I think she might say no just to prove she's not looking for a big payday, I doubt that she is.

"A store manager for Kroger, America’s largest grocery chain, has been transferred to a different store ..."

Transferred to another store? Seriously? Transferred? How does an employee of Kroger, a MANAGEMENT level employee at that, find himself still employed by a company which prides itself on quality customer service after that employee harrassed and ridiculed a customer for her use of food stamps?

Adding this "store manager" to the ranks of America's currently unemplyed, and showing him what life is like for one to have to use food stamps and unemployment insurance in order to survive would be a VERY appropriate lesson for this ignorant and condescending fool. Kroger could certainly do better than keeping a person with this man's mentality in a mangement role in that company.

Sounds like Kroger is following the lead of the Catholic Church in dealing with abusive Priests; don't fire them or discipline them, just transfer them and pass the problem elsewhare.

I'm disappointed in Kroger, the company with which I do MOST of my shopping.

Kroger has been doing things like that for YEARS. They did it at the store I worked for.

Seriously, Tiffnie? This is more than surprising to me. I have never heard of this sort of treatment of customers of our regional Kroger chain in Oregon/Washington (Fred Meyer). If this is a Kroger reputation I'm going to rethink my shopping relationship. We have options (Safeway, Albertsons, Thriftway, etc.)

VERY disapointing, and unacceptible to say the least.

Thanks for letting me know about this. I won't be going to a Kroger... wait? Fred Meyer? They are great we go there all the time. I think I've seen a Kroger grocery store in CA, though. Maybe they have the same products... but sure not the same management? Does anyone know?

Somehow I doubt that the store manager who said this is a Democrat. Repubs scream class warfare yet are the ones making disparaging remarks about the poor.

Paws93-you are so wrong! This is the direct result of the Teapublicans and their message of hate for anyone who is down and out as well as anyone who doesn't agree with their hatefilled rhetoric. Shame on anyone who feels this way. How many of us are only a paycheck or two away from being on welfare or food stamps? What will you do if you lose your job and your unemployment runs out before you can find another? Starve

This is growing result of Obama's class warfare. He has divided this nation and made people resentful of helping others

Obama has nothing to do with people being dicks.

People are okay to be dicks as long as they can blame it on someone else??? If your resentful thats your own damn fault. Try taking responsibility for your actions instead of just assuming like this @!$%#, and like Romney, that everyone who receives government aid is a moocher of some sort.

Please.

Paws93--I would just like to take the time to share w/you that many indivduals who receive public assitance do infact work, which means they infact pay taxes. For many, receiveing assistance is not the ideal mode of income, but it is available and will make the decision to feed a family not compete with the need pay rent or utilities or gas/fare to get to a job.

I will be totally excited when individuals understand that as citizens of this country, indivduals have the unmitigated right to request services of this government--when they meet the criteria. And, they should feel free to do so w/o stares, criticism, degredation or shame. I certainly dont see companies or farmers, for example, be made to feel ashame when they receive tax breaks or subsidies--would these not qualify as government assistance?

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

But, oh Shakespeare (and Paws93) I would venture to say, it does matter what a thing is AND indeed what a thing is CALLED!

--Bailout vs Tarp vs Stimilus vs Recovery & Reinvestment???????

paws Obama is not the one with the bad mentality your statement confirms that you and people like you are the problem

Oh Paws, Paws Paws. Do you really believe the crap you spew? Are you one of those people who have family members, friends or you yourself recieving assistance yet fantasize that Romney will be you saviour and you will join him at one of his houses revelling in his victory? Are you really selfish enough to watch Americans dying for lack of healthcare and starving for lack of food or living on the streets in the richest nation on earth is acceptable. Do you have such a low opinion of Americans to think that given the chance most of us would choose to rely on public assistance than work? Do you believe that cheating to win elections by purging voters and enacting onerous ID requirements is okay as long as "your side" wins?

Medical bills is the leading reason for people going bankrupt and ending up on foodstamps, de-regulation and fraud were the leading cause of the banking failures, and consequently finacial failures at the end of bush/cheneys run.

But hey, maybe if Romney elected he'll help you hide your considerable wealth in foriegn banks, and if you can't borrow money from your father to start a business he'll peel of a few bucks for you. Then you, like him, won't have to worry about the American economy because you don't pay much in taxes and the bulk of your money will be protected. So keep watching faux noos and regurgitating the "party line".

she was on kidney dialysis...hope she gets her transplant and enjoys the food stamps...and those that made fun of her need a whipping...whip it good...

I would start shoping at Kroger if I could find one now. Sorry, Paws is right. With a record number of people on govt assistance, and 47% of people not paying taxes, it does create resentment. Obviously, not everyone on them is a leech, and some people do need it, but with Romney blaming the poor for everything, and Obama blaming the rich for everything, Americans have never been so polarized. This president has only driven the country further apart, and you can tell its working with people's jealousy of Romney.

Mr. Burns do you realize that Mitt is one of the 47% who don't pay income tax? You hate on people who don't pay income tax but nominate him to be your presidential candidate? Talk about some flawed logic.

This woman is suffering from an illness already, she does not need to have insults heaped upon her as well. The arrogant and ignorant manager should have been demoted. That store makes just as much profit off "food stamps" customers as cash customers, and are entitled to be treated the same.

With today's job market like it is anyone can find themselves suddenly unemployed and if they do not have savings, they may be forced to rely on help from the government, until they can find another job.

Many people on food stamps work. On another note, from what I understand Romney came out and said he paid 15% in taxes. Then why is it my fiancee who works 7 days a week at minimum wage pays 29% ? And no he doesn't get food stamps

Then why is it my fiancee who works 7 days a week at minimum wage pays 29% ? And no he doesn't get food stamps

Because people like Twit Romney have the money to purchase politicians.

He isn't advocating giving people like himself more money while ripping off the impoverished and middle class, unlike Romney.

