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October 7th, 2010
03:38 PM ET
NY officials: Take soda out of food stamp program
Take sugary drinks and soda out of items eligible for purchase through food stamps, New York officials said Thursday. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exclude sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and sports drinks from food stamp eligibility, because of their effects on obesity. Under the New York proposal, city food stamp recipients would not be able to buy soda using food stamps for two years. “This initiative will give New York families more money to spend on foods and drinks that provide real nourishment,” Bloomberg said in a press release. The Big Apple has been the vanguard in many health initiatives – banning trans fats in restaurants, proposing the end of smoking in outdoor public areas and requiring calorie counts on the menu. The Chart: New York tries to ban outdoor smoking The city also released this graphic that showed how neighborhoods that had the most food stamp recipients reported that 32 to 45 percent of the residents drank more than one sugar-sweetened beverage a day and experienced higher obesity rates. New York’s poorest households had 30 percent obesity compared with the wealthiest at 17 percent. This trend also reflected in the rate of type 2 diabetes, which was higher in poor residents (14 percent) compared with the wealthiest at 7 percent. “The use of Food Stamp benefits to support the purchase of sugar sweetened drinks not only contradicts the intent of this vital program, but it also subsidizes a serious public health epidemic,” said Paterson in a statement. “There is clear evidence that low-income individuals have higher rates of obesity and are more at risk of becoming obese than other groups. The serious chronic illnesses related to obesity – diabetes, cancer and heart disease – take a toll on our family, friends and neighbors, but also carry a cost that we all bear, as nearly half of the $147 billion spent nationally on treatment per year is paid by Medicaid and Medicare.” Obesity-related illness leads to nearly $8 billion in medical costs annually for New York state residents, according to the press release. The USDA runs the food stamp program, known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. New York authorities say they seek to align the food stamps with USDA’s rules for the national school lunch program and the Women, Infants and Children program which does not allow for the purchase of sugary drinks. WIC provides foods and nutrition education for low-income pregnant and mothers to children under the age of five. Dr. Kelly Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University said excluding soda from food stamps program would not unfairly target the poor. "Using government funds to pay for things that so clearly contribute to ill health does not make sense, particularly when government agencies, including the USDA, are struggling to address the nation’s obesity problem.” Read his statement here.
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I agree...food stamps should only be used for healthy real food items. Alot of people don't understand nutrition and hopefully they will be reigned in by what they can buy with their cards.
Soon the administration is going to have a cubbard Czar and will be able to 10s of thousand of IRS agent to go to the food stamp families and check there cubbards for un authorized items. If it was me I would buy sugar free cokes and cookies.
I work as a cashier, I had a woman come through my line, she bought buffalo meat, organic salads, perrier bottled water, and other premium foods. She paid for it with food stamps. Then she had the gall to tell me that she cannot make her ends meet each month......
My husband and I both work, we have 2 in college and 1 at home still. We make our ends meet each month and sometimes we have to budget a bit harder.
I have seen others buy a whole sheet cake all decorated paid for with food stamps. I see the misuse and hear customers complain that they cannot buy hot deli food with food stamps. There is no limit on how long you can collect food stamps in MN and I often see parents teaching kids how to swipe the card. One mother said " I'll show you how to use food stamps so you know how to use yours when you get them" I have also seen balances on EBT food stamps cards over 3000.00. I have a co worker who has 9 kids and he works full time. He gets enough stamps to feed his kids all month and then some. I think there should be a limit on how long you can get them, what you can buy and a percentage (10%) of that should be able to be used for soda, chips and fat food. I am sick of seeing fat A$%%^& riding the lazy carts buying fat food and say "I got stamps"
If you are on public assistance, you have noi right to complain about the rules..buy junk with your ofwn money..
Cara, you are missing the point. You are also conveniently forgetting that a high percentage of people receiving food stamps are tax payers who are working.
