One disturbing trend we have seen and heard about recently is the willingness of some employees, who might be in danger of losing their jobs due to poor performance, to almost dare their employers to dismiss them so they, the employees, can receive unemployment benefits and food stamps without doing anything to deserve the assistance.

When the food stamp and unemployment programs were set up, both were supposed to be used as safety nets to provide temporary relief to those who had lost their jobs or found themselves in a financial mess.

The abuse of these programs is a national disgrace that drains tax dollars that could be used for the good of all. In Georgia, five out of 11 people now receive food stamps. It is discouraging to stand in a grocery line and watch people use EBT cards to buy name-brand products and foodstuffs that many of us, who work hard every day to earn a paycheck, cannot afford. 

There is a move in the U.S. House of Representatives this week to tighten the food stamp program. The bill would require that folks who receive food stamps spend 20 hours per week in work-training programs.

State legislators in Michigan are working on a bill that would require food stamp recipients to volunteer in their communities at least 20 hours per week and submit to drug testing.

These bills offer feasible ways to ensure that the people who need food stamps can get them, but also are required to perform some type of service to earn them. We suggest you contact our local Congressman, Hank Johnson, and let him know how you feel about these possible changes.

In our opinion, nobody is entitled to free benefits for nothing. Our country wasn’t established on that principal and as taxpayers we shouldn’t tolerate it.

Hank Johnson (GA-4)

5700 Hillandale Dr., Suite 120

Lithonia, GA 30058

Phone: (770) 987-2291

Fax: (770) 987-8721