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Post by dive61364 on Jan 30, 2015 12:38:57 GMT -6
after reading this in the finance section of the news I could get upset. it`s one thing someone using the system to get link cards and other government handouts to feed their families but this is insane. why should we as taxpayers pay subsidies to a corporation that makes billions in revenue each year? finance.yahoo.com/news/nfl-gets-billions-subsidies-u-155800826.html
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Post by Blue Star on Jan 30, 2015 12:46:29 GMT -6
Many are doing this & some peeps just don't "Get it!" Along w/food companies, Walmart etc. All they have to do is look @ their financial records/net earnings!
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Post by chevypower on Jan 30, 2015 12:47:56 GMT -6
Those numbers are unreal wow.
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Post by capncrunch on Jan 30, 2015 13:45:11 GMT -6
Editorials: Tighten Link card rules to fight abuse
Ask any grocery clerk: program easy to abuse
May 20, 2013
4309
For state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, this was the last straw: A food stamp recipient in his district used her Link card to bail herself out of jail.
"We are losing a couple billion dollars in fraud and we know that," Bost says of Illinois' Link program, which provides food and, in some cases cash, to needy families. "I've never been one opposed to providing for the needy. There are true needs. But if it's just for the greed, it doesn't matter if it's this or corporate greed, it's got to stop."
Link card for bail money? What's next? Link cards to gamble at slot machines ? Oh, wait ... read on.
In Illinois, two types of assistance can be loaded onto Link cards: food stamps, which are somewhat restricted and can only be spent on food, and cash known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is not restricted and can be spent on anything, including a few pulls at the casino.
Users who qualify for the food program can swipe their Link cards in the grocery checkout lane. They can't buy alcohol, tobacco, pet food — you get the idea.
But if they're also enrolled in TANF, those restrictions get unwound. TANF money can be withdrawn from ATMs, via the Link card, and spent on anything. The money is intended to pay utilities, rent and essentials. But it's cash — tough to track and regulate. Grocery clerks will tell you: It's not uncommon for users to go through the grocery lane with food, then come back with TANF cash for cigarettes or alcohol.
The number of TANF recipients in Illinois has risen by 21 percent in the last 10 years, from 108,528 people in 2003 to 131,497.
The food stamp population has risen much more dramatically: 958,798 in 2003 to more than 2.1 million now, a 114 percent increase.
No red flags, lawmakers? Those numbers cannot be explained away as a side effect of a slow economy. We've got a bigger problem here.
Illinois House Republicans introduced a package of bills to target abuses in Illinois' Link card program. The legislation would require photo identification on Link cards to make it more difficult to trade or sell the cards for cash. The bills would prevent TANF money from being spent on alcohol, Lottery tickets, firearms or ammunition, admission to shows, and rental goods. The package of bills also would allow the Department of Human Services to cross-check Link recipients with the Illinois State Police's database of outstanding criminal warrants. Those with an outstanding warrant would see their benefits suspended. Anyone serving time in a state prison would see his or her benefits cut off.
All of the provisions are reasonable responses to a growing epidemic of food stamp reliance. No one is advocating that the truly needy lose the helping hand. No one. But the numbers alone indicate — and widespread anecdotal evidence suggests — abuse of the Link system is a problem.
So why not tighten the rules? A few reasons the legislature has been unable to do it:
A handful of lawmakers believe fraud allegations are overblown. They say there isn't enough data to prove abuse is rampant. Gov. Pat Quinn's office estimates 1,000 to 1,200 Link cards are disqualified every year, but those disqualifications aren't all fraud-related.
Several bills over the years have been introduced to require photos on Link cards. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association, an influential lobbying group that represents store owners, opposes the idea. Requiring cashiers to check identification for Link users means the cashiers also would have to check ID for all debit card use, according to federal rules. Federal law prohibits food stamp recipients from having to go through an extra step that other shoppers do not.
Federal rules didn't stop the Wisconsin assembly from passing legislation this month restricting food purchases. That bill, sponsored by Wisconsin Republican Dean Kaufert, limits junk food purchases to one-third of total purchases. Birthday cake in the cart? Sure, as long as it's accompanied by whole wheat bread and bananas. Kaufert acknowledged the change would require federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Let Wisconsin be the test case; let us lead the way," he told reporters. "We're not being punitive. With your money, you can buy what you want. With taxpayer money, there are guidelines."
The USDA is not likely to sign off (see the accompanying editorial). The agency historically has avoided picking and choosing which grocery items are healthy and which are not.
So that ties the hands of the states, including Illinois.
That shouldn't mean we do nothing. Wisconsin passed its reform to test the landscape. Good for them. That's called leadership.
Illinois ought to do the same. Based on the numbers alone, the food program is too easy to game. That hurts everyone, especially the honest users of the system who truly need the helping hand.
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Post by cityslicker on Jan 30, 2015 15:07:56 GMT -6
Why does the federal government provide taxpayer assistance to farmers. They get taxpayer funded crop insurance, milk price support, a lessor rate of(state) sales tax on purchased goods,
and countless other breaks. The coverall explanation is, without support, the nations well being and security could be compromised. I am unaware of any business that is such a
drain on our economy. I am sure farmers would still produce products, but at a little higher price. The farm bill is nothing but a handout. By the way, SNAP is part of the usda
handout program.
