The food stamp program should work like the W.I.C program does. They should only be able to buy healthy food. Banning soda is a good start.

I will agree to the idea of buying healthy foods, but I am in no way going to tell a mother or father they can’t buy soda for their children. We can control alcohol. And tobacco products but soda, when are we going to get real here do we send folks to Augusta for this, or are they doing some real work with our tax dollars.

I also think many are blind if they want to stop soda, as most of us know someone that is on these programs I have even heard of parents selling their food stamps or the cards they have for half the value to buy drugs. I will be honest I don’t know much about these programs but I have meet a few young mothers in the college here that have children and they say it’s hard when the ex won’t pay support and they have no choice but to seek assistance. These are people trying to better themselves by getting an education, but also being dragged down by such harsh programs that do have limits.

But I can see soda not being a healthy diet, but more of a treat, but if you place to many restrictions on these people where will the government stop. I feel our current group in Augusta has done little to help anyone except themselves, and I guess that’s where the word self interest comes into the equation

Interesting blog on Maine http://mainefreedom.blogspot.com/

Web site for all to voice their feelings on our freedoms here in Maine

http://mainefreedom.blogspot.com/

I think it's an interesting idea

I'm not going to tell a parent they can't buy soda for their child....come on! Get real. If my working money has to pay for someone else to eat they better be using for something to eat! For God sakes people welfare shouldn't be a career move! These benefits should be to buy food and support the family nuititionally. The price of a case of soda buy a package of chicken or a roast. The kids will survive and won't we social outcasts if they don't get a pop. These programs should have clear and defined approved goods. Honestly anyone who gets Foodstamps, Mainecare should be drug and tobacco product tested. If you test postitive, you don't get benefits. Yes it's tough but I am tired of paying the amount we pay for people that suck up and waste the resources.

Food stamps and other DHHS handouts have been buying cigarettes for years now and I want that to stop before a stupid soda law is written.

Social support is intended for essentials--and since when is soda an essential? Besides, no one said they couldn't buy soft drinks--they probably have enough cash for cigs, alcohol, and etc. The recommendation is only they don't buy soft drinks with food stamps and I agree. Why should my tax money pay for soft drinks when it is hard stretched to pay for the essentials. And don't get me even started on welfare and food stamps!

i agree with jeffdubay on his comment, like some others have said its hard for some people to spend there welfare wisely.... my wife works at chain food store and she sees people buying soda and candy with there food cards and it pisses her off, i aslo work a food chain store and see it all the time... instead of them buying soda buy a six pack of fruit juice:)...... i know someone that is in there 20's and gets a food stamp card and hasn't worked at all because of being in some type of state foster care program....

Soda has no nutritional value so by definition should not be covered by the Supplemental NUTRITIONAL Assissistance Program.

It is also not food and should not be available with "food stamps"

We could rename the program.......perhaps FIFI.......free ingestibles for indigents?

how about FART.......free and rotten treats?

Don't get me started.

Perhaps a little stigma is a good idea here?

Good idea! It makes sense to only use tax dollars for healthy foods.

However, since the Food Stamps crowd normally has other money as well, I'm sure their kids won't go without their precious soda just as the parents don't go without all of the crap they like. Our taxes are out-of-control, so it's time to tighten our belt a bit on waste like this. If we do this, perhaps it will help to cleanup the system.

if you want welfare you should have to first pee in a cup

As governor I would:

Cut all food stamp programs and re-issue them on a new "needs base law" including:

-Does the applicant have a job or is he/she looking for work

-Do they have a license and/or reliable transportation

-Will they not need food stamps within one year of going on them

-Banning: candy, soda (except the crappy, bland type like Seltzer and Tonic), and any items that are "snacks" besides crackers

-The update (bi-monthly) of every applicant's case to be handled by a new task force of State Employees

-Advocate buying of "essential" over "non-essential" such as a pack of ground beef over pre-made hamburgers

This would make people get a job

They need to start by banning lobster before they ban soda. You can buy enough pasta to feed your family for 3 days for the price of one lobster.

kcjonez,ajinblue,overseasmaniac,for a few of those here on the comment page ,maybe you three aught to be of the politician seats in Agusta making more rules and regs. to suit yourself as they down there now do at this time. You are full of balony. Here are a few more things that should not be bought with food stamps. Before i begin though i must confess to you three. It is none of your business to what i or anybody else buys with food stamps or cash in pocket. Don't you worry about YOUR tax dollars [as you put it] .They will be spent well if it is put to use for any consumerable item including soda. Now lets go down the line. NO MORE PURCHASE WITH food stamps list to satisfy the three named above...No more soda ,candy,chips,lobster,icecream, sugar added,cereals,cookies, cakes, frozen pizza, whole milk,2-percent milk,bread ,macaroni,fatty greasy hamburger,hotdogs,bacon,sausage, BALONY,choclate,sugar, extracts and sweetners,white bread. etc. GET THE POINT? no! why don't you three and the poloticians stop telling the people that are suppose to be free ,how we need to live. Overseasmaniac why should MY tax dollars be paying for you to be over the seas while you sit on your duff spending MY tax dollars having your cigs.,alcohol,etc. Don't tell me you don't! You guys don't just sit around over there day after day just fiddling your thumbs waiting for the enemy to come so you can blow them away.Ever think about the junk you buy with the cash you spend is our tax dollars paying for your unneccecities. And don't even get me started to continue with food stamps. Cause i ain't even begun yet!

I thought about it long and hard yesterday about just quitting my job and going on welfare/food stamps/dirigochoice healthcare, etc.

I'd be making more on that than I am slaving away at the store

Can't wait for the comments , people complaining that they can't buy what they want with OUR tax dollars. WAAAAA go get a job and quit leaching off the one that actually works and pays taxes for a living.. I don't mind helping, but only for so long. Needs to be a time limit also.

