Food stamps, tax breaks for poor in stimulus bill

[honoluludaniel]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – More than 37 million Americans live in poverty, and the vast majority of them are in line for extra help under the giant stimulus package coming out of Congress. Millions more could be kept from slipping into poverty by the economic lifeline.

People who get food stamps — 30 million and growing — will get more. People drawing unemployment checks — 4.8 million and growing — would get an extra $25, and keep those checks coming longer. People who get Supplemental Security Income — 7 million poor Americans who are elderly, blind or disabled — would get one-time extra payments of $250.

Many low-income Americans also are likely to benefit from a trifecta of tax credits: expansions to the existing Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, and a new refundable tax credit for workers. Taken together, the three credits are expected to keep more than 2 million Americans from falling into poverty, including more than 800,000 children, according to the private Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The package also includes $3 billion emergency fund to provide temporary assistance to needy families.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_go_co/stimulus_poor

[DJ13]

1. People who get food stamps — will get more.

Great, but what about those who are on the borderline who dont qualify?

Here in California (that bastion of low cost living...) I dont qualify even though Im on SSDI.

Wheres the help for people on the edge like me?

[CountAllVotes]

2. doesn't seem like anything

I'd really like my homeowner's/renter's refund that I was supposed to get as well. That was axed out by the gropenfailure.

So much for change huh?

:(

:dem: :kick:

[GinaMaria]

23. Food stamps should give the economy an immediate bump

because they are used right away. It's thought to be the top bang for the stimulus buck in terms of ROI. Second is temporary extention of Unemployment insurance followed by infrastructure and aid to state govs. All four of the top bang for the stimulus buck fall under spending. We should hopefully see and feel a little relief with some of this.

[Donnachaidh]

4. We're the new *disappeared*

Nothing much for those who are hanging on with bloodied fingers.

[Bryn]

7. Me, too

x( I am also on SSDI yet I don't qualify for food stamps. You'd have to be very very very very very poor ..no home, no legs, no arms, etc. to get food stamps!

[DollyM]

14. or have 14 children!

:) I told my husband that surely I have a few good eggs left in me that we could make into octuplets and get food stamps!

[CountAllVotes]

15. she'll get $3500 from the stimulus

plus extra food stamp money.

I wonder if she'll try having another batch of babies soon?

:kick:

[Bryn]

16. Good idea if you'd share food stamps with me

:)

[Politicalboi]

3. And the stimulus bill is going to

Euthanize the elderly. So maybe we can save money there. LOL!

http://www.jabberwonk.com/flinker.cfm?cliid=agmn6

[jwirr]

5. How soon will these things take effect?

[GinaMaria]

24. Not sure if I understood your question correctly but....

Food stamps have an almost immediate effect as they are just like money and tend to be used right away. This keeps people employed in the grocery industry and may also increase jobs as people can buy more. It's a small start but is #1 in getting an economy going in terms of ROI of stimulus dollars. There's a lot more we need to do. Food stamps are not a permanent fix but they can get things moving again. I hope immediate improvement is seen and felt from this package and Obama can do more next time like extending food stamps to more people.

[jwirr]

26. Thank you for answering this question but I worded it wrong. I wanted

to know how long it will be before the law is in effect? When do the people get more food stamps, etc.?

[Old Codger]

6. WOW

$13 more a week and a big 400-800 more NEXT YEAR Man let me tell ya that 56 or so a month makes all the difference I can now buy a new car and a new house.... oh ya they will give me some refund sometime on the house too and boy oh boy I can take the sales tax that I pay on the new car off also (except I live in a no sales tax state) :sarcasm: From what I have read so far the largest part of the tax relief so called stimulus won't even kick in til you do your taxes for 2009 in other words a year from now... that should really kick start the economy. NOT! Almost a total waste of time so far, can't see any real help out there at this point.

[CountAllVotes]

8. sadly,

I agree with you. Even with an extra $13 a week my bills keep going up and up. I finally broke down and called up my cable provider yesterday and told them I'd have to disconnect the service unless they could lower the bill a bit.