Have worked in Retail Management for years I can tell you now there is much more to this story. The fact that the guy was not fired indicates he went beyond his duty to satisfy the customer and for what ever reason..she was not satisfied. Unfortunately, Even though the woman is allowed to tell her version, The company is not allowed to reveal details regarding customers. Read between the lines folks.

thats the smartest post I have read here.

And since everyone is no longer shopping at Kroger that means shorter lines for me and I don't have to watch 300lb women purchasing diet mountain dew and little debbies on their food stamp cards

I only had to read about 15 posts here to find two that are totally wrong about Romney and his taxes.

One poster says he pays no imcome tax and another says he pays only 14% while his girlfriend with a low paying job pays 29%.

Romney recently released his 2011 return and it showed he paid over $2million in taxes, a rate of 14% which is just one percent below the MAXIMUM he could pay based on the type of income he earns. Romney does not get a paycheck or a W2. He has no job, no salary. He placed his assets in a blind trust many years ago and they are managed by trustees that invest the money for him. When you invest money that has been saved and those investments do well you have gains that are taxed at "capital gains" tax rates. The current rate for capital gains is 15%. Romney donated over $4million to charity in 2011 yet he only took about half of that as a deduction which means he paid taxes on $2million more than he was required to pay on. All in all, Romney paid over $6 million to either the government or charity on $13 million of investment income. Let's keep things in perspective... his $2 million in taxes paid is more than the combined income taxes paid by 47% of the nations population.

If you don't like the tax code encourage your representatives to change it but claiming Mitt Romney doesn't pay any taxes or pays less than he should is nothing more than blind ignorance. The information is out there but you won't find it on most of the mainstream media sites for the simple reason that they are biased in favor of the democratic party and their candidates.

Here's a challenge for the Romney haters.... find one democrat in any position in government that paid 6/13ths of his or her 2011 income in combined taxes and charitable contributions and post the name.

Hint... you will never find such a person for one simple reason.... democrats are not interested in using their own money to help others, they are only interested in confiscating other peoples money to buy votes to elect themselves to office.

Get educated folks!

one percent below the MAXIMUM he could pay based on the type of income he earns.

He paid only 1% below the max because he did not claim $2 million in charitable deductions because he got caught saying he paid 14% and if he claimed that $2 million deduction he would have paid much less than the 14% he claimed. After the election he will follow is normal M.O. and file a amended tax return and claim that $2 million like he has done in the past. SO he COOKED HIS BOOKS AGAIN!!!!! If you believe a man that plays as fast and lose with the tax regulations (laws) would be a good choice for president I feel sorry for you. Just like he claims he'll lower everyone's tax rates. Yes he''ll lower your rate but at the same time he is going to do away with many of the deductions you get. So the net effect is you'll pay more. Romney/Ryan economic plans are as phony as his spray on tan!!!

I'm no Romney fan, but "fast and lose (sic)" with tax regulations? No one should pay more than he or her has to, Devil's son--and I doubt that you follow every "regulation" dictated to you by government trolls.

All these people complaining about Mitt only 14% in taxes...but look the other way when tax-avoider Geithner is put in charge of the Treasury.

Let's be clear about who receives food stamps and why.

Some of the disabled, some of the unemployed, and some of the underemployed and some retired people on Social Security.

My son and his wife receive food stamps. He works, but earns less than $22k per year. She is disabled - diabetes, a heart condition, fibromyalgia, and an anxiety disorder. She was hauled, by ambulance, from her last job (about four years ago as a Walmart checkout clerk) to the emergency room; having passed out at her post and hitting the floor. She has been in and out of the emergency room at least four times for a runaway heart rythm (up to 900beats per minute). At one point they were paying $900/month on her medications. They finally filed for disability about 20 months ago. The State of Indiana declared her disabled after several interviews and a review of her medical records, qualifying her for prescription assistance and discounts. Given her disability and their income as a couple, they also qualified for food stamps, which in Indiana are distributed as a debit card. My son works hard for his check, often next to molten salt baths used in nitriding large machine components at shop temperatures between 120 and 140 degrees. So let the manager be smug, about how hard he works in that nice clean air-conditioned store.

Not everyone who is on foodstamps are fat @sses who want to suck off the system.

Disabled people receive food benefits to supplement their incomes. Elderly receive them after they retire usually. People who were laid off their jobs usually receive them because they were well duh, laid off their jobs.

But you know, this is totally their fault for having kidney failure or being 70 years old and a widow or heavens forbid their company was downsized and while they were making 26.00 an hour suddenly are making 0 an hour and their college degree overqualifies them to work even the most menial of jobs such as flipping burgers.

Because it's obviously totally cool to lump everyone into a single category.

BRAVO!!! You have THE best post here, by far, and actually made a point that relates to the story in it's context. Too many people get caught up in ridiculous political squabbles every single time there is a story that contains the words "food stamps". I always read those stories because inevitably there will always be people who feel the need to scream their narrow political views at everyone who will listen,sighting food stamps as the end-all be-all of evils in this country. As I have said before, and will always say, food stamps is FAR from the biggest problem this country has, and absolutely farthest from the cause of all of our economic woes. But if you wish to have something to point a finger at you need look no further than the never-ending war in the middle east, we will never have a definite total of all that that war has cost us, financially or physically!! Then, if you need further proof still, take a good, hard look at George Bush's reign as president, there were many flaws, but all the bail-outs and bankruptcies, foreclosures and mass layoffs were the very breaking point that finally crippled a country that had been teetering on the edge for years. What are people supposed to do when they have no job, cannot get a job, have no car because they sold it to pay their mortgage after being abruptly laid off? Starve? Go homeless with their children? These things that have happened to them don't make them scum of the earth, they are still human beings, and Americans, and deserve some respect and at the least some understanding from the people who have managed to keep right on trucking through all of this. Because trust me, it is only by the grace of God that those people have managed to survive and thrive, and I'm not even talking about religion here. My father is the single most financially responsible person I have ever known, always done the right thing, very very thrifty,never wasted a cent on anything, (even went so far as to buy all my clothes growing up from thrift stores and make all of my xmas gifts himself, and he had enough money to buy anything I wanted) but yet right now he is struggling to figure out how in the world he will live on what assets he has left for the rest of his life. One or two big investments in well-known companies that went under in the past few years, and now he simply cannot find his way to recover all that he has lost. Not nearly in bad enough shape to apply for food stamps, and isn't the kind of person that would apply even if he thought he might starve, but still, my point is that even he is vulnerable financially, and if someone like him is vulnerable than we all are. Never ever say that the person you see in the line at the store could never be you, because as another poster kindly pointed out, most people in this country are only one or two paychecks away from disaster. Believe it!

