The United Nations announced this week that the world is on the brink of a “rapidly escalating crisis of food availability.” A decrease in availability translates to an increase in costs. With the prices of food rising most of us are tightening our belts a little. No. Americans are not eating less. We’re cutting down on our costs. We’re loading up on pasta, house brands and less expensive cuts of meats. All of us except … and I see it in supermarkets wherever I go … all of us except those who pay for their purchases with food stamps. Loads of well-dressed people driving late model autos are shopping during the day when they should be working. They are still buying lobsters, colossal shrimp and the most expensive cuts of meats and paying for their goods with food stamps. I work, I pay taxes, and I feel like a fool.
Everybody knows that there is mucho fraud in the school lunch program, feeding programs everywhere and, of course, Medicaid. Why would there not be fraud in the distribution and use of food stamps?
These different entitlements were designed to be safety nets. For far too many they have become hammocks.
At this very minute there are some of you that are ready to fight me on what I just said. You’re steaming and ready to write to tell me that these freeloaders are the exceptions to the rules. I have spent many hours total standing around supermarket checkout lines waiting while my roommate does the shopping. I have carefully watched what is being bought and how the customers are paying for it. Until you do that I suggest you save your ink and effort. Time and again I saw rules broken. The purchase of cigarettes, beer and hot prepared foods are not permitted on the food stamp list. Nor is dog food. Buying Iams for Rex and paying for it with Government coupons that are issued to assist the poor is making a mockery of the program. Either the cashiers are not aware of the rules or they are taking the easy way out and avoiding a conflict. Here’s something I just thought of. Perhaps they are being told to steer clear of a confrontation. Hmmm.
So that there is absolutely no misunderstanding, I am not saying that our city, state and federal governments should do away with poverty programs. What I AM saying is that it is time for these programs to be monitored. I mean REALLY scrutinized.
Now you can write and tell me what you think
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Another unofficial poll taken by Vote.Com caught my eye. The question was – Should Secretary Of State Rice revoke Jimmy Carter’s passport for his Hamas visits?
Here are the results – As of this writing more than 8,000 people participated in this poll. 6,928 representing a dazzling 85% of the total voted YES. Take away his passport. Only 1,226 or 15% of the total voted NO.
It’s not going to happen. Nobody is taking away his passport but these numbers do give us an idea of how America feels about President Peanuts.
Frankly I don’t care either way. All he accomplished was to make a fool of himself. Why don’t we just give the man a bag of nails and send him back to do what he does best?
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Starting way back in 1963, by a presidential proclamation, May has been designated as “Older Americans Month.” Last year, President Bush stated, “Older Americans help us to understand the past, and they teach timeless lessons of courage, endurance and love. Through their legacy of patriotism, service and responsibility, America’s seniors also unite families and communities and serve as role models for younger generations.”
I am StanGershbein@Bellsouth.net saluting this marvelous nation’s Golden Agers. Hey – That’s me.
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