“Electronic Soup Cards”
That term, “electronic soup cards“, is simply brilliant. It is powerfully brilliant because it is entirely correct.
As a person who searches for simple word assemblies to covey significant issues, I must admit that concise terminology is the best turn of words I’ve heard in years.
Factually, if the number of American people on EBT or SNAP welfare benefits had to line up for soup and meals (instead of just get money on an electronic card for use anywhere), there would be massive lines, miles-long lines, all day and all night in hundreds of thousands of soup kitchens nation-wide. Such visibility would make the soup lines of the great depression seem insignificant by comparison.
The EBT and SNAP cards are exactly that, “Electronic Soup Cards”.
The term comes from a comment by JRD which leads to a written article by The Burning Platform. Which includes the following paragraphs:
[…] Apologists for the status quo contend the last eight years couldn’t possibly be classified as a depression. The narrative of economic recovery has been peddled by corporate media mouthpieces, feckless politicians, Too Big To Trust Wall Street bankers, Federal Reserve puppets, and government apparatchiks flogging manipulated data as proof of economic advancement. They point to the lack of soup lines as proof we couldn’t be experiencing a depression.
First of all, if there were soup lines, the corporate media would just ignore them. If they don’t report it, then it isn’t happening. Secondly, the soup lines are electronic, as the government downloads the “soup” onto EBT cards so JP Morgan can reap billions in fees to run the SNAP program. Just because there are no pictures of starving downtrodden Americans in shabby clothes waiting in soup lines, doesn’t mean the majority of Americans aren’t experiencing a depression. (read more)
This. Exactly this.
“Electronic Soup Cards” perfectly encapsulates the systemic lie behind the economic conditions sold to the American electorate.
“Electronic Soup Cards” hide a reality, that if truly visible -if people actually had to line up for meals created as a result of that governmental expenditure- would crush the professional political apparatchik within hours.
Not within months, weeks or days…. within HOURS.
The only difference between the historical soup lines (featured in imagery above) and today, is a reality that today’s soup lines are invisible.
That, my friends, is a cognitive paradigm shift.
“Electronic Soup Cards” is the perfect term to instantaneously deconstruct the Liberal/Fabian ideologues. That is a powerful term, and so easy to clarify to the disconnected political observer.
A term we should all begin using immediately.
“Will Vote For Soup”
In the mid ’70s I was divorced with 2 very young children. We were instantaneously thrown into poverty. Was fortunate enough to find a job a week later making $1.75/hour. My budget only allowed $10 a week for groceries. Bought out of date bread, dented cans, marked down meat and cooked many homemade soups and egg sandwiches. I weighed 80 lbs., but my kids were fed and I did not want government assistance. My situation was my responsibility and I was determined to make it on my own and I did and was stronger for the experience.
Today, thanks to our current government officials and their policies, it is difficult to find work, much less a full-time job.
We need Mr. Trump so our citizens can work and support their families and have pride in that accomplishment once again.
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That’s the thing. When I graduated college in early nineties with degree in finance, I put out 20 applications and received 10 job interviews before I settled on an brokerage house.
I would work the hardest construction jobs during college summers, usually making double minimum wage.
That world is gone in only 25 years….
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immigrants, many illegal, took those post college jobs for
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ok, admission, I am not yet 30. When I got out of college, many of my friends complained that they “couldn’t find jobs” when I would start asking them what they had done to “look” many had just glanced out the window. Our college had a career center that would help with resumes and practice interviews. I graduated in 2008 when the economy was plummeting, I interviewed at over 20 places receiving only 2 secondary interviews and 1 job offer. Not quite the job I wanted, but guess what I did? I took it! and then continued applying elsewhere while fixing my resume.
Now when I hear “I can’t find a job” I always wonder how hard that person even looked. Yes, jobs ARE difficult to find right now (especially full-time ones) however they ARE there, just takes a lot of work.
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That’s kinda the point…used to be GREAT jobs everywhere when gov’t wasn’t skimming from everyone and making terrible decisions with OUR wealth.
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like!
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Glad your perseverance paid off. Today’s employment environment is difficult at any age, but for those in their 40’s, 50’s and beyond, it has become near impossible. Employers can hire younger and H1B visa workers much cheaper. They are mostly forgotten. Many in this group would never apply for assistance. They were college educated and thought they would be unemployed. My brother is one of them. In his 50’s living in Silicon Valley with H1B Visa workers everywhere. Thank you for indulging me.