My "BRAVO" was meant for Bill M.

i cannot understand managements' decision to let go of good employees, while keeping bad ones. Can someone please tell me what good will transfering this person to another store will do?

Welcome to political rants.

I work part time in a grocery store. For every elderly, disabled, underemployed worker....there are five fat, lazy, greedy, ignorant POS's also receiving food stamps. Many can work, they don't want to. They are allowed to keep breeding kids they ain't feedin! So, I guess after seeing lines of people feeding off the government while he earns his money, this guy had enough that day. Can't say I blame him! I feel the same, but can't say a word. This is a HUGE problem, getting worse by the day. I didn't have enough for food for my family, so guess what, I got a second job. I want to set a good example for my children, unlike the masses of them being born into welfare every day. Sick! And that's why the USA is interchangeable with EBT today. I forgot about all the foreigners that come through with EBT and buy fifty bucks worth of chocolate. Must be nice. Am I angry? Hell yeah...I know what this grocery store employee sees EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Stop being so G-D judgmental and learn to mind your own business! If you do not have a need for food stamps and can afford to properly feed your families, thank God for your blessings. If you need foods stamps (whether for steak and lobster or beans and rice), thank God they are available for your use.

Transferred to another store my ass! Having worked in positions of customer service before (including a grocery store) if any employee (especially a manager) had talked to a customer this way they would have been immediately terminated. There is no excuse for this manager's rudeness, and he should have been fired. Customer service has gone really down hill. It's called "CUSTOMER SERVICE" for a reason. When I come to your store you need to remember I AM THE CUSTOMER AND THE CUSTOMERS shopping at your store is what PAYS YOUR DAMN WAGES! It's very simple...NO CUSTOMERS, NO JOB!

There's way too many people on Foodstamps and it is disgusting that we have a government that is more interested in expanding dependency instead of jobs. That said, there's no cause for getting down on any individual who is on a public assistance program...especially where, as the case here, there is no way these people could know that there was anything illegitimate about her dependency.

We are in this mess because of the recession caused by republicans like Bush and Cheney whose policies caused harm to most Americans. Many lost their homes, many lost their life savings, many lost ther jobs. Republicans don't want to remember that the republicans who rubberstamped all Bush policies and all his legislation for wars, tax cuts while in wars, war profiteering and throwing money into the air by the Bush administration did not help Iraq in any way. They caused four thousand American deaths. The harmed many Americans and they will just do more of it if given a chance. Republicans are not the friend to the poor or to the middle class. The fear and smear of the NRA is pathetic and they will laugh all the way to the bank because of idiots in the republican party believing all their lies.

American economy - Reagan got us into this mess by removing all bank regulations. "Oh, yay, the big boom of the 80's... gawd bless the republicans, they're sent from heaven..." NO, they gave us cheap thrills and ruined our economy and gave us the key to the never ending deficit and now they just leave piles of crap for the next president to try to recover from. Remember the car company giant closures? Oh, yeah... thanks BUSH. Everything going down hill to a crash, but then oh yeah, Obama gets in and in two weeks he's responsible for Bush's 8 years of @!$%#. Actually before he was even sworn in I hear the blaming.

The article was clear and accurate, The current increase in the use of Food Stamps began in 2008.

October 2008. Prior to Obama's presidency. AKA under BUSH POLICIES. Like you said...CLEAR and ACCURATE. Republicans wouldn't know much about accurate though would they?

And.............four years later.......things are.........................WORSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coloradoan - ok, let us know how to stop a giant Bush snowball made of crap rolling down hill. And things are actually... BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!! We still have American car companies, and Banks. But you keep pretending that McCain would have put us in heaven... and looking at Palin would have made eating in soup kitchens seem all ok.

That's a shame--and regardless, this isn't a political issue, it's an issue of human decency.

I don't care if you use food stamps, as long as you need them. That anyone should be mocked for their use is entirely ridiculous, and the manager (and any other employees involved) should've been fired--not transferred to another store.

You only need to look to Clinton with his repeal of the Glass-Steagell act, and forcing banks to give loans to people to buy houses who should not be buying. Trickle down was actually working until Clinton screwed over the economy. We dont know a presidents impact until years after he leaves. This mess is not Obama's fault, but give it another 5 - 10 years, and you'll see the damage he has done to us.

Lkessler - You are right. Any protests need to be done in the voting booths and any customer needs to be treated with respect and a smile. These people should have been fired.

People that do this are just evil. I be they would have treated a big guy in leather this way - nope. Yep, they were just chicken-@!$%#s.

p rico, I'm afraid that empathy is quickly disappearing in this country. So many people are so quick to judge others and label them as moochers etc. when they don't have a clue what are the real circumstances of that person.

You know what i find most disturbing, the people most likely to be seen using food stamps are, usually, poor but even more so, a large proportion(pun included) are considered obese. If these people are so poor, how did they get so fat?. nothing makes me shake my head more than to see a 300lber pull out a food stamp card while barking about how they don't have a pot to piss in. the country needs to cut off the majority of food stamp cards and make the country go on a forced diet. poor people should be skinny. It's like comparing the african village folk who clog our channels with fly buzzed emaciated children yet any article regarding them speaks of 15-20 kids born to them. So even the reality of ones horrible financial situation takes a back seat to base instincts to over eat and screw. Just another thing that will never make sense to me. I'm just glad my work ethic will never allow me to beg the GOV for a handout.

