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The Election: It's The Food-Stamps, Stupid!

Tyler Durden's picture


In November 2008, President Barack Obama won the popular election for President by 9.5 million votes.  A burgeoning financial crisis and weakening economy helped his candidacy at the time, but four years on the sluggish pace of economic recovery is a headwind to his re-election.  Consider, for example, that there are currently 12.8 million people unemployed in the U.S., or that an estimated 8 million adults entered the SNAP (Food Stamp) program since November 2008 (total increase in enrollment: 15.6 million).  Presidential elections are won in the Electoral College, of course, so in today’s note ConvergEx's Nick Colas parses out this employment/food security economic stress for the key “Battleground” states.


Statewide data for unemployment and food stamps show that the jobless rate has increased in all but 3 states since the 2008 election cycle, and that every single state plus DC has experienced a gain in the number of residents receiving nutritional assistance from the federal government.  Seven of the 8 swing states this election year are more economically stressed than the national average in terms of unemployment and/or food stamps, while 2 of the 3 states “leaning” toward Obama are worse off than the national average.  Romney, behind in the electoral vote count by most analysts’ figures, theoretically stands to gain from a weak national economy, but he’ll have to earn the vote of an estimated 4 million Americans in 14 key battleground states to have a shot at the White House.

Nick Colas, ConvergEX: It's Jobs And Food Stamps, Stupid

Note from Nick:  I know three things about the upcoming U.S. Presidential election.

  • One: it will be close, likely decided by a few million votes in a handful of battleground states.
  • Two: the debate between incumbent and challenger will come back to the current state of the domestic economy from the current “Big ideas” smokescreen.
  • Three: many Americans, even after three years of economic “Recovery,” face fundamental questions over employment and food security.  Beth puts it all together in today’s note.

Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago?  The answer is likely dependent on whether or not you’ve got a job.  On average, real personal incomes are up 2.1% in the last 4 years, which is good news for those who are employed.  But for the incremental 3.4 million people who have lost their job in the last 4 years, well, this isn’t exactly relevant.


Ronald Reagan famously asked this same question during his enormously successful presidential campaign against Jimmy Carter in 1980.  The economy had endured a recession earlier that year, so for many voters the answer was a resounding “No”.  The 2012 election cycle is similar, though the magnitude of the Great Recession is decidedly greater.  Which naturally leads to the question: Are enough people worse off now than 4 years ago to allow Mitt Romney to capitalize on a weak economy in Reagan-esque fashion?


We’re not here to make election predictions or candidate endorsements – you’ll be flooded with enough of these in the coming weeks.  Our election analysis focuses on 2 state-by-state indicators of economic stress: unemployment and food stamp recipient count.  We’ve written repeatedly on these topics over the past few years and have a good handle on what makes these numbers “Tick.”


State unemployment rates are on average 24.2% higher now than they were during the 2008 election cycle.  In the table following the text, we show state-by-state unemployment rates for the 4 months leading up to and including the presidential election, as well as jobless rates for the past 4 months.  Our “election cycle” unemployment rate is simply an average of October and November 2008, and the current rates are based on July 2012, which is the most recent month for which data is available.  The biggest gainer is Utah, where the jobless rate is currently 6.0%, or 73.9% higher than its election cycle 2008 rate of 3.5%.  Only 4 states have lower unemployment rates now versus then: North Dakota (-13.0%), Massachusetts (-2.4%), Vermont (-1.0%) and interestingly enough, Michigan (-6.7%).  We can thank the auto bailout for that, along with the uptick in light vehicle demand since the cyclical lows in 2008/9.


Meanwhile, every single state saw an increase in the number of residents receiving food stamps over the past 4 years, with an average gain of 68.2%.  Also in the accompanying table, we show the number of people per state who received nutritional assistance from the federal government in 2008 and May 2012 (the most recent month for which data is available).  The number of food stamp recipients more than doubled in 4 states, led by Nevada at +146.2%.  Louisiana (+12.6%) and North Dakota (+20.6%) experienced by far the smallest rises.


Now in terms of the November election, the economic plight of certain states simply doesn’t matter in terms of predicting the outcome.  Their collective minds are made up; they’re voting either for President Obama or Governor Romney, and there’s not much either candidate can do to change the fact.  So those states aren’t highlighted in our comprehensive table following the text.  The states shaded in gray are pure swing states, according to yours truly and more importantly also according to most election analysts.  The Blue states are leaning toward a Barack Obama reelection, though Romney has a chance.  Similarly, the red states are favoring Romney, but Obama has hope.  We’ve displayed these 14 “battleground” states in a separate chart to outline which election-critical states are more economically stressed than the overall nation in terms of the 2 factors described above (unemployment and food stamp recipients).


Four battleground states are weaker than the nation in terms of both joblessness and food stamps: Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Wisconsin.  Unfortunately for Romney, none are a “catch” since they all have a relatively low number of electoral votes, and one (New Mexico) is already leaning toward Obama.  Three states are actually better off than the nation as a whole on both accounts: Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.  It’s therefore unlikely these states will be motivated purely by economic reasons to vote for Romney.  And two of them – Michigan and Ohio – benefited substantially from the auto bailouts of 2009, an economic outcome that candidate Romney has sharply criticized.


The remaining 7 states are worse off than the rest of the nation in terms of either unemployment or food stamps (but not both).  For example, Florida’s jobless rate is actually lower now (7.6%) than in November 2008 (7.8%), but the state saw the second-highest gain in the number of its residents receiving food stamps.  The labor market gets a ton of press, but signs of economic stress appear in more ways than unemployment.  So these 7 states still represent substantial opportunities to appeal to voters under economic duress.


By our calculus of economic stress, therefore, Florida is the most important battleground state on the list, should Romney choose to capitalize on a weak economy the way Reagan did.  It comes with 29 electoral votes, and while its unemployment rate is up “only” 15.8% from 4 years ago, the number of Floridians receiving food stamps grew a whopping 132.6% during that same time.  According to Real Clear Politics ( Romney is a near lock for 191 electoral votes, compared with the 237 votes already reserved for Obama.  Either candidate will need 270 votes to win the election, so Romney’s got to find 79 more to seal a victory.  The 23 states leaning “red” carry 36 electoral votes, so assuming Romney is able to secure those votes, he needs to earn 43 votes from the 8 true swing states.  Without Florida, he’d have to win Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin AND one of the following: Colorado, Iowa, Nevada or New Hampshire.