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Yes, I guess my point was lost in my rant, haha. I work with 50+ who are worried because if they lose their current job they probably won’t be finding another one. My point was directed more towards the millennials complaining. There are those of the mindset “don’t even try, nothing is out there” and those that exert great effort in the search for a job only to find nothing (or crappy part-time jobs).
Government has done a lot to destroy the pride of self-sufficiency. Trump is bringing hope back. The motivation to endure and continue working toward something better. If he does nothing else as President, I feel his motivating skills will go a long way to jumpstarting the economy again.
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And just ask yourself, or better yet, observe the uncountable Muslims ‘refugees’ and ‘undocumented’ that are already here… Watch them at your local WalMart, and see them use WIC cards… Talk with construction people, and find out about the number of apartments being built with federal subsidies to house ‘refugees’ who don’t pay rent… and on and on and on….
Yes there is a depression, and there is also a massive diversion of public assistance (Food stamps (WIC, etc.), housing assistance, utility assistance, etc…
And I just got back from Central America, and saw dozens of Africans walking north, towards the US. I asked, and was told they are a serious nuisance, thiefs, violent, etc. and they are heading for the US, thousands every week. I didn’t believe them until i read this yesterday. My eyes saw it, then I read about it….
http://www.anonymousconservative.com/blog/obamas-secret-deal-to-import-africans-via-mexico/
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Yes! Yes.
The economy is running on a steady supply of LEGAL immigrants. Hush. We are not supposed to say anything, because that would make us ‘xenophobic’.
I have also observed that brown-skinned individuals of foreign origin partake of every benefit out there, even if they are working. Many low-wage workers ARE eligible for benefits, but I notice that when white individuals apply for these things they are scrutinized and held to the strictest requirements.
The foreign born are propping up the SUV market, Walmart, and the Big Box home improvement retailers. At the expense of the rest of us, in more ways than one.
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Another thing about the soup lines compared to EBT cards. There is no way to use the soup line to pay for drugs or strip clubs.
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or manicures or chrome wheels or sneakers or hair tresses
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And I suppose you could sell your soup to someone at less than full value in exchange for cash, but I doubt you’d get many takers.
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or commit soup fraud and send the ill gained soup back to the terrorists…
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LOL
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Yes, it is not just soup. It is not just food. You see some high profile mass fraud cases but that is a tiny fraction of actual fraud which mostly concerns unreported income at under the table jobs and THAT is being displaced by the illegals. Snooty Libs will always say, Hey, they aren’t coming for MY job! And that is true, for the moment. But they are coming for someone’s job. If not, they wouldn’t be coming.
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There is a report on FOX and FRIENDS this morning about a man who is on food stamps. He is a multi millionaire and has connections with some muslim royals. They finally caught him but they aren’t going to do anything about it.
http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2016/09/08/89992742/
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The church i belong to has a food pantry, and people come on tuesday, and thursday to get food we get from donations. After working there for several months I noticed that there were no elderly showing up. I spoke to the pastor about it, and he gave me a one word response PRIDE. I got permission from him, and placed an add in our local paper, and church news paper. The add stated that if you were unable to come to us due to age, or lack of transportation we would deliver to you.I now deliver to the elderly twice a week it makes me so happy to see their faces break into a smile. and a tear when i arrive.
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I teared up reading your comment.
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terrific post, Ralph E. Campbell.
and hats off to you for your unusual kindness, not seen too much these days.
this is the way it should be: local churches helping the local poor and hungry and homeless and Seniors instead of ignoring them and focusing too much on foreign “missions”.
jmo.
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I like your opinion, and I’ll second that.
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That’s how it’s done around here also…more churches are picking up on it.
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Trump’s trade policy will reduce the trade deficit and could even eliminate it once American manufacturing returns to peak levels. This will also reduce and eliminate the need for welfare programs like SNAP and EBT as Americans go back to work.
This needs to happen to pull America back from the brink. Then we can work on fixing the rigged system.
