115-SOUND OFF ON ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO. | View Thread

WASHINGTON -- A group of nine Democratic members of the House of Representatives held a press conference outside the Capitol on Tuesday to demand Congress avert an automatic food stamp cut scheduled to take effect on Friday.

"The average family of four will see a $36 cut in their monthly benefits, bringing the average per-person benefit from $1.50 a meal to $1.40 a meal," Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said. "Shame on this Congress for allowing this to happen."

But the cut, which will reduce monthly benefits for all 47 million Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by roughly 7 percent, is happening thanks mainly to Democratic votes that hastened the demise of a benefit increase from the 2009 stimulus bill. Each of the representatives at Tuesday's presser voted with their party for a pair of 2010 spending bills that set the cuts in motion.

The first bill took money allocated for future food stamp use and used it instead to prevent states from laying off teachers. Democrats supported the bill grudgingly, lamenting that it would cause a food stamp cut in 2014. When it came time to support a second bill that raided future food stamp funds once again, pushing the cut to November 2013, they protested -- at least at first.

"This is one of the more egregious cases of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and is a vote we do not take lightly," more than 100 Democrats wrote in an August 2010 letter to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

But then President Barack Obama smoothed things over in a meeting at the White House, because the bill in question was the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act -- a priority of the first lady's. The measure provided free lunches and updated nutrition standards for schools.

"I am very pleased we were able to work together with the president and his team to address concerns regarding cuts to the food stamp program that are included in the child nutrition bill," Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said in a statement at the time. On Tuesday, Lee told HuffPost the president had pledged to support replacing the SNAP funds, a vow he fulfilled in subsequent budget blueprints that didn't become law. Congress and the White House have been otherwise silent about the issue for the past three years.

On Tuesday, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) defended the 2010 tradeoff.

"It was a piece of legislation that said let's change nutrition standards, let's get junk foods out of our schools, and let's make sure that our kids can have those fruits and vegetables," DeLauro told HuffPost. "There was no money for it. The price of it was $2.2 billion. That came from the food stamp program and all of us here complained. And we were opposed to that but we knew that it was a good first step in getting the Hunger-Free Kids Act."

Friday's cut is happening thanks to the expiration of a 13.6 percent food stamp boost from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the stimulus bill. Originally, lawmakers had planned to let SNAP's annual inflation adjustments catch up to the increase sometime after 2015. Canceling the enhanced benefits this November means the government will spend $5 billion less on nutrition assistance next year -- an annual SNAP spending cut 25 percent larger than what House Republicans are seeking in farm bill negotiations starting this week.

DeLauro pivoted from November's food stamp decrease to Republican demands that food stamps be reduced by 5 percent, or $40 billion over 10 years, though the two things are completely separate.

"This is about people wanting to make a $40 billion cut in the food stamp program," DeLauro said, "not to put in place a Hunger-Free Kids Act, but in fact to take food out of the mouths of our children, or seniors, and the disabled. A much different time, a much different place, and a much different set of circumstances."

