.

But then you have the cost of incarceration ... so it's back to what I was saying before. Is it ultimately more expensive to stop the behavior than the behavior is costing?

Situations like this is where I feel like sometimes it's just easier to give them a beating but then that would be a no no.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

Situations like this is where I feel like sometimes it's just easier to give them a beating but then that would be a no no.

LOL ... I've often thought that we could solve a lot of problems if everybody was allotted one ass-kicking every now and then that they can't get in trouble for. A little like The Purge, only you just get to kick the shit out of one person and not get in trouble for it. You can use it as you wish. Maybe one every 5-10 years.

 

[Airport]

LOL ... I've often thought that we could solve a lot of problems if everybody was allotted one ass-kicking every now and then that they can't get in trouble for. A little like The Purge, only you just get to kick the shit out of one person and not get in trouble for it. You can use it as you wish. Maybe one every 5-10 years.

You might lose your liberal card if they hear you advocating corporal punishment. I've always wanted to be able to take my Denali and run some slow driving Ahole off the road. Kinda the same thing.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

You might lose your liberal card if they hear you advocating corporal punishment. I've always wanted to be able to take my Denali and run some slow driving Ahole off the road. Kinda the same thing.

I've never claimed to be a liberal, so if I've been issued that card, I'll happily turn it in. [cheers]
I end up on the liberal side of social issues, but based on the constitution and what I interpret things to mean. (and so far the SCOTUS has agreed with me on most of it)

I consider myself fiscally conservative, at least in my private life ... but I don't agree with a lot of the things that the "conservatives" are proposing from a fiscal standpoint, and others I do.

As for running people off the road ... I've wanted to do that 1000 times with people running slow in the left lane.

 

[Airport]

I've never claimed to be a liberal, so if I've been issued that card, I'll happily turn it in. [cheers]
I end up on the liberal side of social issues, but based on the constitution and what I interpret things to mean. (and so far the SCOTUS has agreed with me on most of it)

I consider myself fiscally conservative, at least in my private life ... but I don't agree with a lot of the things that the "conservatives" are proposing from a fiscal standpoint, and others I do.

As for running people off the road ... I've wanted to do that 1000 times with people running slow in the left lane.

Sometimes I wish I had a cannon mounted on my denali and cold just blow them off the road. :boom::boom::boom:

 

[WhiteTailEER]

Sometimes I wish I had a cannon mounted on my denali and cold just blow them off the road. :boom::boom::boom:

I don't have a Denali, but do have an SUV (and not a Prius), another reason to take my liberal card. And yes, I'd love to run some people off the road, but then I'm sure some want to blow me off the road when I'm driving the motorhome and trying to get around a big rig.

I do plan on installing solar at my house ... so there's the liberal card back. Oh, but take it away because I volunteer for a Christian organization. LOL

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

Sometimes I wish I had a cannon mounted on my denali and cold just blow them off the road. :boom::boom::boom:

I reserve my hate for middle aged women on the beltway. Arguably the rudest people on the planet. They outright refuse to let you merge, so I in turn outright refuse to allow them to not let me merge. Some reason I usually win when I start drifting over near them. My truck is basically this only a different color.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I reserve my hate for middle aged women on the beltway. Arguably the rudest people on the planet. They outright refuse to let you merge, so I in turn outright refuse to allow them to not let me merge. Some reason I usually win when I start drifting over near them. My truck is basically this only a different color.

I HATED the beltway for that very reason. Although when I had my crotch rocket it wasn't so bad.

I'd let you over too with that truck. [cheers]

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

I HATED the beltway for that very reason. Although when I had my crotch rocket it wasn't so bad.

I'd let you over too with that truck. [cheers]

Cali is where I used to get really annoyed. Stuck in 6 lanes of traffic and then a damn motorcycle would come tearassing up the creases. Lane sharing is legal in Cali. I didn't care about the crotch rockets so much as the idiots on the Harleys. It would scare the shit out of me because I wouldn't hear it until it was beside of me. I always just wanted to open my door on them.

 

[Airport]

I don't have a Denali, but do have an SUV (and not a Prius), another reason to take my liberal card. And yes, I'd love to run some people off the road, but then I'm sure some want to blow me off the road when I'm driving the motorhome and trying to get around a big rig.

I do plan on installing solar at my house ... so there's the liberal card back. Oh, but take it away because I volunteer for a Christian organization. LOL

You can be liberal and be a Christian. Solar is fine as long as govt doesn't subsidize it and tax other forms of energy just to make it atificially higher for global climate crap.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

You can be liberal and be a Christian. Solar is fine as long as govt doesn't subsidize it and tax other forms of energy just to make it atificially higher for global climate crap.

I'm atheist (or at least very strongly agnostic), but I like the mission that this organization is involved in.
I don't have a problem with solar being subsidized, oil and gas have been for decades. I don't believe in artificially inflating anything, but to me it isn't a level playing field if one is being subsidized and the other isn't, as has been the case with oil/gas vs. solar until recently.

 

[Airport]

I'm atheist (or at least very strongly agnostic), but I like the mission that this organization is involved in.
I don't have a problem with solar being subsidized, oil and gas have been for decades. I don't believe in artificially inflating anything, but to me it isn't a level playing field if one is being subsidized and the other isn't, as has been the case with oil/gas vs. solar until recently.

You know from what I've posted that I don't believe in govt subsidizing anything. You get it out of the ground, use it up and that's it. No depletion,etc. No giving money to people like Solyndra. You stand on your own two feet. You produce a product that needs to be produced. Ethanol being mandated to be put in gasoline? using a food source in gas that doesn't make engines better only worse. Just some things that bug me. Milk supports? Why? Produce what needs to be produced.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

You know from what I've posted that I don't believe in govt subsidizing anything. You get it out of the ground, use it up and that's it. No depletion,etc. No giving money to people like Solyndra. You stand on your own two feet. You produce a product that needs to be produced. Ethanol being mandated to be put in gasoline? using a food source in gas that doesn't make engines better only worse. Just some things that bug me. Milk supports? Why? Produce what needs to be produced.

Especially when we are $17T in debt ...

 

[Airport]

Especially when we are $17T in debt ...

I believe I heard somewhere that Flint Mi was broke and to save money switched from Detroit's water supple to getting it from the river. Shifting blame to a governor when mismanagement for decades that caused the need to switch

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I believe I heard somewhere that Flint Mi was broke and to save money switched from Detroit's water supple to getting it from the river. Shifting blame to a governor when mismanagement for decades that caused the need to switch

Yet the state supposedly has a $575M surplus, and it would have taken just $100/week to clean up the water supply.

 

[Airport]

Yet the state supposedly has a $575M surplus, and it would have taken just $100/week to clean up the water supply.

I'm not sure exactly what went on up there but you can bet that not one single person is to blame for them being in the shape that they got themselves in. Being broke didn't happen over night. Almost always happens when a city govt gives away more than it can afford in the form of pension benefis and salaries.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I'm not sure exactly what went on up there but you can bet that not one single person is to blame for them being in the shape that they got themselves in. Being broke didn't happen over night. Almost always happens when a city govt gives away more than it can afford in the form of pension benefis and salaries.

It's shameful. I don't care who or what party or whatever is ultimately responsible. It is inexcusable.

 

[Airport]

It's shameful. I don't care who or what party or whatever is ultimately responsible. It is inexcusable.

We need to wake up and see how hard it is to straighten things out when a city bankrupts. Detroit just came out of bankruptsy and it was a disaster. Flint is the same way. Flint was trying to cut costs by not getting it's water from Detroit. It is shameful but what led to that situation is worse.