Quote:Color me impressed.  You certainly did the research.  My humble apologies!  With that said, I don't think you will ever find the kind of abuse I am talking about on a report like those.

 

For example:  Due to my work hours I tend to visit a local Walmart at aprox. 4:15 am on many mornings.  On smany occasions I have run into a family (grandmother, daughter and 3 children) loading up 2 shopping carts full of what I would consider junk food.  Donuts, chips, sugary drinks ect.  The adults each have a cart full with these items and legitimate food items as well to be fair.  They pay with an EBT card then roll the carts out to a 2012 Cadillac El Dorado.  This has been going on for two years now.

 

Tell me in this example how there is not some kind of fraud, waste or abuse going on here.  Spare me the examples of how this could be legitimate I certainly get that it could be however we all know that in all likelihood that it is not and this type of abuse is quite common.  I think I speak for all those that feel as I do this is the source of our ire.  Blue collar workers busting their tails 5 days a week or more driving 10 year old vehicles barely getting by and seeing examples like this on a regular basis.

 

I do agree with Senor Fantasico that the real issue is the way the laws are written.  The problem there is any attempt to clean these laws up is met with demagoguery from the left and a biased media about starving children and abusing the poor.  

 

Again my apologies for calling you out.  You have put me in my place and I tip my hat to you.

 

First of all, I don't think that anyone "put you in your place".  Reasonable suspicion arose and you expressed it.  Nothing wrong with that.

 

I personally don't see your observations regarding the family in Walmart buying groceries and getting into a nice vehicle as evidence of fraud.  I'll use my own experience as an example.

 

I have a daughter, 29 years old that is a single mother after a divorce.  She is unable to provide for herself and my grandson on her own, so she lives with us at this point in time.  She does receive food stamp benefits because of her personal financial situation.  She works in a part time position and does her best, but it's not enough for her to survive on her own.  My wife does take her to the grocery store in order to get food for herself and my grandson (we have separate budgets when it comes to food).  She has her own budget for groceries (something that we enforce) and can choose how she spends her "food stamps".  My wife and I both tell her and "get on her" when she makes what we consider poor choices regarding what she buys.  We don't "forbid" her buying sodas or frozen dinners, but we do try to "educate" her regarding getting "smart choices" when it comes to food.  She has learned how to cook things like rice, beans, mac and cheese as well as other things.  She is learning how to "stretch" her budget regarding food.

 

While we don't have a Cadillac, we do have a late model SUV that is very nice.  Someone watching my wife and daughter might say the same thing about us.  Paying with an EBT card and getting into a nice vehicle.  However, I would bet that I pay more in taxes per year than most of the critics earn in a year.

 

Can we afford to support my daughter and her son without them being on public assistance?  No question in my mind, yes we can.  However, we chose one of the most difficult decisions that we ever had to make, that being let them take care of themselves (somewhat).  I feel like in the end, my daughter and grandson will be better off.

 

The bottom line is this.  Don't judge people just by what you see.

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