However, one critical issue is worth noting.  Even though many people are receiving food stamps, unemployment benefits and other government transfer payments because of a weak economy, are they likely to vote for a candidate in favor of reducing such benefits?  Does the risk of receiving less government aid offset the risk that the economy doesn’t improve substantially?  We can’t answer these questions, but this could prove to be an important point as the election heats up.


Again, our goal isn’t to make predictions or recommendations.  It’s to highlight the economic stress level of key battleground states, and should Romney want to make an appeal to votes a la Ronald Reagan, then Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio and Virginia are good places to start


One last point, of a more general nature: we believe that the polling in this contest will tighten up this week and throughout the rest of the campaign.  It will, in our view, come down to the question of economic confidence because – as we have shown here – the state of the country on this count is far from robust.

Click chart for LARGE version...


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Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:56 | 2750802 Lohn Jocke
Lohn Jocke's picture

Print more corn!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:11 | 2750834 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

First thought: who f'n cares?

Second thought: Bush proved that the "Anybody but" strategy does not sufficiently motivate the base.

Final thought: Beer-thirty fast approaches (and just maybe, RAIN??!!?).

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:17 | 2750966 Jay Gould Esq.
Jay Gould Esq.'s picture

"Food security."

I am unfamiliar with this term -- one which, it would have been assumed, would have been applied, decades ago, to any one of those chronically impoverished "Third World" dictatorships in Sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia.

Alas, how the worm has turned. Apathy, running hand-in-hand years upon years of accumulated credit-inspired ready comfort, does indeed have a price, and a very dear one at that: absolute, aggregated dependency.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:19 | 2750985 nmewn
nmewn's picture

The term "food security" and its cousin "food insecurity" are the latest in a long line of assaults on the subconscious of the public.

It basically means, have you ever been hungry in the last month and wondered where or what you were going to eat...and whether you should supersize it.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:27 | 2751009 spastic_colon
spastic_colon's picture

a friend of mine said "we dont have the soup lines like in the depression" I said, "SNAP cards are the new soup line"

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:36 | 2751040 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Slave masters and butchers prefer the docile.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 21:42 | 2751293 FEDbuster
FEDbuster's picture

Can you even imagine millions of EBT cardholders queing up in line each day to get their FEMA rations?  I just think of the disaster in Atlanta with the applications for Section 8 housing.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:29 | 2751460 FMR Bankster
FMR Bankster's picture

This election is all about the "Bradley effect". Obama avoided it with a positive campaign in 2008 but you will see it with a vengence this year. We have a history in this country of african american candidates who go negative recieving far less votes than they poll. The "Bradley effect" is of course a factor only with Democrats and a limited number of independents. Republicans have no problem telling pollsters they won't vote for statist liberals regardless of race.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:40 | 2751551 Rubbish
Rubbish's picture

Obama gives me free food, Romney gives me death spiral financing....decisions decisions

Mon, 09/03/2012 - 15:47 | 2758419 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

The main economic question is "Given that this is a depression, who is more likely to provide my daily bread, if I get sucked into the vortex?"  The answer is clearly Obama.  Now a Republicrat might respond, "But I'll get you a job."  Nobody believes that.  And double for Romney and Ryan.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 09:07 | 2752140 midtowng
midtowng's picture

First of all, I agree. Is this an economics site or a conservative political site?

Secondly, Obama was president in November 2008. Or December, or most of January 2009. So do we want to make an honest comparison or push a partisan agenda?

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:12 | 2750837 greyghost
greyghost's picture

only a matter of time until twiddle dee and twiddle dumb go on the stump and tell some "safe" crowd about how unemployment insurance is killing the economy. really, some where some how some twit from the campaign will think this is 1812 with no cell/smart phones and tell a loving slobbering crowd how evil those collecting unemployment check really really are.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:17 | 2750848 greyghost
greyghost's picture

note to self......these guys are not ronald reagan. not even in the ball park.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:25 | 2751003 Totentänzerlied
Totentänzerlied's picture

That would be career suicide for any politician in the last 30 years. Politicians DO NOT question the welfare-warfare state.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:38 | 2751046 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

In late October when R&R realize that all is lost, they will question the welfare state.  Then the rout will be on.  An easily beatable Obama will hand the GOP (and the two most dis-likable candidates ever teamed) their worst defeat since Alf Landon.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:49 | 2751070 tyrone
tyrone's picture

I don't think so. In fact, IMO you could not be any further from what is actually going to happen. The lack of jobs issue will wildly overwhelm food stamps. EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 21:43 | 2751295 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

You're assuming that R&R can convince people that they will create jobs. Given Romney's track record of destroying jobs, that's a stretch. Right now R&R are perceived as champions of austerity.  That's not good for job growth at least.

On the other side of the coin, true conservatives and fans of Ron Paul know Romney is not a real Republican.  He is a fraud.

This is a recipe for a good old fashioned wipe-out.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:40 | 2751468 Bananamerican
Bananamerican's picture








Read more:

Romney is a shithole who believes that God lives on a planet named KOLOB!

No, he's not a "Kenyan"....

he's an amerikan

Check out the red arrows on this post (if any) and know that Wall Streeters and their drooling partisan enablers lurk among us.

RP 2012

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 01:47 | 2751616 Larry Dallas
Larry Dallas's picture

Matt Tiaibi also has to eat and knows that the majority of Rolling Stone readers are younger Ron Paul fans. He preaches well to his choirs. Just like the article on the squid.

There is always an agenda lurking behind the scenes. Always.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 07:29 | 2751897 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

Yeah, there's an agenda, but there's also the FACTS.  BTW Romney's "business model" wouldn't work without preferential tax treatment.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 07:28 | 2751894 blueridgeviews
blueridgeviews's picture

Another wordy paragraph with no facts. Save your keyboard and stop typing.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 18:40 | 2754038 Larry Dallas
Larry Dallas's picture

Right. The same reason you read ZeroHedge is because its not profligated on the MSM and its no BS. You both just put your foot in your mouth a la Kathie Lee Gifford.




Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:58 | 2750805 foodstampbarry
foodstampbarry's picture

Food stamp barry is goin' down bitchez!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:13 | 2750825 Bananamerican
Bananamerican's picture

"Heal us, Mitt.....Heal amerika" (//sarc/)

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:16 | 2750844 Seorse Gorog fr...