@Dom-462174 - People are fat because they either make poor food choices and/or don't get enough exercise regardless if they are on assistance or not. Plus, when $20 can buy you a week's worth of fruit or 2 months worth of seemingly healthy sugary granola bars, it's no wonder why people chose the latter. P.S. I am not on assistance. I have a bachelor's degree and I work full-time. I know better and I'm still fat.

Dom,

You should also be aware of medical causes of "obesity" like hyper-thyroidism, diabetes, or some heart conditions. Oddly, the same conditions that obesity can lead to or worsen, also can cause it. Also, genetics have been proven to be a large factor in weight issues.

And, as LisBun points out, the food that we eat is also a significant factor. Ironically, once a week grocery shopping promotes poor choices by emphasizing processed, packaged food over fresh food. Likewise, the cost of lean non-processed meats over ground meats or processed meats lead to buying higher fat and sugar enhanced meats. Storage of fresh vegetables, even in a refrigerator, can be problematic.

A lot of the least expensive foods are the very ones that can cause you to gain weight. White rice, pasta and bread are far cheaper that whole grain, and far, far more fattening. The cheapest cuts of meat are often the fattiest. Hot dogs and baloney are cheaper than hamburger and deli ham.

Yes, people on food stamps do sometimes buy things like steak or sweets. I know people who did that for celebrations, a birthday or New Year's. Far cheaper than having a pizza party or going out to eat. And frankly, you can often get steak on sale cheaper than meat from the deli - ham, turkey, etc. I've seen T-bones on sale for $4.99/lb while the least expensive deli ham was $7.99.

Many people on food stamps are not fat - I think people just notice it more if someone is overweight and using food stamps. And since I think all food stamps are done on a debit card now, if you are paying close enough attention to others to see how they are paying, you're just too nosy.

I once applied for food stamps/EBT in Los Angeles (I was out of work for three years at the time), but cancelled out of the program before taking a penny because their idea of "help" was to offer me $22/month. That's all; I'm not kidding. I've still got the paperwork that reads: NOTICE OF ACTION - FOOD STAMPS APPROVAL - $22 / MONTH. I let myself waste three hours in the office filling out paperwork, jumping through hoops, having my financial paperwork scrutinized, getting fingerprinted... only to be offered $22 a month in aid.

To receive my benefits, I was required to do 22 hours of work for the county... which would've been fine by me, IF my first work date didn't arrive in the mail a mere day and a half before I had to work for them--picking up trash in the park. To take that "WORKPLACE" assignment, I would've had to give up a $17/hour temp job that I'd had scheduled for that day. And if you miss one day of your assigned work for the county, you miss one month of benefits. So if $22/month was their idea of "help," I decided that I didn't need that kind of help.

I wrote this letter to cancel out of the program: "Thank you very much for processing my paperwork quickly and efficiently through the system. You were patient, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. However, had I realized that I would not be receiving any practical assistance from the County of Los Angeles, I would have spared us both the experience. PLEASE CANCEL ME OUT OF THE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND CANCEL ALL WORKFARE PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS. A mere $22 a month, plus the required Workfare Project Assignments, is by NO means what I consider to be acceptable help. Aside from the low monetary amount awarded, the county’s first work assignment date was scheduled on a day when I already have to work. To change any future dates would require obtaining letters from temporary employers and doctors; I’d risk having benefits suspended if the letters did not reach the office in time. I have been out of work for three years now. I declined applying for unemployment benefits in 2007 and continued to struggle on my own; in doing so, I saved the State of California approximate $49,500 for what would have been 99 weeks’ worth of aid... When I applied for help, that’s what I wanted—HELP. Genuine, applicable help so that I could purchase healthier food than I do now. I’m sorry that the County of Los Angeles could not offer that."

What's funny is that I'll tell this to people, and they'll call me a liar--even though I used the actual paper sent to me by the county as cover art for the short autobiographical piece NOTICE OF ACTION that I put on Amazon.com. People don't WANT to believe that that's all the assistance that I was offered. They WANT to think that those who go on public aid get the world handed to them, I guess. Or maybe it's just too frightening to think that if you need help and you ask for it, you won't get it.

This woman has been battling kidney disease since she was 11 y/o and can't work, right? But she has a young daughter. She and her husband created this young life while the mother was sick and now they can not support her? Her kidney's can't take working for a living but her kidney's were able to tolerate a 9 month pregnancy? Maybe the Kroger manager shouldn't have said what he did but I certainly sympathize - those store managers work long, long hours. At the end of a long shift, this woman is arguing about the rules and snipping that she was right. I'll just bet he was too tired to monitor his speech and said the first thing to mind. I say the woman should get over it and her or her husband need to get a job that supports them. I certainly work at a job I'd rather not because I have to support myself - no live off food stamps.

I once applied for assistance worked all my life payed into these programs. I was desperate no money was broke to sick to work got down to 105 pounds. I was told by the case manager sir these programs are not desighned for people like you. I said what people like me she said white single men, thats the truth she said that even when i said i paid into them all my life she says sir this discussion is over.

AMEN to Linda Rocky!!!! I know there is more to the story and that is why the store manager wasn't fired! She needs to support her family??? Kidney disease?? Children??? where's the Father??????? I got the picture!!!!!

beggars (literally) can't be choosers.

This woman has been battling kidney disease since she was 11 y/o and can't work, right? But she has a young daughter. She and her husband created this young life while the mother was sick and now they can not support her? Her kidney's can't take working for a living but her kidney's were able to tolerate a 9 month pregnancy?

What article were you reading Linda Rocky??? This article says she is on dialysis 12 hours a day, and has been waiting for a kidney "for years". Nothing about her being sick since age 11, no age given for her child.

You and the 10 people who "liked" your comment all need to LEARN TO READ!

I agree. I have a pretty car & a lovely diamond ring....and I'm about to file for bankruptcy because I can't go on paying my ex's bills & continue to eat. Just been slapped with another $14,500.00 debt he ran up that I'M expected to pay because I have the same surname.

