Aaron Thomas wrote to Dr. What <=-

The food stamp system should be reformed altogether. Maybe let someone have $100 worth of food in an emergency situation, if they qualify, but not on a monthly basis. One time deal: here's $100. Get a sandwich, and get a job.

99% of the time, that $100 will go to buying something other than food.

But at least it's a "one time" payment - until someone figures out how to game that system.

It's too much work to find out what material possessions they own, when they obtained them, what they cost, and how much they can sell them
for.

I agree. The best thing is to push SNAP down into the places like churches - like they used to be back in my grandparent's day - where the people doling out the money know you and know what you are doing (or not doing).

She ought to simplify the problem instead of complicating it more.

But you need to remember that all these gov't programs intend to cause and perpetuate the problem, not to solve it.

Complicating the program opens up more room for graft and fraud.


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Aaron Thomas wrote to IB Joe <=-

Suppose a lady marries a guy who gives her a $100,000 wedding ring.
Then he loses his job, and they apply for food stamps. Should the
social worker notice that she's wearing a huge diamond ring and say
"Well maam, we're gonna have to get that ring appraised before we
approve your food stamp application?"

My great-grandfather was a master carpenter. He made really good money doing all the detail work in houses (moulding, bannisters, cabinets, etc.) to the point where he and my great-grandmother had servents. Great-grandma also had jewelry with real gemstones.

Then the Great Depression hit. No one buying/renovating homes = no high income. Servents were let go. And they sold off the gemstones slowly to get enough income to live. And, yes, some of those gems came from her wedding ring.

This is what people do when there's no gov't "safety net" and what people SHOULD do before asking the public for a handout.


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On 03 May 2026, Ron L. said the following...

I agree. The best thing is to push SNAP down into the places like churches - like they used to be back in my grandparent's day - where the people doling out the money know you and know what you are doing (or not doing).

I recall this was the case... and I'm just a believer in a social safety net... We pay taxes... I am just not into the levels of stupidity that some states are/were doing.

Ron, think about the Trillions and Trillions we are in debt and most of it can be attributed to waste abuse and fraud.

I think @Aaron is over thinking a little. I'll be eligible for Social Security and when I apply I want EVERYTHING coming to me... I had to put up with the Obama admin and the Biden admin without loosing hope for humanity.

But you need to remember that all these gov't programs intend to cause
and perpetuate the problem, not to solve it.

Complicating the program opens up more room for graft and fraud.

Anyway, I support safety nets... I don't support the Sh!t Show that led us to trillions in debt.

IB Joe, Pronouns (FJB/LGB)
AKA Joe Schweier
SysOp of 4A 6F 65 73 42 42 53
-=JoesBBS.com=-

... User Error: Replace user and hit any key to continue...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Windows/64)
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It's too much work to find out what material possessions they own, wh they obtained them, what they cost, and how much they can sell them for.

I agree. The best thing is to push SNAP down into the places like churches - like they used to be back in my grandparent's day - where the people doling out the money know you and know what you are doing (or not doing).

The churches around here already give actual food away (St James Pantry, St Michaels, etc.) The government social workers should just give people the address to the church pantries.

She ought to simplify the problem instead of complicating it more.

But you need to remember that all these gov't programs intend to cause
and perpetuate the problem, not to solve it.

Complicating the program opens up more room for graft and fraud.

She's a Trump nominee, so I expect nothing but the best from her. Hopefully she knows what she's doing, it just sounds iffy. We better not see help wanted signs for "food stamp recipient car appraiser."

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IB Joe wrote to Dr. What <=-

I recall this was the case... and I'm just a believer in a social
safety net... We pay taxes...

But that should have nothing to do with each other.

The social safety net should NOT be from the gov't. As has been long proven, that just causes corruption, waste and fraud.

Ron, think about the Trillions and Trillions we are in debt and most of
it can be attributed to waste abuse and fraud.

IHMO: If we eliminate the waste and fraud, I don't think we'd need to pay income tax.

I think @Aaron is over thinking a little. I'll be eligible for Social Security and when I apply I want EVERYTHING coming to me... I had to
put up with the Obama admin and the Biden admin without loosing hope
for humanity.

But the problem with Social Security is that it's a Ponzi Scheme, not a pension plan.

The money paid in gets paid out immediately. That works great when there are lots of people paying in and few people getting paid. But now things have flipped. And made worse by the gov't taking the surplus of Social Security before things flipped, and by the number of people receiving who shouldn't be.

Anyway, I support safety nets... I don't support the Sh!t Show that led
us to trillions in debt.

That's why we need to move the safety net OUTSIDE the gov't with no gov't involvement at all.