Ron Paul!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:27 | 2750868 Vet4RonPaul
Vet4RonPaul's picture

Sorry Gorog, Ron Paul didn't win because we now have more people in America that want Socialism over Liberty.  They are the local, state, federal employees, teachers, contractors, cops, etc. that keep the white collar welfare machine humming.  They far outumber the poor welfare queens and they take far more money, all the while acting like they serve society.  They're fucking hypocrits.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 21:08 | 2751231's picture

Nevertheless, Ron Paul!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 22:38 | 2751378 Bananamerican
Bananamerican's picture

yup. I've "not voted" for either pre-selected shill before.... but I've never done a write in...

I'm literally going to write his name on the ballot, check it and drop it in the box....for what it's worth

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:25 | 2751456 Henry Hub
Henry Hub's picture


Ron Paul didn't win because the oligarchs (the Koch brothers etc.) that own and control this country as well as the Republican party didn't want him to win. Witness the brutal suppression of the Ron Paul supporters at the Republican convention. If this wasn't an expression of the Fascist mindset of these billionaire scumbags, i don't know what is. Stay tuned because this is what they plain to bring to all America.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:22 | 2751534 azusgm
Fri, 08/31/2012 - 07:01 | 2751863 dolly madison
dolly madison's picture

I'm not gonna vote for either of them, but foodstampbarry, you are wrong.  Obama is not going down.  It is R&R that are going down. 

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:59 | 2750809 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

12.8 mil unemployed. That sounds tiny. They should have a "sucking wind" number. There are 100 million people sucking wind. Now that's a number.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:16 | 2750841 Daily Bail
Daily Bail's picture

Jon Corzine Complains To Judge Today That MF Global Trustee Actions Are Hurting His Defense, Louis Freeh Nods In Agreement

Louis Freeh is fighting for the entrenched and engorged banking status quo, where legitimizing the theft of hundreds of millions by Jamie Dimon is just another part of the fucking job.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:47 | 2750901 knukles
knukles's picture

Corzine complaining about his defense?


He hasn't been charged with anything to defend!!!



Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:59 | 2750811 malikai
malikai's picture


Wrong. Factor in inflation, and you're down, hard! But I guess not as hard as the unemployed.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:57 | 2750924 lotsoffun
lotsoffun's picture

i think jamie and lloyd answered yes.  and at 35 million- that brings the average up a bit.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:21 | 2750991 Tippoo Sultan
Tippoo Sultan's picture

Doing God's work does not come cheap, my friend.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 07:04 | 2751865 dolly madison
dolly madison's picture

All the people who were in real estate for a living in 2008 and are doing something different now, think they are much better off now.  It was a blood bath in real estate in 2008.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 10:01 | 2752353 boiltherich
boiltherich's picture

Malikai, I posted this chart/link in another argument this morning but I think it is more appropriate here because it deals directly with the sad state of wages and employment as well as record corporate profits:

Wages as a share of GDP =

Corporate profits =

Corporations and the elite investor class that own and benefit from them are better off than they were 4 years ago and that is why they pushed Romney into the nomination for the GOP, they want to keep it that way. 

People, as an aggregate, are in the worst financial position they have been in since the Great Depression, and while they know Obama likely will not improve matters much they also know Romney will at least make things better for corporations and worse for people.

The claim that Romney would be good for business and thus good for people that need jobs is where the problem lay.  In fact business has never been more profitable yet business is not hiring and those still employed are not keeping up with all the unreported inflation. 

Last, here is a cartoon I think sums it up pretty well:

Occupy Marines at Fbook, great website


Fri, 08/31/2012 - 10:13 | 2752440 boiltherich
boiltherich's picture

Gina Rinehart, world's richest woman.  Her fortune grew by more than 19 billion in 2011, this kind of concentration of wealth will kill whole economies, she is not a job creator, she is a job destroyer.  Look at the graphic linked above, that is a wealth increase of $52 million a day.  Two bucks shy of 600 per second every single second of the year.  Can people just not understand that when a single individual takes that much money out of an economy the economy dies?  You think they are "investing" that money in productive activities that help the poor and middle class?  It goes into the financial sector never to be seen again, and if you all think that stocks and debt markets create jobs then why hasn't all those trillions the Fed has plunged into markets done anything to help the people of Main Street?  Now, multiply that bitch above by about 40,000 individuals and about 75,000 global corporation and you get so many trillions sucked out of the economic equations that it is a wonder anyone still has employment.

Wealth equality will be leveled.  It is not if but when.  One day people will be so bad off that they will finally pick up arms and go after the rich, I would prefer a political solution now rather than a violent one later, but I know that will not happen as long as people like Romney can get the GOP nomination.  Still, it will happen eventually.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:59 | 2750813 ChacoFunFact
ChacoFunFact's picture



-A Farmer and Planter, The Federalist Papers

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:43 | 2751001 Tippoo Sultan
Tippoo Sultan's picture

To which number "Federalist" is this excerpt attributed ? It appears counter to federalist principle.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:54 | 2751081 Totentänzerlied
Totentänzerlied's picture

That's from the ANTIFederalist Papers, #26.

Just before the part you excerpted:


My, how little has changed in these 222 years. Yes, by 1788 people already knew what was in store for this country should the Federalists prevail; meanwhile most who are even aware seem to think our national problems go back what, 4? 10? 20? 30? 40? years. The Federalists prevailed and the rest, bitchez, is history.

Mon, 09/03/2012 - 04:44 | 2757173 boiltherich
boiltherich's picture

Rich men can live easily under any government because rich men are the government everywhere they exist.  They bitch and whine that they have to pay 10% of their income and zero on their accumulated wealth and warn you that it is you who are destroying the "job creators."  It takes a set of brass balls to snivel about paying 10% of your income to the government in taxes when you got 98% of your millions or billions from that same entity. 

And then there are the poor fucktards that defend them, you work minimum wage and your kid is on Medicaid and you get food stamps but you DEFEND these rich pricks that laugh at you.  They almost deserve the wealth they cheat the rest of us for if for no other reason than the rest of us are too stupid to add one and one. 

If life is going to continue on this planet beyond the next 50 years a lot will have to change, one of them will be that the richest people will not have more than ten times the wealth or income than the poorest people.  And when you stop to think about that it is fair, if by brains, hard work and ethics you have ten times the income and wealth (security) of your neighbor then by comparison you are still rich.  But, when some fat witch in Australia makes 52 million bucks per day without brains, ethics, hard work, and that is more than the poorest 100 million people on this planet and then she has the gall to say the rest of you should drink less and work harder (for me) that is when I say the class war is ON BITCHEZ!