People are ignorant--they don't realize that when you get in a position to where you need assistance like food stamps, that doesn't mean you have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! We spend a lifetime accumulating "stuff"--furniture, toys, games, clothes, shoes, etc. And even if you do sell whatever it is that you own to try and stay ahead of your bills, what are you going to get for it? Who is going to want your old, ripped-up sofa or your smelly clothes or your five-year-old computer? What kind of money do people think that's really going to generate for someone being overwhelmed by their situation?

In this day and age when IT COULD BE YOU... we all need to exercise a little thing called respect towards one another. No two people are alike, and what works to get one person off public assistance doesn't necessarily work for another living under different circumstances.

Tiffinie,

Off-topic but your situation is def. worth a lot of research and maybe some lawyer time. Depending on your state and its community property law, unless you personally signed the documents for the line of credit or loan you may not be responsible simply because you're a spouse. If your ex did it on his own, then whether you were married or not you may not be responsible.

You should feel humiliated. This way you will work hard to get off them, and find a job. (I know you were looking). People start using it as a crutch for way too long. And no, you should not have a diamond ring and get food stamps. Sell the ring, then mooch off everyone else.

Why would you want a diamond ring that was from this guy????? when you were married, both of your actions were to be dealt with as one. Sorry....... you married him not the rest of the tax payers. Sell the ring and car and climb out of your hole. I think you can do it.

Don't try to explain anything to people who have been indoctrinated for a life time.

If someone told me that the reason so many farm families are being found where Dad shot Mom and all the kids... because he was broke and too proud to ask for assistance, food stamps, unemployment or because he had a farm, land or a car he was ineligible.

I would believe it!

In today's world - if you don't have a car, you usually can't get a job. Especially if you live in the country, rural area.

Romney can't understand what its like to be flat broke. To his class of people - being broke is when you have dip into your capital or cash in some bonds or T-Bills.

Broke to many people is when you leave the kids with relatives, you and the wife sleep in the car, wash up at the bus station .. then - one morning the car gets towed and you have no where to go.

Or worse... she takes the kids and moves back in with her family - and you go on the road looking for a job, any job - then when you find one. The boss finishes the job and leaves you and all the other guys with a smile, blistered hands and deeper in debt - cause you didn't get your check.

If they have the newest, nicest, most expensive cell phone, then YES, it DOES mean that they are scamming the system. If they have a big diamond ring, shouldn't they sell that to pay for food before they start living off the system? There is a "low-income" housing area in my town where 90% of the homes have a nice, new car parked in the driveway... these are all people that are receiving rent assistance.... if they can't afford their rent, how can they afford a car payment??? YES, there are people who need and deserve assistance. Unfortunately, they are the vast minority to the people who are just lazy and have no pride and would rather sit at home watching their big flatscreens and eating their state-funded junk food.

You "know" which houses are low income, you"know" everybody living in them is receiving rent assistance, you "know" 90% are driving brand new cars. How do you know? What is your evidence? I suspect you know absolutely nothing, you just repeat the same baloney you hear from people as ignorant as you, who heard it from somebody else, just as dumb and uninformed.

The "vast majority" of people who receive food stamp assistance are CHILDREN, so I don't think they are driving nice new cars. Nor are the elderly, the disabled, and the working poor, who make up most of the rest of the SNAP recipients.

You and the people like you who THINK you know what goes on in other's homes make me think you are the type who cheat when you can.

PUULLLEEEEEEZZZZEE people! Give me a break. Food stamp assistance has gone up 51% since 2008. Are you telling me that it's because of the economy??? Not! Do you know how many people in the grocery stores I see with big a$$ diamond rings, designer clothing, etc. And they pay for their groceries with food stamps! Yes there are people that truly need federal assistance, but I would bet my life that most on welfare and food stamps are so taking advantage of the system. I have seen it way too many times!

So you want another moocher on the system? Nice try Mr President.

You are a troll, aren't you? No one can be THAT ignorant.

And now you know the reason that you will only be a check out cashier and never rise above that position. That low class SLOB you're referring to is your reflection in the mirror. Did you not read the story? It indicated that she was correct about the items. And irregardless if there were items not approve for food stamps, the managers response was completely inappropriate.

Thats what the story is about, I guess comprehension is another part of your life that is sorely lacking

Really Karla? A person who is on Dailysis 12 hours a day is a lazy slob? I cannot believe what this country has turned into. It seems this country is full of hate, spite, and a lack of courtesy or empathy is allowed to pervade. How can I ever be proud of a country so full of hate and disdain for those that are far less fortunate than most of us. I find that these people are not only reprehensible but are the most un-christian people in the world.

Don't feed the trolls.

feed the trolls we don't want them on food stamps...now do we...

A month's worth of groceries for free?
Are you serious? Just because she suffered a little "humiliation" you want her to get thousands of dollars of free food? Get over yourself. A little humilitation isn't worth THAT much for crying out loud. It's not illegal to berate someone from living off the sweat of others' work. It's not illegal to "humiliate" someone. Actions have consequences. Maybe she should have thought of that before she decided to shop using other people's money to pay for it.

You are hearing only one side of the story people! Many of you never hear the crap that managers have to take from people whom know that you have to take it, the same way people are rude to waiters for no reason at all other than you cannot fight back or risk getting fired. Stores will not talk about this or make any comments other than we have to re-train. All they ever want is to get this to go away. As far those of you that think that this is a lawyers dream...not so. They only want to make real money without any effort, you know like a class action lawsuit where the people get gift certificates and the lawyers make millions. Why is this even news???

You know those jobs that no one wants don't actually pay a living wage. You can have that job and still be on welfare. To bad it wasn't your mother that was sterlized but its never too late for your wife. One can only hope

OK, Liberals should be sterilized. Let's get rid of welfare and food stamps, and make sure everyone has the right to carry a semi-automatic weapon. What could possibly go wrong?

