With the proviso that the food stamp program was a creation of farm state Senators, such as Georgia's Herman Talmadge, who saw it as a back door agriculture subsidy.

I love firefighters, but none of those people needed foodstamps to replace the contents of their refrigerators. They earn very good money.

I see Saxby Chambliss is fighting against foodstamp cuts. Are the subsidies what's behind his reasoning, Juan?

During my first marriage (sorry, had two, long story about the second one, which was very, very bad), anyway, during my first one, we were at Stanford University and the wife of a friend of ours, who was faculty there (not tenured, was working on his Masters and teaching courses as part of the process), anyway, the guy's wife started pushing "go get food stamps, go get food stamps, they practically forced them on me at the .... go get food stamps, go get..."

I was horrified at the idea, while working fulltime and paying the husband's two years at Stanford University (and our living expenses) out of what I was meagerly earning, just barely in my twenties at that time. But the school financial advisers were referring adult students to sign up for food stamps and with gusto. And this faculty guy's wife was eager to try to see me and the husband get some help, so was pretty well hawking them herself (AND she came from a wealthy family but since married was as struggling as we were and under similar circumstances).

I could not bring myself to go get the food stamps, no matter what. I then got sick and was diagnosed with, of all things, malnutrition. I still couldn't bear the idea of the stamps...and soon afterward got a profession job, good salary, and husband went out and bought a Porsche on my credit (he was still in school and wasn't employed).

Maybe that explains the first marriage and why it didn't last much longer than that.

The point, however, was that that was Palo Alto, CA and the Stanford University campus, and two families enrolled by one each at the school, illustrious as it was. I am guessing there were many others who were also being sent to 'go get food stamps, go get food stamps...' although I can't say how things may have changed from then until now, but the program at that time was moreorless one of aggressively trying to get people signed up.

Sorry, typo: professional job, not "profession job," ha.

I agree as to those firefighters. I can sorta' understand why they'd get to avoid the line, go straight through (might be a fire somewhere!), but the show&tell aspect seems to be one of insult to injury for the many others patiently waiting, and not being paid while doing so.

The firefighters could just as well have gone there after their shifts, whatever...but, yes, they're well paid and it's shameful what they did there.

In some counties in more rural areas, they only make $20,00-26,000 a year. In the richer areas of Florida I've seen ranges of $30,000 to $40,000. depending on experience.

I get tired of the whining from the general public. On public time? So friggin what? How much time do those same griping employees spend on the internet while on the clock?

It doesn't matter what firefighters make elsewhere. These were Hollywood, Florida firefighters, and they make very good money indeed.
It also doesn't matter what ever other hypothetical member of the public does or doesn't do at work. These firefighters were on the clock when they did this.
They're busted.

I've never had those problems, Suzie. Thank God. Mr. Cracker is a very sensible fellow.