Every minute I get more upset. WIC benefits in danger.

[joshlyman]

m.cbsnews.com/storysynopsis.rbml?pageType=politics&url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57605501/wic-support-for-moms-babies-threatened-during-shutdown/&catid=57605501

This is fucking ridiculous. If it lasts longer than a week I am going to donate to my local food bank, you know, so kids don't starve and shit.

[EmilieMadison]

Food bank shelves are already precariously low, so donating now wouldn't hurt if that's something you'd do anyway.
And yes, this is fucking ridiculous.

[joshlyman]

Oct 2, 2013 11:25:04 GMT -5 EmilieMadison said:

Food bank shelves are already precariously low, so donating now wouldn't hurt if that's something you'd do anyway.
And yes, this is fucking ridiculous.

I should say donate extra. I so try to donate on a semi-regular basis, this is just the push I need to do more.

[julez]

And on top of this, all of the workers who work with WICK-eligible moms and babies are going to be out of work. I know people who both qualify for and work for WIC, and it's going to be devastating to all.

[joshlyman]

Oct 2, 2013 11:34:41 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

It's being assessed on a state-by-state basis. I think at this point, pretty much all states are continuing WIC benefits. But that will likely change the longer the shutdown continues.

Yeah, that is why I stated longer than a week. But in CA I can see the state doing what it can for longer than that...but I am really more worried about some red states and what they will do

[Ace]

I hope that for the sake of everyone the shutdown ends soon. I'm so thankful that many states are allowing WIC offices to remain open. I live in an extremely red state and our offices were open. That is good for me because I had appointments with them this morning to sign up since my DH was laid off last month. I'm not sure what we would do going forward without the extra help.

[joshlyman]

The googles seem to be telling me that most states have funds to last apx a week.

[candreco]

I can't believe the callousness of the conservative media- they have jobs, food and health care, so who gives a crap if some people don't. This piece is primarily about WIC as well, but the quote from one of them saying that the sequester was NBD makes me freaking livid. It was and still is a big deal for those of us who were furloughed under it and are still working under it for agencies facing reduction in force (i.e. layoffs). Just one more example of how the right wing and the conservative media are willing to screw people over, and worse, don't seem to even realize that they're doing it.

[joshlyman]

UT is closed up already, and are directing women to food banks, just an FYI for UT people on here.

[joshlyman]

Looks like AR will be the next to close down - but the USDA is trying to prop them up.

[toepick]

Those lazy babies should go get a job.

[joshlyman]

Oct 2, 2013 12:32:07 GMT -5 toepick said:

Those lazy babies should go get a job.

Bootstraps!

[malibu]

Looks like MN is continuing. I still plan on doing a food shelf donation anyways. The whole thing is fucked up.

[joshlyman]

If you try to find info on WIC this what you get:

Which will be super helpful for people trying to figure out benefits.

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2013 12:18:55 GMT -5 joshlyman said:

UT is closed up already, and are directing women to food banks, just an FYI for UT people on here.

I read that Utah would still be continuing the existing benefits but not taking new applicants.

Either way - so messed up.

[malibu]

Oct 2, 2013 12:52:14 GMT -5 toledo said:

Oct 2, 2013 12:49:44 GMT -5 malibu said:

Looks like MN is continuing. I still plan on doing a food shelf donation anyways. The whole thing is fucked up.

An article I read quoted someone as saying it's a matter of days rather than weeks until the money runs out in MN.

www.startribune.com/local/west/226154891.html

I just read this, so maybe you saw something more updated. I think this was posted about an hour ago on Strib. I had no idea that MN alone funds $2M a week for needy families. What exactly are these people supposed to do if funding runs out?? Starve? The food shelves will only last so long if WIC gets cut.

I'm with joshlyman. The more I read about this the more pissed I get. I don't care if we can afford it or not, I'm going to Cub tonight to stock up on donations.

[joshlyman]

Oct 2, 2013 12:56:53 GMT -5 toledo said:

Oct 2, 2013 12:53:36 GMT -5 joshlyman said:

If you try to find info on WIC this what you get:

Which will be super helpful for people trying to figure out benefits.

People trying to access WIC benefits should be contacting their state's contact, not the feds.

True. But when I googled State by State WIC contacts this was the first page that came up. It just proceeded to piss me off more.

[cuddlyevil]

Ohio's WIC page on the Health Department's site says they are open for business and have funds that will allow them to "operate as usual until the end of October". But what happens then?

It's ridiculous that Congress can still be all breezy about this. Of course they don't give a shit, they're still getting paid and won't have to worry about where their next mortgage payment will come from or who will pay for daycare.

[toepick]

While Daily Show host Jon Stewart seemed to be in good spirits mocking conservative media’s “no biggie” attitude toward the impact of the government shutdown, he bore down on Fox News Radio host Todd Starnes, who dismissively said Democrats would start getting their “potted meat and Tang and get in [their] survival bunker,” to the amusement of Sean Hannity and other cohorts.

“F*ck you,” Stewart said after a few seconds of mocking faux-laughter. “First of all, Democrats aren’t the ones with survival bunkers — that’s you guys. And second, I know that for you, potted meat and Tang is short-hand for sh*t you wouldn’t possibly imagine eating unless there was a catastrophe, but for the people actually affected by the government shutdown, it’s the sh*t they eat that they can no longer afford.”

Stewart argued that, while many of Starnes’ colleagues took great pains to tell their viewers that they weren’t affected by the curtailing of federal programs instigated by GOP lawmakers, they were purposefully ignoring the very real effects a prolonged shutdown could have on NASA, the Food and Drug Administration, food programs that primarily benefit women and children and the Environmental Protection Agency, among other agencies.

“How bad can it be if it doesn’t personally affect Sean Hannity?” Stewart asked sarcastically. “It’s not like they shut down Smith & Wollensky for private events — that would really be f*cked up. Or closed our nation’s strategic flag-graphic reserves. Or if Roger Ailes implemented a ‘no grunting’ policy in the Fox mens’ room.”

[Jermys]

I grew up in a military town, and a lot of the younger enlisted guys with families were on WIC. So, nice job sticking it to our soldiers, assholes.

[mansplain]

Sad

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2013 12:18:22 GMT -5 candreco said:

I can't believe the callousness of the conservative media- they have jobs, food and health care, so who gives a crap if some people don't. This piece is primarily about WIC as well, but the quote from one of them saying that the sequester was NBD makes me freaking livid. It was and still is a big deal for those of us who were furloughed under it and are still working under it for agencies facing reduction in force (i.e. layoffs). Just one more example of how the right wing and the conservative media are willing to screw people over, and worse, don't seem to even realize that they're doing it.

I heard that this morning and couldn't believe it. Of course, he's still getting his paycheque, so bad can it be? 

And even if it was true 'most' Americans won't notice - it's really bad for those who will. I don't understand how someone can be that out of touch. 

[wkatie]

Thanks to this thread, I looked up my state and we have 9 days of funding.  

Our rotary club is having their annual food drive this Saturday and we are going to use social media to encourage people to buy formula, baby foods, cereal and other WIC items to donate. 

Ugh.  This sucks so bad. But thanks to ML for the awareness. (heart) 

[eddy]

In Iowa, it has been reported people can cash in exsisting checks, but no new checks will be issued.

[sushi]

Oct 2, 2013 12:45:07 GMT -5 joshlyman said:

Oct 2, 2013 12:32:07 GMT -5 toepick said:

Those lazy babies should go get a job.

Bootstraps!

I'm pretty sure those are edible.