Quote:
Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch
I am not aghast to hear that someone eats peanut butter, bread, nor even jelly. I think it is normal, not a shocking indignity and likely mark of malnutrition.
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I agree. When my DH went through an extended unemployment (19m), we did not receive foods stamps and had no money for food. We survived on beans, rice, potatoes, and eggs (as well as any seasonal produce we could get cheap). They were all inexpensive at the time and even today are still relatively inexpensive, but only ONCE have I seen someone on food stamps buying beans; I'm sure some do, but not in the grocery orders I've seen.
It was not fun at all to eat that way long term, but we didn't starve, and we walked away from the UE debt free. I know what it's like to be poor, and I truly feel for people who are working hard to get out of the system. Quite frankly, canned ravioli would have felt like a luxury item to me at that time. I suspect the poorest people in this country are not even on food stamps, be it pride or something else that keeps them away- those must be the oneswho go to bed hungry.
Again, I think the programs are very important, but our goal seems to be off the mark. When someone is asking Joe Taxpayer to feed him, to what degree should Joe Taxpayer have to provide? But we've already hit on this here.