    OH lookie, one of the fucktard defenders of the rich have already given me a red arrow, nice work Nazi.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:00 | 2750815 Jlmadyson
Jlmadyson's picture

Haha this market got smacked by Lockhart and Plosser before and after hours today.

Moody's Spain Credit Rating remains on review for possible downgrade.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:12 | 2750836 blunderdog
blunderdog's picture

That's after three years of recovery, too.  Whew,  Imagine if things had gotten WORSE.


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:23 | 2750859 Brazillionaire
Brazillionaire's picture

The funniest thing (in a twisted kind of way) about the stimulus bill was its name: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

I suppose if you voted against it, you were against "recovery". I really don't think George Orwell could have imagined this.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:48 | 2750903 knukles
knukles's picture

George wrote whole books on this shit.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:44 | 2751005 Tippoo Sultan
Tippoo Sultan's picture

Aye, verily.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:14 | 2750840 Börjesson
Börjesson's picture

SNAP, is that one of those clever acronyms, sort of like SNAFU?

Situation Normal: Abject Poverty

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:06 | 2750955 poor fella
poor fella's picture

It's exactly like SNAFU - Situation Normal Abject Fookin Unemployment

Globalization, the new normal, bad for 99.99999% of us, good for multi-national CEOs and investment bankers.

If there's a second time around, you know what your kids should study and whose asses to kiss.


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 21:14 | 2751245 Pants McPants
Pants McPants's picture

Globalization is not the problem per se, it's the enforcement - prevention - of free movement of labor and capital that gives globalization a bad name.

That.....and the whole funny money addiction everyone subscribes to these days.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:25 | 2750843 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 With all the SNAP card holders out there, I'm curious. Are items purchased with SNAP taxed at all? 

  Another Z/H reader mentioned that in some States alcohol can be purchased with SNAP cards.

    Is there some code for SNAP cards that allows all purchases to be (un-taxed) as consumer staples? Or are individual items taxed accordingly, and the retailer credited?

    We all know the fraud that takes place with SNAP. I'm just trying to find out how my " TAX DOLLARS" , are being used to subsidize the " UNDERWORLDTVM

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:34 | 2750877 Jendrzejczyk
Jendrzejczyk's picture

Eligible Foods
Eligible foods include any food or food product intended for
human consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco,
and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption.
It also includes seeds and plants to grow foods for the
personal consumption of eligible households.

You cannot charge State or local sales taxes on eligible items
purchased with SNAP benefits.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:55 | 2750919 lotsoffun
lotsoffun's picture

so an iced double frappe cinammon chocolate no-fat starbucks is ok?


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:54 | 2750926 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 We solved 1/2 of the question. Since SNAP is a "Federal" program , it means retail sales tax returns are filed on a Federal tax scheme. ( for retailers)  This means that there is a code (exemption) for products purchased, ( as a whole), not individually!

   Jendrzejczyk   Thanks for your time "-/.

  The second half of my question is what States/Counties- Municipalities, allow SNAP to be used for ( alcohol/tobacco)?

  To the A-Hole that JUNKED me! Some /sanctioned bodies are allowing SNAP.  i DON'T MEAN TO BE RUNDUDANT! asshole!

   i'LL DIG UP THE z/h THREAD, as most of the fodder here is unwilling!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:11 | 2751114 Jendrzejczyk
Jendrzejczyk's picture

Always at your service Yen. Keep up the quest.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:26 | 2751149 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 Thanks.  I'm already mostly "ex-pat". 

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 22:23 | 2751356 James
James's picture

@ Yen Cross,

Some food stamp cards are loaded monthly w/both food and a cash subsidy.

The cash subsidy usually entails children in household.

Referred to as TANF.

And yes, they can spend it how they like.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:37 | 2750884 blunderdog
blunderdog's picture

Take 2% of whatever you paid in taxes.  That's what's going to SNAP.

About 40% of what you paid is going to old folks.

Which (in your opinion only) is the better use of funds?

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:59 | 2751093 Totentänzerlied
Totentänzerlied's picture

Either way, you're being robbed. How about charity instead? Oh but Hobbesians will be Hobbesians, and our masters thank you for it.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:38 | 2753456 blunderdog
blunderdog's picture

Oh, I'm all for ending the dole, I'd just start with the BIG problems and work downwards towards the rounding errors.

It's all about having kind of a sense of priority.

Incidentally, I realize not everyone understands this because they often come from a very privileged upbringing: the foodstamps thing isn't a welfare issue.  It's a domestic security issue. 

Starving people firebomb government buildings and rob and kill for enough to eat.  This has brought down several governments recently.  The US gummit knows full-well they can't prevent the foodstampers from turning the US into a hellhole by FORCE, so they buy them off instead.

It's a lot cheaper than a military occupation.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:45 | 2751487 BooMushroom
BooMushroom's picture

I has experience relevant to this problem. This info is good at least for CA. Ymmv.

There is a single EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card given for government assistance, which accesses both SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (welfare dollars). SNAP can only purchase food items that are not served hot, or intended to be eaten in the store. It can only be used at stores approved by the state, which must carry a certain number of each class of food (produce, meat, dairy, grains, etc.). What qualifies for each category is pretty minimal, though, hence 7-11 qualifying. Sales tax and deposits cannot be charged to SNAP. So when the Coke says $3.69 on the shelf, you "pay" $3.69, even though the guy behind you has to pay 5¢ per can plus 8% sales tax. At the grocery stores with sandwich counters and coffee shops, YES, you can get away with buying a Frappacino and a sub sandwich, as long as it isn't toasted.

The TANF (a.k.a. EBT CASH) welfare money, again accessed by the same card, can be used for anything, including liquor. One can even get "cash back" like a regular ATM card, which one can then take to the guy standing outside the 7-11, and buy one's recreational chemicals and plants. The "cash" thing is supposed to be so you can pay rent, utilities, etc. The cash thing is theoretically no worse than mailing them a check, except for the fact that the money goes to TBTF instead of USPS and check-cashing places.

Source: I was a retailer who accepted EBT for years, and received food stamps for a couple months between jobs.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:17 | 2750846 larz
larz's picture

....but I dont have to worry about gas in my car or food on my table - I didnt build any of the crap I thought I built this place is embarrassing Im going off to be a mountain man


SNAP purchases are not taxed I believe

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:17 | 2750849 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

romney is leading among billionaires and mormon underwear salesmen. it's a start.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:25 | 2750900 nmewn
nmewn's picture

lol...and O'Barry has always led among pathologicall liars and the free lunch'll be close until October.