I like what stevey said..

a joke if I may from craigslist awhile ago:

a somalian immigrant came to lewiston and wanted to thank the lewiston people for being allowed to stay here generally free

he goes out for a walk an meets a man and asks,

"thank you mr. lewiston man for providing me a home, food stamps, and welfare"

the man looks puzzled and says "I'm not from lewiston, I'm from mexico"

so the immigrant walks on a little bit further and meets a asian-man

"thank you mr. lewiston man for providing me a home, food stamps, and welfare"

this man also looks puzzled and says "I'm not from lewiston, me from china"

the immigrant is seemingly depressed about not meeting anybody from lewiston but continues on and meets a black woman

"thank you mrs. lewiston woman for letting me come to your country and for welfare, food stamps, and a home"

the woman is also puzzled and states "I am not from Lewiston, I am from Africa"

the immigrant obviously upset then asks "where are the people from lewiston?"

the woman, looks at her watch and says "Probably at work"

THIS IS A PROGRAM TO FEED THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP. NOT TO MAKE THEM HEALTHY, THE CAN NOT AFFORD FOOD TO START NOW WE ARE GOING TO TELL THEM NO SODA WHICH COSTS LESS THAN JUICE OR MILK. WE ARE ONLY HURTING THEM MORE BY DOING THIS.

Not only soda, but prepared foods like pizza and italian sandwiches, candy, etc. should be banned. If the taxpayers are resposible for feeding people and their families, then in return these folks owe the taxpayers enough responsibility to make sure they spend the money in the most prudent manner possible. Stigma? There is more stigma associated with seeing a 20 or 30 something person at the corner store with little children in tow buying sandwiches, chips, and soda with the food stamp card than seing that person at a grocery store buying essential food items at the best price possible in order to insure that the family is adequately fed.

Thats a good one Captian. The old dirty Lew...

soibudk, The only people it hurts are the people that are abusing the system. People that really need the stamps actually are frugal and make wise decisions on what they are buying.

I can understand the ire at those who are able to work and yet don't...at the same time I understand the plight of losing one's job and having very limited resources. These are the people that are able bodied and yet cannot find work in an economy that has crumbled around us. Instead of taking away more from these people, why aren't the jerks in Augusta (Who, BTW, are paid by your tax dollars) doing something to bring jobs into Maine. And I don't mean temporary, seasonal work on road crews.

There are also many people who have become disabled in their late 30's and early 40's because they've literally worked their bodies to death. These people recieve aid, after having paid into the system all their working lives. Perhaps, before we start judging those who truly do have a need and are striving to use the aid wisely, we should start drug testing for any who wish to recieve the aid. ANd that means illegal drugs...of course there are many who are disabled that are on legal pain killers...these would also show up in a drug test...so more testing and paperwork and more committees to figure out how to manage it.

In all honesty, most people, whether they are on aid or not, don't know how to shop wisely. So when they sign up put them through a class on comparitive shopping...instead of buying all those sale items, buy the items that have the best quantity for the dollar. OOPS guess that means SODA is back on the list of smart buys, since it is invariably cheaper than most juice products.

Right on! Ban it all! Why allow them to feed their children soda and candy with OUR tax dollars just so in a couple years they can turn around and make US pay for all the dental work these children need?!?!?!

No soda, no beer, no candy, no pre-made food, no crap! I'm sure they have no problem going through the drive thru at Mc Donald's with their money... good, they can go buy their own soda and garbage food. And if it's going to drive them away, EVEN BETTER!!

All Maine wants to do is tax tax tax... well it's about time someone else foots the bil.

Someone could find fault with almost any food, even the foods we typically consider "healthy." For example, there are growth hormones in milk, chicken, and beef, toxic pesticides and radiation in fruits and vegetables, dried fruits and fruit juices rot the teeth, ad infinitum. So maybe the discussion shouldn't be about "unhealthy" goods they can't buy, because that list could end up excluding almost everything.

The only food I can't find any fault with is 100% whole wheat bread, the kind that is made with 100% (not enriched) whole wheat flour. So if we are only going to allow them foods that are considered healthy, I think this might be the only food that fits the bill. (That would be great for the bread business, not so great for all of the other food businesses.)

BTW, if it's the childrens teeth we're worried about, we could just add toothpaste to the list of items that are permitted to be purchased with food stamps. I'm surprised Dr. Shenkin isn't pushing for that instead. :-(

This welfare system is insane. It's gotten way out of control. I am happy to help anybody that needs help, but I hate being taken advantage of. I remember my grandmother needing help when I was young. She stood in a line at the local armory and was given "staple" food items. Cheese, flour, milk, etc. It's not like they don't have time to cook. Feed them if they need it, absolutely. But, give them anything they want, just so they don't have to work, no. There are too many hard working people that are barely able to make ends meet. It's just plain wrong when employed people can't afford food and medical care because we have to provide it to non-working people. Again, I mean young able bodied people that choose to soak the system rather that get a job.

To Juddy53: I am calling you a flat out liar.

Doing a little research and examiming your posts of the last three months or so I have found out these things:

You recently said you are too poor to have a computer, you borrow your neighbors yet on 12-8-2008 you said you had a computer.

You recently said you haven't had a car for 3 years but in Nov of 2008 you rambled on about you driving your car 25 MPH to the store without a seastbelt on and it was your right not to have to wear a seat belt.

On 12-10 you talked about how smoking pot made you relax, feel good and allowed you to sleep. You plead poverty yet you have money to buy illegal drugs.

This week you said again you had no computer, you were using your neighbors (at 4:30 in the morning!!) and asked someone to E-mail you because you were in your 5x5 keeping warm by the woodstove and your computer was right nearby.

