Food Stamps: Setting the Record Straight

I understand (and share) the commonly held level of disrespect for those who live their lives as wards of the state. That is, those who refuse to pull their weight as they collect welfare, food stamps, and even child support. I also share the desire to force welfare recipients to pass the same drug tests that working folks are subjected to in order to receive the desired benefits. For that matter, I agree that WIC recipients should be held to a certain level of nutritional value as they are being partially supported by taxpayer funds in order to feed their children.

Where I differ from those who I would otherwise agree with is in the area of food stamps. Currently there is a movement towards forcing nutritional value on food stamp recipients. The first step is to ban the purchase of “sugary soft drinks” on the IBT card. I feel that this attempt to control the diets of food stamp recipients is asinine.

In order to support my case I must first explain something that most people do not understand about food stamp distribution. For a great number of the food stamp recipients, the stereotype of “ward of the state” applies, however, this is not nearly universal. Food stamps are also allocated to disabled veterans. In cases where a veteran is in the process of rehabilitation and unable to work, the state provides food stamps as part of the package.

Think about this; for roughly twenty years I was paying into the tax base, handing a portion of my meager earnings to the government as part of the huge safety net. At one point I was making better than $60K annually while paying one third of my income into taxes and one third into child support (neither by choice). The remaining pittance covered my basic needs and left virtually nothing to put away for a rainy day.

As the government ripped one third of my check out from under me, I was given no power over what they did with the money. I could not tell the IRS that certain expenditures were potentially hazardous to our economy or even our collective health. They invested poorly and grew an unprecedented level of debt.

Meanwhile, I enlisted in the military, was seriously injured, and was medically separated. My injury prevented me from working in any field where my skills and experience would provide an opportunity. As a result of this disability, I am enrolled in the Voc-Rehab program and currently working toward an engineering degree. Once I have achieved this degree I intend to re-enter the workforce and once again become a contributor. In the mean time, I am receiving state food stamp benefits in order to help the ends meet.
Is it fair that the government can store my earnings, against my wishes, and when I need some of that money back they can tell me how the money can be spent. Had I been allowed to invest my own money and build a nest egg, I would not need food stamps and I would be able to eat as I choose. So how long will it be before our government decides to take everyone else’s money and allocates their own idea of a healthy diet to you?