Food stamps and Hawaii

[Bullwinkle]

Forbes on the social security trust fund - good balanced read by the money guys:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillmatth...rust-fund/

[Bullwinkle]

Any one else old enough to remember the USDA program that preceded EBT?

I remember seeing lots of peanut butter, butter, blocks of cheese in plain brown USDA wrappers in school cafeterias and peoples homes, big fat peanut butter cookies were pretty common - grin....

Seemed to make more sense, fewer (none) corporations and administrative systems, taking a piece of the action between the food and the folks....

[nani1970]

You know this is why I have stopped posting on Puna Web.
I think to take a whole group of people and blame them for everything is just plain ignorant.
All through our history we have tried to achieve rights and understanding for all, and unknown Julie your continuing rant
On baby boomers is hateful, and not in the spirit of Aloha.

[csgray]

This whole concept of dividing us into labelled generations is something that was invented by the media about 50 years ago to sell magazines. As someone who is at the tail end of what is labelled "boomers," whose experience has been very different than those people who were at the beginning of the "boomer" generation, I think these labels are silly and only serve to divide us, instead of allowing people to work together across multiple age groups. Rants blaming "boomers" for how a whole generation's lives have turned out is typical of people who have bought into the whole labelled and packaged generation meme invented by the media.

My friends and coworkers cross many age groups, the person I work most closely with is the same age as my youngest daughter, I have other friends who are 20+ years older than me, all of our life experiences are unique to us as individuals, we are not clones who are easily packaged into generational units. I learn from people of all ages; I have benefited from the knowledge and wisdom of those older than me, and the energy and fresh insights of those younger than me, but I do not blame anyone other than myself and my choices, plus the fickle finger of fate, for how my life has turned out.

Back to the topic at hand, when passing judgement for how people spend their money and use their EBT cards please remember that, in theory at least, most of the beneficiaries of the EBT program are children who have no control over how their parents spend their money, but we all benefit from those children being fed. As a teacher I know that hungry children can't learn well, and children who do not learn well have less of a chance to grow into productive adults. When we are all old and decrepit, these are the people who will be caring for us, I want them to be strong, healthy, and well educated when that time comes. If I have to pay taxes that help feed those future adults now, I will do so, because the alternative is far worse. Maybe their parents should not have had children they can't feed, but those children did nothing wrong by being born, and should not be punished for the poor choices of their parents.

Carol

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

quote:

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Originally posted by csgray

I want them to be strong, healthy, and well educated when that time comes.

---

Well said Carol. And although you implied it, I'd like to emphasize that if children are healthy, they will not only be happier adults, but most likely will require less health care.

[ourdoc]

quote:

---

Originally posted by unknownjulie

The current retirees are drawing more out of the social security system than they put into it.

---

Sorry, that is pure BS. I am retired and draw SS and I will NEVER receive what I paid into it for my entire life. Nothing even close to getting interest for them holding that money for all this time, yet you just blatantly blame all of us because of our age. Have you ever heard of age discrimination?

Oh and I don't have an EBT card, most of us on retirement don't, its mainly the ones on "crazy pay" that get it.

The majority of money being paid out of SS is NOT for retiree's, but for SSI. In other words, the ones drawing the most out are those who have never worked and who are not retired but suffered a non work injury and are disabled, or have mental issues (which also means they never worked or paid into it at all and most are too young to be baby boomers). The others who get the most from SS are the wealthy that already have money but are still drawing SS retirement too including retired politicians. The majority of us workers will never get what we paid into it, not even us baby boomers that gave YOU life.

Also, when a thread is locked, its usually for a reason.

[kalakoa]

I blame the irresponsible government that squandered the SS "trust fund".

If predictions are accurate, SS should run out of money just about the time I reach retirement age, and there won't be any EBT by then either.

What are my tax dollars paying for exactly?

[Kapohocat]

quote:

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Originally posted by ourdoc

quote:

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Originally posted by unknownjulie

The current retirees are drawing more out of the social security system than they put into it.

---

Sorry, that is pure BS. I am retired and draw SS and I will NEVER receive what I paid into it for my entire life. Nothing even close to getting interest for them holding that money for all this time, yet you just blatantly blame all of us because of our age. Have you ever heard of age discrimination?

Oh and I don't have an EBT card, most of us on retirement don't, its mainly the ones on "crazy pay" that get it.

The majority of money being paid out of SS is NOT for retiree's, but for SSI. In other words, the ones drawing the most out are those who have never worked and who are not retired but suffered a non work injury and are disabled, or have mental issues (which also means they never worked or paid into it at all and most are too young to be baby boomers). The others who get the most from SS are the wealthy that already have money but are still drawing SS retirement too including retired politicians. The majority of us workers will never get what we paid into it, not even us baby boomers that gave YOU life.

Also, when a thread is locked, its usually for a reason.

---

The wealthy, or even not so wealthy, that make more from investments than the SS income limit, pay so serious tax on their SS. We found that out doing my mom's taxes (in hilo - does that bring it back enough?). It was almost $ for $ in tax.

[Bullwinkle]

Do you qualify?

almost as much fun as the cost per square foot calculator - I was surprised one could be a home owner .... cant stash a lot of cash though......

http://www.snap-step1.usda.gov/fns/

I used 2200 a month as a gross - no rent mortgage or medical deductions to keep it simple - that was to much income to qualify

[Frank]

ok...guess i'll be accused of piling on but...those of us who owned our own business not only contributed for our personal share of the ss tax with-held from our saleries, BUT, we also matched that amount as our companies share as well as matching the share with-held from our employees earnings...i'll add, this is with dollars generated by the success of our companies, not with so called free money