I think you are just a bitter man that gets high and goes ranting on your computer because with your lying ways nobody in Palmyra will talk to you.

We, the taxpayers, are paying for your food and we want to make sure you are spending your food stamp money wisely and not squandering it on fast or prepared foods. If you accept a handout from the taxpayers you have to accept the rules that go along with receiving that handout. Your stance of it being your money....which it really isn't.....and you should be able to buy whatever you want with it is laughable.

Maybe if you quit smoking that pot you wouldn't have the munchies so bad and looking to buy all that junk food.

I can't wait to here the next pack of lies you come up with. Peter, you just can't be believed.

This is an excellent idea! It should be expanded to other "non-essential" items, such as prepared frozen foods and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

ronfromdowneast, good job! I think he posted a fake phone number though. he's just another troll. there are at least two trolls plaguing these comment boards.

I would say Ron did a little research. Good job. Still no Pike in Hadleys? Let me knoew if you hear anyone or you catch one. According to my buddy Strike King he says they have caught some. Who know's. Might be a little BS.

I worked at a grocery store between high school and college a few years back and I couldn't believe the misuse of both foodstamps and WIC. When you see someone come in and buy a half gallon of Coffee Brandy with cash (sometimes handfuls of loose change) and a gallon of milk with WIC and nothing else, you know that the system is being abused and that the child is the one losing out. I saw this practice with just about any mixer you could get on WIC or foodstamps. Vodka and Cranberry or orange juice, sodas, jello or anything else they could find. Or towards the end of the month when everything has run out and eveything is on a cash basis and the mother puts back the kids cereal instead of her smokes because she didn't have enough to cover it. It just breaks my heart to see that the child is not the priority in some of these instances. Now that being said I understand that this is not true for all cases and may not even be the majority, but it happens. That being said, I feel that cutting the soda is a smart decision and for those who say they can't afford it otherwise, I sympathize if that is in fact true. But from my experience the majority of the people that I saw using foodstamps always had at least a little bit of extra cash for alcohol, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. Get your priorities straight.

SteveyDee: Been fishing Hadley's Lake since 1972. This year will be the 37th. Fished it well before the largemouth bass somebody illegally stocked in Pocomoomshine made their way down the East Machias to Hadleys. Have lived on the lake for the past 23 summers and still no pike ever seen.

I like fishing Pokey, Boyden and Crawford. I like canoeing the East Machias off the logging roads and caught an 8 pound+ largemouth in the East Machias from the canoe a few years back. The stretch between Crawford Lake and route 9 and route 9 and Round Lake has some awesome fishing but in the summer you have to drag the canoe throught the riffles quite a bit and it slows you down. but man, is it quiet between the airline and Round Lake!!

Nice bass. My buddy from Florida always fishes Boyden. Loaded I guess. But no big ones. Someone said they put lg mouth in Pokey around 1968 ish. Crawford always has a fishing tourney in Sept???? I won the 2000 ice fishing fishing derby in Wesley. Had a 18 inch lg mouth. I felt bad because most of them had 12 inch pickeral. There is some big bass in Pokey and Crawford.

Not bad vchapes. Here's a thought. Legalize drugs & have the government control and tax the sales. Puts the drug dealers out of business, makes money for the government, controls the sale of it, and we can then put the drug enforcement people to work investigating DHS fraud. Sounds like a win win situation to me.

I think thats a hell of an idea oldboy- depending the drugs... But its true... just like that loser that stole checks from the soldier... he can work under the table to pay his reimbursment, so it doesnt effect his disability... and thats not fraud?!?!

Hey Ron have you ever tried a live chub fishing for bass???? They go nuts. Bigger the better. That's how you win a tourney.

I have complained about this problem for years. The abuse in the food stamp program is sickening! Banning soda is a great idea, and while we're at it, lets ban candy bars, bubble gum, marshmellows, and potato chips. Food stamps are there to help people who are in financial need, continue to eat healthy and nutriously, and none of the above fall in that catagory. All we hear is how smoking is unhealthy and we need to tax it more fo help pay for the medical costs, so lets pay attention here. If you get food stamps, you probably get free medical care also, so why do we buy you unhealthy foods that cost us a second time in medical care...examples: obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, dental...etc. Those items are all luxury items. For the grocery dealers to step in fight these limits on food stamps is also ignorant. They have to realize that if a family gets $200 in food stamps, they are going to spend $200 in food stamps, regardless of the restrictions. They aren't gioing to cut back thier spending , they are just going to spend it on something else, so the grocer isn't losing any sales.

I guess i saw that differently than you loisGM... i don't consider the grocery dealers ignorant... i consider them honest, at least the ones in this post. They are in agreeance with banning the garbage these people buy, therefor hindering their sales in the process. Yes they may buy other things like you say, hopefully healthier items, but then again, they may also cut back on certian items as well.

Sheesh, once you give something away,it is no longer yours. It is just plain wrong to tell someone on food stamps they can't buy soda. In fact, I think they should be allowed to buy toilet paper and other such items as well.

Give something away its no longer ours?? OK. lets all stop paying taxes and see how far these people get. Christ friendly. Don't you have more sense then that? No one HAS to help these people, Maine could say F you guys, you're wasting tax money and bam. (never gonna happen) But you can't exactly call us indian givers. Yes they should be able to buy toilet paper and toothpaste and vitamins, that would be wonderful. If it's no longer ours because we 'gave' it away. does that mean you believe they should be able to buy alcohol and tobacco? You can't have it both ways Friendly.

Oh, and you can't buy energy drinks with food stamps, so you shouldn't be allowed to buy soda.