But hey, ignore the fact that they are starting to tax things like soda for people who aren't receiving food stamps. Just like they tax liquor, cigs, and other items. The government does not really care about the people. If they did, they wouldn't be talking about stopping obesity or stopping drug addiction while at the same time running the lottery which creates gambling addicts.
What about those that have lost their jobs recently from the recession, caused by the government? Those that are only on them temporarily, or those that have no other choice? Obviously you have never had to be in the position to ask or need help. I was a single mom for years, and if and when I nedded a little extra help it wasn't for lack of holding a job or being lazy by no means. Yes, are tough right now every where, but instead on drumming up new ignorant laws lets put that effort into fixing the economy first!
I'm mov'n to where you live.....Yea. I know what you're saying. We have this man that comes in our store (he lives behind it) 2-3 times a day, almost every day. People say he's got 13 kids. I've only seen 9 of them myself. All his kids take turns in and out of the store with that EBT card. One time I saw the total at the bottom...$1369.12!!! I didn't even know you could collect that much....and this was on the 21st of the month. It's hard to tell how much he actually gets. He doesn't work and you never see his wife. He says she has a fear of being around alot of people (and she probably gets a check for that too). She sure doesn't have a problem with staying at home and "popping out" babies. Funny thing though, she has an Ebay account AND a credit card with the "PayPal" logo on it...a visa. He uses that to buy his daily 5 packs of cigs and case of beer for the both of them. He buys 3-5 packs of cigs a day. Thats about 2-3 cartons of smokes a week! That's close to a $100 a week in cigs alone at convenience store prices! So the government allows them to keep having kids, throw away $400 a month on tobacco, afford internet service AND a computer and have a credit card. Oh yeah, I almost forgot – his 15 yr old daughter had a baby this summer. Sadly it was born with some birth defects. She's all happy though. She says now she'll be able to get her own EBT card and the baby will be elligible for an SSI check...
For those in doubt, there is even a website that guides a person in the military how to sign up for food stamps.
@Khristina – Spell your name right first!
Low income people are not obese because of sodas, they're obese because cheap food is junk food. A diet rich in fruit, veggies, lean meats etc. is an Expensive diet. You can buy a box of Little Debbie cakes for little more than a dollar, for instance. Hot dogs, fluff white bread, pasta... all of these things are cheap. If you are really worried about the health of those on food stamps, then give them more money for food.
MORE money? Brown rice, eggs, potatoes, apples, bananas, milk, yogurt, etc. are not expensive. They do not need more (Except maybe the elderly ones who only get $16/month.)
I had a neighbor who was unfortunately a drug-addict and alcoholic and refused to work. She received well over $100/month in food stamps and talked openly about it. That is a lot of eggs, rice, fruit, milk, and potatoes..
A diet of potatoes, rice, and milk, which someone getting $100 _might_ be able to afford for a month, will not meet a person's nutritional needs. They certainly couldn't buy enough fruit at current prices for that much to make up the nutritional lacks. You have almost nothing in the way of protein there. I'm saying this as a _vegetarian_. A person would not be healthy on that diet.
Well, eggs are a decent source of protein, but stuffing yourself full of carbs and cholesterol is not going to keep you thin.
Nanny statism bad idea unless they are going make more available to pay for other foods
People can never keep their eye on the ball. While you are busy arguing over food stamps and soda, the REAL issue that you should be discussing is the government telling you what is good for you. They are slowly taking away your rights as an individual and treating you like a small child that can not make decisions without their assistance.
NY is saying that they shouldn't be allowed to buy soda. Great! The only problem is that they tie it to obesity and the truth is that they a person who may buy a 12 pack during the entire month is not going to get fat from it. It's painted with such a broad brush that it's comical.
Once again, we can have a stupid discussion about food stamps and soda or we can have the right discussion about the government continuously telling us what is good and bad for us. Guess what everyone!! It's only a matter of time until they come after you too.
