Wow, that's pretty ridiculous.

Just when I thought I'd seen it all......

This is great, my mind seems to go down this same line of thinking. Do you think you could get the local government to have a bunch of show trials about this much like the way our Federal government would respond? :-)

I went shopping today at Crest and saw the same exact thing. I knew something was going on since the majority of the store had these Easter baskets (priced at $19.99) in their shopping carts. I walked over to see if a huge sale was going on, and there wasn't one. However, there were about 5 signs below the baskets that said "available with EBT" Growing up, my parents always said I wasn't allowed to have those baskets because they were too expensive for the crap that you get inside of them. It was a sad day to see what my hard earned money is really going to and what people who don't work hard for the money get in return.

Ha! Tell you what. I'm a recent single mom of two boys. I'm 34 and totally disabled. I was married for 8 years then "poof" he decides being a family man was too much to handle. I applied for and received food stamps. I get 877 a month in SSDI. (not SSI) After rent of 550 that doesn't leave much for utilities. (No I don't have cable either!) So why shouldn't I be able to provide my children an easter basket? Ok yes it is "your" tax money...but its mine too. I pay taxes as well. Even being disabled I try to work as much as I can.
Narrow mindedness can be hurtfull. My exhusband and I enjoyed a shated income of 40k. Now I have 10k if I'm lucky. And yes I was disabled when we married.
I also started my veggie garden with my stamps. Does that reduce your burden?

I'm sorry for ever thinking the way I did. I grew up thinking only poor, lazy, uneducated people get food stamps. Well guess what I have a college degree worked two jobs all my life and due to a job loss and my husband's work injury. I now get food stamps. I am gratefull. I will never be so close minded again. I agree some of the things seem ridiculous and some people take advantage of the system. I don't plan on getting food stamps for the rest of my life. I paid in for them I need them and now I'm gona use them. As for the Easter Baskets, if I had little children and it was that or nothing at all, damn right I'd pick one up. That's $20.00 I saved to go on my electric bill.

No wonder the US is in trouble. We're entitled to buy everything we want, regardless of whether we have the money for it or not.

Given the comments on this post, the following link seems appropriate:

Saving $$$ on Easter Baskets

Some pretty decent ideas in there ... though even the worst ones are still better than spending $20, $10, or $2 of food stamps on the crappy pre-made variety.

Jessica, I'm curious. How did you determine that the people buying the Easter baskets were actually using food stamps to pay for them? My church group brought dozens of these same Easter baskets to donate to children in foster care. And guess what, none of us are on welfare or have food stamps. We used our own money. Do some folks misuse their food stamps -- sure. But it wasn't the food stamp users who screwed up our economy.

First of all, during a typical weekend at the grocery store, there are long lines. When there are long lines, you get bored and become even more observant. That is how I know. I'm not saying that every single person in the store was paying via food stamps. My main point is the expense of the basket. I don't see why people who get food stamps got to purchase the biggest basket that the store carried, especially when there are so many cheaper and better alternatives. I don't blame the economic crisis on people who receive public assistance by any means nor did I imply it.

Jessica, you must have amazing eyesight to be able to stand in a long line and determine just what kind of card all the different customers are using to pay for their purchases. And don't assume that people who get food stamps don't work. Most do -- even thousands of our young enlisted troops get food stamps. I've spent many years volunteering at a local food bank and the reality is so much different from the sterotype so many folks have about the those getting help from the government. For far too many, all it takes is a serious illness or accident or job layoff to go from paying your own way to needing help. Bottom line is things are not always what you think they are.

Bottom line is things are not always what you think they are.Au contraire. Things are very much what I think they are: The public-assistance system is abused to an extraordinary degree.

It's no surprise, though. Human nature is what it is, and enough folks (not "all," but "enough") are only too happy to "work the system" and "get theirs." Most of them, at some point, "paid into it," after all.

Doesn't matter. If you're out buying $20 plastic Easter baskets with public-assistance funds, you have NO RESPECT for the labor of others. None.

And that is regardless — entirely regardless — of the "whys" of your situation.

The only thing I have to say is this: if I had food stamps and my young child had no Easter basket, I would most certainly buy it. My husband is often upset about people who "abuse" the system. We filled out every thing honestly, and didn't get a lot. People who lie get more, it SEEMS. However, they will get theirs in the end. People who abuse the system are only getting ahead right now; it most certainly will come back to them. However, I don't think that a mother purchasing an Easter basket for her child who wouldn't have a basket otherwise is abuse... I think it makes things a little better for the child. It's not like they are buying the basket and selling them to get crack money, after all.

Obviously there are A LOT of narrow minded people that like to stick there nose in other peoples business. Why don't you put yourselves in someone elses shoe. Try not having money to feed your kids. I recently started getting food stamps. Now, thank God, I can feed my kids a decent meal. I DO pay taxes and NO I didn't buy any easter baskets with them, not that I blame anybody who does.

I worked for 15 years and was laid off. I currently cannot afford to buy my 3 year old son a lot of what I could at the beginning of his life. I currently am on food stamps and I am thankful that I have to opportunity to still keep the holiday spirit and get my child a $19.99 Easter basket with our family's food stamps. I worked so hard my 15 years and now when the government drops me in the streets with nothing I can honestly say I have worked and request my share of assistance through the government I once supported.