SteveyDee: I quit live bait fishing quite a while back as I am strictly catch and release and I was killing too many fish using minnows, hellgrammites or crawfish for bait. I am heavy into plastics, jigs with plastic "trailers" and worms now as well as the the good old spinner baits, crank baits and poppers.

I used to hammer them with live bait and minnow trapped quite a few small to medium chubs in front of the camp. Enjoy myself more not having to lug minnows around or have the live well filled with ice and soda, lemonade, iced tea and water instead of live bait. Just easier all around for me and on the fish.

Boyden has both large and small mouth as I have caught both there. I have also caught what I think are white crappie there but am not sure if that is what the locals call them. Know what fish I am referring to? They have a trophy rule on Boyden and I have nailed a few bass, SM and LM, in excess of 18 inches there. Tough lake to fish when the wind is blowing, and it always seems to be blowing downeast. Hardly anywhere you can go to get out of it.

Will be fishing Crawford a bit more this season and the stretch of the Maine river between Lower Mud and Crawford Lake has some good fishing too, especially if you can pry yourself away from a calm Pokey early in the morning and make your way down thru Upper and Lower Mud. Was great fishing this past season with the high water, could get to spots in the bass boat I normally had to avoid.

Way back in the 70's it was a common sight to see an Atlantic salmon breeching in the East Machias above Hadley's Lake. Haven't seen that in almost 30 years. Did see a fair amount of redds on my canoe travels down the East Machias. My son and I have canoed it from Pocomoonshine to the dam in East Machias. It is a beautiful river and the area around it is teeming with wildlife. You almost always have the water to yourself, too.

When you folks are actually standing in line judging people paying with food stamps at the cash register, how can you tell who is abusing the system them with food stamps. You can't be implying that food stamp recipients should have no money at all. That would be absurd! Then there are those parents who don't collect food stamps but feed their kids junk and otherwise neglect their children's health. What should we do about them?

Let's try that again -- a sentence was left out.

When you folks are actually standing in line judging people paying with food stamps at the cash register, how can you tell who is abusing the system and who isn't? Someone mentioned people who also buy cigarettes and alcohol with cash. Well of course they're paying cash for those items, because they aren't allowed to purchase them with food stamps. Duh? You can't be implying that food stamp recipients should have no money at all. That would be absurd! Then there are those parents who don't collect food stamps but feed their kids junk and otherwise neglect their children's health. What should we do about them?

That's just great. Tell them they can't have soda because of their unfortunate social standing. The children at school get teased enough as it is for being poor. For some kids that is the only escape they have in a bleak situation that is beyond their control. The best thing we can do as a society is advocate for them by only making healthy reccomendations so they can make thier own chioce. I would hate to think that I could be looked down on in a grocery store for not being able to buy a soft drink. Next the legislature will tell them or us that we cannot have kids because it is not good for us. One more step towards fascism if you ask me.

Rep. Peggy Pendleton, D-Scarborough should be worried about actually doing some real good things instead of trying to push here personal beliefs onto others.

ajinblue if you don't like what you see at work then work somewhere else. Plus if it weren't for some people on food stamps then you might just be out of a job.

kcjonez do you even have a clue on how many people in this State alone are on Food Stamps?

captain_obvious I don't think that you are actually on this same planet as the rest of us are.

When my children were young I didn't buy them soda because I knew it wasn't healthy for them. They didn't feel the least bit stignatized. Now they are all grown up, I still don't buy soda because I just plain can't afford to!

The good news is, since the AIG Bonuses flap there has been less scapegoating of the poor.

P.S. If you use a straw the soda will completely bypass your teeth. ;-)

Ron a buddy caught a Salmon at Crawford Lake in October a few yrs ago. Of course let it go. Nice big one. Who knows if it survived. Don't know about the other fish. Obviously it wasn't a white perch. Not a Splake??? Never know someone could of put crapie in there. Maybe it was Meddeybemps that was loaded. No size limit??? What's a REDD????? 20 inch Lm is as big as Ive caught. 21.5 my dad caught. I've heard of some 7 or 8 pounders coming out of the Pokey lake waters. I use the old plastic lizard mostly.

Yes, the children probably do get teased... But unfortunatly, that is not our problem. That is the PARENTS deal. There are ways around these issues.

You can't always tell who is abusing the system, but many times you can.

" For some kids that is the only escape they have in a bleak situation that is beyond their control." That is a load of BS. Children shouldn't be drinking soda, let alone using it as a comfort!!! Hello OBESITY! If a child is raised to be healthy, they will be healthy, if they are fed soda and googie cakes at age 2... yes they will eat it the rest of their life and probably grow up to have diabetes and be obese. Why would you want to create this situation in an already disgustingly overweight society??? Soda is a luxury, just like chocolate. Foodstamps should be used to purchase HEALTHY food, not junk food. Like i said, maybe they should allow vitamins, toilet paper, toothpaste. But not make-up or anything like that... which is a luxury.

Too many people are on food stamps! I understand hard times happen to everyone and in that case food stamps useful, but seriously most of the people that are on food stamps abuse them. Like a lot of other people that work or worked at grocery stores around the state it is disgusting to see what people buy. I rarely buy soda with my own money, a.) it bad for you b.) It costs a lot of money. Some try and maintain the fact that people on food stamps buy soda because its cheaper than juice and milk, open your eyes, there is something called WATER that is free with use of the tap in your sink, or if you live where there is bad water quality I am still pretty sure a gallon of water is cheaper than soda.

Oh and water is what everyone should be drinking anyway.

captain_obvious----You go for it! I'm sure the people at the "store" would be estatic to see this happen!

exactly abigail!!!

Anne-- haha straws! but foodstamps don't cover straws!!

No work, no exercise, fatty food, high sugar intake, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking............... basic habits of welfare recipients, all of which contributes to obesity, diabetes, lung cancer and a myriad of health problems that are treated by the medical system. Who pays the bill? You know who.

