CONTROLLING WHAT THE POOR EAT IN AMERICA. MAINE WILL BAN JUNK FOOD PURCHASES.

MAINE IS THE LATEST STATE THAT WANTS TO "BAN" THE POOR, RECIPIENTS OF 'FOOD STAMPS', AT LEAST, FROM BUYING CERTAIN FOOD ITEMS. 

BEFORE THIS, THE TEA ROOM REPORTED ON MISSOURI WANTING TO BAN THEM FROM BUYING "LUXURY FOODS", LIKE STEAKS, SHRIMP, ETC.

"I have seen people purchasing filet mignons and crab legs with their EBT cards," he said. "When I can't afford it on my pay, I don't want people on the taxpayer's dime to afford those kinds of foods either." --- RICK BRATTIN, MISSOURI STATE REPRESENTATIVE

MAINE WANTS TO BAN THEM FROM BUYING  "JUNK FOOD". 

MAINE POLITICIANS SAY IT'S TO HELP CURB OBESITY IN THE POOR, WHICH CAUSES MEDICAL PROBLEMS.

HOLD ON!
"Nearly one in three Maine residents is obese, according to 2014 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data."

SO, ARE ONE IN THREE PEOPLE IN MAINE RECEIVING FOOD STAMPS?
HELL NO!

MAINE'S FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS DROPPED BELOW 200,000 PEOPLE THIS YEAR!

WHAT IS MAINE'S POPULATION?
1.33 MILLION!

THAT MEANS OVER 244,000 OTHER MAINE CITIZENS ARE ALSO OBESE!
MORE MAINE CITIZENS WHO ARE NOT GETTING "FOOD STAMPS" ARE OBESE THAN THOSE WHO DO GET THEM!

I'D SAY MAYBE THE POLITICIANS ARE LYING IN MAINE.

ID SAY MAINE, LIKE MOST STATES, IS TARGETING THE POOR AND/OR JUST THOSE ON 'FOOD STAMPS'.

TO MAINE, ET AL, WHO WANT TO CONTROL WHAT THE POOR EAT....
THAT "JUNK FOOD" IS CHEAP FOOD, CHEAPER THAN BETTER FOOD, CHEAPER BY FAR THAN MUCH OF THE ORGANIC FOODS, CHEAPER THAN TRULY 100% NUTRITIOUS FOODS.

STUPID MAINE, JUNK FOOD IS CHEAP!

MAKE DECENT FOOD CHEAP AND WATCH THE POOR CHANGE EATING HABITS REALLY DAMNED FAST, YOU  #@#$#% MORONS!

I'VE "COMPARISON-SHOPPED" LOCAL FOOD ADS FOR THIS BLOG...
HERE'S WHAT I FOUND...

~ ONE POUND OF CHICKEN, FROM A WHOLE CHICKEN, COSTS $1.09 PER POUND, BUT ONE DISCARDS ABOUT 1/4TH THAT WEIGHT AS BONE, SKIN, FAT GLOBULES UNDER THE SKIN.

ON THE OTHER HAND, A POUND OF CHICKEN FRANKS (HOT DOGS) COSTS ONLY 99 CENTS, NO BONES.

~ ANY, AND I MEAN ANY "LEAN BEEF" STARTS AT $4.99 PER POUND, NON-ORGANIC, BTW.
IT'S "ON SALE", TOO!
THAT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $1.25 CENTS PER SERVING, BUT IS NOT ALLOWING FOR SHRINKAGE.

BUT A STORE BRAND PIZZA THAT WILL FEED AT LEAST 2 IS, AGAIN, ONLY 99 CENTS!
SO IS A CAN OF RAVIOLI, JUST 99 CENTS.
BURRITOS CAN BE HAD FOR 59 CENTS EACH!

~BREAD?
WHITE BREAD IS 89 CENTS A LOAF AT 2 LOCAL STORES.
"CHEAP" WHOLE WHEAT?   $1.99
RYE?   $3.49
GUESS WHICH ONE MOST "THRIFTY SHOPPERS" WILL CHOOSE?

~ EGGS...$2.19 A DOZEN RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE ON SALE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. LAST ONES I BOUGHT WERE A BUCK MORE.
SINCE ONE CAN SQUEEZE 6 SERVINGS OUT OF A DOZEN EGGS, NOT A BAD DEAL, EVEN AT $3.29 A DOZEN.

