Food Stamps Out >> Rice and Beans In

The biggest problem with Give-away programs is that they required monitoring and yet the only monitoring system in place is on the Honor System. When food stamps came out, it wasn't long before enterprising individuals found out that, grocery stores really didn't check id's or for the most part, even cared if they were buying what the food stamps were originally for. I remember being in a store and a well dressed man paid for part of his food with food stamps and for the rest pulled out a oversized wad of large denomination bills. Not only was he buying steaks, beer and Cigarettes, but, the clerk didn't care. The store was getting their money from the government. Soon others began selling their food stamps under the guise of money laundering, That's right they would sell their food stamps pennies on the dollar. That way they could buy those necessities unavailable at the grocer, like pot, heron, crack.... (get the picture). Then came the EBT cards, the governments answer to relieve the stigma of paying with food stamps, this was designed to 1) make other watchful eyes think the person was buying with a credit or debit card. and 2) more secure since the person would be signing (when was the last time a grocery clerk checked your id when you checked out). Now you can buy all kinds of unnecessary things with your EBT card, since many grocery stores carry a lot more than groceries (i.e. Walmart). So how do we get back to providing a proper sustenance for those who truly need it, while maintaining that person's dignity? Here's my answer... Beans and Rice, that's right beans and rice your basic foods beans have fiber and protein, while rice has carbohydrates (these are those items we send to disaster areas). In addition to giving those items away to the poor, you give them to everyone. Literally destroying their market value. A junkie won't find anyone to buy their beans and rice if anyone can get them for free. Families won't starve, because, they will always be able to eat beans and rice. There won't be any stigma attached to eating beans and rice, and if you want steaks and beer on the side, you will be paying for it out of your pocket not out of mine. Besides if properly stored they can last forever. As for paying farmers not to grow potatos or corn or tobacco, the federal government could pay them to grow Beans and Rice.