I say community service for welfare checks and random drug screening to accept a welfare check. In order to work many people have to be enrolled in a random drug program for the privilege of paying taxes to support the "system". Why can't welfare recipients be required to take a drug test to have the privilege of accepting my hard earned money?

I don't know where some of you went to school - but I graduated in 2001 and the kids whose families used this type of assitance were not typically in as bad of a condition as you all imagine. Case in point: neither of my parents went to college and didn't have the highest paying jobs. My mom stayed home with us when we were young because her minimum wage job didn't pay enough to put 4 kids in daycare. We never had prepackaged foods or ate out - couldn't afford it on my dad's salary. Everything we ate was homemade, my mom even maintained a garden and canned. Our clothes were almost always hand-me-downs from neighbors and friends. In middle school when there were class trips to NY etc, I couldn't afford to go.

Another girl in my class: Neither of her parents worked. She had 5 kids in her family, her older sister got pregnant in HS and stayed home with the baby. Her parents and older sister all had government assistance. She got her meals at school for free. One time I saw her go up and get the entire 'hot lunch' being offered just to eat the dessert and throw the rest away. That kind of waste was unheard of in my family. When she didn't partake in the free lunch offered to her by the school, it was often because she brought left over pizza or meals from KFC eaten at home the night before. At snack time she was always the envy of the school yard because she always had the best (ie expensive) prepackaged snacks marketed heavily on tv. She also always managed to have the latest cds and gadgets and never missed a school trip to NY or anywhere else that required extra funds. I'm sure the school probably had to give her freebies there too.

We live in a messed up, backwards society where hard working people get screwed and people who do nothing get the world handed to them. Feel bad because people on food stamps can't rot their kids' teeth with Mountain Dew or root beer? Sorry, the sympathy isn't there. Maine needs a total overhaul of its welfare system and this one tiny measure isn't going to hurt anyone.

YAY MARYANN!!!! I didn't even think of schools... When i was in school they had "reduced lunch" for the kids whos parents didnt make enough money, they still recieved the same food, just for less. We actually had charge accounts that were prepaid by our parents or ourselves, i can't count the times i let people use my account because they couldn't afford lunch. I was raised by a single mother who gave birth at 17.. i never went without, nor did we recieve aid from the state, she worked day AND night working 2-3 jobs to make sure i never went without like she did as a child. She didn't have a diploma, or college education, she did what she had to do, she drove dumptruck (Thank her for interstate 95) and worked at a store. So i have no sympathy, and see no excuse. the drive isnt there, people are recieving FREE aid and are not FORCED to do for themselves so they dont. they are LAZY LAZY LAZY.

StevyDee: A redd is a scooped out nest of an Atlantic salmon in the gravel bootom of a stream or river bed. Any bass over 17 inches is a trophy size to me and you and your pops caught some beauts. Never used a lizard but will try one now!!!

MAINE=the communist state. taxed on everything and ten told when, where, and how we can do everything

work harder- millions on welfare depend on you

I agree ban soda. It is a waste of our tax dollar to use it for soda. Buy juice so you can try to stay off the gold card of MaineCare too!

I'm just going to assume that the people arguing that they should be allowed to buy soda, are in the system, If so its none of my concern. I just want it to be clear, i dont consider EVERY person in the system to be scum, just a good portion. So unless you have a guilty conscience for some reason, im not talking about you.

Yup. I just cant wiat for some of you that posted theese comments to get laid off..... then you wont be writting comments..... ohhhhh we buy soda.. big deal...

we work and pay taxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! do you people think this is gonna help health and teeth????? it won't !!!!! myself i could care less if they take soda off..

people that are working for this really have nothing else better to do with there time..... it just seems all crazy to me!!!

WHY DON'T THE PEOPLE IN AUGUSTA WORK ON THINGS THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT THEN THIS... BECAUSE, THERE IS ALOT MORE WRONG OUT THERE THEN THIS LITTLE ISSUE!!!!!!

Food stamps were created to assist families having hard times. I believe that the food stamp program is a good program for families who need this assistance but at the same time most folks are not educated enough to make wise nutritional decisions when buying food. I can see the states side of wanting to take away soda from the list do to short term and long term health issues that cost the tax payers even more money. water,milk,100% fruit juice would certainly be better choices along with fruits and veggies, fiber and moderation in carbahydrates. This would cut down on diabetes, obesity, Heart disease, along with a wide variety of health problems that plague this country every year and cost tax payers billions of dollars in medical cost.

jdboys what is your point in saying "Yup. I just cant wiat for some of you that posted theese comments to get laid off..... then you wont be writting comments..... ohhhhh we buy soda.. big deal... " ? If i was to get laid off, which I don't see happening anytime, that doesn't change the fact that foodstamps shouldn't pay for soda. If i ever recieved foodstamps and was laid off, i obviously wouldn't be buying soda. SODA IS A LUXURY. If YOU cant afford luxurys you can't have them. I can't afford a house in the bahamas... and guess what I DONT HAVE ONE. So if they have to pay for soda and junk food out of their own pocket, they will be LESS LIKELY (if they have any brains) to buy it!

Superchip06 is correct "most folks are not educated enough to make wise nutritional decisions when buying food." But many doctors offices offer nutrution and wellness information and support. ESPECIALLY when children are involved.