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Jan 30, 2015 16:35:40 GMT -6
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Post by greekgod on Jan 30, 2015 21:31:07 GMT -6
after reading this in the finance section of the news I could get upset. it`s one thing someone using the system to get link cards and other government handouts to feed their families but this is insane. why should we as taxpayers pay subsidies to a corporation that makes billions in revenue each year? finance.yahoo.com/news/nfl-gets-billions-subsidies-u-155800826.html Dive, Great question! g  |
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Post by greekgod on Jan 30, 2015 21:51:20 GMT -6
Oh, and you can just google the information by typing in the "farm subsidies paid to farmers by zip code".
Go for it!
g
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Jan 30, 2015 21:51:45 GMT -6
Dive, it would be wise to ask for the numbers of these "subsidies".
While I disagree with the NFL being listed as a non-profit, without telling us what taxes were paid by the NFL, the article is completely worthless.
With 1 Billion in profits on 10.5 Billion in sales, it would be physically impossible to get "billions" in tax subsidies, unless the tax rate was over 100 percent.
Here again, liars figure and figures lie.
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Post by dive61364 on Jan 30, 2015 22:02:03 GMT -6
Dive, it would be wise to ask for the numbers of these "subsidies". While I disagree with the NFL being listed as a non-profit, without telling us what taxes were paid by the NFL, the article is completely worthless. With 1 Billion in profits on 10.5 Billion in sales, it would be physically impossible to get "billions" in tax subsidies, unless the tax rate was over 100 percent. Here again, liars figure and figures lie. when it has to do with anything concerning handouts to corporations by the government its hard to get the real numbers sniper. while I don't believe everything that was printed in that story there has to be some truth that could be gleaned. another great question is why caterpillar gets so many tax breaks each year but makes millions in profits. here is yet another interesting story here that really irks me also. we don't have the money to fund education or feed the hungry in this country yet we can give billions to corporations in subsidies. ecowatch.com/2014/02/10/despite-93-billion-big-oil-tax-breaks/ |
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Post by greekgod on Jan 30, 2015 22:13:50 GMT -6
Dive, it would be wise to ask for the numbers of these "subsidies". While I disagree with the NFL being listed as a non-profit, without telling us what taxes were paid by the NFL, the article is completely worthless. With 1 Billion in profits on 10.5 Billion in sales, it would be physically impossible to get "billions" in tax subsidies, unless the tax rate was over 100 percent. Here again, liars figure and figures lie. when it has to do with anything concerning handouts to corporations by the government its hard to get the real numbers sniper. while I don't believe everything that was printed in that story there has to be some truth that could be gleaned. another great question is why caterpillar gets so many tax breaks each year but makes millions in profits. here is yet another interesting story here that really irks me also. we don't have the money to fund education or feed the hungry in this country yet we can give billions to corporations in subsidies. ecowatch.com/2014/02/10/despite-93-billion-big-oil-tax-breaks/dive, Try googling farm.ewg.org Make your own decisions, these are the names of the farmers and the amount the taxpayers paid to them by zipcode. Try it. Very enlightening. g |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2015 6:04:48 GMT -6
when it has to do with anything concerning handouts to corporations by the government its hard to get the real numbers sniper. while I don't believe everything that was printed in that story there has to be some truth that could be gleaned. another great question is why caterpillar gets so many tax breaks each year but makes millions in profits. here is yet another interesting story here that really irks me also. we don't have the money to fund education or feed the hungry in this country yet we can give billions to corporations in subsidies. ecowatch.com/2014/02/10/despite-93-billion-big-oil-tax-breaks/dive, Try googling farm.ewg.org Make your own decisions, these are the names of the farmers and the amount the taxpayers paid to them by zipcode. Try it. Very enlightening. g I agree with you on this Greek.. Where we disagree is no business should be too big to fail... GM Cat Apple etc.. |
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Post by dive61364 on Jan 31, 2015 13:42:55 GMT -6
when it has to do with anything concerning handouts to corporations by the government its hard to get the real numbers sniper. while I don't believe everything that was printed in that story there has to be some truth that could be gleaned. another great question is why caterpillar gets so many tax breaks each year but makes millions in profits. here is yet another interesting story here that really irks me also. we don't have the money to fund education or feed the hungry in this country yet we can give billions to corporations in subsidies. ecowatch.com/2014/02/10/despite-93-billion-big-oil-tax-breaks/dive, Try googling farm.ewg.org Make your own decisions, these are the names of the farmers and the amount the taxpayers paid to them by zipcode. Try it. Very enlightening. g that list was very interesting since I know a few on there that receive the handouts. some on that list I never knew owned anything such as farm ground or a farm. there are retired teachers , doctors and lawyers I recognized greekgod. |
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Post by OutlawwithaSnipeSniper on Jan 31, 2015 18:24:15 GMT -6
The key here is how can we call it a subsidy if the net proceeds of cash flow is to the Government, not from it.
Do you believe you get a subsidy each and every year on your personal taxes? By the definitions you are using for companies, you are getting them the same.
Companies send in the BULK of the tax revenues ( we PAY them ), and by taxing them to oblivion, then giving them a "break", we give beautiful optics to demonize them.
Count the dollars, not the percentages folks.
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Post by greekgod on Feb 2, 2015 16:24:53 GMT -6
dive, Try googling farm.ewg.org Make your own decisions, these are the names of the farmers and the amount the taxpayers paid to them by zipcode. Try it. Very enlightening. g I agree with you on this Greek.. Where we disagree is no business should be too big to fail... GM Cat Apple etc.. Dive, I do not believe any business should ever get to the point that by failing it can bring down the whole economic system in the U.S., but that involves prudent Government regulation. Unfortunately, during "W"'s years, if AIG had failed the entire financial system in the U.S. system could have led us into a world depression. Yes, I believe in Capitalism, but sometimes even the wealthy become too greedy. g  |
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