I couldn't agree more. The same people telling us what to do or not do and passing laws to make us obide by them. Are also the same people that got us in this recession in the first place. Wow gotta give them a real thumbs up there! Germany tore down the wall so we could build it. I love it! United we stand, together we fall!
How about the fact that in Michigan, food recipients buy cheap soda and the food stamps pay for the deposit. They dump out the soda and turn in the cans for the 10 cents each.
I highly doubt they just 'dump out the soda'.
Great idea .... take it one step further and require all food stamp and welfare recipients to pass mandatory drug tests...
In that one step further, how aout drug testing our politians also. I bet most of them wouldn't pass either. But some how everyone over looks that fact. I love ignorance, are you his brother?
Hmmm...someone's a druggie?
good idea to make the bloodsucking politicians take a drug test but you know they would just have there buddy piss for them.
Is there anything that the goverment can't control. As if it isn't bad enough that some people have to ask for help in these tough times, no thanks to the government. But to be told what they can and cannot buy. I'm sure the government has much bigger issues to address like bailing us out of this economic down fall we are in because of these"fine minds" that are in charge. But instead of thinking about getting us out of all of this economic trouble they are drumming up new ways to control all of our freedoms because they don't think it's medically correct. Nice..... That is much more pressing than getting us out of our recession. Who voted for these people. If he would put his "educated mind" to work and do the numbers, a few dollars a month that these people get for help, doesn't get someone very far when they have to buy healthy. It costs so much more for a single mother to buy "healthy" food rather than buying what their children may eat. Which may not always be healthy, but niether is starving them. If they won't eat the food it's not heathier. Any doctor will tell you that. I think they need to put all of their extra time that politicians spend drumming up all of these ignorant tangents. They have much bigger issues to address. How about starting there.
"It costs so much more for a single mother to buy "healthy" food rather than buying what their children may eat. Which may not always be healthy, but niether is starving them. If they won't eat the food it's not heathier. Any doctor will tell you that."
Why is it that these children won't eat healthy food? Where did their bad habits and defiant behaviors come from? Are "single mothers" a special category of people who–for some unknown reasons–have to cave in and set no rules in their homes? Maybe convenience foods are so plentiful and popular because single mothers let their children just tear open the package and feed themselves?
I sincerely doubt that children will starve if denied junk foods. A pediatrician or nutritionist can give information on introducing
healthier foods into a family's diet. Can't cope with being a single mother? Take responsibility for yourself and your offspring: Stop perpetuating bad habits and get some discipline in your family life. Get some help.
I quit drinking all soda over a year ago and I haven't lost a single pound. I drink beer instead.
All welfare recipients should be surgically sterilized.
I guess that means anyone receiving social security or anyone paying into it for further use should be sterilized. Geez....That pretty much means everyone in America of working age. Way to kill off America.
Pure Ignorance!
Wait let me guess, your a politician? Nice vote for that next then. Then we need to take it a step further and ban stupid people from breeding also. Have you made your appointment yet? Better get on that!
I agree
Hmm, okay sure.. Let idiotic people like you breed while someone like me with a 148 IQ should be sterilized because I had to get food stamps one summer while I was too ill to work? Yeah, lovely though. Not.
Hmm, okay sure.. Let idiotic people like you breed while someone like me with a 148 IQ should be sterilized because I had to get food stamps one summer while I was too ill to work? Yeah, lovely thought. Not.
I can see it now some white collar bitc-in about what some folks do with their belly bucks all awhile shoving a T-bone and shrimp cocktail down their piehole and then washing it down with a 100 dollar bottle of wine FOCK YOU!! by the way the air you breath outside everyday ain't good for you Freaks!!!
Eat all the T-bones and shrip you want, so long as you buy it yourself.
I agree that soda should not be allowed to be bought with food stamps.