Craig: I'm with you, I can't help but think (pun intended) "Forgive them Father, they know not what they do."

@liberals should be sterilized - Ah, one of the "'If [the poor] would rather die, . . . they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population" types.

SRBINAT I guess you never heard of the constitution. You sound like England did over two centuries ago. Debtors were shipped of to Australia too.

SRBINAT: Try again. Your stats are not correct. Don't make up fake statistics to try to prove your opinion. You are stating opinions, not facts. I would guess you are also a hypocrite, I bet you have used credit in your life yet would deny it to others.

Your "chief/indian" remark proves you are culturally incompetent. I would guess that is why no one comes to your place looking for a job. Perhaps they know you are ignorant and a judgmental bigot. As a hard working Native American Conservative, I resent your comments and I would guess your pompous attitude is well known.

You know nothing about substance abuse, Natives, hard working Americans, or people who NEED food stamps for many reasons.

making up facts? i wonder who they're voting for....

If you put the bankers in with the psycho killers I'd feel worried about the well being of the psycho killers

SRBINAT: Concentration camps for poor people and undesirables! A great idea, Mein Fuhrer!

Before all the free handouts they had other programs that worked. In the 30's they had the WPA and the CCC's. My Dad was in the CCC's, young men would sign up for 6 months and be sent to a camp run by the army, usually near a national forest or park. They would spend their days cleaning up the forests, killing gypsy moths or improving the infastructure of National parks. Most of thier pay had to be sent home to the families. The men who served in the CCC's have found memories of their time in the camps.

People wouldn't be so critical of the welfare receipient if they gave back to the country in the form of some type of service.

@ Bruce; Love your story - made me smile that you are so generous with your heart and home.

Unfortunately, you and yours are the exception to the rule, and all those cheaters out there make it harder on those in genuine need.

I hate to think that those who really need will have to go without, but I really believe a tightening on the funds available will result in more careful screening so that the moneys that are available goes to those who are truly in need and not mooching. At least that's my hope...

(PS for the record, Kroger should have canned this guy or at least made HIM issue a public apology!)

Don't know how it works in other states but in Washington state it doesn't matter about brand the only restrictions on food stamps in Washington state are No Alcohol, No Tobacco, No energy drinks, and No Fast food. other than that as long as it is considered a food item it is able to be purchased. You can even use them to purchase pizza from papa murphys.

I was on food stamps in Virginia when I lost my job due to disability and was applying for SSD (the disability part that is calculated ONLY from what you have historically earned - you have to have WORKED a certain number of quarters over the previous 10 years to be eligible. It's like early retirement to receive your Social Security due to disability). The restrictions on the food stamps were: NO hot food, no alcohol, no tobacco, no cleaning products, no personal care products. So in other words, not only can you NOT use food stamps to purchase fast food, you can't use them to purchase ANY food from a restaurant or the "hot" or "prepared" food in the grocery store. You can get a chicken from the meat department if it is raw, but you can not get a rotisserie chicken that has been cooked in the store. You can buy brand names all you want.

Bruce you are absolutely correct. I am, and I soooo hate admiting it, but a cashier at a 'well-known' retail store that sells everything. I have seen people who come in and you can tell are in need. A good example (and by no means am I bragging) an elderly gentleman was purchasing simple items that looked like a young bachelor would purchase. Eggs, milk, ramen noodles, bread etc. The essential items you would need to have some food in your belly. After running his foodstamp (EBT card) for the total of 14 bucks (fyi - foodstamps take away tax, so you only pay for the cost of the food item) he still owed like 2 bucks. When I said you're new total was X, he just looked confused at me and said this was all he had til next month. I pretended to fiddle with the card/register and cashed out the difference and told him I got it all worked out, explained that he now had a $0 balance and have a nice day. After he walked off I pulled out my little change purse and put in the 2 bucks. He needed it.... now later in the day a mom with 5 kids, unruly, the new iphone, all tatted up with a coach purse purchasing nothing but unhealthy junk food, steaks, shrimp.... oh and about $200 bucks alone on just Halloween candy... My heart does not bleed for her. If she was short. Oh well, pay up or you don't get it. People who abuse it, make it hard for people like me (cashiers) to care. Some of them come in and treat ME like crap because they are on food-stamps and somehow are entitled to being a a$$ to me. These same people come in at christmas time and purchase the premade gifts with their foodstamps. Which they can, depending on what's inside, it can qualify. Example, the summer sausage set will qualify but the hot sauces set will not. I think it's a great program to help those in need, and I try not to judge everyone (though it does happen, I wont lie) but somethings do not need to be on the list. Soda? No. Candy? no. Ice cream? No.... get the point? You need it, it's because you need food to survive. You don't need steak or cookies to live. You can buy sugar and flour... make you're own cookies! If things like that were in place with restrictions on it, a lot of people would not only be eating healthier but not mooching as much because they can't enjoy all the junk they want. No more Christmas candy for your kids stocking. It's not a need. As for the manager, although myself I would have thought what he said, I would NEVER say it allowed especially if I was a manager. Commen sense! He should have been fired or demoted at least. Not managment material at all.

Is it going to save the taxpayers one thin dime if a food stamp recipient decides to treat himself to ice cream instead of a sandwich one day? The only way we can accept the idea of helping the poor is if they live ascetic lives? God forbid their children get Christmas candy!! God forbid a mother forgo lunch one day so she can buy her child cupcakes for her birthday!! I don't feel that people down on their luck should have to wear sackcloth and ashes and eat thin gruel to be worthy of help.

My opinion is that, the manager and the two employees should be given training immediatly. There are many people on food stamps who are working. Actually i was working and on food stamps and now layed off again. I have had four shutdown layoffs in the past since 1992. Though i am not the only one who has been layed off.Many people working at Krogers are on food stamps. Kroger should let all there employess know sensitive this subject is. No Kroger employees would be laughing if thier food stamp license were suspended. This would mean lay offs for them too.Not funny now is it? 48 million on food stamps, one reason jobs shipped out of the country with no plan for the people layed off. neighborhoods destroyed, families,friendship Lives destroyed. Its one thing to help others and another to help fill your pocket and look away.