On the subject of truth and pathologicall liars.

Jim Messina, campaign manager for O'Barry...


Ummm, no. You're either fucking stupid or lying Jim...which is it?

Dateline Feb.19 2009...

The GM plant that O'Barry told union workers he would re-tool if he was elected and last another 100yrs, closed under his watch, you union suckers.

Just like Ryan said it did last night.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:03 | 2751102 divide_by_zero
divide_by_zero's picture

You mean billionaires like Gates, Buffett, & Ellison(1,2, & 3)?  Yeah, right.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:11 | 2751118 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

you mean he isn't leading among billionaires? LMAO!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:26 | 2750854 zilverreiger
zilverreiger's picture

surely you're not in favour of taking foodstamps away...

I love american sadomassochism

why do you keep barking up the wrong tree, go kill some bankers instead of hungry plebians


you slaves lost all the money like the rest of the world, but got not even welfare to show for it, or freedom, priorities folks

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:09 | 2751112 lightning
lightning's picture

I guess I am a true a*hole then because I say let the welfare bubbas and the bankers go hungry.  Personally, each of them has raped the american taxpayer blind and encouraged subsidies and bailouts of various industries.  This has muddied the water so much that now it is simply which industry gets top billing when some fake cuts are proposed by either party.  End ALL subsidies, corporate welfare, and the other laws that have created price monopolies that are bankrupting us (this last statement refers to ETMLA and how hospitals can overcharge for procedures in ways never imagined - medical costs are also a drain on the economy).

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:11 | 2751115 tyrone
tyrone's picture

No matter who wins, SNAP recipients are screwed. You don't actually think obama will continue the handouts to 50 million AFTER he gets to be king for 4 more years. They will all be shipped off to FEMA camps for "re-education".

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:43 | 2751553 azusgm
azusgm's picture

Of course he'll keep it going and add to it. Throw in subsidized housing. Life was so cool under Stalin. Let's do it again.

If you work hard and rise through the ranks, maybe he'll show favor and allow you a dacha for a time.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:14 | 2751119 Totentänzerlied
Totentänzerlied's picture

Priorities indeed, as in priorotizing rhetoric over causation. The evil gang of big bad bankers did not paradrop wads of cash to the welfare-recipients after viciously pilfering it from the hapless plebs. No, the elected politicians arranged a system by which wealth is redistributed via taxation - a good portion of the electorate actually demanded such - and now the welfare-recipients ask for their welfare - or, as the case may be, demand it.

I love populist apologists, servile, sycophantic masochists, watching you guys jump through your (master-slave) dialectical hoops is almost as fun as watching the Marxists with their own (master/slave) capital/labor dialectical gymnastics. Man I sure am glad GWF Hegel was so widely read in his time, imagine how bad-off we'd all be if he'd been as obscure as Fichte, Schelling, or Schleiermacher, perish the thought!!!


Bonus points: Identify the hypocrisy in my argument, and you win a good ol' fashioned tu quoque showdown!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:23 | 2750857 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

We haven't had a drinking game on ZH for a while so I propose we have drinking games for both Romney and Obama's speeches.  What should the keyword(s) be for tonight's douchefest?

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:24 | 2750864 Brazillionaire
Brazillionaire's picture

Obama: "recovery"

Romney: "built that"

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:13 | 2750971 poor fella
poor fella's picture


(Careful or you'll need your stomach pumped!!)


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:07 | 2751105 divide_by_zero
divide_by_zero's picture

Even more deadly, take a shot each time the phrase "dog whistle" is uttered on MSNBC or if suicide is the intention skip to "racist".

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:34 | 2750878 Rainman
Rainman's picture


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:42 | 2750885 Michael
Michael's picture

Who cares since nobody is going to watch it? I'll watch the part where the Ron Paul wrecking crew walks out then immediately turn it off.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:55 | 2750917 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

What do you mean who cares?  Alcoholics care.  For the time being, I'm going to drink everytime I see you post which means I should be shit-faced from just this thread alone much less any of the others:-)

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:00 | 2750934 Michael
Michael's picture

I gave you an up arrow.


I'm going out to get a Four Loko. Be back soon.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:05 | 2750952 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

Green for you too.  Now that's the spirit!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:51 | 2750911 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Debt...I'll be trashed half way through.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:03 | 2750947 Seasmoke
Seasmoke's picture

George Bush..... I gave up drinking alcohol

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:38 | 2751048 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

I'm going to with economy, jobs and working/middle class at one swig for each instance.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:45 | 2751060 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

OK, here we have this from ABC "news".  If this word is "uttered" it requires the downing of one liter of any spirit of your choice that is 80 proof or above.

"Asked whether the word “Mormon” would be uttered tonight, the Romney adviser said, “I can’t believe it won’t be uttered in the faith section,” but declined to say whether it will make an appearance in Romney’s speech."

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:40 | 2751050 nmewn
nmewn's picture

I think you're safely on the wagon with that one.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:23 | 2750860 Wakanda
Wakanda's picture

It's free - swipe yo EBT!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:50 | 2750909 Overfed
Overfed's picture

Imagine the outrage if she (Chapter) wasn't black. It wouldn't be satire, it would be hate.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:43 | 2751056 Bicycle Repairman
Bicycle Repairman's picture

A favorite video of mine.  Have to be careful about singing it.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:26 | 2750866 Whoa Dammit
Whoa Dammit's picture

I am starting to see some cheap, never seen before meats, show up in the local Kroger. A few weeks ago they started carrying pigs feet and a package mix of chicken gizzards and hearts. Today they also had pigs ears. I'll know its getting really bad when they start selling possum.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:31 | 2750874 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

My 7/11 coffee is watered down piss. There is no more coffee. I wonder when it will really hit me that I am drinking mud...

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:42 | 2751053 Hedgetard55
Hedgetard55's picture

Chicken hearts and gizzards are "new"? Where have you been, friend? I have been simmering them slowly in tomato sauce until tender and serving with rice or pasta for 30 years. Delicious! With a punchy, rustic red wine, nothing like it.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:04 | 2751103 Curt W
Curt W's picture

maybe you are starting to look around more, as you can't afford the steaks anymore.  I have seen the gizzards in the store my whole life.