All the junk food being bought isn't necessarily the buyer's fault, however. When fresh real food costs much more than hydrogenated, processed, carcinogenic packaged food, there is a problem. Of course there are people who will buy crap no matter what. BUT compare prices while shopping-it's no coincidence that things labeled "All Natural" and "Trans fat free" generally cost more than things that were rammed through the FDA 40 years ago and were never meant to see the light of day like corn syrup and red 40, which by the way is a product of coal tar and petroleum.
There seems to be a misconception about buying junk food vs healthy food and the cost of each.
For example I will use tofu, in all other countries that use tofu it is cheaper than meat, unless you are in the US.
1lb of tofu at the local chain supermarket with cost you over 3 dollars. For something that is lb for lb worldwide the cheapest whole protein. But for that same three dollars, you can purchase a package of 8 hot dogs, a box of mac & cheese and a package of buns. Or you can purchase a single portion of fish, and a small amount of rice, and a can of generic veggies. If you are single, the fish and rice healthy option is feasible. IF you are feeding a family of four, you have to go the junk food route. Pay attention next time you go in a grocery store, check the prices before you condemn the stamp users.
The reason so many people on food stamps gain weight is the choices of "healthy" foods are limited to intense carb loaded foods. Fresh veggies and fruits are more expensive than pie filling or canned veggies. Fresh meats are more expensive than generic chicken nuggets or hot dogs. It is cheaper to buy a generic unhealthy frozen meal by far than a frozen "diet" style healthy frozen meal. Personally I hope anyone condemning the poor finds themselves in the same shoes they are condemning. Thanks to the loss of 8 million jobs that will never return, looks like you will see this for a long time in the future.
And for those who think there should be a limit on length of time stamps can be used, that would work if raises kept up with cost of living, which we all know (those of us with IQ's above 40) never happens unless you are a politician.
Thank you for your well thought out post! You are 100% correct. A single person who received food stamps iin NJ gets about $200 a month. That is $6.50 a day. It can be done but the person is not eating healthy. They are eating high carb, processed foods. It gets even worse for single parents with kids who can't buy cold cuts with the stamps.
This is a really silly argument. A pound of Tofu is a HUGE amount. Pare it with that some vegetables and you could easily feed a family of 4 for 2 nights. Also, it's easy and quick to prepare. A can of beans and other veggies and wholesale bought brown rice are also good, cheap, foods to buy. The problem is not that many poor people in rural areas or in the intercity have access to tofu and other fresh vegetables because they don't typically sell it at the corner stores. And people may have limited access to these ingrediant and little experience. Whereas they grew up eating chips and hot dogs.
I think all food stamp and WIC recipients should have to go to a heathy cooking classes or 2 and receive nutritional counseling and shopping advice. Others should be encouraged to take part.
For those of you that don't believe me that you can feed a family or yourself healthy food for less than $10 a day, see this link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_budget_friendly_recipes
Eatingwell.com is a great resource for cooking on a budget
No kidding! Why has it taken this long!!!!!! If you do not like the food stamp program, then get of your rear and make your own $$ and buy whatever the heck you want. It is crazy here in El Paso TX. People will ask you to switch your cash for their food stamps credit.
What about the person who has worked for 20 years and payed taxes every year but due to the economy is unemployed? Should we treat them as someone who is "lazy"? I know people with law degrees and MBAs that can't get a job. Should we somehow lump them in with people who don't want to work even though they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases to go to school?
If you want soda get JOB!!! If I'm paying you shouldn't be buying crap. I work and I don't buy it for my family because it is not healthy and the reason is I also pay your medicaid health insurance.
Some people drink soda for the caffeine boost, just like other people drink coffee. I'm sure there are a lot of hard-working people who get food stamps who do just that, to help them with the long hours they work at crappy jobs that barely pay rent and necessitate the need for food stamps in the first place. Not everyone who drinks soda is obese. I agree with other comments that say if you start removing one item because it might not be healthy, you have to start removing everything that's even remotely unhealthy, and it's a slippery slope. There are a lot of genuine food items that are eligible for purchase that are probably a lot worse than a can of soda.
