Just because someone receives foodstamps doesn't mean that they don't work or that they're lazy. I wish people would stop with the ignorant assumptions.
There are huge amounts of people who receive foodstamps who DO work. Many of them are in the class that most people forget about "the working poor." With the high costs of living in most areas and the lack of decent paying jobs, it's almost impossible for many people to live without some type of assistance. No matter how much they work.
There are then those who DON'T qualify for foodstamps that make a "liveable" wage but they have to pay higher costs to get medical covzerage or pay for medicines.
Some people have to pay high payments on a not worth it car, just to be able to get to that low paying job to be able to survive. And then they have huge costs to be able to have medical coverage or insurance or to pay for their medications.
It drives me crazy that people assume people who receive food stamps don't work. Most of the time, that's simply not the case.
Many people are living paycheck to paycheck and are one paycheck (or lack thereof) away from homelessness. People become homeless for a variety of reasons... for some, it could be that an unexpected vehicle repair takes all the money in the household.
You can't leave the vehicle not running because you have to be able to get to and from work to keep your income. If you lose transportation, you could lose your job, many do. A high utility bill can take away a family's grocery money for an entire month.
Most people that get foodstamps are either disabled or working-class people simply trying to get by.
If people want to solve the foodstamp problem and fix the government budget, change the extremely high costs for basic medical care. Make childcare accessible and affordable. Make the costs of living lower.
This isn't a foodstamp program issue. It's an economy and basic living issue. Everyone has a basic human right to have clean water, food, a shelter over their heads, access to medical and dental care. Until these problems are fixed, then the problems will persist.
As with any system, there will be those who will attempt to abuse it or commit fraud. They're not the majority though. Cutting essential programs to deter a few will hurt the ones who really need the help.