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Aaron Thomas wrote to Dr. What <=-

The churches around here already give actual food away (St James
Pantry, St Michaels, etc.) The government social workers should just
give people the address to the church pantries.

Exactly.

Churches are already tax exempt. And charitable donations are already tax deductable.

We don't need the gov't in this.


... If it works, you must have done something wrong.
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On 04 May 2026, Ron L. said the following...

That's why we need to move the safety net OUTSIDE the gov't with no gov't involvement at all.

I'm not on page with you here... Government isn't all bad... I think congress sucks and needs a kick in the ass.

I wrote a day or so ago that Nancy's husband received almost 2 Million in COVID loans that were forgiven. And I just googled it and there were at least a dozen Republicans who did the same, not the size that Nancy did.

These assholes make the loans available, they take the loans, and then pass a law so that they don't have to pay them back.

When Social Security started it was pay as you go... there were 7 people working to support 1 retired person... Cool... In comes the Baby Boob and now thats flipped.

This can be regulated in some way... I recall back in the 80s, I think, that congress took money out of the SS System... they said its not a big deal... bastards lied.

There are people who can do the calculations, like Actuaries, where they can tell congress how much will need to be added each year looking at all the variables...

There has to be some mechanism in place where congress can't dip into these funds because they have some BS story.

IB Joe, Pronouns (FJB/LGB)
AKA Joe Schweier
SysOp of 4A 6F 65 73 42 42 53
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... This virus requires Microsoft Windows 3.x

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IB Joe wrote to Dr. What <=-

I'm not on page with you here... Government isn't all bad...

But the gov't will make it bad. Our history is littered with policies that, when started, had a positive impact but over time were turned into something completely different and had a negative impact.

Food stamps, SNAP, are good examples. Sold as "keep people from starving" they are now programs to get voters by allowing people to buy non-substanance food.

These assholes make the loans available, they take the loans, and then pass a law so that they don't have to pay them back.

Smells like a conflict of interest to me.

This can be regulated in some way... I recall back in the 80s, I think, that congress took money out of the SS System... they said its not a
big deal... bastards lied.

Of course they did. But they are all short sighted management types, who are just looking to make themselves look good.

I worked on a large software project a long time ago. When we started, we kicked out the milestones fast, knowing that as we got to the harder stuff we would probably get behind. My management saw us moving ahead at the beginning and then moved the endpoints up based on that. Later, guess what, we didn't meet the later endpoints and finished the project on time (according to the original estimate, not what management imagined).

But management did what mangement does to look good.

There has to be some mechanism in place where congress can't dip into these funds because they have some BS story.

The law says that they aren't allowed to, but we have congress-critters who get paid to water down those laws.


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On 05 May 2026, Ron L. said the following...

Smells like a conflict of interest to me.

There needs to be more outrage.

IB Joe, Pronouns (FJB/LGB)
AKA Joe Schweier
SysOp of 4A 6F 65 73 42 42 53
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... I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed.

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IB Joe wrote to Dr. What <=-

Smells like a conflict of interest to me.

There needs to be more outrage.

There's plenty of outrage. But it's drowned in the fact that there's never any accoutability.

The crime is exposed, but nothing happens.


... A career is a job that takes about 20 more hours a week.
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On 07 May 2026, Ron L. said the following...

There needs to be more outrage.

There's plenty of outrage. But it's drowned in the fact that there's never any accoutability.

The crime is exposed, but nothing happens.

I'm going to thread things back a little to our initial conversation.

I believe, as a society, we need to help the most vulnerable... At it core you have to agree with this.

Social Security was ushered in to help people prepare for their "golden years" ... cool concept and great idea. I THINK!

In walks the government and they rob the Social Security lock box and 30-40 years later complain about SS funding.

I think Food Stamps, or EBT, or what ever you want to call it is NEEDED.

I think things have changed since the idea was put forth... Government, mainly the Democrats love people who are depended on the government... Cuz they'll more than likely vote for the people handing out money...

There are cultural shifts... where there are fatherless homes... BUT the government had their hands in this.

So, the government says you can get a COVID loan... sends out a CuZillion dollars in loans to keep businesses afloat... Says Costco and Walmart can stay open during a "Pandemic" but the mom and pop shoppes have to close... A bunch of people in that government take out loans, that they voted for, to later forgive the loans that they voted for.

I believe that SOME of the policies that help the vulnerable are OK and need to be protected from politicians who exploit and use for their political gain.

Don't give Illegals free health care while regular Americans have to pay. You get the idea.

Politicians need their asses kicked... and we should start by kicking some asses.

that's it.

IB Joe, Pronouns (FJB/LGB)
AKA Joe Schweier
SysOp of 4A 6F 65 73 42 42 53
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