The food stamp program is federally funded but administered by the states. So how the rules are applied may be subject to local interpretation. As a general guide: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10101.html
So I guess it is pretty much pointless to argue on that issue.
What concerns me is that such a large segment of the population relies upon this program. Government cannot give something to someone unless it first takes it away from someone else. And now, we are running out of Warren Buffets and T. Boone Pickens.
Money flows from areas of high taxation and excessive regulation to more favorable places. We are driving capital from our country. Soon, we will not be able to sustain these social welfare programs. Ideally, the truly needy should be cared for, but can we always afford to do this?
The magnitude of our debt looms over us. A currency collapse is inevitable. When that happens, we will all be poor.
Rufus