Food stamp use reaches another high in September: 47.7 million participants
Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, reached another high in September, according to new data released by the United Stated Department of Agriculture.
The most recent data on SNAP participation were released Friday, and showed that 47,710,324 people were enrolled in the program in September, an increase of 607,559 from the 47,102,765 enrolled in August.
The number of households enrolled in the program also increased from 22,684,463 in August to 22,973,698 in September, an increase of 289,235. The average benefit, according to the new data, was $134.29 per person and $278.89 per household....
Jim Lincoln wrote: --- There isn't enough land to support a farm economy. An America that was based on agricultural was recognized to have taken a back seat in 1910. The modern Ag land baron of America, even though he doesn't behave or in many ways think as the European one of yore, is still just that and he isn't going to give up any land willingly, and most are trying to add to their land holdings. An urban society is the only one that can exist with the populations that we have in the world, and few want the back breaking labor of Jeffersonian farming (something Jefferson had slaves to do for him.) Tell every one to grow a victory garden. This act would cure most of any ideas of living in an agrarian society.
Couple of points, Jim.
The biggest land baron by far is the government. Some 30 % of US land owned by it, managed by 8 or 10 Bureaus. None of it brings in revenue of consequence. Perhaps there should be property tax applied?
It doesn't have to become a farm economy to make use of the unused.
Modern small scale farming/gardening is not back breaking.
Urban society developed with industrialization. That reason no longer exists.
As jobs disappear, urban life becomes dependent life. Exciting, eh?
Neil wrote: For some strange reason, “guy” has become neuter, since I frequently hear women use the term for one another as well as men. “Gal” is obsolete. Why people do this but object to ”chairman” or “postman” is beyond me.
Perhaps because of Satan's plan to de-genderize society making male and female interchangeable whilst pretending this is anti-discrimination. The term 'partner' instead of wife/husband seems to be of the same ilk. Then there is dress where women wear pants like their male counterpart. Satan sows confusion! Note female actor(esses) now use the term actor to describe themselves instead of the word actress.
For some strange reason, “guy” has become neuter, since I frequently hear women use the term for one another as well as men. “Gal” is obsolete. Why people do this but object to ”chairman” or “postman” is beyond me.
John UK -- I am not a guy. I cannot bear for you to misunderstand that, and thought you would know from my posts. so very sorry for the misunderstanding.
Christopher000 wrote: I get a kick out of statistics..."1 in 6.5" people are on food stamps.
Don't blame statistics, it's the poor mathematical education of the journalist. By definition, a rational number (commonly used in this context) must be composed of integers. If this isn't practical, then just give a percentage instead.
I don't have a problem with self-sufficiency or the like, but the pride which such things may engender. “Look at how wonderful our lifestyle is! You should emulate us.”
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” – James 4:14.
I really enjoyed reading the posts by jpw and Republic - thanks guys! If ever you decide to come to the UK, you can buy a 10 acre woodland here for about $7k. Some even have stream frontage with fishing rights.
"The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must learn again to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero
Agenda 21 is a NON BINDING, voluntarily implemented action plan of the United Nations. It has already been outlawed in Alabama, it is not the law of the land. The problem is that our government, through marketing programs, is promoting the use of food stamps. Now at this point you need to think of Judas, they do this not because they care for the poor but they know this creates union bureaucrats to administer the program. Nearly 70% of the money for food stamps goes toward the administration of the policy. The government does not belong in the hunger relief business but it is too late to turn back that clock. As long as the administration continues it current job killing agenda,(remember there is NOT ONE DAY of the Obama administration that has had as many Americans working as ANY day of the Bush administration-so much for job creation) this trend will continue
Republic -- I couldn't agree more. enjoy your chickens, garden and family! yes, there are many who want to take care of themselves and find regulations, taxes, fines, and nanny statism so prohibitive. just think what an apple will be worth. we are so weaker than the 20's generation. they knew basic gardening skills and could trade services for basic foods. they were not inundated with poison-laced foods. they knew what real food was. but, hey, many of us are going to have to learn the hard way on this.
the nation was built on opening up the land -- since the gov wanted it, it happened.
I'll second Neil's comment and point out they couldn't keep people on the farms in China or Japan either. There isn't enough land to support a farm economy. An America that was based on agricultural was recognized to have taken a back seat in 1910.
The modern Ag land baron of America, even though he doesn't behave or in many ways think as the European one of yore, is still just that and he isn't going to give up any land willingly, and most are trying to add to their land holdings.
An urban society is the only one that can exist with the populations that we have in the world, and few want the back breaking labor of Jeffersonian farming (something Jefferson had slaves to do for him.) Tell every one to grow a victory garden. This act would cure most of any ideas of living in an agrarian society.
jpw wrote: the answer would be decentralizing, opening the land, taking away penalties of money and nanny state.
Clear as mud, too vague. The devil is in the details: how are you going to recreate a nation of Jeffersonian yeoman farmers when most people have shunned country life & moved to the cities & suburbs? Farming, like any another Sole Proprietor business, isn't easy, even w/o Nanny State interference (EPA, USDA, etc.). But there's plenty of land, for those who want it.
And it is clear to me, judging from politics of the last century, that American farmers *like* the Nanny State, when it suits them (e.g. crop & water subsidies). Country folk are not necessarily more noble, contrary to what Jefferson believed. It is an illusion most recently fostered by Romanticism.
BTW, “pagan“ comes from the Latin “paganus,” meaning “villager” or “rustic.” But maybe it's only a coincidence.
I agree with you.. The problem is getting the couch potatoes off of their duffs and working. They prefer their TV Shows, video games and sports. I admit that there are those who do truly need help. That is what the Church is for and what the Church is failing at. The school system is another symptom of abdication of responsibility. We, collectively are letting the Government brainwash independence out of our children.
On another note. I live in town, have three chickens and am researching how to grow enough food in my yard for my family. (someday for others as well). I would love to move out on to land. We dream of it but cannot afford it. If the government were to give up "our" land it would free the country. Judging from the primaries and election, there isn't much hope of that.
Back to my large family, my yard, my chickens, my garden.
non-used land is gov controlled, not for humans, people moved into higher concentrated areas. gm food licensed farmers would be my guess. everything under regulation.
the answer would be decentralizing, opening the land, taking away penalties of money and nanny state.
people are being put under either the dependence umbrella or the surveillance umbrella.
people are going under complete dependence, which means they are stuck in the system. hyperinflation has to come. we've watched them draw out trillions and our leaders were silent, so we were. asian countries are going to yuan. I see no way out of hyperinflation outside of taunting the world into world war III.
we are waiting for the ones who created this mess to come save us. good communists. why are neighborhoods not joining to grow gardens, raise chickens, we know the foods at the store are getting more and more fillers all the time? seems to me the organized church is just as dependent nanny state minded as the rest of society.
we can either tax and regulate everyone into little 50 by 50 boxes living off gov rations of gm foods......or we can enjoy the bounty of God's generous provision
Since USDA is evidently encouraging SNAP participation, such statistics are automatically suspect as a measure of poverty. www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/grants.htm
jpw wrote: open up the land
So how do you hope to implement this, by changing local zoning laws, selling off Fed. lands, bulldozing housing tracts, or what?
There's no lack of land, if you have the $$: www.landandfarm.com/search/Farm-for-sale (Better get a big piggy-bank though, if you want to avoid dealing w/ “banksters”)
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ms: "yes john uk, the posts by lisa smacked of
charismania.
your responses to..."