Instead of banning soda wouldn't it be more helpful to provide incentives for buying healthier food. I have no idea how that would work but maybe you could buy a loaf of plain white bread for full price but a whole wheat loaf for 1/2 price. Someway to make healthier food cheaper and make the dollars stretch farther.
U should see the carts of junk food filled to capacity by food stamp shoppers. One heavy set woman had 2 carts one full of soda and the other was just junk. I got upset that my taxes are going toward actuallly feeding someone who does not take care about what they eat plus I have to pay full price for what is in my basket (not cart). I say take it off.
There's probably no way they're gonna substitute 10,000 other sugar-laden items to satisfy the craving for sweets.
"Go get me a large bowl of ice cream and a glass of water, woman."
How can poor people be so obese? Its almost oxymoronic..
I was wondering the same thing.
Really! I've noticed that too! Even if theyre buying and eating high carb/high sugar food, normal sized portions shouldn't make them obese. You'd think a poor person on food stamps would eat small portions to make it last longer. If they're unemployed, why aren't they exercising? What do they do all day?
Bullets are cheaper than food stamps. We should kill those who dare to be poor.
The poor should only be allowed to buy only healthy food. Organic fruits and vegetables, whole grain organic freshly baked bread, hormone-free and free range meats and dairy products, bottled water and freshly squeezed juices. If they want junk food, they can buy the organic ingredients to make them from scratch at home.
This is sarcasm, right? You do know that all those healthy foods cost 2 to 3 times as much as the 'junk' foods that they have to buy to have enough food for the month?
Many years ago I had 4 small children and was going to college after serving 20+ years in the military. I got on the food stamp program and I was surprised that I could get all kinds of things including soda with them. I had no idea and always assumed that those would not be allowed. Then I rethought it and figured that the Government was also subsidizing the Corn and Sugar industry and got even more concerned.
at least you don't live in california...where those welfar cards are accepted at casino atms....
The outrage is that your are telling the poor, that they are less valued in society, by restricting them from something everyone else is allows to have. That may have an bit of unconstitutionality to it, because of the lack of equality. Time will tell.
That and they are being used as guinea pigs, for an unpopular policy idea that was already struck down before, under the same governor.
You ever go before a judge with a public defender you already know your life has less value!
They should create a "junk food" category, to include items such as soda, chips, candy, etc, and put a limit on how much can be purchased each month.
It's not banning these people from buying junk food, it's actually doing them a favor health wise. Which is strange to hear from a politicians mouth they want to help the poor. It is a jerk move to ban that food item but I worked at in and out gas stations before and people will go in, buy cigarettes but also charge "togo" junk food items like nacho chips and a Mt. Dew on their food stamp card.
Now to be fair we're all supposed to watch our waistlines, so along with banning items on the card why not add a junk food tax so everyone has to be mindful of what they put in their carts, hmm?
Yeah, they really care about us! The top three harmful addictions in this country are alcoholism, drug addiction (includes tobacco), and gambling. Yet the government sells lottery tickets which are purchased by the poor. It further decreases their wealth and in many cases destroys lives.
That's ok, because most "Sugar" drinks aren't made of sugar anymore they are made with high fructose syrup. Read the ingredients of your next coke or pepsi. You wont find sugar on that part of the label.
true....I had a throwback pepsi the other day that contained sugar and it tasted totally different.
