Food stamps and more to save the economy

[Hermenutic]

I got to thinking about that socialized program known as food stamps. I looked into it and found that the federal government subsidizes the grocery industry to the amount of $78 billion annually. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2226


This has got to be quite a boon for anyone in the grocery business as well as those who simply have an addiction to food. You know the kind, the ones who would simply die if they didn’t have something to eat.


A $78 billion dollar gift to the food industry has to be good for the bottom line; good both for the industry and the recipient of food stamps. It got me thinking. Were there other industries which could be benefited while helping the disenfranchised at the same time?


The first thing that came to my mind was ‘How about beer stamps?’ A lot of poor out of work people would benefit greatly if they were provided with an allotment of beer stamps. Clearly the economy would improve as the beer industries profits soared. It sounds like a good idea; we‘d have a society of well fed happy people.


So far so good. So I asked myself, “what do most poor people need besides food and beer?” A good car! So the government issues car stamps to poor people who go and buy a brand new car. Imagine how the economy would soar if every poor person was able to buy a new car. Profits for the auto industry and transportation for the poor. It’s a win win situation as long as they don't drive drunk.


Really the only thing left is ‘House Stamps’. Getting the housing industry up on its feet may very well save the nation as well as eliminate homelessness. So we issue all the poor and homeless house stamps, good for one new home. Presto, the housing industry recovers and the plight of the homeless are both solved almost overnight.


Or we could keep on doing what we have been doing.

[Dieval]

If everyone gets everything they need from the government, where's the incentive to work? If no one works, where does the money for these items come from?

[Dodds]

If everyone gets everything they need from the government, where's the incentive to work? If no one works, where does the money for these items come from?

Profit motive maybe?

[Charlatan]

I got to thinking about that socialized program known as food stamps. I looked into it and found that the federal government subsidizes the grocery industry to the amount of $78 billion annually. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2226


This has got to be quite a boon for anyone in the grocery business as well as those who simply have an addiction to food. You know the kind, the ones who would simply die if they didn’t have something to eat.


A $78 billion dollar gift to the food industry has to be good for the bottom line; good both for the industry and the recipient of food stamps. It got me thinking. Were there other industries which could be benefited while helping the disenfranchised at the same time?


The first thing that came to my mind was ‘How about beer stamps?’ A lot of poor out of work people would benefit greatly if they were provided with an allotment of beer stamps. Clearly the economy would improve as the beer industries profits soared. It sounds like a good idea; we‘d have a society of well fed happy people.


So far so good. So I asked myself, “what do most poor people need besides food and beer?” A good car! So the government issues car stamps to poor people who go and buy a brand new car. Imagine how the economy would soar if every poor person was able to buy a new car. Profits for the auto industry and transportation for the poor. It’s a win win situation as long as they don't drive drunk.


Really the only thing left is ‘House Stamps’. Getting the housing industry up on its feet may very well save the nation as well as eliminate homelessness. So we issue all the poor and homeless house stamps, good for one new home. Presto, the housing industry recovers and the plight of the homeless are both solved almost overnight.


Or we could keep on doing what we have been doing.

So you want the state to buy people houses? Where would all the people live?

[Hermenutic]

Well people become bored if they don't have anything to do. If they have no worries before long they'll decide to do something. It would be possible under this program not only to invigorate the economy immediately but over the long term. Work, under these kind of conditions, could be redefined as optional in today's bleak employment situation. But that won't be likely because as profits in the economy at large soar from the influx of dollars these dollars will be reinvested into other, possibly new industries and provide employment opportunities.

What we've been doing seems to be a failure in the ordinary sense. Makes sense to try something new.

If everyone gets everything they need from the government, where's the incentive to work? If no one works, where does the money for these items come from?

[Hermenutic]

Why do we want to feed them? We seem to be adverse to starving people but letting them live on the streets is not a biggie.

So you want the state to buy people houses? Where would all the people live?

[Charlatan]

Why do we want to feed them? We seem to be adverse to starving people but letting them live on the streets is not a biggie.

Well, it is because they can benefit from this. They cannot benefit from houses being bought for them, as they need the houses built for them first. If they were to be fed, the food industry benefits, the people benefit, and the state is spending tax dollars - from the people. If the houses get bought, the people living in them will have money and no house, but building them is a good idea.

[Charlatan]

Well people become bored if they don't have anything to do. If they have no worries before long they'll decide to do something. It would be possible under this program not only to invigorate the economy immediately but over the long term. Work, under these kind of conditions, could be redefined as optional in today's bleak employment situation. But that won't be likely because as profits in the economy at large soar from the influx of dollars these dollars will be reinvested into other, possibly new industries and provide employment opportunities.

What we've been doing seems to be a failure in the ordinary sense. Makes sense to try something new.

I don't mean to butt in here, but the people need to produce to have something to 'eat.' If half the people work half the time, there might be enough food, or enough cars, or enough houses, but not nearly enough of all of them.

[Hermenutic]

Overnight is a matter of speaking. You are quite aware of the effect it would have on the economy if the government announced that beginning tomorrow we're issuing house stamps. Immediately things would change. Then people would begin to get their homes. The homes would not appear overnight but the change would occur overnight.Don't worry it won't happen, it would work, so it won't happen.

Well, it is because they can benefit from this. They cannot benefit from houses being bought for them, as they need the houses built for them first. If they were to be fed, the food industry benefits, the people benefit, and the state is spending tax dollars - from the people. If the houses get bought, the people living in them will have money and no house, but building them is a good idea.

[Charlatan]

Are you being serious? if it worked the state would give it away immediately as it equals votes!

Overnight is a matter of speaking. You are quite aware of the effect it would have on the economy if the government announced that beginning tomorrow we're issuing house stamps. Immediately things would change. Then people would begin to get their homes. The homes would not appear overnight but the change would occur overnight.Don't worry it won't happen, it would work, so it won't happen.

[Hermenutic]

I'm half serious. Money in itself is fictitious. All we do is buy it from the federal reserve which simply prints it like monopoly money. We've seen how that works over the last few years. But we have not seen how my proposal would work and I'm wagering it would work a heck of a lot better to improve the general welfare than the attempt to improve things by giving money to the bankers who simply swallow it and hold their hand out again.

Are you being serious? if it worked the state would give it away immediately as it equals votes!

[Charlatan]

I'm half serious. Money in itself is fictitious. All we do is buy it from the federal reserve which simply prints it like monopoly money. We've seen how that works over the last few years. But we have not seen how my proposal would work and I'm wagering it would work a heck of a lot better to improve the general welfare than the attempt to improve things by giving money to the bankers who simply swallow it and hold their hand out again.

So you are saying that your idea, with stamps, is a good idea? Well, if they gave discount for houses, these 'stamps' would devalue the economy, because, the economies needs and wants are already satisfied.

Unless you are advocating socialism?