[MHM]

I don't have much of an opinion about this guy, and I don't live in New Jersey, but this story confirms my belief that Twitter is a risky thing for most public figures.

[yellowbritches]

He's not the first mayor to do this. I watched video of another (on the west coast, maybe). But he only fed himself for a week...not his family. It was very enlightening.

Cory Booker seems to want to do right. Whether he succeeds or not is another matter, but I think he really is trying.

It could be worse. You could live in DC with that whole clusterf***. Of course, the district really doesn't help itself too much. Kick out a good mayor for yet another corrupt one, and still keep putting Marion Barry back in power, one way or the other. Nothing gets done in that town!

I speak as neither a resident of NJ or DC (though, at least I am close enough to DC and venture into DC enough to see the consequences!). So, my thoughts have little to no bearing.

[AliCat]

I am probably sounding a bit callous, and I really don't want to be that person.

I just get so frustrated when I see generation after generation take advantage of public programs, with little to no effort to break that cycle.

IMO, the answer is to break it down to the core problem. Embracing the lifestyle of public assistance, having children young, being raised without fathers, glorifying the gang banger life, and looking at incarceration as part of life is so twisted.

Updating food stamps does nothing to change any of that.

There are other groups of people who have come to this country who live with multiple generations, semblance of a traditional family unit, and seem to get by by simply working hard. Not that they are perfect and without sin, but they are not living in the ghetto waiting for a check.

[AliCat]

Here is one more for you to give a bad rating. Help people learn to live a different lifestyle instead of enabling them with programs.

[Fred]

I like him, and I admire him.
He is not the first person to do something like this, nor I'm sure, the last - but the point is that it draws attention to the problem, clearly the media will follow it, and perhaps more people will become aware of the problem.

Walking a mile in someone else's shoes - and trying to increase your understanding of a situation - tell me why this is a bad thing?

[Fred]

Because living and understanding breeds compassion.

And with compassion in our leadership, we can modify policy in a way that helps people.

(should I just throw away my R card now? I think I just pulled a total Dem moment there.)

Come on over to the dark side BR. We have cookies AND toaster ovens.

[BuddyRoo]

TOASTER OVENS? Well, call it done then.

[BuddyRoo]

In all seriousness, I do not wish for people to stay on gov't assistance long term.

My husband's ex has done this for YEARS! Its' CRAZY! The only time she seems to want to get a job is if her bennies are going out. Then she works long enough to get 'em again and quits.

She hasn't had a job for more than 4 mos in over 20 YEARS!!!

How does that work???

Wait. Marry well. And procreate. With a guy who won't let his kids suffer.

You win.

Golden uterus wins again! YAY!

I should SO have tried that. Damnit. Too old now.

[threedogpack]

I am probably sounding a bit callous, and I really don't want to be that person.

I just get so frustrated when I see generation after generation take advantage of public programs, with little to no effort to break that cycle.

did you read any of the comments AliCat? People who are mentally disabled can't work. They can't. They might work for 2 weeks and have a breakdown, then they can't work again.

The point being there are also whole segments of society that aren't on the dole because it's a generational thing. They NEED the food stamps. And this whole tirade of yours makes you seem bitter and callous...which is what you don't want, or at least that's what you said.

This isn't about that anyway, it's about a guy who took a challenge

[mvp]

I went to college with the guy.

I trust Booker's motives.

And another thing! Or what I meant in the first place:

Booker didn't have to go back to Newark, given the opportunities and drive he had by the time he was finished with undergrad.

[BuddyRoo]

Come ON! Give the guy a chance to totally muck it up at least!

[AliCat]

did you read any of the comments AliCat? People who are mentally disabled can't work. They can't. They might work for 2 weeks and have a breakdown, then they can't work again.

The point being there are also whole segments of society that aren't on the dole because it's a generational thing. They NEED the food stamps. And this whole tirade of yours makes you seem bitter and callous...which is what you don't want, or at least that's what you said.

This isn't about that anyway, it's about a guy who took a challenge

Did you read the article you posted? Looks like Booker agrees with what I am saying:

“We pay 4 HUGE back end govt programs: prisons, police, etc. If we invested in Schools, nutrition, etc we’d save $ & create wealth,” Booker tweeted back.