ARE EGGS CONSIDERED "NUTRITIOUS"?
NOT ACCORDING TO MY CARDIOLOGIST!

{UH-OH, NOW I'M WONDERING IF THAT RASCAL MAY READ THIS AND START THAT LECTURING AGAIN...] 

EGG WHITES ARE ALLOWED, THOUGH, IN MODERATION.

BUT, LOOK!
I CAN GET BREAKFAST BISCUITS WITH SAUSAGE AND EGGS AT 4 FOR $1.19!
A MINUTE IN THE MICROWAVE AND DONE!

~ MILK?
YUMMY MILK FOR THE KIDDIES?

HUMANS, IF YOU WILL GO RESEARCH, ARE REALLY NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE COW MILK. BUT WE'RE TOLD "MILK DOES A BODY GOOD".
ALL WHO ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT DISAGREE!
COLICKY BABIES AND KIDS DISAGREE!
I STRONGLY DISAGREE ON HEALTH BENEFITS OF COW MILK FOR EVERYONE.

GOAT MILK, AT $5.49 PER QUART, IS A GREAT REPLACEMENT FOR COW MILK.
FEW ARE 'ALLERGIC' TO GOAT MILK.

WOULD YOU SPEND ALMOST $6 OF YOUR $194 OR SO MONTHLY FOOD ALLOWANCE FOR A QUART OF GOAT MILK?

BUT LET'S DO COW MILK.

IT'S A WHOPPING $4.09 A GALLON FOR SKIM, $4.49 FOR 2% AND $4.69 FOR "WHOLE".

JUICES INSTEAD OF SODA?
I HEARTILY AGREE, BUT...
ORANGE JUICE IS ABOUT $2 TO $2.49 A QUART, BUT SOME STORES WITHIN 50 MILES OF ME ADVERTISED IT FOR $3.49 A HALF GALLON THIS WEEK.
AND THE CHEAPEST ORANGES I FOUND WERE $2.75 A POUND, ABOUT 5 ORANGES PER BAG.

APPLE JUICE WAS FAIRLY 'CHEAP'...ONLY $1.89 FOR AN "OFF-BRAND" PER HALF GALLON.
NOT ORGANIC, IT WAS LOADED WITH ADDED SUGAR.

SURE, SURE, "LET THEM DRINK WATER!"
PLEASE, NOT FLUORIDATED, CHLORINATED WATER! 
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT A DOZEN TIMES HERE IN THE TEA ROOM!

WHAT'S A BETTER CHOICE?
MAYBE A BOX OF TEA BAGS ($1.49 FOR 100 BAGS, 10 BAGS PER PITCHER OF TEA.), BUT WITH OR WITHOUT SUGAR AT $2.59 PER 4-POUND BAG?

LOOK!
 A 2 LITER BOTTLE OF STORE BRAND SODA IS 89 CENTS, 79 CENTS ACROSS TOWN!

DO YOU SEE THE POINT?
"JUNK FOOD" IS SIMPLY CHEAP FOOD, AND WHEN YOU HAVE 2 OR 3 MOUTHS TO FEED, ESPECIALLY GROWING CHILDREN, YOU NEED AS MUCH FOOD AS WHAT FUNDS YOU HAVE WILL BUY.  

WHY GO ON?

PSSST!
MAINE, ANY PARENT JUGGLING EVEN ONE JOB AND CARING FOR A CHILD OR 2 NEEDS TO CONSIDER TIME, ENERGY COSTS AND EASE/SAFETY OF PREPARATION, IN CASE ONE OF THE OLDER KIDS HAS TO PREPARE A MEAL, MAYBE. 

SO, MAINE, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE TIME AND COST OF ENERGY (GAS OR ELECTRICITY) TO PREPARE BOTH THE HEALTHIER FOOD AND THE "FAST" FOOD, THAT "JUNK FOOD".

DID YOU EVER DO THAT, DEAR OLD MAINE?
DID YOU ADD THOSE COSTS INTO YOUR LEARNED ASSESSMENT OF HOW POOR PEOPLE SHOULD EAT? 

I'VE GOT AN UGLY GRANT $50 BILL THAT SAYS NONE OF THOSE POLITICIANS HAVE HAD TO CALCULATE EITHER JACK OR SQUAT REGARDING FOOD COSTS SINCE THEY WERE BORN!