BTW you forgot to mention the head cheese.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 22:18 | 2751351 Cthonic
Cthonic's picture

 "BTW you forgot to mention the head cheese."

Are they still allowed to sell that after the mad cow scare of the 90's?  Jesus.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 22:35 | 2751375 Curt W
Curt W's picture

I saw some last week at 99 cent store

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:27 | 2751459 Cthonic
Cthonic's picture

A firm produced PrP(C) knockout Holsteins back in 2006 that for all intents and purposes were physiologically normal aside from their resistance to all known BSE vectors.  Zero followup since there is no demand for safe steak.  CDC doesn't even mandate vCJD reporting.  The national lab that analyzes samples starting charging for testing last year-- what hospital is going to pay to have a corpse tested when it's just easier to write "dementia" on the toe tag?

Those who only partake in chicken or swine might think that removes any risk for BSE; however cow byproducts are fed to those animals.

Slow kill.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:32 | 2751161 pursueliberty
pursueliberty's picture

Locally, liver is more than leg qtrs.  Leg qtrs can be had for $.60# during a regular sale and on occasion for less.  They have a million uses.  I purchased bone in breasts for $.99# last month.  Only downside is they are so large you have to split them to cook in a timely manner without drying them out.  Or you can do a little brine for 2 hours and they are perfect on the grill.


Pig ears are a ethnic item, so are the feet.  I tried one as a child and I didn't care for it.  I though my dad was pulling my leg that they were food.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:58 | 2750867 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:12 | 2750967 fonzannoon
fonzannoon's picture

It's a legitimate concern.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:29 | 2750869 steveo77
steveo77's picture

I figured it out….students are paying around $60 an hour for someone 
else to educate them….. 
They (full time students) spend around 21% of their waking hours in “Education”, hmmmm, seems a little like Education lite, with an ever increasing tab.  
If all those "students" were on the unemployment roll call, I wonder what the U6 unemployment rate would be 22% or so?  
Just keep those food stamps rolling, and Dabama can win the key election states (which incidentally all have high levels of food stamps and economic stress, sheesh, Ohio, I used to live there). We had an aircraft maintenance and flying service, we didn't build that..... 
Great pie-chart here of how student use their time, no bacon on that pie that, lots of pork.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 07:36 | 2751904 dolly madison
dolly madison's picture

Wow, that pie chart does not at all match my university experience.  Where's the studying and doing other school work outside of class time?  My time at university was a blur of work.  I am sure it varies depending on the field studied, but still.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:33 | 2750871 Michael
Michael's picture

They just want to take all the power for themselves so they can give themselves and their friends all the taxpayer money. Fucking disgusting RNC and DNC.

Fedbuster says;

Michael what is going to happen to the 50 million Mr. EBTs, if they can't be swiping for their food?


That weapon will be used on the sheeple. Poor sheeple.

Fedbuster says;

Food the original WMD. 



It's that whole Joseph of the Old Testament Bible economic strangulation of the sheeple plan re-played on us again.

This cycle is almost complete. De industrialized, no food stores, no money or gold, stupid sheeple.

They should have killed that Joseph when they had the chance.


Food the original WMD. 

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:35 | 2750880 drchris
drchris's picture

After QE1, QE2, Operation Twist and ZIRP this is all the "recovery" we have.  Was there any organic growth in the past 4 years?   

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:11 | 2750907 greyghost
greyghost's picture

because the bankers took the money and ran. greedy fucks were supposed to loan the money out. no recovery

see zerohedge post before this one: bankers profits drop but compensation rises!!!!!! no loans no profits.....take 23 trillion fed created dollars and take those as compensation.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 22:10 | 2751336 Cthonic
Cthonic's picture

Just in for-profit higher education funded by... gov't education loans.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:41 | 2750882 Mercury
Mercury's picture


Well I can (for the 20th time). Under Obama food stamps have become a stealth entitlement. Period.

The electoral college aside, the new political dynamic isn't about the "1%" or the "99%" it's about the 51%.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:42 | 2750886 Everybodys All ...
Everybodys All American's picture

Food stamp additions, faux disabled employee additions, dream act executive order, and gay marriage changes were all designed to garner more votes for Obama. I'm assuming it's working. How else can you explain it? Did I miss anything?

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:50 | 2750908 greyghost
greyghost's picture

only willard and paul

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:00 | 2750937 Everybodys All ...
Everybodys All American's picture

I forgot another give away ... Obama has changed dramatically the work requirements of the 1996 welfare reform bill.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:55 | 2750918 economicfreefall
economicfreefall's picture

Elections in the States, elections in Europe. Slowing GDP and and worse employment numbers all over the place. Feels like a layup for unilateral money printing a la QE.

German joblessness rose for a fifth month running in August, the latest in a string of disappointing data that adds to evidence Europe's largest economy is feeling the effects of the euro zone crisis.


Unemployment still remains close to a post-reunification low, but the Federal Labour Office acknowledged that slowing growth was beginning to take its toll on what has been one of Europe's most resilient jobs markets.

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 0.3 percent in the second quarter as companies, nervous about the debt crisis sweeping southern euro zone states, cut back on investments.

Many economists are expecting GDP to fall in the third quarter of the year, with Germany possibly even falling into a technical recession - defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction - in the latter half of 2012.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:57 | 2750925 Westcoastliberal
Westcoastliberal's picture

This isn't the entire picture due to the BLS fudging the unemployment numbers.  Let's see this same graphic adding a column with the number of persons, by state, who've been shoved off the end of the conveyor belt by not being included in the workforce.  Most of these people want a job, need a job, can't find a job (because in many areas of the country there simple are NOT ANY JOBS, even McJobs) so let's add them back in and compare the "official" unemployment % with the real %.

Everything else is just bullshit.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:00 | 2751098 tyrone
tyrone's picture


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:58 | 2750930 shuckster
shuckster's picture

Useless eaters should be turned into useless starvers. No more foodstamps! Dance for them! Bring back the whip! From now on, in order to collect welfare, candidates should have run over crawl over burning coals to reach their check! While being urinated on! Remove the ticks! aahhhh!!

But seriously, vote R

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:05 | 2750950 Everybodys All ...
Everybodys All American's picture

Seriously, vote D so we can all share in the epic fail.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:00 | 2751096 Papasmurf
Papasmurf's picture

Either choice is epic fail, so vote the one you want blamed.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:01 | 2750940 Keith Piccirillo
Keith Piccirillo's picture

No mention of the bang for the buck that Prez gets from issuing food stamps.

