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Food Stamps

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Welfare to work requirements were much different a decade ago. In order to receive food stamps, you had to meet certain qualifications. If you were single, you had to maintain at least 20 hours of work per week in order to receive benefits. This excluded many individuals. If you did not have work, you could receive food stamps but only for three months every three years. During his presidency, President Obama removed the restrictions on food stamps, welfare and welfare to work requirements. Now, the food stamp program is facing a considerable backlash. With budget cuts to the food stamp program, and questions arising as to how people are affording to eat certain food items, the question does come up as to the connection between these cuts and the workforce.

Workforce Theory

The theory that many politicians have is that the food stamp budget cuts and guideline restrictions will increase the amount of individuals looking for a job and increase the workforce. There are several problems with this theory. The first problem is that the theory relies greatly on the responsibility and the outlook of the individual who is trying to receive food stamps. It also relies greatly on their being jobs available for the millions that will be removed from the food stamp program once the budget cuts go into effect in 2014. Though this theory is logical on paper, it is unrealistic in practice.

Workforce Problems

In a recent news broadcasts, a California unemployed surfer showed just how much abuse occurs in the food stamp system. The main problem was not the abuse in the system, but was rather the fact that the young man was completely capable of holding down a job. He simply was not. This is a workforce problem and not food stamp problem. Though there are several connecting factors.

Connecting Guidelines

When it has been proposed that food stamp guidelines need to change become more restrictive, the problem is that it is not proposed for workforce benefits. The new proposition is to have guidelines for food stamps go hand-in-hand with workforce guidelines. This would mean several problems for individuals who do not want to work certain jobs or who do not want to work at all. It also has become an issue of freedom of choice. If someone does not want to work as a cashier because they have a stronger educational background, but has to work as a cashier in or to receive benefits, that it is looked at as a loss of freedom of will.

There are several problems in the food stamp program and workforce today. These are just few of the problems that are plaguing both sides of this political argument. There do not seem to be any answers on the horizon, though there seem to be many budget cuts and discussions over guidelines and practices. It will take time to work out these issues, and one of the issues is whether or not we should go back to the original guideline practices seen a decade ago.

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