Letters to the editor: Taxpayers' grocery bills

Letter to the Editor

Taxpayers' grocery bills

Regarding "Dictating our diets" (Your Views, Feb. 12): I believe Luisa Price missed the point. Ronda Storms is not proposing what people on food stamps should eat – just what taxpayers should pay for. Most taxpayers are willing to pay for nutritious choices for people in need, but they should not have to pay for junk food. These people can still buy that on their own dime. Those on food stamps also may have Medicaid, which is also taxpayer-supported, and poor diets create medical problems that can overwhelm the system and the expenses of care.

Emily Hamilton

Spring Hill

Entitlements run amok

Regarding "Dictating our diets:" Luisa Price asked rhetorically if the reader can say "socialism." My answer is "yes," as I see it daily in President Obama's efforts to direct our every activity from Washington. However, I don't see where Ronda Storms' proposal to dictate what kind of foods can be purchased with food stamps has anything to do with socialism.

When my kids were still living at home and didn't like the food, or the rules or the restrictions we placed upon them, they were always reminded they could live any way they wanted when they were out of our home and providing for themselves, but that as long as they depended on us, they would follow our rules. Why are food stamp recipients above being told what they can and cannot buy? It has nothing to do with socialism; but rather it is more about entitlements run amok in this country to the point where the poor and lower class expect to be taken care of more and more by those of us who worked hard to get an education or develop a skill, or spend and save wisely.

William L. Gross

Trinity

Funding choices

There is an enormous difference between the government's intrusion with its food police in trying to control what we choose to purchase and consume with our own earned money, and the funds being allocated for welfare recipients with our tax dollars.

Michelle Obama is the leader of the food police. She obviously doesn't think we are capable of making the correct choices in our food consumption; otherwise, she wouldn't be in our schools trying to tell us what we all already know how to do. If welfare recipients wish to purchase what they want, then they – and the government – need to put their emphasis on finding employment so they may earn their own money.

Gary Keeler

Plant City

Paying our way

Regarding "Food stamp fight: assistance program at crossroads:" The article from the politically liberal Los Angeles Times stated 46 million Americans are on food stamps and that 20 to 25 percent of our citizens are eligible. These high numbers are shocking. Of course we want to help recipients they listed who are elderly, disabled, low-wage workers, students and soldiers. But if we are going to help one- and two-parent families, the parents should be required to work and receive aid only if they are earning substandard wages.

Why did some parents create children they can't support? Answer: lack of personal responsibility, and knowledge that we taxpayers will support them because we don't want children to go hungry. I'm reminded of the story about a single mother who had 14 children living on welfare and food stamps in a big house paid for by us. When asked why she had 14 children she couldn't support, she retorted: "I can have as many children as I want to!"

I stayed in school, worked my way through college, had a career while doing lots of volunteer work along the way, and did not have children I couldn't support. If everyone did the same, the need for food stamps would be greatly reduced.

Joyce Neville

Tampa