Everyone says America is so great and such a wonderful place to live... Have you heard the Europeans say how disgustingly overweight Americans are? This is what we are doing to our future children and leaders. Did you know that if you are overweight to a certain point you can sit at home and get a check? A 'fat check' WHY??? that is disturbing! Why should we be paying people to sit at home and get fatter and nastier by the day? We should be paying people lose weight and be HEALTHY! It'd be A LOT cheaper

Maine isn't know as the "welfare state" for nothing! I agree with the majority here that says we need stricter guidelines. It would be wonderful to see a lot more than soda banned, but I suppose we have to begin somewhere! I think that being proven drug free and a citizen should be mandatory for all government programs. You don't have the legal right to be on drugs, so don't give me the "violation of my privacy" crap! You want help, suck it up and prove your clean and legal.

And this comment that someone made about getting assistance just because you're too fat...you have got to be kidding me, right? This is real? Give me a break. This is sickening. I think if you are that fat and not taking positive, proven steps to reduce your weight and improve your health that you should be denied assistance. And if you make children obese, I think that you should be arrested or fined or SOMETHING. How pathetic.

It's true BodyBybara- Someone around here was saying if he gained another 30-40 lbs he could get one (it wasn't a goal he had, he was just complaining about it also. He works for a living) And i agree if your child is obese the state should step in.

captain_obvious I don't know where you live but where I do I know good people who are looking for a job ANY job and not finding a thing! So where would these jobs be? Probably not where I live! Why don't we do what Mass. does? Give people a chunk of money to move out of state!

don't forget to ban coffee and tea that has no nutritional value either!

Do you really think people would go without their soda? They would just use their cash benefits to buy it. Or are we going to issue id for grocery store purchases? Where if it doesn't have the right color code on it they can't buy any of the junk we are talking about? Then we will have illegal deals going on in the parking lot...people trading chicken and milk for a case of soda!

I have a question...how much do people get in food stamps? It is supplemental so it doesn't pay for all the groceries coming into the home does it?

Tellithowitis- You are one of the few people in this state that actually have a REASON to collect and have worked for it.

I also have to add that my children eat home cooked food-not pre-packaged, not that we can't afford it, but because it isn't good for them and doesn't taste nearly as good as home made. On the other hand they do like oreo's, so as a TREAT they get to have them. My children are ALL in PERFECT health condition, including weight. Did you know that 100% whole wheat bread costs $3.19 a loaf?!? Did you know that white bread costs $1.39 a loaf!? I know because the whole wheat is for my children and the white is for my husband and I. Come on people. It is degrading enough to be in the situation we are in, without people looking at us like we are low life pieces of Sh!t! Have some compassion. People do sell their food stamps and people do abuse them, I don't agree with that. I am with you when you all say people should have to be urine tested before getting benefits and random at that, not just before they can start. Maybe that would stop some of it, but the fact is not all of it. How about some of you well off know it all's should start a food nutrition class that could be MANDITORY for ALL people who recieve food stamp benefits/Welfare to attend. Maybe those of you who can afford it can make some healthy donations to the local food pantries because when I had to go there I got things like; breads (white), cakes, pie, cookies, pastries, and limited meat, vegetables, and potatoes or BROWN RICE (which is a lot healthier than potatoes or white rice.) I look forward to seeing some new faces dropping off donations to my local food pantry. I volunteer there 2 times a week to help with bagging for the needy. (not because I have to, but because I want to give something back.) U know they could use some more help in these places as well!

Thank you vchapes, but unfortunately nobody knows my story and i am looked at like all the rest. I do dress decent, so I am probably looked at worse than most.

tellithowitis---you sound very bitter that you have to go to school to learn a new profession. How are you paying for school ???? State paying your way ???? Many very hard working people never could afford nurses training so they spend their life at meager , low paying , hard jobs so the freeloaders can live on welfare. Why shouldn't they be upset when these people can buy things they can't afford. The programs are great for people who actually NEED them , but SO many people abuse the system. That is why the hard working people get steamed about it. Helping the poor, sick, or people who because of no fault of their own can't work is one thing. Supporting and feeding people because they are lazy and sitting home laughing their butt off at the ones who work is another thing. Food stamps shouldn't be used for junk food such as chips, soda, candy, expensive frozen dinners etc.. Cooking from scratch is cheaper and much better for you. Summers coming---plant a garden !! That saves a huge amount of money.

Well i'm glad you told your story, i'm sorry you are in that situation, but i'm glad you still have your pride. The food pantrys are helpful as long as people actually donate, i know good shepard donates a lot. Just because you dress decent doesn't mean you should be looked down upon. If you are doing what you are supposed to be doing then you're fine. I'm just pointing fingers at the people that are wasting tax payers money, or the people that have never held a job, or the people that have no kids and are milking the system. I don't think people shouldn't be allowed to drink soda or have cookies, i just look at that as - is it a necessity? No it's not, but there are healthier alternatives to cookies and candy bars, theres low fat ice cream, pudding etc. I know kids want it all and don't understand the situation. I've never had interest in candy and stuff like that... i was always the child at the grocery store throwing myself on the floor screaming for brussle sprouts! (odd i know)

As for the nutrition programs, ask your family physician. I worked at a rural healthcare office in Belfast and we had a program called DEW (Diet, Exercise and Weight) which was directed towards people that were overweight and children that we're headed towards an unhealthy weight. They had pamplets and offered different diets as well.

The internet is also a great resource for any nurtitional information.

http://www.nutrition.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=11&tax_level=1

Foodstamps pay for seeds?? That is a good idea also... but then there also is the other items needed. But seeds are a good start.

vchapes - there are also programs through Cooperative Extension that help with all kinds of things. I have a few certificates through them that I have taken over the years and received A LOT of helpful tips. I am aware of the obesity problem with children and adults as well, if parents would let their kids have things as a treat instead of breakfast, lunch, and dinner we may not have all these problems with our children. It is our job as parents to do EVERYTHING we can to help our children make healthy decisions. Thanks for the other info. I am always eager to learn more!

What a no brainer, no empty calories, no excess sugar, no caffiene. The value of water, milk, juice......sounds too good to be so easy....