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Nothing will ever change until ALL of us stop seeing ourselves as victims. Yes, I said ALL of us. The victim mentality is what stops us from demanding change. It is what keeps us from any form of solution. When we can blame the poor, the immigrants, the government, the rich and the “invisible masters”, we render ourselves helpless to create the change that we seek. Here is a very good article on the subject.
http://townhall.com/columnists/armstrongwilliams/2014/07/01/victim-mentality-n1857445
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But when we can’t MENTION the factors leading to the present situation, for fear of being accused of BLAMING the people involved, we render ourselves helpless, as well.
We have a situation right now where Third World immigrants are to be seen as sacred cows, or else. Nothing against the people, most of whom are just trying to better their lot, but I shouldn’t even have to make that disclaimer every time I try to point out the major role mass immigration is playing in the rackets that are destroying the American Dream.
Not disagreeing with your point, just adding a caveat.
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As someone who has run a large church’s multi-site food bank, I can tell you that the “soup lines” are not nearly so invisible as we would like. These are the people who make too much to qualify for SNAP but not enough to eat well.
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EDIT: as we would like to believe.
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This is part of what’s wrong with the economy. I had one friend (not friends anymore) quit his job in order to feed his family because he was in that group. Rather than get a 2nd job, which would’ve provided enough, or seek out help from our local church (what weird kind of pride is that? get help from the government before your own church?) he quit his job to go on unemployment/SNAP (I’m not sure how he finagled his way into unemployment pay without being dishonest, one of the reasons we’re not close anymore)
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Once again, I have to congratulate sundance, this time for highlighting that breathtaking remark from yesterday, in case anyone missed it.
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You have to time it right to see the lines in person, could probably ask the local Walmart, Cub Foods, Kroger, Safeway when the time of the month cards are filled. Being country kid I had never experienced it until I stayed in NH for 1/2 year or so. I was getting into almost being in a city routine when on a Wednesday? just plain no holiday morning EVERY register had cashier and every line was 4 deep I asked what was going on and was told all the EBT/SNAP cards were just re-filled happens every month. ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING!!!!! The Grocery maybe had 12 lanes and normally when I came in 2 maybe 3 cashiers.
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Electronic Soup Cards….perfect description. …no cigs and I think soda/alcohol didn’t qualify back then.
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I find peoples take on distribution of income and wealth fascinating. Relative to the big picture of running a state the soup lines are rather small. I found a list where we can start cutting to save money, here ya go.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_agencies_in_the_United_States
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Save the wealth of the people where to look?
A Cut entitlements
B Cut a gov’t job
C Dissolve the FED
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Haha, diwataman, I did the same thing about a month ago, had gone to that same link & copied ALL FED AGENCIES into a text doc with multiple columns & small print, thinking Trump needs a list like this so he can just begin scratching them off with a black Sharpie. I counted them, too, & there were over 600+ !!
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I believe all EBT cards should be bright yellow and the same size as a movie poster.
Whenever it’s swiped, an imbedded chip loudly states, “Thank you taxpayers!”
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I don’t think the lines would be long if they actually had to stand and get the food handed to them. They wouldn’t get to buy candy and junk food, or the better cuts of meat if it were passed out rather than giving them the card to choose what the want. The lines wouldn’t be long because a lot of these people are too lazy to stand and wait in line if they can’t get what they want and are given only what is practical or necessary.
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Have you seen this?
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GREATEST DEPRESSION EVAH. – Obama and Biden.
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@sundance,
I just want to say thank you for doing the right thing by crediting another person with this great meme not only by name but by article. It shows integrity.
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It seems NPR has read your mind (I know, I have issues w/ NPR too but it is good to know what is going on there).
Here’s a quote to your point:
“One in six prime-age guys has no job; it’s kind of worse than it was in the depression in 1940,” says Nicholas Eberstadt, an economic and demographic researcher at American Enterprise Institute who wrote the book Men Without Work: America’s Invisible Crisis. He says these men aren’t even counted among the jobless, because they aren’t seeking work.
http://www.npr.org/2016/09/06/492849471/an-economic-mystery-why-are-men-leaving-the-workforce?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=movies&utm_term=artsculture&utm_content=20160907
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My husband had a hard time finding a job for nine years and we never took charity only twice,during that time. It bothered me to see people accepting charity that had iPhones, New cars,and were greedy. I found to only except what I needed and what we would use.
I think welfare comes to easy for some out there, or the food pantry’s do. The parents go around get all the free food they can and spend their cash on other things less important like beer and cigarettes. Times and jobs are hard, but I see many teens that seem to know how to play the game
Sad very sad.
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