WHAT TOO FEW REALIZE...IF THERE IS A JOB TO BE HAD, YOU CAN BET THAT THE POOR WORK!

STATISTICS SHOW TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THOSE ON "FOOD STAMPS" WORK, THE MAJORITY OF ABLE-BODIED ADULTS DO WORK, AND USUALLY WORK MORE THAN ONE JOB IF THEY ARE SINGLE PARENTS.

THEY HAVE TO, BECAUSE FOOD STAMPS WILL NOT BUY ALL THAT A FAMILY OF MORE THAN 2 NEEDS FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH!

I SHOWED YOU OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S STATS ON THIS BEFORE.

THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DEPENDING ON "FOOD STAMPS" ARE NOT ABLE-BODIED ADULTS...
THEY ARE CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED, EVEN RETIRED MILITARY VETERANS!

YOU MAY ARGUE WITH OR DENY THOSE FACTS UNTIL YOU TURN BLUE, BUT IT WON'T CHANGE THE FACTS.

AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP, IF FACTS MEAN YOU WERE WRONG.
TRUTH MAY HURT, BUT TRUTH IS THE ONLY OPTION!


BUT BACK TO MAINE, ET AL...

MAYBE CAMBRIDGE CAN CLUE YOU IN IF I CAN'T!  

THEIR STUDY FOUND IT COST THREE TIMES AS MUCH TO "EAT HEALTHY"! 

WHILE THIS STUDY WAS  DONE LAST YEAR IN ENGLAND, ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS LOOK AT AMERICAN PRICES TO SEE IT BLOODY WELL APPLIES HERE, TOO!

"Healthy foods cost three times as much as unhealthy foods, according to a Cambridge University study showing a widening gap in the costs between junk foods and fine fare...and the price gap is widening.

Researchers examined almost 100 popular items of food, which is defined under Government criteria as healthy or not.

They found that 1,000 calories made up from healthy items, such as lean salmon, yoghurts and tomatoes, cost an average of £7.49 in 2012.

The same calorie intake from less healthy items, such as pizza, beef burgers, and doughnuts, could be purchased for an average of £2.50.

The gap between the two 1,000 calorie baskets is now £4.99, the research found, when ten years ago it was £3.88."

SURPRISED?
A VERY SHORT SEARCH WILL ENLIGHTEN ANYONE WHO WISHES TO BE ENLIGHTENED, WHO WANTS THE FACTS. INSTEAD OF THE DISINFORMATION YOUR POLITICAL PARTY OR CHOSEN NEWS MEDIA FEEDS YOU AND YOU WILLINGLY EAT!

"Dr. John Middleton, from the Faculty of Public Health, said rising prices of healthy foods were pushing too many families towards unhealthy fare and contributing to worrying increases in obesity and diabetes.

“The cost of healthy options is one of many reasons why we have food poverty in the UK,” he said. “This is not just about individual choice. Blaming individuals for not knowing how to cook well on a low budget so they don’t fill up on cheap junk food won’t help.”

MAYBE MAINE SHOULD READ AND HEED THAT?

FOOD INSECURITY IN AMERICA, JUST THE FEDERAL FACTS

1~ 1/3rd OF FAMILIES WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH BUYING FOOD NEVER GET ASSISTANCE.

AND ONLY 55% OF THOSE GETTING ANY ASSISTANCE GET "FOOD STAMPS"!

In 2014, 61 percent of food-insecure households participated in at least one of the three major federal food assistance programs –Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-formerly Food Stamp Program), The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) -- in the prior month.
Among all Feeding America client households, 55 percent report receiving SNAP benefits.
 Nearly one-quarter (24%) of Feeding America client households with children under the age of 18 report receiving benefits through WIC.

2~ BEING POOR IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT AFFECTS NUTRITION AND HUNGER IN AMERICA! 
Although related, food insecurity and poverty are not the same. 

Poverty in the United States is only one of many factors associated with food insecurity. 

In fact, higher unemployment, lower household assets, and certain demographic characteristics also lead to a lack of access to adequate, nutritious food.

3~ THERE ARE SET LIMITATIONS TO WHO QUALIFIES FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE, HOW MUCH "ASSISTANCE" ONE CAN GET TO BUY FOOD AND HOW LONG ONE CAN QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE. 

