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Governor Living Like A Food Stamp Recipient Save Email Print
Posted: 4:13 PM Oct 14, 2008
Last Updated: 4:13 PM Oct 14, 2008
Reporter: Associated Press

A | A | A

BC-MI--Michigan Governor-Food Stamps,0128
Michigan governor eats like food stamp recipient
Eds: APNewsNow.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is eating like a food stamp recipient this week to raise awareness about poverty.
The governor says she took her son shopping Sunday at a Meijer grocery store. They could only spend $5.87 per day per person.
She says she bought a lot of macaroni and cheese.
Granholm is one of about 300 people statewide participating in the Michigan Food Stamp Challenge. More than 1.3 million state residents receive food stamps.
The state hopes the challenge will raise awareness and boost donations to support nine regional food banks.
The Democratic governor was asked about the program Tuesday after she announced tax credits to create about 2,500 direct jobs at seven companies and two downtown redevelopment projects in Michigan.

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Posted by: mable Location: Muskegon on Oct 21, 2008 at 06:52 PM
Interesting. Our family of four, two teens and two adults, live on about 30,000 a year and our home and cars and little haven on lake MI are paid for . We also eat mostly fresh organic produce and grass fed meat, whole grain organics and take superfood supplements. We receive no assistance of anykind! I do not believe in buying frankenfoods such as Kraft maccie and cheese, canned spaghetto's, etc! We do not carry MANAGED SICK CARE OF AMERICA "HEALTH INSURANCE" either becuse we are never sick and besides, if we were, we are our own Dr's! We do not believe in drug pushing Dr's, only those who save lives in case of trauma. Honestly, if you look into the grocery cart's of americans, all you see is a buch of processed genitically modified crap! no wonder they have to buy more and eat more.....their cells are starving for REAL FOOD! And do not even talk to me as to why they are all sick and diseased because you are what you feed your cells! now off from my soapbox.

Posted by: Amy Location: Commerce on Oct 21, 2008 at 04:28 PM
I am a single mom, I work 2 jobs and I am a full-time student, and I receive no childsupport. I get $10 a month in food stamps, that equals $0.33 a day for 2 of us. If they really want to see what it is like for the rest of us, then Granholm's foodstamps should be much less. I can only wish for $5.87 per person per day. Let's get realistic here.

Posted by: mike Location: jackson on Oct 16, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Pretending?Well when shes done with her attempt she has all that money to fall back on and no worries.Let her HAVE to do it for who knows how long over illness,lack of job,lay off,or many other things faceing many in the USA.Many live on less than that.Food prices have went up and food cards don't see thoes raises.The food cards are a federal program,not funded by mich.Lets get real here,look at all the big wigs being bailed out do to big foolish spending.Something most don't get to do,just blow money and get patted on the hand.The ones who NEED food cards should get them with enough to cover expenses of proper food,not blow them either.Raises are needed but but careful shopping needs done as well.Not all do that.Not all should be condemed because of a few.You can try on a pair of shoes,but till you walk in them a few miles,who really knows if they fit or not.What jenn is doing is not going to get food cards raised and mocks thoes who must use them.BRING DOWN FOOD PRICES.HA!

Posted by: KJ Location: LANSING on Oct 16, 2008 at 07:04 AM
What a slap in the face to the Michigan citizens. I have to eat for less than that every day and provide for a family as well. It's called living with a budget, using sales & coupons to your advantage. Granmole doesn't have to worry about that, she just has to worry if she'll find a job after leaving the mansion. Pathetic . . and then WILX has the stupidity to ask its viewers in a poll, "Do you think that Food Stamps should be raised?" Well heck no! That comes out of taxpayers pocketbook and if the citizens on these programs don't like it then leave. These programs were made for a temporary fix NOT a lifestyle! When do the limits start for these programs? Was it 2010? Lord let's hope so.

Posted by: craig Location: west branch on Oct 15, 2008 at 09:28 PM
If Granholm wants to know what its like to not have a job or an income to buy your family food then go live with one of those families for a week. It is a slap in the face to do it from your mansion. She really dont have a clue about not having much to feed your family. Your a real class act.

Posted by: Tina Location: Lansing on Oct 15, 2008 at 11:40 AM
I agree with Jimmy of Jackson, I bet ole' Jen put on a pretty good show before the media.

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 15, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Each county gets differnt amounts.If one has kids and still works they have better than one not working.Not eating balanced diets causes health problems.Jenn needs to do this for months not just a short time.Many do the best they can with food cards.Then some do better than one working.It is the guide lines on what many deal with.Then again some could be getting help but don't apply and can run down thoes who have them cards.Way to many things have went up in prices and the food card program has failed to take that in to consideration.The eldry and the single ones with out children in the home married ect are the ones going without.Like many things in the gov system it is all messed up.Who can get and who can't has been a problem for years.Grocery stores are at fault of causeing higher prices if there is no others in small towns and people can't afford to go miles to the better stores.Gas prices have caused it easy for some to over charge.Have jenn go to thoes small town stores.woops.

Posted by: Jimmy Location: Jackson on Oct 15, 2008 at 09:01 AM
I bet she has a panty & freezer full of food, so she goes to Meijer to make it look likes she is on food stamps and to show off to the press. You can bet when they get home and behind closed doors they will still be eating high on the hog. Jen you are so fake it not even funny. You do not impress me at all.

Posted by: francis Location: lansing on Oct 15, 2008 at 08:16 AM
what about grains? beans and rice? nice meals can be made without expensisive meat or pre made box mixes.