How do you know what they buy? You sittin' in a lawn chair at the end of the check out stand checkin' I.Ds? Here is what they buy, beans (every kind of bean because they are cheap and will store forever), potatoes, onions, macaroni and cheese cuz it's cheap too. Canned tomato sauces to mix with all the cheap beans. Flour, salt lard for biscuits (bread is too expensive and doesn't last long). But mostly canned goods that are on sale, because you can store them forever and mix them together. You can't buy them if they aren't on sale. You're not allowed expensive cuts of meats, cigarettes or alcohol. Heaven forbid, you working stiffs that are living paycheck to paycheck ever need a helping hand. Remember too, food stamps and welfare have an expiration date – it is not forever. IS THERE NO COMPASSION LEFT IN THE UNITED STATES? Too much reality T.V, and computer anonymity. Also, the faster you volunteer in your neighborhood, the quicker food stamp recipients can get back on their feet . . .or is that too hard? signed, a misanthrope.
While you're at it eliminate coffee and TV dinners and all other prepared foods. Learn to cook and those foodstamps will go a long way instead of hitting up the foodbanks and churches because you can't manage the benefits which are adequate if you had a brain.
every been on food stamps?
If not, shut the f up.
Ass clown.
Dare I admit I was stunned to learn that soda and other junk can be legitimately purchased with Food Stamps? The "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" should be used exclusively for the purchase of nutritional food items. Junk food has no place in our taxpayer-funded food program. Eat healthy, live healthier, lower health care costs. Surely, this is one area that both Repubs and Dems can agree to remedy from the national level on down.
Oh my god, i feel so sorry for the people on here who think that everyone on food stamps are some unemployed leech and overweight, and i guess ghetto, well newsflash most of the people on food stamps are employed but are considered underemployed, such people who work for FedEx part time, sometimes work a forty hour work week, but are still considered part time, and before you say it yes i screened people for food stamps, and more than half of them have jobs, but the jobs are not paying enough, so stop playing the victim role claiming your checks are being taken from you by lazy, fat, ignorant, or so called breeders, its makes you look more ignorant and yet you claim to be so much better than these welfare leeches.....yeah right, put yourself in that person shoes before you judge, because you do not sleep in their skin.......FYI:41.2 million Americans are on food stamps.
And once again our Government is sooooooooooooo STUPID! duhhhhhhhhhhh like hello did anyone ever stop to think or does SSI OR SSD EVEN KNOW THAT AS SOON AS PEOPLE GET THERE CHECKS ( FORGET FOOD STAMPS), THEY GO TO THE BAR OR GO RIGHT TO THE LIQUOR STORE LOAD UP ON THERE BOOZE FOR THE WEEKEND ( AND REMIND YOU THIS DON'T PERTAIN TO THOSE WHO REALLY THE MONEY THAT AREN'T LOSERS & BUY THEIR DRUGS & LOTTERY TIX!
I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE AS IVE IT FIRST HAND I'M NOT A DRINKER THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THEN A JUNKIE OR DRUNK IN MY FACE UGHHHHHHH ANYWAY LETS GET REAL SOCIAL SECURITY OR WELFARE OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY GIVING OUT MONEY LITTLE DO THEY KNOW THERE BEING PLAYED FOR FOOLS WHAT A BUNCH OF DUMB ASSES!
You're an idiot.
I didn't realize you could buy junk food with food stamps in the first place. I just assumed it was just staple food you could buy. Surely you can't buy cigarettes and alcohol with food stamps, right?
Sell the food stamps, buy whatever you want with the proceeds. It's an everyday occurrence.
You should be allowed to by condoms with gov't assistance...
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! Love that comment, but unfortunately it wouldn't help!
I'm WINNING BIGGGGGGGGGGGGG ALL THE TIME ON THE STATE OH & JUST FOR THE RECORD FOOD STAMPS DOESN'T BUY YOU EVERYTHING & MAYBE IT SHOULD ASIDE FROM SODA & SMURF IS RIGHT I DON'T THINK SOCIAL SECURITY OR WELFARE WOULD LIKE IT IF THEY ONLY KNEW WHERE THERE MONEY WAS GOING EVERY MONTH BUT PEOPLE ARE SLICK WHAT ARE YA GONNA DO
The governmen should NOT tell you what you can or cannot eat/drink. Just because a person uses food stamps does not mean they are necessarily lazy, fat, dump, etc. They just need help at the time. The people who are judging/crucifying people just becaue they receive food stamps are really STUPID. Blessed that's what YOU are. Blessed that you do not need food stamps or other government assistance at this point in your life. However, it's not over yet, and you keep judging others and you never know where you might end up.
