Call me naive. Call me crazy. But I ain't buying it.

[Number23]

"Half of US kids will get food stamps, study says"

Nearly half of all U.S. children and 90 percent of black youngsters will be on food stamps at some point during childhood, and fallout from the current recession could push those numbers even higher, researchers say.

90%?? As in 9 out of ten black children in America?? 90%??! NINETY PERCENT??!

[firedupdem]

1. I'm not either. And then to say that recession can push those

numbers higher? So what, every black child will be living on food stamps? I think it's bullshit.

[jmm]

2. I'd be interested in seeing a more detailed study on this topic

Another excerpt from that article-

Rank and Cornell University sociologist Thomas Hirschl studied data from a nationally representative survey of 4,800 American households interviewed annually from 1968 through 1997 by the University of Michigan. About 18,000 adults and children were involved.

Overall, about 49 percent of all children were on food stamps at some point by the age of 20, the analysis found. That includes 90 percent of black children and 37 percent of whites. The analysis didn't include other ethnic groups.

Only about 165 households, and we don't know where they were, a year were included in this survey and they didn't include other ethnic groups. I haven't seen anything to suggest the people behind this survey had any ulterior motives but the general public still needs to look closer when stuff like this is in the news.

[Number23]

3. I'm gonna assume that each of the 4800 households were interviewed annually

But even still, your questions are on point. And you're right, the general public needs to be scrutinizing studies like this thoroughly.

Where were these households??? Did they include areas like Prince George's County, MD and other affluent black areas in their study?? I grew up in an all black environment and attended all black schools from pre-school through the 12th grade. And while I will concede that discussions of welfare and food stamps didn't come up all that often, I can count on one hand the number of people I have known throughout my life that have collected food stamps, or rather who have ADMITTED using them.

I don't even think that collecting food stamps is even a big deal. There are probably large numbers of people who have had to use them at one time or another and if you need the help, you'd be crazy not to take it. But it's the idea that I'm supposed to believe that **90%*** of black kids are using food stamps that I just find extraordinarily difficult to believe.

[Raineyb]

4. I'm not buying it either. But it does seem to fit a meme that some people

have that black people are always looking for some way to get welfare doesn't it? Which frankly I suspect is the reason for this rather bogus sounding study.

Who put this out?

[Number23]

9. Sorry, Rainey! Just noticed you asked a question

It looks like two independent researchers, Rank and Hirschl, conducted this study. One is from Washington University, the other from Cornell.

Notice that this does not appear to be university-wide research or research conducted by an organization such as The Urban Institute or even the NAACP. Every time I read this, I become even less convinced that these numbers are true. I keep looking for a retraction to this story.

[Brewman_Jax]

5. That number cannot be correct

90%? That makes no logical sense. I want to know how they came to that conclusion.

[Fire1]

6. No, you're not crazy. That is total crap. n/t

[noiretextatique]

7. they got it wrong

the sample was 18,000 adults and children. the researchers said 90% of black children in the sample were on food stamps at some point before they reached 20 years of age. they didn't say 90% of black children will be on food stamps...the reporter did.

[Number23]

8. Yeah, but they are using the sample as "representative" of the entire country

Which is what I think has everyone in this thread so disgusted.

[noiretextatique]

10. yeah...that is absurd

but i am not so sure the researchers are saying that. it's clear what the media will do with this.