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> Would make more sense to shit-can the program and just hand them cash Is there anywhere else in the world that has a similar program to SNAP that micro-manag
by kalleboo 2y ago
> Would make more sense to shit-can the program and just hand them cash
Is there anywhere else in the world that has a similar program to SNAP that micro-manages what kind of things people can buy? Everywhere else I'm familiar with just gives people in need cash that they can spend however they want. The closest thing I can think of is food banks (which also seems much more rare elsewhere, only recently popping up in the UK after their austerity programs)
- garfield_light 2y agoJUNAEB in Chile is pretty much SNAP for college students. Originally you could buy beer or pretty much anything in the supermarket, it got limited strictly to food and then items with two or less warning labels [0]. A big difference is intention, in the US the focus is "anti-sin" and avoiding joy for undesirables. Many protein bars or "natural" juices are just morally aesthetic candy and soda. The labeling in Chile is data driven* (i.e, It's pretty much an efficient way to read the nutrition info, it killed vitamin water) so the objective is closer to public health. I would also think that straight cash is preferable, the limitations are fine for complementary benefits of college students, not for actual families. Diapers and lentils are a better use of government money. Anyways if people want to buy drugs, converting food items to cash is simple. - https://www.theexamination.org/articles/a-decade-after-its-pioneering-food-law-where-does-chile-s-obesity-crisis-stand https://www.theexamination.org/articles/a-decade-after-its-p...