My son's father worked all his life, got injured and could no longer perform the duties he was trained to do. He is now on disability, but does not qualify for food stamps even though he gets less than $1,000 a month on disability (lost both legs in an vehicle accident). He literally begs on he street to make ends meet. I have had to resort to food stamps and food banks in my life. I am well-educated and have one child. Yes, I get my hair done, always did, even when I was on food stamps because I got my hair done before food stamps. With the ecomony the way it is, YOU may be on food stamps before its all over, you never know. You don't know what God's plan is for your life is.
Juice has too much sugar also. Personally, i prefer water because it is my choice and I choose to watch my weight. However, before nutrition classes I did not have a problem with sodas. You can always buy Kool-Aide, which has no sugar, but you add the amount of sugar to your taste. Soo, my point being, eat what you like, regardless, we will always have taxes. We had taxes before food stamps and we will have taxes after food stamps. If somone needs help you give it to them and you don't go around making fun of them because they need help. God bless the child who has ihis own. By the way, I pay lots and lots of taxes, but I really don't mind because I know there are people who really need help. I wish I had more money to help more people.
Take it outside – Jesus Freak.
I agree with you & I too worked all my life & now I can't work anymore due to back problems but I turned downed food stamps was I wrong Im just feel funny going to the store I don't want people to judge me besides Im a very picky eater & don't like 1/2 the stuff you could buy and SS told me if I get food stamps they take away some of my money
please remember a lot of people from middle class have lost there jobs and are now on food stamps and for years have paid into the system taxes, should they be denied soda and goodies if they want some I personally don;t think we have the right to take it away ,they paid taxes just like the rest of us .and one day you may be needing them it is the people that live on food stamps for several years with a bunch of kids year after year after year that ruin it all for the person needing it for a short time . I think we need to remember that is a rich person that wants the soda removed while he drinks his $6.00 dollar beer and his prime rib dinner thinking up things like this instead of reducing all the money wasted and blown on budgets that are months late, good old NY . just like education oh wee need to make education top priority well guess what Jobs need to be top priority befor education because without jobs here in ny what good is the education ohhhh I forgot so we pay for it and when the kids graduate they can move out of state for the( good jobs) while the rest of us pay for the education they got. want to make this state fill with jobs let companies that hire 50-100 employees get taxes 50% off, if 100 or above employees tax free for 10 years as long as they maintain the 50 or the 100 workers if they drop below 50 or the 100 then there tax break is revoked and will need to be refunded, that is the easy way for companies to move here, what do we have to loose nothing but we gain jobs and employees paying taxes
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO POPA UR THE IDIOT CAUSE U KNOW IM RIGHT ARE GEE YOU MUST BE A DRUNK OR OR LOWLIFE UN-EDUCATED NI$$$! ONCE AGAIN IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME MAYBE IF YOU JOINED THE REAL WORLD YOU'D KNOW PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT & YES THEY DO BUY LIQUOR & DRUGS & SO ON SO WAKE UP LOSERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. TO BAD BITCH DEAL WITH IT CAUSE IM RIGHT!
You make a convincing argument. I only hope to be as eloquent...
I think you may be on liquor and/or drugs at this moment. No soda for you!
Ebonics anyone?
Layla, I Honestly have no idea what you were trying to say or what side of the arguement you are on ( I think I have a good idea though ). I must commend you on your masterfull use of the english language, however could you possibly repeat that in terms that "us" uneducated people can understand.
