The corollary being, of course, that me and three other taxpayers are supporting one person's eating.

And surely there are people that might qualify for food stamps but aren't on them. Which might suggest that times are even tougher than the high numbers suggest or that the system's requirements for participation are too low. Either way, not good.

Remember to vote for the school bond and local option tax in May. I know financially you have a hard time keeping food in the house, but it is for the kids after all.

The corollary being, of course, that me and three other taxpayers are supporting one person's eating.

Even if that were true (it isn't, by the way), so what?

Kai,
Not all of the other 3 million are taxpayers. For what it's worth.

I saw a toddler who weighed over 60 lbs the other day; family is on food stamps.

Food stamps should be only allowed to be used to buy brown rice, chicken breasts, lean pork, tuna, beans, peanuts in the shell, fruits, and veggies. Sugar, cheese,
and ice cream? Fuhguddaboutit. Afraid kids won't like that stuff? Good. They'll be skinny and healthy.

If we're going to feed everyone, taxpayers should at least have the right to refuse to finance the obesity epidemic.

The mini-markets really score on the Oregon Trail Club members and the store owners often profit from their adjoining Lottery Deli. We are rotten to the core.

I know a couple of people getting food stamps. They get about $100 to $140 per month. I can spend that much on food in a day. If you include alcohol, I know plenty of people who appear to spend more than that on food every day.

Anyone who can get obese on $150 per month is a very efficient shopper.

Meanwhile, we are handing millions to the Paulson's every year. I'm sure they are eating very well.

The mini-markets really score on the Oregon Trail Club members

Maybe that should be a point of reform, that any business that accepts Oregon Trail cards must be a full-service grocery store and have certain items available which would all but eliminate most C-stores.

I would even support certain exemptions for rural stores so as to not inconvenience residents in Eastern/Southern Oregon who simply live far away from a supermarket...but in the Willamette Valley even tiny towns have some form of a full-service supermarket that has a fresh produce department and full, healthy food items.

I saw a toddler who weighed over 60 lbs the other day; family is on food stamps.

Be careful about the assumptions; there are plenty of reasons why a child might be large and have little to nothing to do with food intake.

Creative class, indeed.

Well you don't even want to know how many people are disabled (according to a census) 49% of Multnomah County Residents are disabled by legal definition.

Mind you that is just the disabled.... then add in students and the unemployed all of these residents pull some sort of benefit... whether food stamps, education funds, social security, medicaid etc.

The Food Stamp program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program exists to help people afford to obtain the nutrition they need, the theory being that people cannot be worrying about where their next meal is coming from.

It is estimated that every SNAP dollar spent generates 1.73 in economic activity. To merchants, profit in food stamps is the same as profit in dollars. If people on SNAP can afford to buy fresh food, stores will waste less.

There are some places in the state where there are no full service grocery stores and there are already regulations in place requiring that stores carry a variety of food choices to qualify as EBT vendors.

"The Food Stamp program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program exists to help people afford to obtain the nutrition they need, the theory being that people cannot be worrying about where their next meal is coming from."

That should be" people cannot be at their best when they are worrying about where their next meal is coming from.

"Tim Duy, the economist who compiles the index, said his report found enough positives to alleviate fears of a double-dip recession."

I certainly found this comment reassuring at the end of the article.

...and now JP Morgan profits from every SNAP client via a nice federal contract, part of which goes to Indian call centers.

They get about $100 to $140 per month. I can spend that much on food in a day.

Amazing. I shop, and use coupons if reasonable to do so. Our family of three eats pretty well on about $100 a month - and yes, even toilet paper comes out of that budget. No, we don't live off roots and berries.

You live on a dollar a day for food, plus toilet paper. I think that is pretty amazing.

Food Stamps aren't enough to pay for healthy food at current prices. We are going to have to raise them or subsidize the cost of healthier foods for everyone. We are already pay for HFCS to be made, why not brown rice?

1 lb of Ham 2.99
1 jar of Mayo 1.29
1 loaf of white bread 99 cents

12 "meals" for 5.29

1 lb Brown Rice 2.99
4 Chicken Breasts 4.99

8 dollars for 4 meals

Tuna is even more expensive than chicken.