Luckily they agreed - $6.00 less a month now. That was my "stimulus".

Still, I have taxes due April 15th. If I had the refund check for my property taxes that I was expecting, I wouldn't be as worried as I am.

It sucks hanging on like this.

So far, I see nothing much that is going to happen any time soon that will "kick start" the economy. $6 won't do it Pres. Obama.

:dem: :kick:

[Anywho6]

9. Just another example of how out of touch Congress really is

I try to be an optimistic person (even though I have been unemployed since July), but I don't see this bill doing much of anything in the way of stimulus. Any "tax breaks" for those actually working are an empty gesture and, frankly, insulting. They can try bribing people into buying homes and autos, but most people are terrified of losing their jobs or trying to replenish their retirement accounts that have been devastated and are not going to buying either anytime soon.

That's great they offer to refund the sales tax on a new car (So glad I bought a new car a few months before getting laid off! Jeez.), but I won't only people who itemize deductions be able to deduct the interest on a new car loan?

They can keep propping up the economy with all kinds of gimmicks, but it's eventually going to come crashing down, I think.

[CountAllVotes]

10. a new car would be a horror for me

even if it got 50 MPG it would be a nightmare. The gropenfailure is raising the price of annual car tags back up so folks in California can double the price of what they are now paying next year for their tags.

If you happened to have gone out and bought a new Prius, you'll have tags that will cost well over $300 a year.

Mine will be increasing to about $175.00 for a car that is soon to be 8 years old.

Oops, there went that extra $6.00 a month I thought I had just managed to stimulate my monthly income with. :( :grr:

:dem:

[Anywho6]

13. You know...

...my partner and I were talking and we think there should be a mega-tax on cigarettes AND alcohol. I have a few drinks now and again and I'm all for a higher tax! Now THAT would be progressive!

Well, I am due to pay $245 for license and registration on my 2008 Altima next month and I have no problem with knowing that I will be paying ~$450 next year. I think CA is ridiculously low on their car tax.

[Abq_Sarah]

22. Progressive?

Tobacco and alcohol taxes disproportionately harm lower income workers. So do gasoline taxes. So we have a case where the Senate passes changes to SCHIP, to "help" lower income families provide healthcare to their children and who do they tax to get the money? Cigarette smokers.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

21. I live in Mississippi... one of the poorest states in the US

and in my county, the car tag on a new Prius would cost you a miniumum of $600 annully

[KakistocracyHater]

11. fighting over pennies to the poor while billions pass by

overhead, they should raise the point where income is taxed, no payroll taxes for the first $20,000; extend payroll & Social Security taxes over $100,000 & WHOLESALE MEDICINES!!! That really was a giant red flag that Bush's Medicare Drug Disaster Bill was bs-it expressly forbid wholesale pricing.

[Old Codger]

12. not really funny

750 billion for how many banks??? 100-200 779.5 billion for 300million+ people.. fair allocation LOL

[Bryn]

17. Come to think about this!

"fighting over pennies to the poor while billions pass by..." So true! That's why I am always so puzzled at how government works for us the people. Those bonuses that CEOs took out of bailout money should be taken away and given to us. The government needs to get their act together.

[KakistocracyHater]

19. yes I find it repulsive that they monitor the poorest

so much, yet we are not allowed to know where the billion$ to the Banksters went? Not even allowed to ask? The NYT did actually admit in a report that the IRS audits daycare teachers & other low-income groups more than billionaires & multi-national corps. Look at how they took Willie Nelson's home for back taxes yet when I read that many corps. failed to pay back taxes-NO ACTIONS from the gov!

[Bryn]

20. Of Course!

"Only little people pay taxes"

:nopity:

[Zhade]

18. Wow. How generous.

Meanwhile, the rich get richer.

[closeupready]

27. I hate this Congress. Nearly every one of them is on the take.

n/t

[jkappy]

25. Nothing for Low Income Seniors...

The Bush stimulus gave seniors nothing too, until the Dems. stepped in for a 300.00 rebate check. Now this Dem bill offers nothing to most seniors who have lost both pension funds, and savings account interest (which many live off from month to month).