LETS GET IT together people Cant we all just get along LOl
Years ago I was in line at the grocery store. A couple paid for their food with food stamps. The clerk gave them cash change. They then paid for their alcohol with the cash! The clerk and I both rolled our eyes. Things have changed and I agree with not allowing people to buy soda with food stamps.
Judge much?
Maybe you need to get off your high horse and help people instead of rolling your eyes.
Like you said, "that was years ago." Years ago, it was possible to get change back because food stamps came in the form of bills, like money. 20.00 food stamp etc. That is no longer possible. Food stamps come in the form of a debit card – there is never any change handed back, and you can't use it to get "cash back," when prompted by the debit computers.
People would rather judge and complain than actually help.
@Ye be I am pretty sure that my high tax dollars help every month.
See what I mean about complaining.
Perhaps they go for roads, education, or emergency services.
But all you see is how you're being taxed too much.
Did you see me complain in that comment?? All I said was that my tax dollars were high. I never said that they were TOO high. You are right, they go towards all kinds of federally funded programs and that includes helping people who may be going through a rough patch.
Well I guess it's a good thing that you don't have the right to tell others what to do based on your opinion, and the government shouldn't either. I don't agree with people driving to their mailbox when it's walking distance, or buying a lot of stuff on credit while not having money for it in the bank. See? My opinions are my opinions and yours are yours. Does it really matter at the end of the day who buys what with foodstamps? Is this an issue that just burns in your soul? Just know this, if you're OK with the government taking away the freedoms of others then don't be the one complaining when your freedoms are next. It always start out as something that "seems" like a good idea, that "seems" like it's for the common good. The fact of the matter is you wouldn't like if someone told you what you could eat or drink now would you? What makes you so important anyhow?
NC: before you make comments about your "high" tax dollars, perhaps you should research how much of your money actually goes to welfare. You'd find out it was way less than you're led to believe. This is a subject that is meant to divide us as people and meant to make us with a little more look down on those that need help. Now when you're looking up how little we each personally actually pay towards social welfare go on and look up how much of our tax dollars go to corporate welfare. Here's a clue..it's 3 times more. please see for yourself and stop repeating the propagated fallacies.
Jennifer – I really do not think I am "repeating the propagated fallacies". I am aware that when you break it down, a very little percentage of my tax dollars go toward social welfare and I certainly do not look down on people that need help. Comments on here keep saying that we need to help people who are less fortunate. My point is that I do help people who are less fortunate, through my tax dollars.
I usually oppose government interference in matters of personal choice, but I have to agree with this ruling against sodas. The average serving contains 8 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, not healthy at all.
I JUST HATE ALL OF YOU.
Well, that is really mature. Don't tell us why, or anything helpful.
water or milk. that's what i used to tell my kids when they said they were thirsty. juice is still really sweet, and it's a treat, not something you ought to drink 5 times a day. water is the best thing, and pretty much, it's free. just common sense.
you gotta blame marketing for people's soda habit.
It really is not a question of what is or isn't healthy – since when do we dictate what others eat, what next? dictate when they can and can't sleep, have sex, breathe?
Ah the outrage of food stamps. Maybe people eat carboard! Or styrofoam! Let them feed!
Actually I have no problem with this, Soda's aren't entirely bad for you but they aren't ideal, so I can understand excluding them from a public benefit. Perhaps it might be worth a little more exposition, if you think of how many uneducated people are on Foodstamps, how many of them know how to eat properly? Or exercise??
Low income families tend to be more obese due to the fact that junk food costs a quarter of what nutrional foods do. For instance, I can go to McDonalds and get 2800 calories with 3 bucks (obviously it's not healthy). Try going to the grocery store with 3 bucks and see what you can get for a meal, that is healthy.
A yogurt: 50 cents
A banana: 25 cents
A packet of nuts: $1.99
That was a nice lunch! Calcium, protein, fiber, and vitamins!
Lavender that totals up to maybe 400 calories. And I'd like to see anyone eat like that 3 square meals a day...