Whoa! I just read this on our local news website and thought, “I wonder what everyone else would think of this!” The short version is Minnesota is starting a campaign to tell people that if they qualify for food stamps, they should be enrolled in the program. According to the story, 65% of people in MN who qualify are actually receiving this aide. So, they are aiming this campaign at the other 35% of people who qualify for help, but are not receiving it for one reason or another. Like I said, that’s the short version. Here’s the full story.
So, what do you think? Do you think a state should spend money on a campaign to get more people on government assistance? Do you think the idea is going to work or are you hitting your hand to your forehead right now?!
Us Girls..Our Views 
I think it should be easy to find the information and apply if someone is truly in need. That’s the whole point of the program. But on the other hand, I think that if someone is figuring it out without aid, that is better for all involved. I mean, as a single mom entrepreneur living off my savings, I’m probably eligible for something, or my kids (who are also “minorities”) are. But we don’t need it, and as a taxpayer, I don’t see the point of spending money the states probably don’t even have, unless there’s a real need. And it seems to me that if you needed food assistance, you’d know it – wouldn’t you? Or at least you’d think to ask.
Being on aid programs can screw with one’s mind in more ways than one. For one thing, the state thinks it can get in your business about stuff like how you raise your kids, where you can shop / what you can buy, where you can live, what jobs you can take without losing aid, etc. If you really need the program, then it’s worth it, but there are good reasons to try to avoid it. Also, good old-fashioned sharing and looking out for one another are healthier than government hand-outs.
As an aside, that sign seems hard to read if the target is elderly and unemployed people. It was hard for me (OK, I admit it, I probably need reading glasses). If they are going to spend money on an ad campaign, the least they could do is use ads that the target audience can read easily.
Oh, and don’t you love the way they say this is growing the economy? Because money grows on trees. It’s not like they are taking the money from a family, and spending part of it for administration, bureaucracy, and corruption, before giving it to someone who apparently doesn’t even know they need it.
Yet another way government is doing everything it can to expand Big Government!
oh, this makes me so angry.
Yes, if you *need* it, by all means, take it. But how much money is being spent on this program? And why can’t that money go toward finding a way to create some jobs so people don’t HAVE to be on government assistance? Big O is always talking about the “crumbling infrastructure” in this country – that money can’t go to hiring people to fix roads and bridges? It has to be simply handed to them?
I’m on “government assistance”. I get SSDI spouse’s benefits. (I know they’re different, but it doesn’t feel like it) And let me tell you, it wears on me every single day. When I look for a job, I have to look at what it’s going to pay me – is it going to pay little enough to not disturb those benefits? Because if it pays more, it’s going to have to pay enough more that we can afford to lose those benefits… because I lose them if I earn the “same” amount that they’re giving me. Before taxes. But then a good 30% is removed in taxes, and now we’re left with less than I was actually getting before. I’ve had to turn down jobs because of it, and it pisses me off. It feels like a prison.
So when i hear stories like this, and when I hear that O is soooo proud that so many people are on gov’t assistance, I see red. It is absolutely ridiculous that we should have so many people on these programs. And that they’re growing every day. It’s pathetic. This country used to be great. We used to build things, feed the world, *be* the reason that the rest of the world wanted to come here. Now look at us. It’s shameful.
I agree with everyone. If you need the help then great. If not, not. I don’t understand the need for this kind of spending either when everything around us needs funds. But I know those are “other” budgets!
I also feel that if you need help, by all means get it! But to spend money on ads to tell people to go on assistance, I just don’t get it. I think that it’s a vicious cycle that doesn’t give you a means to get off of it. We lost our wonderful daycare lady b/c of the cycle and somebody decided she was making too much money to be getting her husband’s disability benefits (he had a horrible work accident) and it was the same case as yours Laura. She wouldn’t come close to making enough without the benefits, but they can’t afford to loose the benefits either. I’d rather see them spend the money on getting people off of assistance than getting them on it.
I agree with everyone else here. I know people who I know would qualify for help, but they do their best to get through life without it, and I can respect that. I know my mom could have used the help when we were growing up, but she always said, “There are people who are less fortunate than us.” And she was right. Some people do, truly need the help, and that’s great for them to use it. That’s what it is there for. Although, I feel too many abuse it. But, if people are trying to live without it, let them! Why spend money targeting them? They should use it to maybe promote programs that will help keep them off assistance, not encourage to get on! Makes no sense to me at all.
I saw this on Facebook and think it fits nicely into this.
Amy Frazier Bearden
A friend of mine’s comment:
“The food stamp program, part of the Department of Agriculture, is pleased to be distributing the greatest amount of food stamps ever. Meanwhile, the Park Service, also part of the Department of Agriculture, asks us to “please do not feed the animals” because the animals may grow dependent and not learn to take care of themselves.”
As Pastor says, connect the dots people!
Good one!
Though that might not exactly relate to elderly people.