this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2024
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Food Stamps (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by xfreed@sh.itjust.works to c/comicstrips@lemmy.world
 
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[–] karashta@kbin.melroy.org 170 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Bet that old timer loves his Medicare and social security, though. Lmfao

[–] yarr@feddit.nl 68 points 8 months ago

It's not socialism if YOU get the money.

[–] danc4498@lemmy.world 27 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Um, they’ll gladly cash that check while promoting the idea that we need to cut Medicare and social security for the future generations.

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[–] thantik@lemmy.world 129 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (10 children)

AND if you manage to scratch and claw your way INTO getting Food stamps, they'll give you $200/month for a household of 5 and call you a burden on society; even though your wife and you both work full time jobs.

[–] Holzkohlen@feddit.de 19 points 8 months ago

Ahhh... the American Dream.

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[–] Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world 80 points 8 months ago (2 children)

When I was in college, food stamps helped me a lot from having to take a third job just to eat.

When I was laid off, food stamps helped me feed my family until I can get back on my feet.

It's a critical piece of basic living. The social stigma and all the arguments about it is stupid to me.

[–] moody@lemmings.world 49 points 8 months ago (2 children)

People who have never been poor don't understand what being poor really means.

[–] boogetyboo@aussie.zone 12 points 8 months ago

It has lasting effects. My childhood was on the poverty line. I'm now, due to plenty of hard work but let's face it - luck and opportunity (I'm very aware of my privilege in this regard), I'm now considered a high income earner in my country.

But I still struggle to make purchasing decisions without extremely close scrutiny of the value comparisons. I harbour anxiety about running out of money, despite being comfortable and debt free.

My childhood left permanent scars. When you are poor your baseline is stress. It impacts everything you think and do. Even when your situation changes, you can't completely shake it off.

I think people who've never experienced it, somehow think it's compartmentalized from the rest of your life. Like, 'oh well, I have no money - that's ok, everything else is fine'. It pervades every part of your identity.

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[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 80 points 8 months ago (4 children)

The difference is that it is happening to someone else and not you.

Poverty only matters to people when it happens to them.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 32 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Poverty only matters to some people when it happens to them.

There's a lot of people with empathy too.

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[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 25 points 8 months ago

But it's different for me, I'm a good person who actually needs it!

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[–] Wes_Dev@lemmy.ml 64 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Huh, thought I posted this already, but I guess I forgot to.

I've been on food stamps before. Basically, I said that my parents ranted and complained about "other people" scamming the system and not deserving the welfare, but I did. They also were shocked at how little I actually got each month, because they assumed you were supposed to get a lot more money.

[–] Sharkwellington@lemmy.one 39 points 8 months ago (2 children)

They also were shocked at how little I actually got each month, because they assumed you were supposed to get a lot more money.

You get something like $300 a month maximum, and that is if you are making $0 anywhere else. As soon as you get any type of income it plummets to $50, which is hardly even worth the hoops they make you jump through.

[–] homura1650@lemm.ee 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I just checked my State's rules. [0] The maximum benefit is given by the "thrifty" food plan, which is cheaper than the USDA's "low cost" food plan.

For a 20 year old woman, that is $242.30 a month. From there, you compute 30% of your net monthly income, and subtract it from your SNAP allotment.

If the result is too low, this provision kicks in:

Except during an initial month, all eligible one and two-person households will receive a minimum monthly allotment of $16, and all eligible households with three or more members which are entitled to $1, $3, or $5 allotments will receive allotments of $2, $4, or $6, respectively.

Truly a golden ticket. /s

[0] https://dhs.maryland.gov/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program/food-supplement-program-manual/ (section 409)

[1] https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost_Of_Food_Thrifty_Food_Plan_January_2024.pdf

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/usda-food-plans-cost-food-monthly-reports

[–] Gabu@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago

Wow! You could buy a whole single bread with all that cash.

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[–] Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world 23 points 8 months ago

That's the weird thing about conservatives. For all their complaining about how the government doesn't work, they seem to vastly overestimate how much the government does and its competence.

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[–] Bristle1744@lemmy.today 57 points 8 months ago (5 children)

Don't ever let these assholes talk you out of using the goddamn societal safety net. And don't let your pride do it either.

It was built as the fucking floor of standards. Like, hey, people should be guaranteed 80% of their monthly nutrition needs.