This has been well documented.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:01 | 2750942 FoxMulder
FoxMulder's picture

And that is why this November I am voting for Giant Douche over Turd Sandwich. 

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:03 | 2750948 blindman
blindman's picture

@" it's the food stamps stupid."
more hilarious till someone loses and eye, good one.
diebold can/has/will correct these democratic imperfections.
central planning thinks of everything excluding
the individual self, that is the one thing that must be
sacrificed, hung on the cross so to speak, this can be
internalized and taught effectively: embraced as to be
the accepted norm in a symbolic way and enforced in a
physical way for those of differing opinion or
one thing, this country should outlaw letting the
welfare people/corporations from writing the laws that
grant them free resources and tax exemptions for
being parasites on the working poor. that might
improve something, somewhere?
ah, fuck it. let them eat steak/stake everything and evict-us
the extra/excess labour pool and useless eaters. (formerly
known as human beings, humanity). you know there are
countries with plenty of trainable people in the world
where they have no laws or bias against slavery and
exploitation.(y our degrading future?) the people are hungry and willing to escape their cannibalistic culture for the safety of a
16 hour work day in a modern factory with space age
machines and technology to produce at levels never
before dreamt of by mere "workers". and eliminating
the idea of humanity, ongoing. intoxicating
stuff .... and the money ! so,
"don't dare close your eyes and don't dare wink ,
and maybe in the next life you will be able to hear
your self think "(b.d.) cause if you sleep and then
awake, the hang over may be hell itself.
Bonnie Raitt - Million Miles (2012)

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:15 | 2750975 reader2010
reader2010's picture

EBT for all. 

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:18 | 2750980 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  Let's focus on #'s.  Freedom of choice is " Fought For" on the backs of " Crop Sowers".   

   Girl scout Cookies, and Lemonade Stands are / non-grata    ( Puking my brains out>...

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:32 | 2751027 rodocostarica
rodocostarica's picture

I was always going to vote for Romney (since I knew my guy RP was cheated out of it) since he is the lesser of two evils.

After seeing the shit that Obromney has pulled this week at the convention I can tell you GO TO HELL ROMNEY.

I am with Micheal and others and will vote Obama just to fuck with the pricks who have denegrated and disrespected my hero Ron Paul. But more importantly fucked over duly elected delegates from Maine and other states that worked their asses off for years and fairly won state conventions.

Fuck Mitt ROmeny you asshole cheat lying ripoff bastard.

The revolution is still there and grows stonger daily.


In Liberty

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:51 | 2751560 ltsgt1
ltsgt1's picture

Being an union member in a very strong union, I was going to vote against my interest with great reluctant only because I believe another four years of Obama would cause this country great harm.

I change my mind too after watching how these pricks treated Ron Paul.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:37 | 2751031 Dead Canary
Dead Canary's picture

"They say that every society is only three meals away from revolution. Deprive a culture of food for three meals, and you'll have an anarchy. And it's true, isn't it? You don't eat for a couple of days, and you'll turn into a barbarian."

~ Arnold J Rimmer  B.S.S.


Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:33 | 2751032 Dr. Gonzo
Dr. Gonzo's picture

2016 election will be: "It's the Hoveround Scooter stupid!" 500lb unemployed Americans should not have to walk to the fridge to get the Dr. Pepper. "Chicken in every pot?" My ass. We don't cook! It's too much work and you have to think! My ass should never have to leave my Plus size hoverround unless it's to poop or to have the crane hoist me into my bariatric bed. It's bullshit they only give them to medicare and medicaid fattys! Everyone in this country should have equal ability to be a sloth!

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:50 | 2751073 nmewn
nmewn's picture

"My ass should never have to leave my Plus size hoverround unless it's to poop..."

I believe they have them with pots under them now for "accidents". I also have full faith in "progressive" statists everywhere that some new law will be devised to accommodate the lard ass hoveround set...perhaps the Home Pooper Scooper Act.

Afterall, they have to have a way to keep young college grads busy (and not rioting) as they pay off their student loans from the government...its really a Win Win ;-)

Mon, 09/03/2012 - 03:35 | 2751068 boiltherich
boiltherich's picture

Tyler... Written as only a person who has never been enrolled in SNAP could imagine things to be.

I disagree with a couple of fundamental assumptions in this piece, one is that it will be close. I do not think it will be as close as some are predicting, and by the way economics aside and I will get to that in a moment, Nevada and Colorado both border Utah, people in most of the country have little exposure to Mormons, those that live out west where they are common are greatly turned off by the prospect of having one as president, you will just have to take my word for it, they are seen as a mostly harmless but annoying cult, it is one thing for them to come to your house and try to pressure you into their "religion," it is another to have them making life and death decisions in the White House.

As to the broad assumption that the big increases in food stamp enrollment will somehow favor Romney I could not disagree more. Most people on food stamps either blame themselves for that situation (far more common than you think) or believe rightly or wrongly that Obama inherited the problems from the GOP under BushCo and that the GOP in congress has thwarted Obama's attempts to fix things. Not my opinion, like I said, right or wrong.

What these SNAP recipients do see is a Romney Ryan ticket grandstanding on TV frothing at the mouth about the HARD truths regarding spending, they know if this ass clown has the nerve to go after Medicare and Medicaid he will have no problems going after food stamps. And for the more astute Romney has already said he would slash Department of Ag's budget, the department that separates them from eating road kill, or worse, at some Mormon mission. He wants to kill the post office, Amtrak, PBS, National Endowment for the Arts, "Romney's campaign has insisted that they can trim federal spending enough to achieve fiscal balance..." they know he claims he can cut spending by at least 1 trillion per year without touching defense or "middle class tax cuts" and that just is not even remotely possible without deep cuts to the safety net.

"Romney said he would block grant Medicaid and send programs like housing vouchers and food stamps back to the states." Right, states that are themselves as broke as the federal government but with balanced budget requirements the feds do not have, states will be competing to curtail benefits as fast as they can down to that block grant amount which is far lower than the benefit they now get, and if they eliminate the program entirely so as to force poor people out of their states and into states with higher benefits all the better. Don't believe me? Ask a Californian, a lot of the population growth from 1990 onward was driven by other states "dumping" of their burden of poor onto states with higher benefit structures.