I'D BE WILLING TO WAGER THAT HALF OF AMERICANS READING THIS HAVE BEEN LIED TO ABOUT THESE THINGS BY THEIR ELITIST, POOR-HATING, WALL STREET WHORES CONGRESSMEN. 
SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE DEDICATED RACIST BIGOTS TELL BIGGER LIES THAN OTHERS...

-- Households have to meet income tests unless all members are receiving TANF, SSI, or in some places general assistance. Most households must meet both the gross and net income tests, but a household with an elderly person or a person who is receiving certain types of disability payments only has to meet the net income test. Households, except those noted, that have income over the amounts listed below cannot get SNAP benefits.[SEE THE CHARTS FOR ALL THESE FACTS <HERE>]

-- The amount of benefits the household gets is called an allotment. The net monthly income of the household is multiplied by .3, and the result is subtracted from the maximum allotment for the household size to find the household's allotment. This is because SNAP households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their resources on food.

ONE PERSON IS ALLOWED $194 PER MONTH MAXIMUM... ABOUT $6 PER DAY. 
CAN YOU FEED YOURSELF A HEALTHY DIET FOR $6 A DAY, AMERICANS?

-- ABOUT THAT TIME LIMIT ON RECEIVING BENEFITS...

Three-Month Time Limit Returning in 2016 in Many States  More information on the time limit generally is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/able-bodied-adults-without-dependents-abawds. 
For detailed eligibility requirements in a given state, consult the state SNAP agency.

4~  WORK IS MANDATORY.

In general, people must meet work requirements in order to be eligible for SNAP.  These work requirements include registering for work, not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing hours, taking a job if offered, and participating in employment and training programs assigned by the State.  Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the Program. 

In addition, able bodied adults without dependents are required to work or participate in a work program for at least 20 hours per week in order to receive SNAP benefits for more than 3 months in a 36-month period.

Some special groups may not be subject to these requirements including: children, seniors, pregnant women, and people who are exempt for physical or mental health reasons.

5~ THE MORE YOU HAVE, THE LESS YOU GET.
Households may have $2,250 in countable resources, such as a bank account, or $3,250 in countable resources if at least one person is age 60 or older, or is disabled.

 However, certain resources are NOT counted, such as a home and lot, most retirement (pension) plans, the resources of people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI),  the resources of people who receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) (formerly AFDC), and, up to $4,650 of the fair market value of one car per adult household member (and one car per teen-aged household member if the teenager is using it to go to work, look for work, or prepare for work).
 If a vehicle is needed to transport a physically disabled household member, its value is not counted.

6~ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NEED NOT APPLY!

The 2002 Farm Bill restores SNAP eligibility to most LEGAL immigrants that:

• Have lived in the country FOR 5 YEARS; or
• Are receiving disability-related assistance or benefits; or
• Care for CHILDREN under 18

GO GET SOME MORE FACTS HERE... http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/hunger-and-poverty-fact-sheet.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

HERE ARE A FEW MORE FACTS FOR MAINE, ET AL.IT IS NOT "CHEAP" TO LIVE IN AMERICA, NOT EVEN IN THE RURAL SOUTH!

COST OF LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES

"Numbeo is the world’s largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide. Numbeo provides current and timely information on world living conditions including cost of living, housing indicators, health care, traffic, crime and pollution.   
2,163,570 prices in 5,560 cities entered by 260,140 contributors (information updated 2015-11-23)"

IN MY AREA, A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, AWAY FROM 'CITY CENTER'  GOES FOR ABOUT $595 PER MONTH.

COST OF ELECTRICITY IS ABOUT $149 PER MONTH.

A GALLON OF GASOLINE COSTS ABOUT $2.04 (DOWN 6 CENTS FROM LAST MONTH).

A PAIR OF JEANS, NEW JEANS, AVERAGES ABOUT $55, FOR "NAME BRAND", BUT WAIT, I BET MAINE ET AL DOESN'T THINK POOR FOLKS OUGHT TO BUY OR EVEN CONSIDER NAME BRANDS, RIGHT? 

OR THOSE $70 PER PAIR TENNIS SHOES?

OR A "CHAIN STORE" DRESS AT $33?

THE 'DAMNED POOR' SHOULD ALL SHOP AT GOODWILL, SALVATION ARMY, OR GARAGE SALES, AND BE HAPPY WITH GOOD USED CLOTHES, RIGHT?

