Pretty Card
While checking out at Walmart the other day the person in front of me swiped a very pretty card. My thought was: I like that so much , why does my card supplier not have such a pretty card? I definitely would opt for one like that. Then, to my amazement, the lady pulled out some cash to pay for something else off the card. It was then that I realized it was a food stamp card.
What ever happened to the actual stamps? When did they stop using them? Why did they stop using them? Of course, I realize it is much easier to check-out using a card and I prefer that method myself.
In thinking back to my last experience to a person using food stamps, it was in Columbus, MS as a young man forced his wife to cut in front of me to get to the check out line quickly. He had a full buggy of food and the girl saw I had only a three items. She tried to defer to me but the kid would not hear of it and reproached her for hesitating. He was an angry person and it bothered me not a bit to get behind them. He avoided looking at me, yet, I was ready to give him a big smile. No use, our eyes never met. Did he work for a living?, I thought, An angry attitude like that cannot be conducive to extended employment. The girl brought out some food stamps and the cashier had to remove some items that had already been rung up. I could see the kid was furious but he said nothing.
This is my experience with food stamps. The cards are better.
posted by Marcel at
1:40 PM
3 Comments:
Cards are much cheaper for the retailer and the government to process since every store in the U.S. is equipped to handle them. Unfortunately they are prone to theft and fraud unless protected and monitored.
By
John Beauregard, at 8:02 AM
I think the reason for getting rid of the paper food stamps was because of what Uncle John said. Yes, the cards can be stolen or abused, but without the PIN, the card is useless. The paper food stamps are just like cash, untraceable, and easily stolen and used later without any kind of safeguard.
My personal opinion about Food Stamps (EBT as it is more commonly called now) is that the program should be designed more like the WIC program (Women, Infants, Children). The participants receive a certain amount of vouchers every month allowing them to buy certain healthy items like milk, cereal, baby formula, fruits and vegetables, bread, etc. There are price limitations with each voucher, and they can only buy what the voucher has printed on it. The security is such that the person has to sign the voucher in front of you and then present a pre-signed voucher envelope that was signed at the local health department or WIC office.
The reason I think that would be a good idea is that I often see people making unwise choices when buying food for their families. This is not to say ALL EBT users make unwise choices; many or most use this money as a gift and purchase healthy meal items for their families. However, it is common, at least at the store at which I work, for users to buy large amounts of soda, candy, and sweets, which are all covered by EBT. These items are okay in moderation, but I do not consider buying several 12 packs of Mountain Dew acting in moderation. There should be limits of how this money can be spent, since the participants in the EBT program should be making smart and healthy food decisions regarding their families. Otherwise, the government and the taxpayers are financing the growing problem of malnutrition and obesity in America (and those problems are the highest here in the South).
By
Sean M., at 10:51 AM
Sean,
Thanks for your expert testimony, some of which I did not know.
By
Marcel, at 6:42 PM
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