I think that while the economy may be bad, very bad if you are unemployed and or on food stamps, if you are in that sad little lifeboat you know Romney would climb in with a drill and a hacksaw and simply commence to bore holes in the hull. You wish you had a job and did not need assistance, but you can't afford to bet on Romney who you pretty much know will eviscerate the programs that are keeping you alive. By the way, nearly all SNAP enrollees have kids, even if you could do without Medicaid and food stamps your kids can't.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 19:54 | 2751079 Curt W
Curt W's picture

The Electoral college was invented back when it could take a week to get results from western states.

We have instant communication now.  The electoral college should be abandoned, technology has made it obsolete.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 01:16 | 2751584 azusgm
azusgm's picture

What western states?

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 06:16 | 2751833 nmewn
nmewn's picture

lol...some comments can't be improved on, all I can say is well done.

Mon, 09/03/2012 - 03:39 | 2757178 boiltherich
boiltherich's picture

Nicely cryptic and yet still full of shit.  Everything you have ever posted here at ZH reeks of hate and jealousy, if you were my neighbor I would either move away or kill you, I don't like crazy fuckers and Nazis.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:16 | 2751131 TheObsoleteMan
TheObsoleteMan's picture

Frankly, all this time spent talking about who is going to win the election is a big waste of time. I'll tell you ahead of time who is going to win the election: The banksters, the Military industrial complex, bigger gubmint, and all of the rest of the rent seekers. Why would you expect things to be any differant? The majority of the 'mercun sheeple have spoken, they are satisfied with what we have, and want it to continue {until it can't}. An honest person has no place in today's 'mercan political scene {except at maybe the local level}. It is as corrupt as Rome ever was. "GIVE US BREAD AND CIRCUS!"

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:23 | 2751144 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 You guys are pretty good at working those "Fat Fingers" :-)  Is this " Dr. Laura"?

  Do you need a "puppy' to get through this? /sarc

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:28 | 2751154 pamriallc
pamriallc's picture

When "government" is raising taxes on the "people" it is no longer government serving the people, but an act of vanity in order to further glorify itself through patronage of those not willing to think for themselves. I am not interested in "indirect benefits" anymore. I now look for direct results for money given to anyone else, for any purpose.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 20:47 | 2751182 toomanyfakecons...
toomanyfakeconservatives's picture

Elections (which are really just a selection)... or the MASS ARRESTS will occur and Ron Paul will be installed temporarily as President until the traitors are prosecuted, the Fed is dissolved, and legitimate elections can be held...

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 21:50 | 2751305 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

OK, the douchebaggery is about to begin and we will need plenty of booze to suffer it.  Brazillionaire wins the overall vote with "Built that" but I use Diebold vote counting machines so....

One swig of beer for each mention of the words "economy/jobs/middle class."

Every time Romney mentions "built that", that is one entire mixed drink.

An entire bottle of 80 proof (or greater) spirits for any Romney mention of the word "Mormon".

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 22:10 | 2751337 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

nmewn's "debt" suggestion shall be added to the list of a "swig" of beer list but for that fact that I have to listen to Clint Eastwood.  Dirty Harry indeed.  Blood pressure now at 265/180.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:19 | 2751448 robertocarlos
robertocarlos's picture

I've been saying Obama is a lock but now I implore you to vote for Romney.

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:34 | 2751472 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

The "We Believe in America" Romney speech catchwords used during speech for the drinking game results plus or minus:

Debt-2 (one usage out of context to actual financial debt: i.e a debt of gratitude)

Built that-0

Economy/jobs- 31 (no reference to middle class)

Mormon-1  (I'll drink mine this weekend)


Other keywords of note that were overused:





Church/family/women- too many to list

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 23:52 | 2751496 Arnold Ziffel
Arnold Ziffel's picture

Barry had complete control of 2 branches fo the Gubbermint...and he botched it imo.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:38 | 2751547 ltsgt1
ltsgt1's picture

But he will get re-elected anyway because more than half of the population want to get something for free.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:20 | 2751529 Henry Hub
Henry Hub's picture

It looks like this election is completely irrelevant for the average person. You are going to to be screwed out of Social Security and Medicare by ether party. The only two things the average Joe get from the government. These will be looted to pay for the upcoming war against Iran as well as other military adventures, bailouts, and tax cuts for billionaires.

So I am asking myself if my vote is meaningless why no make a buck. I'm thinking that the two major parties are awash in cash, so why not sell my vote to the highest bidder. Instead of bribing Congressmen and Senators, why not bribe the voters? I'm starting the bidding at $1,000. Let's see what our vote is really worth.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:35 | 2751543 Manipuflation
Manipuflation's picture

Agreed.  Americans "deserve" something better is pretty much all I heard tonight from the RNC.  What is actually deserved is left to question.


Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:48 | 2751557 RiotActing
RiotActing's picture

What a giant excersise in self masterbation. This would be awesome if we lived in a world where the people decide who their president is. That would be awesome. You think they want Romney in "charge" when the shit hits the fan? GTFOOH! Moving on....

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 00:48 | 2751558 RiotActing
RiotActing's picture


Fri, 08/31/2012 - 01:57 | 2751635 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Better fucking feed us otherwise we're headed to the Hamptons.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 01:58 | 2751636 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

The J.P. Morgue controls the EBT cards through state governments (convenient, eh?).

All they have to do is change everyone's default password to "Obama" or "Romney" on October 1st, claiming a terrible Halloween Hacker attack.

Then, have the receipt read the address of the local polling station and say "Go here to get a voucher for $20 at your local liquor store".

Mission accomplished, whichever way they want the chips to fall.

The TBTF banks are our government.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 02:28 | 2751656 baldski
baldski's picture




Fri, 08/31/2012 - 07:24 | 2751891 northerngirl
northerngirl's picture

When are we going to stop looking at our political leaders, (Government), to fix the problems with our country?  I understand we need to help those that need food, shelter and health care, but it could be done in a more cost efficient manner if it was not done at the Federal, State, County or City level.  Accepting government hand-outs to replace lost income does not help in the long run.  It doesn't matter who wins in November as long as Americans keep taking government hand outs.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:48 | 2753489 blunderdog
blunderdog's picture

I recently saw Clint Eastwood's speech from the RNC.  Apparently he's a big-gummit kinda guy, 'cause he wants the President to create 12 million jobs.   Ugh. 

If that's the message Romney takes away from the speech, maybe we'll see a new CCC or work-corps if he wins.

Yay for Big Daddy.