I don't know where you live, but there is NO WAY that $3,500 is an amount that a single person with food stamps receive. I lived and worked in the DC Metro area when I lost my job and ability to work even part time due to disability. I received maybe $200/month in food stamps while I was waiting for my SSD (which is based entirely on your salary/wage from when you were able to work and you have to have worked a certain number of quarters out of the previous TEN YEARS to qualify for). In fact, in order for someone to have received $3,500 a month, the family size would have to be TWENTY-THREE people.

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1269

Maximum SNAP Benefits by Household Size
Average Monthly Benefit

Household Size
Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefit, 2012
Average Monthly Benefit, FY 10

1
$200
$152

2
$367
$277

3
$526
$401

4
$668
$496

5
$793
$581

6
$952
$702

7
$1052
$719

Each Additional Person
$150

Nice math but it would be foolish to assume that $3500 was a MONTHLY benefit. With an EBT card, there is no limit to what can be accumulated. If the need is not pressing (you have other things going for you) the benefit balance can just accumulate until you decide to cash it in. Some jurisdictions may have benefits expire if not used but most do not.

Maybe you should try to understand that you don't know anyone else's circumstances before telling them what they should do. Also, your "you can work at home and make money!" story is utter bullcrap and I don't believe a word of it.

Preach elsewhere, sister.

A pregnancy may leave you bed ridden but having a disease can rob you of all your strength. Yes, some can work somewhat but still qualify for food stamps. But applying your situation to the majority of others is complete ridiculous

Good for you. But being on kidney dialysis 12 hours a day is not the same as being pregnant. It is VERY painful. It also sucks your strength and your will to live from your body. Comparing your situation to this woman's is ridiculous and ignorant.

Mommy do you have any idea of the physical exhaustion that 12 hours of dialysis causes? I gather not. Because if you did you would never say what you just said. It's not just a resort stay. It affects all of your organ systems. Is an extreme stress on those systems. The physical exhaustion of that treatment is extreme to say the least. Let alone the emotional stress of knowing you are dying and that your chances of being saved are slim and none. Please, I ask you think before you speak. From your attitude I can tell you have never been truly sick with a systemic and incurable disease.

your situation is YOURS and NO ONES ELSES

Mom, educate yourself. Seriously. Go read about dialysis and dialysis patients. Go have your blood cleaned and exchanged for 72+ hours a week and then come back here and tell us how you feel...and if you can make it through a 4-hour work day. Until you understand dialysis and what a renal patient goes through to make it that far, shut your face and back away from your keyboard.

I am well aware of what dialysis involves. And I find it amusing that someone is comparing being on bed rest for a complicated pregnancy to a "resort stay". I was having painful, dilating contractions at 26 weeks and on. Yeah, being in labor for 14 weeks is a REAL picnic. I had to get shots weekly, be hooked up to monitors 24/7, be administered drugs to stop contractions on a daily basis, and I also had to go through Mag/Sulfate for a week straight. Unless you've had to do THAT, I suggest you shut your face (hsat) and back away from the keyboard.

My point wasn't to judge her. I had the choice of providing for my family or getting on government assistance. I had the opportunity arise to provide for my family (a friend of a friend owned this business and heard I was looking for something to do from home) and I took it. It was just a suggestion because some people are unaware that these jobs exist. The opportunities ARE there, but the catch is that someone needs to actively search for them. It takes time and effort. (FYI- Google The Highmark Group. They are based in Utah and have several work-at home agents.)

If you Judges out there are done, maybe you can open up your eyes and realize that even a woman on dialysis CAN operate a mouse. Many of the projects I did for the Highmark Group only took me 2 hours. They were $30/hour. I could choose to do 3 or 4 on my good days, or to not do any at all if I had a bad day (or 3). I was an independent contractor, so if I decided to take 3 weeks off, they didn't really care. This was 5 years ago. I'm not sure if they still do things the same way. My point was that she doesn't have to despair. She CAN do something productive with her live to build her self esteem and improve her quality of life. Happiness comes from being productive, not from being idle.

Nerger said she spends 12 hours a day on dialysis and has been waiting for a kidney transplant for years. That’s why, she said, she relies on food stamps to feed her family

No one should be made to feel bad if they are using food stamps.

On the other hand, I'm not familiar with anyone who needs dialysis 12 hours a day.

The article does not differentiate between hemodialysis which is seldom done daily (usually three days a week) unless they are home treatments, (usually two hours at a time for home treatments) certainly not for 12 hours OR peritoneal dialysis which is done for about 8 - 10 hours while sleeping three to six nights a week and is not quite as hard on the body as hemodialysis.

I'm all too well aware of what dialysis patients go through and it's horrible but if this is an accurate quotation of what Ms. Nerger said, then I have to wonder what other embellishments she's made regarding this event.

The unemployment rate is over 8%, which means we don't have full employment and everyone CAN'T find a job. Food stamps allow people to buy food--would you prefer a Dickensian scenario of thousands starving in the streets? Many people who receive food stamps do work, but cannot make enough to get by. Those of you who are so certain that you, and everyone else, can always find work that pays enough to live on, that you will never be seriously ill and find yourself financially destroyed, that "most" people who need help are slovenly slackers: You are not "fiscal conservatives," you're let-them-eat-cake, souless cretins. There myriad examples of goverment waste, and people nor businesses should be unfairly burdened by excessive taxation and regulations, but we making certain that our people don't starve to death, or suffer because they can't afford health care, is something we can afford and we would be morally bankrupt to fail to do.