[–] sushibowl@feddit.nl 14 points 8 months ago

Somehow people get shamed for taking advantage of government aid programs, but when corporations take advantage of favourable tax schemes this is just "good business practices." Did anyone ever say "oh no, only truly struggling businesses apply for subsidies!" Ridiculous. If someone offers you a dollar, you take the dollar.

[–] maynarkh@feddit.nl 11 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You are paying for it. It's there for you to use when you need it. Would you be squeamish about submitting an insurance claim? It's the exact same fucking thing, except it is being stigmatized by idiots who want to collapse society so they can profit off of poverty.

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[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 51 points 8 months ago (2 children)

And just so y'all know, in the USA people on food stamps qualify for a free government smartphone. So that old man and that boy should never have been arguing over whether or not that kid deserves to have a smartphone. because if you are poor enough, you will get a free one from the government.

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 28 points 8 months ago (1 children)

To add to this there is also a program to get free home internet as well since you need the internet to find a job nowadays.

...

And it ran out of funding!!

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 24 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Ah yes "ran out of funding" is the government's way of saying they don't feel like providing something to a certain demographic anymore.

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[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago

Old enough to remember people enraged over "Obama Phones"

[–] Ekybio@lemmy.world 50 points 8 months ago (4 children)

The evil guy is missing his MAGA hat...

[–] NaibofTabr@infosec.pub 73 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Eh, this has been Republicans since long before MAGA. "Personal responsibility" and all that...

[–] AllonzeeLV@lemmy.world 51 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

All Trump did was take away the dog whistles and pass out bullhorns.

Trump is but another symptom/consequence of the Reagan Republican era.

[–] snooggums@midwest.social 19 points 8 months ago

Yup, if he had a fatal heart attack today, the GOP would still be pushing the same bullshit. Trump would not have been as effective without Fox News shilling for him 24/7 either.

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[–] RealFknNito@lemmy.world 40 points 8 months ago

I hate Republicans I hate Republicans I hate Republicans I hate Republicans.

[–] Suavevillain@lemmy.world 40 points 8 months ago (3 children)

People don't understand how time-consuming and hard it can be to even get food stamps depending on where you are. I worked at my state's dept of Food Stamps. The lines were always busy because so many people are struggling, then you add on work requirements and other nonsense people continue to struggle.

[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 20 points 8 months ago

Work requirements infuriate me because in so many states, the amount of income you're allowed to have and still get food stamps is so low that you'd have to work less than 10 hours a month to fulfill a work requirement AND still be poor enough to get food stamps

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In my 20s, I was poor enough that food stamps would have really helped. But since I lived in my grandparents' old (falling apart) house which happened to have a washer and dryer in it from before they died, I didn't qualify. Because of the washer and dryer. Seriously.

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[–] wabafee@lemmy.world 37 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Rich guy is right his not poor yet, still has the option to mug the rich guy. Perhaps steal his car, kidnap his kids for money. Then if it still does not work overthrow the government.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 17 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

No money for food stamps, but we've always got another billion for more police.

Maybe unemployed guy should just become a cop and spend his time beating on other unemployed people. Then rich guy would love him

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[–] RogueBanana@lemmy.zip 16 points 8 months ago

Can we jump to the last one? I don't have anything planned for this weekend.

[–] Crack0n7uesday@lemmy.world 34 points 8 months ago

If your genuinely considering applying for food stamps it's already to late and you should have applied a month ago. Being poor sucks, I've been there before and I don't recommend it, it's not a fun experience.

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 28 points 8 months ago (2 children)

“Nope..it’s your fault you’re poor. “

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[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 27 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)
[–] raynethackery@lemmy.world 24 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I know it is just a comic, but it genuinely made me sad.

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[–] Rayspekt@lemmy.world 23 points 8 months ago (12 children)

This gets posted the same day I read about the german C*U saying that your savings, house, etc. should get sold immediately before you get welfare after you get fired. Niceee

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[–] Spazz@lemmynsfw.com 20 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Fucking conservatives, don't pretend it's not

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[–] sleepdrifter@startrek.website 16 points 8 months ago

On the topic of American welfare programs, season 3 of The Uncertain Hour has some really good history and current coverage of issues with the system

[–] Doof@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago

Phones are a lifeline and is often outside of things needed for survival is one of the most important to have to get yourself out of it/through it.

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