The foolish farce surrounding food-stamp fraud

[babylonsister]

This ticks me off to no end because I see so many people on FB who actually believe this. faux is the source of this misinformation, as usual.

Posted with permission.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-foolish-farce-surrounding-food-stamp-fraud?cid=sm_fb_maddow

The foolish farce surrounding ‘food-stamp fraud’
12/29/16 08:46 AM
By Steve Benen


It’s widely assumed that congressional Republicans, working with a Republican White House, will go after social-insurance programs with a vengeance next year, and the most economically vulnerable Americans are likely to face new hardships. GOP allies know that the public might be more tolerant of drastic cuts if the public distrusts the public programs themselves.

And with that in mind, Fox News ran a curious report this week.

Food stamp fraud is at an all-time high, with cases this year including a state lawmaker and even a millionaire.

According to the USDA, $70 million of taxpayer money was wasted in 2016 due to food stamp fraud.

On Twitter, Fox News asked, “Food stamp fraud at all-time high: Is it time to end the program?”

Taking the report at face value, the question is bizarre. The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, generally known as food stamps, is a nearly $71 billion program. If $70 million helps provide food for people who shouldn’t receive assistance, that’s 0.09% of the overall budget. In other words, according to Fox’s report, 99.91% of the money Washington spends on food stamps is spent appropriately. That’s an amazingly successful program.

What’s more, if we continue to take Fox’s report at face value, since when do we “end” public programs in reaction to tiny amounts of fraud? If someone found 0.09% of misspent money in the Pentagon budget, wouldn’t it be silly to say we should scrap the Defense Department?

But here’s the best part: there’s no reason at all to take Fox’s report at face value.

As Ari Melber noted on last night’s show, Fox sourced the Agriculture Department, but the Agriculture Department hasn’t put out any new information about fraud. When we called the agency yesterday, department officials said they didn’t know where Fox came up with the figure.

What’s more, the claim that food-stamp fraud is “at an all-time high” also appears to be incorrect, and the evidence suggests fraud in the system is far less common than it was in years past.

So we’re left with a Fox report that got every relevant detail wrong. As for why the network made this mistake, one can only speculate, but don’t be too surprised if Republicans try to slash food assistance to low-income families next year, citing this Fox report to bolster their plans.

[n2doc]

1. They are emboldened by Trump's success

They know at least 50% of their viewers will believe anything they tell them.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. And Beside All That. . .

. . .$71 million is about the cost of maintenance and fuel for one B2 bomber and we barely use those planes. Even if the $70 million were real, at least it's buying FOOD! Not exactly a luxury.

[cbdo2007]

3. Only in the USA are the people who have stuff jealous of those who don't.

[MissB]

4. No. Fox got it all right. Fraud is at an all-time high.

$70 million worth of fraud. That's a huge number. YUGE even.

That's all the context a Faux News viewer needs. Chances are the audience isn't rich, right? Heck, even if you are filthy rich, $70 million isn't chump change.

Don't look at it in terms of a % of overall cost of the program. That isn't how Faux is selling it and it isn't how it's being perceived. You can try to say it's wayyyy less than 1%, but that math thing doesn't really work on Faux's target audience.

Which is why the fraud message will resonate with Trump's base, and why poor people will be hungrier.

[kerouac2]

5. Millions depend on welfare... for their local JOBS and business.

People on welfare don't put that 'money' into a bank account. It gets spent. Quickly. And a lot of it's on kids*. 'Merican kids. From working families**.

And that LOCAL spending employs people in supermarkets, delivering to markets, in the distribution centers sending the food, and the people in factories making and manufacturing the food. And yes, the corporations that sell the food, etc..

Bread makers, farmers producing milk, corn, etc...

It also benefits the gov't employees working to help people on welfare - who earn money and spend that money locally.

So, it's more than just the people on welfare that benefit from welfare. Our entire country benefits. It aldo cuts down crime rates and improves school performance for kids.

And, oh yeah, most people on welfare are white. True story***.

--------

*Children are more likely than adults to be on welfare, according to the report. In fiscal 2011, recipients included 38.0 percent of children 5 and under, 34.8 percent of children 6 to 10, and 32.0 percent of children 11 to 15.


** In 2012, only 13.2 percent of families receiving food stamps were welfare recipients with no working adults, according to the US Department of Agriculture.


*** According to 2013 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program, 40.2 percent of SNAP recipients are white, 25.7 percent are black, 10.3 percent are Hispanic, 2.1 percent are Asian and 1.2 percent are Native American.

[elmac]

6. ABC news was always harping on this

catching "takers" ripping off the system. They never mention the real fraud is corporate welfare. I think they harp on the little guy so no one notices their greedy, corporate asses ripping off the tax payer. By the way, just one of many reasons I no longer watch corporate news.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. The lies about the actual level of FS fraud aside

Is the evidence of fraud reason enough to end the program? There would be no programs left if that were the standard. Of course, Republicans are only focused on fraud in programs they don't like and want to get rid of. I would imagine that this is a direct warning that Republicans are going to go after SNAP and try to cut it sharply and/or impose new restrictions and requirements (more useless drug testing, anybody?)

[world wide wally]

8. So, if you catch them defrauding SNAP, either cut them off or give them a scholarship to Trump U

Just don't throw the baby out with the bath water which is the GOP M.O.
Aren't they innocent until proven guilty?

[Initech]

9. The GOP loves to point fingers at possible fraud...

Except the targets (voter fraud and food stamp spending) are things that they are guilty of!

[Wounded Bear]

10. Just the latest re-hash of the Reagan "welfare queen" myth...

They seem able to recycle that lie endlessly.