Look Who's Using Food Stamps Now

In this piece in The Gothamist, the author of the article reviews another article in Solon in which a new type of food stamp recipient is emerging-the yuppie food stamp recipient.

It seems that a good number of young people just out of school are applying for food stamps. The article sites interns etc, going to Whole Foods and buying roasted rabbit with tarragon.

According to the recipient, an AmeriCorps "volunteer,""It's not a thing people feel ashamed of, at least not around here."

The article itself raises the blood pressure. However it is the responses at the bottom of the article that reflect what we have become as a society, and really get the red stuff roiling.

One commentator says that the rich steal from the government all the time, so why not everyone else.

Another says that Americorps actually encourages its members to exploit the food stamp system.

The number of people who seem perfectly OK with doing this is disheartening. It is reflective of the American culture of entitlement. Nothing has a cost, and I deserve it anyway.

Now let me be clear, I do not begrudge people who honestly need food stamps. If your children are truly hungry use them for goodness sake. Sometimes life sucks.

But we now live in a country in which 1 out of 8 adults is on food stamps and 1 out of 4 children is on food stamps. Able bodied young people who choose to take internships, even if they can't find a job that pays anything- which is very rare, should not be in this group.

Peanut butter goes along way if you don't have kids. Trust me I know first hand.

Click here for the article.