Peter 1470 7259 Lod	RE: SOUND OFF ON ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO. 10/29/2013 3:34:46 PM
	This is shameful Evelyn. Let me ask you a rhetorical question. What if that place was occupied by illegal aliens do you think they would have shut it down?? IMHO, I sorta doubt it. Shalom, Peter Quote: This article made me so angry not mention sad and brought a lump to my throat. Another case of government mismanagement, although this time it was state government and endangered people's lives. Why in heavens name if they were going to shut the place down did they not see to it that all the residents were relocated. This is criminal, in my opinion. Elderly care facility evacuated days after staff abandons patients Posted: 8:18 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013 By Kevin L. Jones KTVU.com CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. — An assisted living facility for the elderly in Castro Valley was evacuated Saturday afternoon after almost all of its staff abandoned the facility, which was still housing over a dozen patients, when it was shut down by the state days before, according to authorities. About 14 patients at Valley Springs Manor, an elderly care facility on Apricot Way in Castro Valley, were evacuated by paramedics starting around 4 p.m. Saturday. Alameda County Fire officials said that many of the patients were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. According to Alameda County Sheriff's officials, the California Department of Social Services shut down the facility on Thursday, Oct. 24, and the majority of employees left, as they would not be receiving wages from then on. But 14 of the patients receiving care there were unable to leave the facility for various reasons -- several were bedridden -- so some staff members stayed, including a cook, some janitorial staff and one caregiver, according to the sheriff's department. The authorities were not alerted to the situation until early Saturday, after one of the patients went missing. Upon arrival, emergency responders found only a skeleton crew assisting dozens of elderly residents, some in need of full-time care. Alameda County Sheriff's Department were also scene Saturday evening, looking for the facility's owners, as they faced charges of elderly abuse. "We're talkiing about human beings here. How do you just abandon them? It's heartbreaking," said Sgt. JD Nelson, Alameda County Sheriff's public information officer. One review of Valley Springs Manor posted on Caring.com reads: "Check the public record for reasons this place has been fined several times for several things. The owner is not permitted on the property. Please keep looking. We have no nurses and the food is not conducive to balanced nutrition or diabetic needs," said the review, written by "Karlek." This story will be updated when more details become available.
	Peter Fogel Babylon 7
	+1

Mary Evelyn 23244 5352 Strawb...	RE: SOUND OFF ON ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO. 10/29/2013 3:45:21 PM
	Hi Peter, shameful is an understatement and no, if this facility had been inhabited by illegals it would have definitely been a different story. Quote: This is shameful Evelyn. Let me ask you a rhetorical question. What if that place was occupied by illegal aliens do you think they would have shut it down?? IMHO, I sorta doubt it. Shalom, Peter Quote: This article made me so angry not mention sad and brought a lump to my throat. Another case of government mismanagement, although this time it was state government and endangered people's lives. Why in heavens name if they were going to shut the place down did they not see to it that all the residents were relocated. This is criminal, in my opinion. Elderly care facility evacuated days after staff abandons patients Posted: 8:18 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013 By Kevin L. Jones KTVU.com CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. — An assisted living facility for the elderly in Castro Valley was evacuated Saturday afternoon after almost all of its staff abandoned the facility, which was still housing over a dozen patients, when it was shut down by the state days before, according to authorities. About 14 patients at Valley Springs Manor, an elderly care facility on Apricot Way in Castro Valley, were evacuated by paramedics starting around 4 p.m. Saturday. Alameda County Fire officials said that many of the patients were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. According to Alameda County Sheriff's officials, the California Department of Social Services shut down the facility on Thursday, Oct. 24, and the majority of employees left, as they would not be receiving wages from then on. But 14 of the patients receiving care there were unable to leave the facility for various reasons -- several were bedridden -- so some staff members stayed, including a cook, some janitorial staff and one caregiver, according to the sheriff's department. The authorities were not alerted to the situation until early Saturday, after one of the patients went missing. Upon arrival, emergency responders found only a skeleton crew assisting dozens of elderly residents, some in need of full-time care. Alameda County Sheriff's Department were also scene Saturday evening, looking for the facility's owners, as they faced charges of elderly abuse. "We're talkiing about human beings here. How do you just abandon them? It's heartbreaking," said Sgt. JD Nelson, Alameda County Sheriff's public information officer. One review of Valley Springs Manor posted on Caring.com reads: "Check the public record for reasons this place has been fined several times for several things. The owner is not permitted on the property. Please keep looking. We have no nurses and the food is not conducive to balanced nutrition or diabetic needs," said the review, written by "Karlek." This story will be updated when more details become available.

