Food Stamp Millionaire

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110518 ... ood-stamps

I know this is just one case, but wtf is going on here? This is a gross example of how inefficient and blind our welfare system is. So he can keep getting food stamps, paid for by tax payers, and his 2 million dollars is still exempt from being considered income?

I saw this guy interviewed from his front door and he doesn't seem the least bit embarrased for what he's doing. I'm sure his neighbors just love him now.

It's too bad we'll never know how many people like this guy are out there when those funds could go to people who REALLY need it. Naw, we don't need no stinkin welfare reform.

YET, ANOTHER SUCCESFUL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM!

If you have ever applied for the food stamp program, you would know the incredible amounts of hoops you need to jump through to get any assistance. It's not easy at all to scam this department. The amount of paperwork and documentation they require is incredible.

This one "food stamp millionaire" is just one single aberration in the system.

A couple weeks ago I was on the 16th street Mall Ride downtown. I listened to a guy call people on his cell phone trying to "unload about $140 in food stamps". This guy was wearing nicer clothes than I was - I'm still wondering if the guy was a drug dealer or something.

Yes, I have, and was turned down, because I made $1.00 to much. And this was 20 some years ago, But the clerk, said as I handed him my forms. I KIND YOU NOT. "Sure you want to do this you, will not get them." I said "What?" all he did was point at my arm, I got the message. I wonder if the paperwork went pased his desk. I was so Po'd I just left. Hopefully, pr*cks like that have all been weeded out by now. Point is I didn't get them, and had to borrow from family and friends to feed my family (3 of us then).
He had to pay taxes on his winnings, so maybe he figures he's already paid for them anyway, so he'll take advantage of the system. The entitlement attuitde alive and well.

Edited: This a$$hole is taking from those that REALLY need it, The government should deny him PERIOD! I repeat YET, ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM!

OmniScience wrote: A couple weeks ago I was on the 16th street Mall Ride downtown. I listened to a guy call people on his cell phone trying to "unload about $140 in food stamps". This guy was wearing nicer clothes than I was - I'm still wondering if the guy was a drug dealer or something.

Yes, there is an underground market for food stamps, and sometimes for drugs. This article puts the amount of yearly fraud at over $300 million, but later states that amounts to about one cent per dollar of fraud...

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/nation-world-news/u-s-loses-300m-a-year-to-food-stamp-fraud-1157636.html

Tuesday’s searches of a mosque, a home and several Dayton businesses were part of a major food stamp fraud investigation, which underscores the larger problem of abuse and corruption bilking the federal safety-net program of more than $300 million each year.

A Dayton Daily News analysis of police reports, court records and state investigative documents revealed that criminal suspects across the Miami Valley periodically admit to trading Electronic Benefit Transfer cards for drugs or selling them to associates, oftentimes for 50 cents on the dollar.

Authorities said other people illegally trade the benefits at grocery and convenience stores in exchange for cash, with clerks pocketing a fee. Some stores illegally accept EBT cards as payment for alcohol and cigarettes, but charge inflated prices for the nonfood products.

Just doing a Google news search for "food stamp fraud" shows many recent cases.

If they begin to "means test" our welfare system- it would affect more than just a lottery winner.

Let me play devils advocate here - because if it were up to me, I would eliminate the welfare system.

What about the little old lady - who has one asset- her house. She owns it outright and it's worth several hundred thousand dollars. She has very little else- she would be dis-qualified under a system that means tests for food stamps. She would be forced to sell that house- somthing she does not want to do.

What about the family who just lost their jobs? They may have a house with equity, but no income. They would be forced to sell the house in a bad market to feed the kids.

And what about me? I plan to give up my life as a producer soon, and become a looter like most everyone these days. I worked hard for my money and would like to keep it while I start sucking on the government tit. Why should I give up what I worked so hard for - just for a little government cheese?

Pass the cheese please!

I don't believe the government has any idea how much fraud is out there...welfare, income tax, medicare, etc.

How you eliminate fraud is a problem I do not know how to tackle. But in response to BearMtnHIB's post. I would not force anyone to sell their home just to survive. I would have no problem to boot someone off food stamps when they have a ton of liquid assets as does our lottery winner. Properly handled, he could live off the income alone without ever touching the principle. Why someone so fortunate would continue to live on food stamps is beyond me. I suppose it comes down in part to attitude. I can not help but wonder what this winner did for a living before. It would not surprise me that he was not a hard worker.

In this case I would not blame the government so much for trying to reach needy people, as much as I condemn the people who actively se to defraud it.

How you eliminate fraud is a problem I do not know how to tackle.

There's only one way to eliminate fraud - I suspect even the liberals know.

Eliminate the program. Turn this function over to the private sector where it can be properly managed.

Our food banks and churches do a pretty good job of screening out the fraud. One person I know who is recieving help from a food bank says that they ask her to prove her income. Of course she works as a waitress and hides most of her income because she gets paid in cash for tips. This person does not get any government help.

Another welfare case I know is a single mother. She grew up in Hiwan Country club and her father is a pretty wealthy PHD scientist. Both her and her sister moved out and got on the welfare system. They both get housing at a discount and are on food stamps. This single mother is quite capable of working, her daughter is in 5th grade now. She has complained to me that she only gets 8 years of welfare - before it runs out. She has also told me she would like to have another child (i.e. 8 more years).

A third case I know of is a woman - 32. She got in a fight with her boyfriend at the time and moved out. She then applied for food stamps for her and a daughter age 8. She is also quite capable of working but recently quit her job as a waitress. To her credit, she got back together with the boyfriend and got off the food stamps (as far as I know).

In all these cases, these people while having low incomes- choose to get government assistance before supporting themselves, and they are all capable of supporting themselves. It's just easier to go the welfare route.

That's the honest truth about these people I know.
Now you know why I have the position I do. Eliminate the program.
Almost everyone on it is a fraud. The few who are not a fraud can get help in their local communities.