Jason Greenslate is a California beach bum who thinks he’s working the system because he gets $200 in SNAP food stamps money each month. The 29-year-old San Diego County man qualifies because he’s homeless and has no income.
And if you hit that button, you’ll see a Fox News video report where John Roberts talked to Greenslate last week about his life of drinking, cruising, surfing, and dining on lobster and sushi.
I guess I’ve met considerably more poseurs, cheats, and angle-shooters than the fine staff of Fox News. Because I’m like all whatev and why is this news? What’s so special about this beach bum, other than he’s better-looking than the norm?
Clearly Greenslate isn’t living off $200 from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food stamp program. He’s a wannabe musician getting handouts from family, friends, and horny girls. And good for him if he can make it work.
When his looks go, he’ll get a job. And until then who cares?
But Fox News was impressed enough with the telegenic Jason Greenslate to make him the centerpiece of their new Special Report With Bret Baier on the so-called food stamp binge. Until well into the 1990s, a single man with no family could get very little public assistance. Now they can qualify for some minimal help in buying food. In Greenslate’s case, he gets $200. Per month. Not exactly a princely sum.
So I’m not real clear why I should be exercised about unemployed dudes qualifying for a card that can only be used to buy food.
But Fox News is worried. They say that 47 million Americans now qualify for some kind of SNAP food stamp assistance. And what you or I might call peanuts, they’re calling a binge.
You’re welcome to watch the video and see Fox make their case.
But I will confess I don’t get it. Most homeless beach bums don’t look like Greenslate. They look bad, they smell bad, and I’m not giving them a place on my couch and neither is Fox News.
Since I’d rather not have them sticking their hand in my face every time I go out, I’d just as soon that the government pay off these guys to make them go away.
Guys who drink all day, every day in the hot California sun don’t stay pretty. Meanwhile, are we really supposed to resent them for eating food?
The Blaze noted that Greenslate seemed really pleased with himself. As the beach bum said to Fox, “This is the way I live and I don’t see anything changing…Why would it be bad in any way? It’s free food. It’s awesome.”
Maybe it’s awesome to him. For most of us, let’s be honest. A $200-a-month hustle simply isn’t worth our time.
Of course, the idiotic Fox News report has angered serious political observers on the left. Media Matters pointed out that to call Jason Greenslate the face of SNAP is itself food stamp fraud . He is far from typical. In fact, MM said 76 percent of SNAP households included a child or an older or disabled person.
They also noted that 41 percent of SNAP recipients do work. The work simply doesn’t pay enough to keep hunger away without the food stamps.
It’s my humble observation that there aren’t enough jobs to go around. If some useless alcoholic wants to voluntarily remove himself from the fray for a mere $200 a month, let somebody who wants to work have the chance.
So I don’t have much problem with any of this. But apparently I’m in the minority here.
What do you think about the so-called SNAP food stamp binge and Jason Greenslate’s party lifestyle?
[surfer thumbnail photo by EpicStockMedia via Shutterstock ]