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user-inactivated  ·  4026 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Too much of too little: A diet fueled by food stamps is making South Texans obese but leaving them hungry

This is why it's a bad idea to have food stamps at all.

If we are faced with a poor population that needs assistance, the solution should be more public cafeterias, food kitchens, and community pantries, not cutting checks (or handing out credit cards) that can be used anywhere.

Giving people money so they can go to grocery stores is wasteful and unhealthy. The grocery store takes a cut of the profit, the food distributors take a cut, and the producers of the junk food reap most of the benefits. It would be cheaper to run a dedicated non-profit that provides free healthy food to whoever needs it.

We're so convinced that capitalism and freedom of choice can take care of any problem in this country that we don't consider alternatives.