I’m just wondering how often or how many of these you might have seen? I’ve never seen any one fitting that description in all my days of shopping. And in Maine/NH in the winter you might even expect a fur coat.
JimA
1 Like
Maybe it’s just me, but I seldom pay much attention to how people are paying for their groceries. Not on my radar.
1 Like
Nice try to shift who started it, but they are really “shrubphones”, because that is who originally authorized them.
5 Likes
Jim, I live in a largely immigrant neighborhood. The Asians and Hispanics in the area who use “food stamps” (actually a credit card-like object) generally look pretty legitimate, but, for example, the Russian immigrants wear clothing and jewels which look like a year’s salary of the others and also pay with food stamps. America is a great country.
Jeff
2 Likes
In 2019 the stats were pointing to the suburbs being more poverty stricken than the inner cities. Families can cover that up a bit.
Part of inner city living is having middle class neighbors who buy low priced real estate because of the country’s history. Some 60% of African Americans are middle class.
The USA Latino economy now would rank as the 5th largest economy in the world.
Hard working people do not squander things.
Wendy,
People in poverty do not go from middle class to material dead.
Nor should they.
More importantly means testing people which is where this is leading is dangerous to our society. It stifles the future of our economy as excluding people from having a future. It is pure foolishness.
I do not judge someone based on buying potato chips. There is no law broken.
1 Like
Your bank accounts would be several times lower if you came up in a state with a minimum of care and a minimum wage of $7.25. Just read Florida’s minimum wage is in the $5 neighborhood. There are old people in Florida but very few adults.
1 Like
Fortunately, my bank account has not had to depend on minimum wage for quit a while 
Jeff
2 Likes
I am not talking about you or anyone here earning minimum wage.
I am talking about your business clients paying minimum wage and thinking your rates are high.
1 Like
Yes, I know. But the ubiquitous term is “Obamaphone,” and so that’s what I used. (We’re veering more and more off topic.)
1 Like
Only ubiquitous because a certain faction pushed the term to try and make a political point.
5 Likes
Of course. But then the directly affected folks took the term and put a positive spin on it, sorta like “Obamacare.”
(I’m getting the sense that some posters are misunderstanding my point of view on this, or perhaps haven’t read my earlier post.)
2 Likes
In NY:
“Most households applying for SNAP no longer have to pass a savings/resource test in order to get SNAP benefits. This means that the household’s assets (stocks, savings and retirement accounts, etc.) are not considered when determining eligibility.”
1 Like
I read any number of times that this is an urban myth.
Yes,the cadillac fur coat meme has been quoted for many years. With no asset based requirements it is entirely plausible that people with nice things can temporarily qualify for food stamps. Get over it.
Jk
2 Likes
Actually, in this case, it is far from a myth. It also involves a willingness to opportunistically commit fraud with a lack of a moral compass. The local group most apt to take this route as the common sense approach are those from former Soviet republics.
Jeff
4 Likes
Jeff,
If I recall correctly,you are a multi millionaire living in a rent controlled apartment,is that correct?
You don’t see that as oppurtunistic? You cannot see the irony?
Jk
2 Likes
Well, Golden’s Rotary- sponsored annual Miracle Shoppe kicks off tomorrow. Have spent the last couple of days with cronies doing set up etc. I shall definitely be on the lookout for cellphones, fur coats and Mercs … along with anyone who’s not sufficiently 'umble and grateful.
The 4 colourful skateboards plus helmets and the still wrapped scooter are a few of mine👇
6 Likes
Just an update. On Christmas Eve there were 78 clients. Of course, we were also giving away Christmas toys at the same time, so that may have been an added draw.
2 Likes
Our final count for the Miracle Shoppe was just over 250 families served over the 2 days…with probably no more than 5 or 6 “shoppers” who didn’t quite understand the assignment (if you get my drift 
) Not true chancers in reality and there was obviously need along with the show of greed. In each case, it was other folk who were choosing their toys honestly who tattled on them as they were recognised from their neighborhoods or kids’ school etc and who were rightly miffed at the sight of someone who only had 3 children to take care of filling their carts with enough toys for 6 or 7.
So many more newcomers to the shop this year…a good many who were almost making their way out of poverty but dragged back by a combination of sheer bad luck and/or the current financial situation.
I think it might be easier to cope with the fur coats and Mercs crowd than such real hardship.
1 Like