I t has high fructose corn syrup, that has mercury in it and according to cancer doctors it feeds cancer.

Look it up.

Ihttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html

I understand not wanting the state to have to pay for things that are not healthy. I as a food stamp recipient myself don't buy to much garbage with my FS however. Some healthy things are not covered by the goverment like soap laundry detergents hygiene products. If you take away things that are not healthy you need to replace it with other healthy items. And I think being clean is a real healthy need. If you are gonna change things do it on both sides. I would love to get my household and personal needs on food stamps hell they are expensive items and definately needed items.THink about it. one hand washes the other in real life. Why not with our government.

This has to be the touchiest topic whenever BDN does a writeup about people and foodstamps. I work for a very small paycheck, but yet I have not had a bottle of soda in my house for over 6 years. I manage to buy juice and milk for my son to drink. And before all the "sugar in juice" freaks start in, juice has a natural sugar that is more digestable and more easily broken down by the body than the added suger you find in soda, You can't argue that juice that is not better for you than soda.

I understand people run into hard times, the economy sucks for everyone right now. But what gets me is the news story on the other night about bringing immigrants to Maine to fill jobs that can't be filled because there aren't enough locals. How about starting with the DHHS and have them find these people jobs that are on welfare and using/abusing the system? Sometimes we have to swallow our pride and do things that we hate for the sake of our kids. I have the bad back, carpel tunnel, and arthritis to prove it. But I got thru it and have a better job for my efforts. And I live in the "dreaded" Washington County, you know, unemployment capital of New England.

I've read posts about the kids having it hard in school and socially due to being poor. I love kids and have a soft spot for them, BUT kids grow up to be adults and live their adult lives the same way they were brought up because that is all they know. Mom and Dad sitting around not working. SORRY, but if we want our kids to be productive adults we should lead by example. My son shovels doorsteps in the winter and mows lawns in the summer, he just turned 14. I allow him to spend the money HE EARNS on whatever he wants because he is learning the value of a dollar and how hard it is to come by. I love my country and I love Maine, born and raised here, but boy are we in a downward spiral as a whole. I only hope my son has it better before he grows too old to see it.

I see it as a privacy issue. Food stamp recipients have the same right to privacy as everyone else. You don't relinquish your Constitutional rights just because you're on public assistance.

I would LOVE to be given a link to read the public assistance Constitional Right to privacy. Or even the the link to the Constutional right to assistance for that matter. Don't remember reading that one.

posting error: Constitutional Right

I have to comment on this.

I agree that buying soda for children is not right. But I am a soda drinker and my kids don't have the soda.

Maybe once in a blue moon. They are not having their teeth rot out of their head and they are not obese by any means of the word.

They are not sickly or unhealthy and I am a foodstamp person.

So to me this is all back to the parents. Be a parent and limit the content of the soda that one is buying or limit the kids on it.

The government of Maine is pretty much running the Maine people here and when is it going to stop?

Personally I am slowly seeing a lot of rights of American Citizens and Maine Citizens go away rapidly here thanks to Congress and Legislature.

Personally let's look at a grocery store your average whomever, Hannaford and Walmart etc...

The chicken we buy and the Beef We buy we all know it has hormones and some form of steroids in the stuff..

The Margerine you buy one more ingredient and it could be plastic.

The hotdogs you all buy is full of cholesterols and trans fats and so are the deli meats we buy.

Let's face it.. no matter what you pick up in these supermarket chains it is going to be unhealthy. Even your Vegetables, gee I wonder why we had the big scare on Salmonella and E-Coli with how many vegetables recently?? Because it was healthy for us?? Yah okay...

And you know the local Health Stores in the area don't take food stamps so how are we supposed to buy healthy Hmmm?

So what is the big deal on Soda?

Chips and Dip?

When you have all this other junk out there harming people.

Would you like it if they had you stop and put a ban on us from buying coffee???

Hmm I think not..

That is my opinion on it.. it is another way for the Government to just run Mainers and the American Citizens so much for our freedoms.. that is slowly coming to an end I think..

Granted I understand non food products not being bought on foodstamps, but this is getting ridiculous in my opinion we have more important things to vote on in congress and our legislature don't we?

Oh and I have to agree with tellithowitis

We all have lives and cannot help it if the economy out there has gotten to the point that hard working people out there that have been working have to unfortunately go to welfare for help..

And buying a soda to get through the day on the foodstamp card so they can make it! While they work and maybe go to school. I find nothing wrong with this.

And for the people that are putting the Welfare System down and the people on Foodstamps down. Lucky you that you have not lost your jobs yet in this economy and can afford to buy the food that you need. But unfortunately there are people seriously looking for work and trying to survive with their children, or going to school and retrain so they can get stable work and may need the help.

There are also the elderly and the disabled that depend on this program to get buy so they can buy the food they need.

Not everyone out there is buying junk food with their food stamps.

And what we do buy is it really anyone's business?

Is it really the government's business?

Personally have you seen Pictures of this Peggy Pendalton?? She has a place to talk about US on foodstamps being obese and unhealthy and our children being as such and with rotten teeth.

She may not be on foodstamps but she is obese and her teeth are completely filled with caps.. except for her front teeth which are to be desired.. take a look at her! Here is a picture of her.. with other congressional leaders..

http://www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/ppendleton/hr_pics/pendleton_mitchell.JPG

She is a joke to be standing up on a bandwagon when she has the same problems of obesity and rotten teeth that they discuss here, was that caused by her consuming too much soda? where does she have to talk?

And she is a Registered Nurse!

Give me a break!

