Jon Stewart - For the Win - So What Should People Buy with Food Stamps

If you are an opponent of the Food Stamp program, then just be an honest opponent of the food stamp program. Say you don't believe anyone should get any money from the government to help them eat.  Just say it.

Because when you decide to deride each and every choice made by a person using food stamps (by using unsubstantiated stories) and when you seem to be saying "anyone on Food Stamps had better be having a miserable life, or they don't deserve Food Stamps" then you don't just sound uncaring about your fellow American.  No - you don't just sound uncaring; you are uncaring.  And Jon Stewart will fry you.




(In case you can't see the video above, here is the link.  It's about 8 minutes long, even though it looks like it will be longer.)

This is both funny and sad.

So tell me, according to Fox News: What is acceptable for people to buy with Food Stamps?  Not healthy food (fish, organic.)  Not bait so you can try to catch healthy food.  Are you unemployed because of the economic downturn, having been laid off so some executives can meet a Wall Street earnings expectation?  Well, you have to let your dog starve, because we don't want you spending Food Stamp money on dog food.  Did you and your family finally take advantage of 50% off day at Disneyworld to have some fun?  Or did some church group give you free tickets?  Better not buy food there with Food Stamps! In fact, you better just hand in your food stamps, because if you can have fun, you don't deserve them.  And, heaven knows, your baby had better be using cloth diapers! (It's not clear if buying detergent and diaper rash cream with food stamps is acceptable in this case. The "logical conclusions" don't seem to be part of the anti-Food Stamp arguments.)

Again, if you are politically or morally opposed to Food Stamps, then just be against it.

But if you're going to tell people exactly how they have to spend their Food Stamps then:

1. Give us the list.  What is acceptable?  Is it flour and meat? (But not fish. God no, not fish.) Is that all?  What's the rest?  Give the list.  What can people buy without you callously criticizing their choices?  And then ...
2. Don't ever, ever, ever criticize liberals again for having government too involved in our lives, because there isn't much that's more intrusive than telling "poor folks" what they can buy.