If you drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes you have no business having an EBT card!

... of what is wrong with this country: Funding of EBT and related programs cannot be touched by budgetary constraints, but soldiers' pay can.

because we are the problem! We elect them. And reelect them. This last election was a chance to turn the country around and we the people blew it. It is on a path to collectiveism that will not be totally reversed in our lifetimes. On the local level we put into office a congressman who keeps moving and moving to get elected...not to mention the inept candidate the Republicans put up. I'm as frustrated as anyone, but we are the blame for putting them there...96% reelection rate.

To answer the writer question as to why they don't make corrections or changes to the EBT system. The main purpose of the EBT system is not to help feed the poor. Just like everything else that comes out of Washington DC the purpose is political and that is to make as many people as possible dependent on them. This program as grown in size and scope and now has a record number of Americans looking to the Federal government. This is the same reason for Obamacare. How can you expect voters to support cuts to the Federal government that supplies food, shelter and healthcare. They now have a majority of voters dependent on them so they can retain power forever !

Y'all are missing the point. The more they can restrict what you spend your money on, the more of you will be kept healthy to work and pay taxes to redistribute the THEM.....so they can sit on their butts, eat YOUR twinkies, watch the cable TV you pay for, talk on their Obamaphone, laugh at you, and use the free healthcare you provide them.

You don't really think the government is concerned with your health because they love you? This is all about keeping the workers working so they can support their block vote constituents and keep them pinned up with just enough feed to prevent them from jumping the fence and running wild. Unfortunately the herd has outgrown the corral.

Another well said comment Dichotomy! I don't need to make any additional comments. Enough said!

Bulldog1...."The substantial majority of EBT card holders are in their current situation because they have made a large number of very poor life choices."

I respectfully disagree. I think the substantial majority of EBT card holders have made a conscious decision to be wards of the state. Just a gut feeling based on all of the VERY healthy people I see using them. They are smart enough to operate an Obamasmartphone but not smart enough to get a job........or are they smart enough to not have to get a job and WE are the dumb ones.

Why junk food? Higher profit margins and large corporate lobbies. The individual receiving EBT assistance is only the middleman in the spending chain -- ultimately EBT money ends up largely in the pockets of the processed food industry, which has huge lobbying influence and deep pockets. They buy Congress, Congress makes sure spending continues to flow to their coffers. Excluding junk food from EBT would withhold money from heavyweights like Kraft, General Mills, Pepsi/Coke, FritoLay, etc.

How did I know that somehow a liberal would find a way to blame the republican Congress, and completely ignore Mr. Entitlement President. Blaming those evil rich republicans, right? Everything is the republicans fault and our precious King, has all the answers to fix it. Now, having said that; I can't completely disagree because common sense tells us that with the corruption in Washington, lobbyists probably are to blame a lot. But to mention the CONGRESS as the only offenders, is pathetic at best, down right dishonest at worst. They are ALL to blame, every single elected representative that ALLOWS this to continue.

I would GLADLY throw every single one of them out, if I knew they voted to allow this, if I could. Would the liberals do the same thing? Would they actually throw out their leaders who tow the party line, if they wouldn't vote to stop this? That is my problem; why is it liberals will NOT go against party lines? I WILL go against conservatives in a heartbeat!! I blindly follow NO MAN!! But throughout history there has always been a faction of society that blindly follows MEN. In history it has been kings, emperors, furhers, etc. Today it appears to be Presidents, congressmen, senators and evil dictators throughout the world. People blindly follow them, without resistance. I'll never understand this.

Wow, it must be nice to live such a sheltered and pampered life that someone can actually spend time THINKING ABOUT the food purchases of someone else in line in at the grocery store.

So many folks love to wear the hat of judge and jury, sentencing every individual with an EBT/SNAP card to the status of loafer, lazy, and ward of the state.

I sincerely hope that none of these privileged folks ever find themselves on the losing end of a job, or have a spouse die, face a catastrophic illness, or get sued into bankruptcy. It's really easy to judge someone else when you are blinded by selfishness and greed. Maybe a few of these folks should try to subsist on the pittance paid for food resources by the government.

Just recently, in October 2012, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton attempted to live on food stamps for a week - "Stanton said he was barely able to meet nutritional needs and lost four pounds, according to Fox 10 News Phoenix. He skipped meals and relied on ramen noodles, pasta and coffee, according to KTAR."

Newark Mayor Corey Booker attempted the same feat in December - and barely ate at all the first day.

I wonder how many of these critics of SNAP/EBT can feed themselves three meals on an average of $4 a day?

Junk food and unhealthy food is cheaper than healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Also, many poor communities do not have easy access to markets that have fresh vegetables and fruits. That's the reality. Folks who live pampered lives cannot even fathom not being able to run into Publix or Whole Foods to buy something nutritious. But for a lot of poor Americans, those ramen noodles and chips and cheap soda are staples for survival.

I would challenge anyone on these opinion boards to take the Food Stamp Challenge and see for yourself what it means to struggle and go hungry.

"The SNAP Challenge gives participants a view of what life can be like for millions of low-income Americans. Most participants take the Challenge for one week, living on the average daily food stamp benefit (about $4 per person per day). Challenge participants find they have to make difficult food shopping choices, and often realize how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy."
http://frac.org/initiatives/snapfood-stamp-challenges/

They would rather go after kids homemade turkey on wheat sandwiches and force feed them soylent chicken nuggets at the school caf.

Spectsa, what these people are referring to are people in Publix, Kroger, and the major food stores; not hardly people who don't have access. (That IS a problem in some areas and I agree with you). I think it also misses the point to refer to the mayor's experiences as I don't believe food stamps (like Social Security) were intended to fulfill 100% of dietary needs, but rather to supplement, just like SS.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that, but I believe EBT funds are distributed based on income, lowest income gets more EBT dollars than highest income among the poor.

So... Those that have access to healthy foods shouldn't be obese like so many seen swiping EBT's, it isn't because they are shopping at the local Minit Mart.

Maybe DOA food stores would be better. Show your card like CostCo and you get a month's worth of cheese, bread, milk, lean meats, flour, vegetable oil for cooking, etc.

Here is some documentation- http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/poor_some_ugar_on_me_0Hq1d3iPnvj2Rwps...