I was on dialysis temporarily because I had an infection that caused my kidneys to completely shut down. Even with complete shut down, I had dialysis three days a week for about 3 hours each of those days... I seriously doubt that she really has dialysis for 12 hours every day... so... yeah... If she does indeed have a husband, he needs to step up. If she did have a daughter, then what's her excuse for not even being able to do a part-time desk job? She could manage to do what it takes to get pregnant and then go through a pregnancy, but she can't manage a job? HMMM... sounds like someone has found an excuse to sit on their butt all day... not a good excuse, but an excuse. The rest of us? IF we don't have the money for the food that we WANT, we just have to buy what we can afford and figure out how to make it work... if our taxes didn't have to go to people who just don't feel like working, then maybe we could afford to eat what we WANT...

Maybe my harsh attitude comes from the circumstances in my particular area... I would guess just from observation that about 70% of the restaurants and retail stores in my area have "Help Wanted" signs up... and yet... there are people on welfare complaining that they "can't find a job"... what do they want, a map? Maybe they feel that they are "too good" for the minimum wage, entry level positions that the "Help Wanted" signs advertise... well, okay, but you're not "too good" to just TAKE money from all of your neighbors who get up and go to work to earn their own money every day? Hmmmm...

Miki...You are right on. As I recall, it began as a price support program for the Dairy farmers of Wisconsin. The government would buy milk/cheese whenever the price fell below the support level. For storage purposes, they dehydrated the milk. After a few years, the stuff started piling up. We tried giving it away to other countries, but didn't work to well. I think it was in Peru where the locals, not have had milk since childhood, were lactose intolerant and their wasn't enough cheese in the world to stop their runs. They finally found a use our powdered milk. They used it as road fill.

It was from this beginning. A bad program in Washington does not go away. It grows and grows until we all get the runs.

As for some of you who hate(?) welfare...your school lunch program - most likely is a recipient of Excess rations from subsidized (Government) supported crops, commodities - aided by price support.

It's - complicated in the way its administered, but attractive to both farmer as well as futures traders. They sell this to large institutions; schools, military, prisons and donate it... as part of aid programs to countries all over the world.

Mom,

Please tell me you're not actually a mom.

First, Jesus never stole from someone to give to someone else, so he would not be liberal. And you can easily look it up and see that republicans donate way more to charities than democrats. Republicans want to help, they dont want to make people more lazy and dependent.

And good for you in Tampa. I live in LA, and I see them all the time. Of course they want to work though. So do many Americans. You know Americans refuse these jobs for minimum wage? Give me the tiniest shred of proof for this. The reason illegals can do it is because they are paid below minimum wage, try around $2 an hour. I would glably pay more money for my strawberries if we could curb our illegal problem and get more Americans to work. Something you seem to be completely against.

Mr Burns, the proof that many Americans won't work in the fields are the "help wanted" signs at produce stands and farms yet within 1/2 mile are people holding up signs for handouts. And yes, there are migrant workers here from Mexico and south America working with work permits ( they are regularly inspected) picking strawberries and harvesting crops. Been in Tampa 5 yrs and have NEVER seen a Mexican holding a sign for a handout. And by the way, illegals are from EVERYWHERE. But most blend in better than the Mexicans. Haven't seen a law passed in Minnesota to check immigration status yet. But in Arizona, one can be asked at any time. Oh but that would be because the Canadians are mostly white. We need to protect all borders!!! Cuz the ones that are able to blend in are those taking good American jobs by staying beyond their green card expiration.

And yes I am a Mom. Had 2 girl scout troops with 20 girls that were taught to care for thy neighbor. Mittens for munchkins, backpacks for back to school, singing in nursing homes, donations collected for the womens shelter, weeding gardens at school and cleaning up the playground. All done for free to teach them to give of themselves and reap the joy of doing so. Took one of them school clothes shopping cuz her Mom was not getting child support payments as directed by a judge. Treated her like my own. And guess what? My generosity didn't kill me but there was a 9 yr old girl excited about school and feeling like she mattered. And that was worth more than the lousy $200 I spent. And yes, my household budget suffered a few weeks but I made it work to cover the extra cost. And I didn't even get a write off!, oh damn.......

That is the selflessness I taught my daughters.

And asking rich people to pay their share is not stealing. It is being accountable to the country that allowed you to accumulat e vast wealth. I pay 22% tax so why do millionaires pay 14% or less? Hardly seems fair. Oh and just FYI, many rich donate cuz they get a tax write off. Why do you think Mitt only claimed 1/2 of his donated- so he wouldnt make himself shown to be the liar he is. And when he loses he election he will file an amendment and claim it all and pay almost nothing in taxes.

Oh and hope your NOT a dad. We have enough selfish people on this earth that god only know what you have taught them. Apparently not WWJD.

Mom RN: Wow, are you mixed up! Minnesota also has illegal immigrants from Mexico. Check out the roofing company's work crews up here - almost all Hispanic.

Romney does pay taxes-he no longer has earned income, so his income tax rate is lower for capital gains. Romney has always been very generous with his charitable contributions and it's impressive he didn't deduct them all-why is this wrong?

As far as helping the little girl out with the clothes etc..., isn't this what good people are supposed to do? I am a conservative Republican, I help the poor, I don't deduct this aid-does this make me a terrrible person in your opinion?

Remember, it's our nations citizens that are to help our each other in times of need, not the federal governments purpose to put all the citizens on the dole.

You have a great day and keep up the good deeds.

Just cuz they are Hispanic does not mean they are illegal. Have you asked them to show their papers? And I know all about Minnesota. Lived there 40 years. So I know about illegals of all nationalities.

I was referring to the illegal Canadians.

Maybe you should take a few accounting courses Mom. You pay 22% tax on salary earnings. You pay 15% on dividend income. So we are actually being taxed twice, once when we make it-again when we invest it. Do you really want to pay full taxes on your retirement income? Be careful what you wish for. And sit down and do some more math: after sales taxes, state, local and federal taxes-I'm making .51 cents on every dollar.

And don't forget that the corporation pays 35% before they pass it on to the stockholder who then pays 15% more. Oh and about those capital gains that are taxed lower than regular income: how about you do a COLA on the original basis so that people aren't being taxed for mere inflation? You do believe in COLAs right, Mom? FAIRNESS: the grass always looks greener on the other side, doesn't it?