	+0

Mary Evelyn 23244 5352 Strawb...	RE: SOUND OFF ON ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO. 10/29/2013 3:48:33 PM
	Seems that more people are waking up and speaking out and again this is not something you are going to see on the evening news. This is the type of stories the liberals want to keep hidden and off the airways. Exodus: Inner-City Blacks Abandoning Obama & Democrat's Liberal Agenda Published on Oct 29, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdTihf2_GGM

	+0

Mary Evelyn 23244 5352 Strawb...	RE: SOUND OFF ON ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO. 10/30/2013 1:54:02 PM
	If this doesn't make you angry then you must be brain dead. Too many people have no shame anymore nor pride. I realize many people getting food stamps need them but there is too much abuse of the system and if these abuses were dealt with, there would be many losing their benefits, like this leach. Published on Aug 9, 2013 Fox News Follows California Beach Bum Living Off Food Stamps For Years [Pt. 1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP_izYhdehY#t=161 [Pt. 2] Fox News Follows California Beach Bum Living Off Food Stamps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I3IToVMexk

	+0

Mary Evelyn 23244 5352 Strawb...	RE: SOUND OFF ON ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO. 10/30/2013 2:08:26 PM
	I have to laugh every time I see a low information liberal bashing the Republicans, although I am not a Republican, because most of the time they don't have a clue. For instance, I've seen some of them trying to blame the Republicans for things the Democrats are responsible for. Democrats Protest $5 Billion Food Stamp Cut They Voted For Posted: 10/29/2013 Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) was among a small group of Democrats protesting a food stamp cut taking effect Friday. WASHINGTON -- A group of nine Democratic members of the House of Representatives held a press conference outside the Capitol on Tuesday to demand Congress avert an automatic food stamp cut scheduled to take effect on Friday. "The average family of four will see a $36 cut in their monthly benefits, bringing the average per-person benefit from $1.50 a meal to $1.40 a meal," Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said. "Shame on this Congress for allowing this to happen." But the cut, which will reduce monthly benefits for all 47 million Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by roughly 7 percent, is happening thanks mainly to Democratic votes that hastened the demise of a benefit increase from the 2009 stimulus bill. Each of the representatives at Tuesday's presser voted with their party for a pair of 2010 spending bills that set the cuts in motion. The first bill took money allocated for future food stamp use and used it instead to prevent states from laying off teachers. Democrats supported the bill grudgingly, lamenting that it would cause a food stamp cut in 2014. When it came time to support a second bill that raided future food stamp funds once again, pushing the cut to November 2013, they protested -- at least at first. "This is one of the more egregious cases of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and is a vote we do not take lightly," more than 100 Democrats wrote in an August 2010 letter to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). But then President Barack Obama smoothed things over in a meeting at the White House, because the bill in question was the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act -- a priority of the first lady's. The measure provided free lunches and updated nutrition standards for schools. "I am very pleased we were able to work together with the president and his team to address concerns regarding cuts to the food stamp program that are included in the child nutrition bill," Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said in a statement at the time. On Tuesday, Lee told HuffPost the president had pledged to support replacing the SNAP funds, a vow he fulfilled in subsequent budget blueprints that didn't become law. Congress and the White House have been otherwise silent about the issue for the past three years. On Tuesday, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) defended the 2010 tradeoff. "It was a piece of legislation that said let's change nutrition standards, let's get junk foods out of our schools, and let's make sure that our kids can have those fruits and vegetables," DeLauro told HuffPost. "There was no money for it. The price of it was $2.2 billion. That came from the food stamp program and all of us here complained. And we were opposed to that but we knew that it was a good first step in getting the Hunger-Free Kids Act." Friday's cut is happening thanks to the expiration of a 13.6 percent food stamp boost from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the stimulus bill. Originally, lawmakers had planned to let SNAP's annual inflation adjustments catch up to the increase sometime after 2015. Canceling the enhanced benefits this November means the government will spend $5 billion less on nutrition assistance next year -- an annual SNAP spending cut 25 percent larger than what House Republicans are seeking in farm bill negotiations starting this week. DeLauro pivoted from November's food stamp decrease to Republican demands that food stamps be reduced by 5 percent, or $40 billion over 10 years, though the two things are completely separate. "This is about people wanting to make a $40 billion cut in the food stamp program," DeLauro said, "not to put in place a Hunger-Free Kids Act, but in fact to take food out of the mouths of our children, or seniors, and the disabled. A much different time, a much different place, and a much different set of circumstances."

	+0

Menu

Forums

Elderly care facility evacuated days after staff abandons patients

Elderly care facility evacuated days after staff abandons patients

Like us on Facebook!