And Kudos to you tellithowitis and a thumbs up to you for your post! I totally agree with you!

pcme-----You are 100% right! captain_obvious,along with all his other user names, is not of this planet.He lives in MONSON!

lol I live in Monson, thats damn right

represent the HEBRON :)

The welfare system is poorly designed. In many cases, it is difficult for individuals to get off welfare once they are on it. There should be somesort of transition program (Maybe there is? I don't know). Not everyone on foodsatmps or other type of public assistance is lazy. Get a job? Where? There are no jobs. Not everyone on food stamps is obese, does drugs, or some sort of degenerate. People who share these stereotypical views are labeling this section of the population, thus making welfare recipients a target for labeling. Then the children are labeled and the cycle goes, on and on and...

As far as banning soda -go for it. Children will not suffer from not being able to buy soda. Many schools have banned soda and vending machines that sell soda so I really don't think that teasing becasue you don't drink soda will be a real issue. My children do not drink soda and to tell you the truth, the children that drink soda among thier friends are few and far inbetween...I don't know who recieves food stamps and who doesn't of course.

I know it's frustrating to give a helping hand to someone and just have them abuse the help and look for shortcuts, but in all facites of life - no matter what thier financial status-you will have people like this. It is to our benifit and the benifit of our community to help our nieghbor-we will all be happier and healthier at the end of the day.

How about drug testing people who receive welfare benefits? The taxpayers pay for this program so WE THE TAXPAYERS have the right to say what can or what can't be bought with OUR money.

oh good idea ckc1996. That has only been mentioned a couple of times throughout this posting. Although I do agree to that also, I have had second thoughts because your tax dollars would go up even more because of the cost of urine screenings-then people like me would be a real piece of crap then! - I personally don't care if they do ban soda or not because my chidren don't drink it and I will be able to get mine regardless. (I'll just take back the juice bottles that my kids drink out of and return them for the money so I can buy my soda without digging into my welfare check. LMFAO!!) Come on people, let your control issues go! I think we have bigger things to worry about than soda. - Like the drug issues that are controlling our streets - the kids that are overdosing from prescription use, the problems we are having with teenage pregnancy. I can go on and on with what I see on a daily basis in the news papers and from where I was previously employed. If we pull together on issues like these, the soda issue really seems to be pretty small, doesn't it?.

That soda is like battery acid on the teeth. Try an old penny in some Coca Cola (I can not remember the amount of time)...I can only imagine what it does to the insides. I know those juices are expensive though, but the aforementioned is the reason why; its junk, and not healthy at all.

ok, i'm seeing a SEVERE bias on these forums of people who DO NOT need food stamps thinking that they are all high and mighty and that the people that really need these programs are dirt under their shoes. so, i am going to fill you people in, so please read closely.

I live in auburn. i moved back here in january after spending a year out of state. i literally had to walk around for 3 hours a day for 5 whole months to find a job. I have a high school diploma, and some college experience and an IQ over 140. my father was a doctor in town before he moved away. i am smart, able bodied, have good people skills, AND i am willing and able to do any job from cleaning peoples gutters to going down in the sewers and doing stuff to working fast food, or being a telemarketer.

it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to find a job in this state. please realize this. PLEASE TRY TO COMPREHEND that perhaps the people that are receiving these programs actually TRY to better their lives, but keep getting dirt kicked in their faces.

it took me 5 months to get a job. at a kiosk in the mall. this job gets me 4-12 hours a week. thats 25-75 dollars a week after taxes. and i'm still looking for a job and frankly, none exist. i have applied EVERYWHERE that has a store front and a manager. and i keep getting the response "We're not hiring". the only jobs in the newspaper are for people with degrees or experience in a very specific field.

now, on an income of close to nothing, with $1400 of back rent piled up, and nowhere to turn, the foodstamps are a huge help, and since i am a single male with no children, i get arround $180 a month, and that has to feed me FOR the entire month. so, if i have a choice between a $0.78 bottle of soda from wallmart and a $3.20 jug of milk, it's an easy decision. i get soda to pinch pennies. i get soda to be financially responsible. it is NOT like they just give us a card that has unlimited funds on it.

for the record, just so you understand this well, if i don't have this assistance, i will be forced to steal. i don't WANT too, but i need to eat to live. i am so far into the hole that if i didn't have this ONE helping hand coming my way i'd probably mug you in an alleyway.

so PLEASE, next time you open your mouths and let this complete biased crap spew out, try to get the OTHER side of the story from someone that actually will be affected.

I live on food stamps... not by choice but by circumstance. I ask you this favor, go into a store, and try to buy as much "healthy food" with only 200$ to last you a month... it doesnt even amount to a cart of food... Food is very expensive and to go straight health food could mean many mealless days. Now go again and include the sodas and the chips and chicken nuggets etc. I can fill three carts! Do you notice how prices of the "junk food" are lower then health food? Please research before you judge... soda and chips are cheaper... in all aspects... but I dont have a day go by where I am hungry.... If you want to write back:

animal_lover324@hotmail.com

I agree to the idea of buying healthy foods. Unfortunately, fresh fruit, juice, and other healthier foods are more expensive. Compare the price of a two liter of soda to jug of any fruit juice. When I feed my two children and only have a very small amount of food stamps to stretch a month. I have to buy what I can afford. Can anyone tell me that eating healthy is not more expensive then eating unhealthy foods? Look into it and compare. I buy what I can afford and what will stretch the longest because if I don't, they will go without ifI spent it all on more expensive, even though healthier alternative. I don't buy soda all the time, I have to choose when and what I can afford at the time.

As for candy bars... Yes, I let my children go and buy a candy bar with the food stamps. They don't get much because I am disabled and have been since age 19 (not by my choice or actions) and that candy bar is a small gift that I can sometimes afford to get them.

By all means put restrictions on unhealthy foods, but make sure that the cost of change is covered.