Friday, November 23, 2012

More Americans Will Use Food Stamps For Thanksgiving This Year Than Ever Before and TANSTAAFL Is About To Become A Common Term

More Americans Will Use Food Stamps For Thanksgiving This Year Than Ever Before

By Elizabeth Flock - November 20, 2012 RSS Feed Print

More Americans will use food stamps to buy their Thanksgiving dinner this year than ever before, according to a new report from the nonprofit government watchdog group The Sunlight Foundation.

[PHOTOS: Presidents Pardoning Turkeys, Meeting Dinner]

The Food Stamp Challenge, which challenges higher-income families to live as if they are on food stamps, estimates that a person on food stamps has a budget of about $1.25 per meal. In other words, a family on food stamps must buy an entire meal per person for less than the cost of an average cup of coffee.

Usage of food stamps among low and no-income families has spiked since the collapse of the U.S. financial system four years ago. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, average participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamp program, has increased 70 percent since 2007. And economists have warned that usage of food stamps won't go down until unemployment improves.

[SANTORUM: Only Buy USA-Made Christmas Gifts]

This Thanksgiving, 42.2 million Americans will be on food stamps, according to the Economic Policy Institute. This is roughly the size of the populations of California and Connecticut combined.

Not surprisingly, feeding millions of Americans isn't cheap. The cost of the SNAP program last year reached $72 billion, the highest to date, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

[ENJOY: The U.S. News Collection of Obama Cartoons]

Those costs are a source of major contention in Congress, which stalled on a bundle of legislation known as the farm bill this summer because it could not agree how much money should be spent on food stamps. The farm bill, which directs the nation's food policy, devotes about 80 percent of its budget to the food stamp program.

More News:

TANSTAAFL Is About To Become A Common Term

The disintegration of an economy and a society can take two courses. One course is like rust. It is slow and barely perceptible. The other is a sudden collapse. The first course, if left untended, eventually  turns into the second.

The US economy is now rusting away. Arguably it has been for decades. For anyone interested in looking, the signs are there. They will soon become unavoidable for even the most disinterested of our citizens.

Dan Amos correctly described what is happening as a result of Washington’s overbearing involvement in the economy:

All government-directed economic activity grows at the expense of the private sector. And the election suggests that government coercion will drive even more U.S. economic activity in the future. This is a shame, because freely adjusting prices, competition, and innovation elevate living standards. Mandates, price controls, and subsidies — coercive actions — depress living standards. Quality falls. Shortages develop and persist.

Mr. Amos is correct but does not forcefully convey the reality of a dying economy. These effects are beginning to appear.

Many businessmen hung on, hoping for a change in the madness that passes for economic leadership and policy. These hopes were dashed with the re-election of the ideologue driving the madness. Obama won the electoral college, but not the confidence of business. They are just beginning to cast their votes and it does not bode well for the future. Here is a partial list of the business reactions to the outcome of the election:

LAYOFFS ANNOUNCED SINCE ELECTION:

  1. Abbott Labs 700
  2. Activision 30
  3. Adventist Health 48
  4. Airlines SAS 6000
  5. AMD 400
  6. American Cotton Growers 110
  7. ArcelorMittal 20
  8. American Independence Museum 4
  9. Ameridose 790
  10. American Airlines 4400 + 800 leaving voluntarily
  11. American Coal 54
  12. Atlantic Lottery Corporation 16
  13. Assc Milk Producers 130
  14. Aveo Oncology 45
  15. ATI 172
  16. Bankia 5000
  17. Bechtel Power Corp 277
  18. Bigpoint Games 47
  19. Boston Scientific 1200
  20. Brake Parts LLC 75
  21. Brattleboro Retreat 31
  22. Bristol Myers 500
  23. Career Education 900 + Closing 23 Campuses
  24. Cigna 1300
  25. Citigroup 100
  26. Commerzbank 6000
  27. Consol Energy in W.V. 145
  28. Covidien 595
  29. Crouse Hospital Syracuse NY 70
  30. Cummins 150
  31. CVPH 27
  32. DEP in Tallahassee FL 15
  33. DuPont, Co. 64
  34. Eagle-Tribune, Andover 21
  35. Emanuel Medical Cente 24
  36. Energizer Holdings 1500
  37. Ericsson 1550
  38. Exide Tech, Laureldale 150
  39. City of Findlay, OH 39
  40. First Energy 400
  41. Gameforge Berlin 20
  42. Gamesa Energy 92
  43. GenOn Energy Inc 33
  44. Glen Falls Hospital 29
  45. Groupon 80
  46. GT Advanced Tech 165
  47. Harris’ Broadcast 17
  48. Hawker Beechcraft 400 + Facilities closing
  49. Hill Rom 200
  50. Hills Holdings 300
  51. HMX Group 567
  52. Hostess 627
  53. Iberia Airlines 4500
  54. ICM of Colwich 25
  55. ING 2350
  56. Judson University 21
  57. Juniper Networks 500
  58. Kaiser Permanente 84
  59. Kinetic Concepts 427
  60. Kratos Defense Security 125
  61. Lackawanna County PA 11
  62. Lightyear Network Solutions 12+
  63. Lonza 500
  64. Majestic Star Casino/hotel 80
  65. Major Wind Company 3000
  66. Martha Stewart Living 70
  67. Medtronic 1000
  68. Mills Manufacturing NC 68
  69. Momentive, Inc. 150
  70. Monitor Group 235
  71. Montco Behavioral Health/Dev 58
  72. NBC 500
  73. Nebraska Medical Center 38
  74. Neovia Logistics Services 52
  75. New Energy 40
  76. Ormet 200
  77. Panasonic 10000
  78. PayPal 320
  79. Penn Refrigeration 40
  80. Penske Logistics 50
  81. Pepsi 4000
  82. Philips Electronics 218
  83. Pierce Mfg 325
  84. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne 100
  85. Research in Motion 200
  86. Rheem Manufacturing 50
  87. Sentry Foods 70
  88. Shaw’s Supermarket 700
  89. Shawano foundry WI 90
  90. Smith & Nephew 770
  91. Smithfield Packing Co. 125
  92. Solel Solar Systems 140
  93. Southeastern Container 15
  94. SpaceX 100
  95. SRA Intl Inc 222
  96. St. Jude Medical 300
  97. Stryker 1170
  98. Sulake 60
  99. Sun Media 500
  100. TE Connectivity 620
  101. TECO Coal Corporation 90
  102. Texas Instruments 1700
  103. The Providence Journal Co 23
  104. TMX Group Ltd. 100
  105. Turbocare 220
  106. Turkey Point Nuclear Plant 277
  107. Oce North America, Inc. 135
  108. Turbocare OCE 220
  109. UBS 10000
  110. US Cellular 980
  111. UtahAmerican Energy Inc 102
  112. Volvo Trucks Pulaski County 300
  113. Wake Forest Baptist Medical 950
  114. Welch Allyn 275
  115. West Ridge Mine 102
  116. Westinghouse 50
  117. World Media Enterprises Inc 105
  118. WPS Health Insurance 600
  119. Wright Patterson AFB 115
  120. Wyodak Coal Mine 11
  121. Xerox 2500
  122. Yakima Reg Med Ctr Washington 10+

ANNOUNCED BUSINESS CLOSURES SINCE ELECTION:

  1. Bakers Footwear closing 150 stores nationwide, including 21 in California
  2. The SCA plant in Barton – Plans Staff Reductions
  3. Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse
  4. Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn.
  5. Waltz Pharmacy in Waldoboro Maine
  6. Zac’s Place in Hinsdale IL
  7. Lone Star Steakhouse at 70th and O streets and Ruby Tuesday at 56th Street in
  8. Lincoln NE
  9. Career Education Corp – Closing 23 Campuses – 900 Jobs Lost
  10. Handy Hardware to close its 2-year-old Meridian, Miss. warehouse
  11. Shamrock Bar at Payne City’s Rose Avenue. in GA
  12. Monitor Company Group LP
  13. ThinkEquity LLC
  14. Homer City Funding LLC
  15. Caterpillar Inc. will close its plant in Owatonna Minn.
  16. Mount Pleasant’s Albrecht Sentry Foods
  17. The Target store at Manassas Mall Va.
  18. Millennium Academy in Wake Forest NC
  19. Target Closing Kissimmee FL Location
  20. Calgary’s iconic Rideau Music store ( International )
  21. The Andover Gift Shop in Andover MA
  22. Grand Union Family Markets Closing Storrs Location CT
  23. Movie Scene Milford Location NH
  24. Update: TE Connectivity Closing Greensboro Plant – 620 Layoffs Expected
  25. Gomer’s Fried Chicken in South Kansas City
  26. Kmart in Homer Glen
  27. Fresh Market on Pine Street in Burlington
  28. AGC Glass North America to permanently close its Blue Ridge Plant in Kingsport Tenn.
  29. The Target store at Platte and Academy in Colorado Springs
  30. Island Colors – A Carolina Beach Clothing Store
  31. The Roses store on Reynold Road in Winston-Salem NC
  32. Meanders Kitchen losing its West Seattle location at 6032 California Ave
  33. Bost Harley-Davidson at 46th Avenue North and Delaware Ave. in West Nashville TN
  34. Townsend Booksellers in Oakland
  35. The Kmart store in Parkway Plaza off University Drive in Durham NC – 79 Jobs Lost
  36. Guarantee Shoe Store in Beaumont Texas
  37. Associated Milk Producers Inc. Closing manufacturing facility in Dawson Minn. – 130
  38. Jobs Lost
  39. FacadeTek Inc Closes Whitestown Facility – 72 Jobs Lost
  40. Comet Market in Punxsutawney Pa.
  41. JC Penney store in Miracle City Mall Titusville FL
  42. TurboCare Inc Closing Manchester CT Facility – 88
  43. The United Colors of Benetton store on Armitage Avenue IL
  44. Update: Bicycle shop Ten 27 Cycles 1027 Davis St. in Evanston IL
  45. Two Sears Product Rebuild Centers in The Woodlands Texas
  46. FesslerUSA Clothing Maker Closing in PA
  47. Ralph Lauren’s plans to close its 14 stand-alone Rugby locations
  48. Nashville Sash & Door Co. Inc Tenn.
  49. First Portuguese church in North America in Bedford Mass Closing?
  50. International Fashions in Carbondale’s University Mall IL
  51. Harper’s Old Army Surplus Store in West Monroe La
  52. Nova Financial Holdings
  53. The Party Warehouse in West Springfield Mass.
  54. TLC Wine and Liquor at 1205 W. Main St in Kent Ohio?
  55. The HAPPY Place 1042 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA
  56. Air Carrier Accessory Services – Chapter 7
  57. SOW Inc. shelter on South Broad Street GA?
  58. Systemax Inc., Closing Miami County Ohio Computer Plant – 120 Jobs Lost
  59. Textbook publisher McGraw-Hill Cos. Closing 2 Distribution Centers – 166 Layoffs
  60. First Place Financial Corp
  61. Nash Finch Closing Cedar Rapids Iowa Food Distribution Center
  62. Johnnie’s Foodmaster MA Closing all 10 Locations
  63. Rainbow Foods will be closing its Forest Lake location MN – 59 Layoffs
  64. Berry’s Camera Shop Inc. in Downtown Lafayette
  65. Schreiber Foods to close their food packaging plant in Ravenna – 70 Jobs Lost
  66. Kmart store at 5300 Salem Ave. Trotwood Ohio
  67. Mr.Christie plant in Toronto ( International ) 2013 – 550 Jobs Lost
  68. Coffee with T cafe in Stevenson Village business MD
  69. Minas Basin Pulp and Power are closing a mill in Hantsport ( International ) – 135

ACTUAL LAYOFFS:

  1. The Colonial Country Shoppe on Park Street in Adams MA
  2. Vestas Wind Systems Closing R&D; Office in Louisville – 60 Jobs Lost
  3. Dollar Castle in downtown Ferndale MI
  4. Bistro One West in St Charles IL
  5. Sun Dog Diner in Neptune Beach FL
  6. Jim’s Builders Hardware in Wichita, Kansas
  7. Madeleines Bakehouse in Fort Wayne Indiana
  8. Barnes & Noble plans to close its doors in Union Station Dec. 31
  9. The Semiahmoo Hotel in Blaine Washington
  10. Highland Curves CA
  11. The Salem Sport Shop in Salem Ohio
  12. Navistar International Corp. to Close truck assembly plant in Garland, Texas – 900
  13. Jobs Lost
  14. Divine Mercy Catholic Books & Gifts Denton Texas
  15. Singer Mental Health Center in Rockford IL
  16. Garelick Farms Ends Production at Bangor Maine Facility
  17. Fashion Tech Window Coverings in Portland?
  18. Custom House Tavern Chicago IL.
  19. Jim’s Builders Hardware in Delano
  20. Lone Star Steakhouse at 1801 22nd St. in West Des Moines
  21. Sears to Close Woodlands Product Rebuild Center – 117 Jobs Lost
  22. Whitehead Inc Rockford Real Estate Company
  23. Robert’s Mens Shop in Downtown New Philadelphia Ohio
  24. Fort Tecumseh Olde Fashun Store in Ohio
  25. Lakewood Beginnings Child Development Center in Lakewood Ohio
  26. Green Fields Seed & Feed in Grand Junction Colo.
  27. The Army and Navy Store in Melrose Mass.
  28. Vitalistic Therapeutic charter school PA
  29. Diamond Foods Inc Closing a plant in Fishers Indiana
  30. Old Town Alehouse 5233 Ballard Ave in Seattle
  31. Space Aliens restaurants in Minot and Grand Forks ND
  32. DeWaay Financial Network LLC
  33. Sears at Quail Springs Mall Oklahoma City OK.
  34. Fashion Bug in O’Fallon MO is closing in January
  35. Kmart Store in Oak Hill W. Va
  36. Update: Jett & Hall men’s clothing store in Richmond KY
  37. D.C. school List of Possible Schools Closing to Be released Later today
  38. Dunkin’ Donuts in Holly Hill FL
  39. Hostess Brands Inc Permanently Closing 3 Bakeries Following a Nationwide Strike
  40. Philips Electronics subsidiary Lightolier will close its local fluorescent light
  41. fixture manufacturing plant in Willington
  42. Smithfield Packing Co. will close in 2013, laying off a total of 400 employees
  43. SuperFresh outlets in Marlton and Westmont NJ
  44. The Bagel Shoppe in Katonah NY
  45. Ben Franklin and Homestead House Gifts in the Kimball Ridge Center in Waterloo IA
  46. Several West Virginia Suzuki dealerships Being Forced to Close
  47. Kowalski Cos Closing All 4 of its Metro Detroit Delis but to Continue Food
  48. Production
  49. Three Memphis charter schools and one in Nashville Tenn. Could Close Due to Poor
  50. Test Scores
  51. The Custer School District SD – Closing 2 Rural Schools
  52. The Dressing Room, on North Lincoln Avenue IL
  53. The Utica office of IBOPE NY

BANKRUPTCIES:

  1. AMF Bowling Worldwide Inc
  2. Aletheia Research & Management Inc
  3. Omtron USA
  4. Helmkampf Construction in Olivette
  5. Clear Light Publishers
  6. Monitor Company Group LP
  7. ThinkEquity LLC
  8. Homer City Funding LLC
  9. US Suzuki Distributor – Chapter 11
  10. Revolt Technology

This list should frighten every thinking American. It is a huge warning regarding what lies ahead. These changes are coming to an economy that is already unable to provide jobs or sustain living standards.

Decline is a slow process, until it becomes fast. It is not easy to see at first. It should be obvious to most that our economy is approaching a critical stage. When you have destroyed the trust and confidence of business, there will be no job creation.

Some parting words are in order for those responsible for the decisions reflected above. Shutting down and giving up is anathema to the spirit that built this country and is now only found among our entrepreneurial class. It goes against the very fiber that drives success. It is a last resort for entrepreneurs.

The decision to quit is lonely, involves guilt, self-doubt and remorse. It is the last act for someone that has tried everything to avoid it. Giving up and withdrawing is not an act of retribution. People do not willingly choose to go to Galt’s figurative gulch. They are forced there.

While the masses exult in the continuation of their  food stamps, cell phones and other booty, the real story of this election is yet to be told. The nation is about to find out that policies and elections have consequences more important than free stuff.

The war against private enterprise can no longer be denied. President Obama’s re-election ensures that it will continue and likely accelerate. The makers are beginning to give up. The takers don’t have a clue. Soon the country is going to get a real-life lesson in economics. TANSTAAFL (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch) is about to be learned.

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Stephanie S. Jasky, Founder, Director - FedUpUSA.org -  h/t to Tony Caputo

"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe

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