See that? EDUCATION to break the cycle. There are plenty of people who are NOT mentally disabled collecting these benefits.

Do you know what SNAP stands for? SUPPLEMENTAL Nutrition Assistance Program. That does not mean that it is the only food you can buy. If you choose to load up on sugary and high fat contents, so be it. Again, something EDUCATION and breaking the cycle could help with.

Come ON! Give the guy a chance to totally muck it up at least!

A wealthy individual taking this challenge for a single week isn't going to do much. What could come of it? An increase in benefits paid? More restrictions on what they can buy?

One of the biggest problems that these areas face is the lack of fresh food available. Maybe focusing on bringing those options closer to the residents and EDUCATING them on healthy eating would be more beneficial to than proving or disproving how it is it to live on SNAP benefits.

[mvp]

One of the biggest problems that these areas face is the lack of fresh food available. Maybe focusing on bringing those options closer to the residents and EDUCATING them on healthy eating would be more beneficial to than proving or disproving how it is it to live on SNAP benefits.

it doesn't need to be either/or.
Before some Mayor can tell SNAP recipients how it ought to be done, he needs to *educate himself* about the limits of food stamps.

[threedogpack]

it doesn't need to be either/or.
Before some Mayor can tell SNAP recipients how it ought to be done, he needs to *educate himself* about the limits of food stamps.

your point being that is what C.B. is doing, right?

[AliCat]

What? According to the poster above who said you'd spend a week of food stamps to buy the ingredients for a stir fry meal, a bunch of things are needed. Access to fresh food that's affordable and education. But I haven't ever eaten using food stamps, (I have bought food for eating in my hotel room for a week while I was a poor grad student on a research mission), so I think a Mayor who wants to walk a mile in the food-stamp recipient's shoes is great. Before he can tell them how it ought to be done, he needs to *educate himself* about the limits of food stamps.

So, as a poor grad student, could you sustain yourself with a monthly food budget of $133?

[AliCat]

your point being that is what C.B. is doing, right?

He is mayor of Newark. Should he have to spend time on SNAP benefits to figure out a lack of access to healthy food in his city?

[mvp]

So, as a poor grad student, could you sustain yourself with a monthly food budget of $133?

I wasn't there for a month.

But no, I don't think I could have done that as I eat now-- all at home and cooked by me, but no grains or processed food. Meat, dairy, veggies and fruit are a very expensive way to eat. That's true if you go to the ghetto Safeway within walking distance or spend mo' money on fuel and drive farther afield for better quality/better deals.

[mvp]

He is mayor of Newark. Should he have to spend time on SNAP benefits to figure out a lack of access to healthy food in his city?

To an extent, yes. Part of the "Hey, why do those poor people buy convenience store crap?" is learning what it really takes to eat using food stamps.

Let me give you the basic rule of thumb: It's either time or money. So if Booker wants to fill his belly for a week with that $133, he's going to have to find the time to shop and cook.

[AliCat]

To an extent, yes. Part of the "Hey, why do those poor people buy convenience store crap?" is learning what it really takes to eat using food stamps.

Let me give you the basic rule of thumb: It's either time or money. So if Booker wants to fill his belly for a week with that $133, he's going to have to find the time to shop and cook.

Oh, I agree.

I feel like I am catching a lot of grief, and keep getting BAD ratings on my posts. I don't normally speak up in these threads, but this is something that makes me a bit emotional.

I see the people in my area that are using the EBT cards to buy carefully, and to buy small quantities of fresh food. There is a reason that the inner cities have crazy high rates of diabetes and heart disease. This is not something new, which is probably why I feel so passionately that this is more of a publicity stunt than Booker really addressing the real underlying issues.

It is his 2nd term as mayor. If he is so active in the city, shouldn't he be aware of the options and habits of his people?

[kathy s.]

Regardless of Booker's motives, I admire the fact that he's going to try it. I guarantee we won't see Rick Perry give it a try.

Re access to nutritional food- I've noticed a huge difference in the quality of produce offered by the major grocery chain here in Texas between stores in poorer areas versus the well to do areas. Same prices just poorer quality.