Posted by: betty Location: lansing on Oct 14, 2008 at 10:37 PM
I'm with Ruth, I too am, on social security, I'm a widow,it's very difficult . food isn't the only thing that cost's money,keeping warm, and turning on a lamp at dark to say nothing of taxes, water bill, the list goes on, if the gov wants to feel what people feel she needs to do more than eat mac'cheese, i don't know how families are doing it.I remember when Michigan was the place to be, now i'm not so sure.

Posted by: James Location: Stockbridge on Oct 14, 2008 at 08:31 PM
If she really wants to impress the citizens of michigan, she should live for a month on an average wage of a person.

Posted by: Pam Location: Jackson on Oct 14, 2008 at 08:27 PM
You can buy a lot for 5.87 a day. It is not custom cuts from the deli's, but you can get buy. Food stamps is a stop gap means of survival, not a means lifestyle means. For a family of four, $23 a day is a lot. It takes effort to budget your money. You can have a nice budget on $690 on food. I have friends who are not on food stamps who get buy with less.

Posted by: Ruth S Stone Location: Delta Township, Lansing on Oct 14, 2008 at 06:35 PM
Too bad more state officials and Gov't Officals in Washington don't take the challenge. They might find out just how seniors feel, but we don't get as much as other people get, yet we have more expenses. My small social security of $261 a month doesn't go far, must be the state feels or US Gov't hopes I will starve to death so they can save money. I have news for you both, I'm not going anywhere. You know where you can put the $10 food stamp.

Posted by: Erin Location: Kalamazoo on Oct 14, 2008 at 06:30 PM
Please let me live like a food stamp recipient. I probably spend half that and eat very healthy; fresh produce, fish, meat, poultry. How? I make everything from scratch, no mixes, pot pies, and certainly not a single box of macaroni & cheese! I only buy what is on sale. We also eat real butter, cheese, & have 1/2 & 1/2 in our coffee.

WILX Poll
Should The Government Have A Stake In The Big 3?

Yes
No


Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
  • Posted By: craigIf anyone in power was really concerned with helping people of lesser means we would be talking about bring jobs back to the USA where we can prosper and be proud of hard work again. how about a bailout for the countless unemployed AMERICANS, or parents on the brink of disaster that will last a lifetime.
  • Posted By: craiggovernment should help automakers at this point, however to say they (auto makers) are not responsible for the recession is absurd. how many more jobs can they push overseas before there will be no one left to purchase their products anyhow?
  • Posted By: BuzzWhy should the Big 3 be bailed out? GM wants to sell off our discontinue the Saturn, which is affordable but has made no mention of discontinuing the Corvette and other less affordable models. If GM wants help have them pick one particular model in each of its lines, i.e. the Lacrosse for Buick, Impala for Chevrolet and the Aura for Saturn. GM is about as impervious as the out-going President is - they just don't get it! I read and sympathize with the line workers who say they can't even afford to buy a new car from the company that they work for - that's pretty sad and certainly doesn't promote company solidarity. Like I've said before, make the Big 3 sell what's sitting at all the dealerships even if they have to take a loss before making another automobile. Why keep making what nobody wants at prices nobody wants to pay?
  • Posted By: BethThe Big 3 failure would be a major disaster - I agree. However, I don't feel that the government or tax payers should bail them out until they have made the same kinds of concessions that citizens, small business, and union members have already made. Begin by severely downsizing the execs and their benefits i.e. luxuries. Times are tough and they should share in the "recession life style" is part of the reason for decreased car sales. I need a newer car badly, but it's not on my shopping list any time soon. They are flying and driving nice cars. Get real! The union members have suffered considerable cuts already including loss of workers, benefits and wages. Make equal cuts in management, wages, and benefits, then look at union members' additional concessions, and financial aide from the government.
  • Posted By: jonlike i said we the workers will and are getting hurt.they gain we lose
  • Posted By: METhank you UAW, if the union would not have barganed until the big 3 couldn't afford it any more we would all be able to afford nice cars. I was in the union before and it definently isnt all peaches and cream. Sure they will fight to get you more but look what it has done.. Workers recieved more then the company could afford and now more may lose everything. Thanks again UAW. It is flat out B.S. that the government will bail out huge corporations but only give the autos a loan. Its all for the politicians gain, main street America has been hurting alot longer then wall street, but wall street affected the politicians pocket so they did something about it. Mr & Mrs politician help us out, cut your pay & benefits.......quit cutting ours.
  • Posted By: LegallyRadTo Explain: If the banks were not bailed out, that would have affected the big 3, and every other business that deals with the banks (show me one that doesn't). This has nothing to do with Bush. Big 3 are very poorly run, and concede too much to organized labor. The bail out will first be essentially worthless since it will amount to a drop in a bucket, and the companies just blow cash. They need to fail to preserve our American capitalistic economy. Chances are only one or two of them will go out of business, but if they properly restructure then they could be saved... restructuring means cutting labor costs and consolidating products. If you want to blame something, it's mostly due to the mortgage crisis which began with Carter and Clinton who refused to allow banks to ensure that people could actually pay for their loans because they felt it might be discrimination. Look where that policy got us. Bush just happens to be in office when their poorly built floor calapsed.
  • Posted By: MicheleI cannot believe that they are not going to bail out the Big 3.Ford is not even sure it is going to need the money. And why do the banks get bailouts with no questions asked but they make the Big 3 jump through hoops of fire and all they want to do is borrow the money...... Reid is an idiot, and doesn't have a clue of how manufacturing works and what the ramifications down the road will be. Including restraurant, stores, and other service industries closing and going out of business due to lack of business. Let's keep America working!
  • Posted By: George Bush did not run our country in the ditch. He crash it stright into the wall at 100/mph.
  • Posted By: patthis is one more reason we need to thank George Bush for running our country into the ditch!

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