BOTTOM LINE, FOR MAINE, MISSOURI, ANY AND ALL WHO TARGET THE POOR, THOSE "DIFFERENT" FROM THEMSELVES...
THE TEA ROOM OFFERS A VERY EXCLUSIVE SERVICE TO AN...UMMM...ELITE FEW.

IT'S CALLED A "3-H ENEMA"...
3-H...

1~HIGH
2~HOT, AND
3~a HELLUVA LOT

I DESIGNED IT IN MY COLLEGE DAYS FOR THOSE WHOM I ENCOUNTERED WHO WERE JUST "TOO FULL OF THEMSELVES"...

GUARANTEED TO CLEAR THAT "S--T" RIGHT OUT OF YOU!
THIS WEEK ONLY, GET YOURS, MAINE, MISSOURI POLITICIANS, AND ANY OTHER ELITIST, CONTROL FREAK JERKS, FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF $60,000.

"LUBE UP AND COME ON DOWN!"

FAILING THAT, WE MIGHT TRY A FRONTAL LOBOTOMY FOR YOU...YOU WON'T MISS ANY PART OF YOUR ALREADY OBVIOUSLY MISSING BRAIN MATERIAL...
YOU'LL JUST FEEL...MELLOW, MAYBE?

SERIOUSLY, LOOK, YOU MISCREANTS, JUST MAKE DECENT FOOD MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE AVAILABLE.
THERE ARE DOZENS OF WAYS TO DO THAT...BUT THOSE WHO FUND YOUR CAMPAIGNS WON'T LIKE IT.

AHHHH, GREED...

WE CAN END HUNGER IN AMERICA... BUT ONLY IF THOSE SELLING THE FOOD IN THE STORES AGREE TO HELP.
FARMERS DAMNED SURE ARE NOT MAKING A KILLING ON THEIR END!

CONTROLLING WHAT THE POOR CAN BUY IS NOT THE SOLUTION!

FREE EDUCATION, SUCH AS WE SEE GERMANY OFFER, TEACHING NUTRITION AND OTHER DAILY LIFE SKILLS, PROVIDING BETTER-PAYING JOBS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE WITH KIDS TO FIND AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORK 3 JOBS TO PAY FOR THAT CARE, ESTABLISHING COMMUNITY GARDENS WHERE ALL CAN WORK IN AND REAP THE BENEFITS OF GOOD FOOD...

BANNING ANY FOOD AS A SOLUTION IS JUST CRAZY!

THE TEA ROOM CHALLENGES ALL READERS TO GO TO A LOCAL "FOOD STAMP" OFFICE, WHERE APPLICATIONS ARE TAKEN AND JUST SIT AND WATCH AND LISTEN...
SEE HOW SHAMEFULLY MOST APPLICANTS ARE TREATED, LISTEN TO THE VERBAL ABUSE MANY ENDURE.

STAND OUTSIDE THOSE OFFICES AND, NOW AND THEN, AS SOMEONE ENTERS OR LEAVES JUST SAY, "MAN, I HATE COMING HERE!" AND LISTEN TO THE RESPONSES.

AND WATCH AT CHECKOUT LINES HOW MANY CHECKERS TREAT/REACT TO THOSE WITH IBT CARDS...HOW OTHER SHOPPERS ALSO REACT.

THEN, YOU TRY LIVING ON $6 A DAY FOR FOOD FOR JUST ONE MONTH.
IT MUST BE NUTRITIOUS FOOD, NO "JUNK".

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU DISCOVER...





____________________________

FURTHER READING FOR THOSE SEEKING FACTS, TRUTH, REALITY...

~AT http://www.nass.usda.gov/ ANYONE WHO CAN READ AND COMPREHEND CAN LOOK UP DATA ON FOOD PRODUCTION, COSTS AND, WE ARE TOLD, SAFETY. 

FOOD SAFETY IS A JOKE, BUT THE OTHER INFO IS OF SOME USE.

AS AN EXAMPLE, DID YOU KNOW THE CURRENT STATUS OF CHICKEN AND EGG PRODUCTION?
YOU CAN KNOW IF YOU WANT TO KNOW...JUST GO TO THE WORTHLESS OLD USDA's WEBSITE AND CHECK IT OUT...  http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/ckeg1115.txt


~ "FOOD STAMP" REALITY.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamison-doran/the-snap-challenge-a-true_b_4260842.html

~ FACTS POLITICIANS, MOST, IGNORE
http://www.cbpp.org/research/a-quick-guide-to-snap-eligibility-and-benefits