EBT system is down

[Grass Lands]

Was this a glitch or another test to see just how far TPTB can push the sheeple...?

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(Pictured: Grocery stores and retailers are posting signs for shoppers about the Electronic Benefits Outage)​

The Electronic Benefits Transfer system responsible for providing 50,000,000 Americans the means to put food on the table has crashed.
The outage is reportedly affecting at least sixteen states.
Via The Organic Prepper:

Abandoned carts full of food were a frequent sight in grocery stores Saturday morning, as the EBT food assistance debit system stopped working without warning.
According to a Xerox spokesperson, a routine system check by the vendor resulted in system failure, leaving assistance recipients across the country with no way to buy food.

Xerox spokeswoman Karen Arena confirmed via email Saturday afternoon that some Electronic Benefits Transfer systems are experiencing temporary connectivity issues. She said technical staff is addressing the issue and expects the system to be restored soon. U.S. Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Courtney Rowe underscored that the outage is not related to the government shutdown. Xerox runs EBT card systems for 17 states and all were affected by the outage. (source)
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Users of EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards in California, Ohio, Michigan and several other states are unable to make purchases due to connectivity issues.
But it gets worse…

Xerox is notifying retailers to revert to the manual system, meaning SNAP customers can spend up to $50 until the system is back online. SNAP recipients should call the 800 number on the back of their card, and Xerox will guide them through the purchase process. (source)
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However, that system is not working either – it’s “closed for maintenance.”

Shoppers left carts of groceries behind at a packed Market Basket grocery store in Biddeford, Maine, because they couldn’t get their benefits, said fellow shopper Barbara Colman, of Saco, Maine. The manager put up a sign saying the EBT system was not in use. Colman, who receives the benefits, called an 800 telephone line for the program and it said the system was down due to maintenance, she said.
“That’s a problem. There’s a lot of families who are not going to be able to feed children because the system is being maintenanced,” Colman said. “No one should put maintenance in during the daytime.” (source)
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Despite the fact that government workers report orders from the Obama administration to “make life as difficult for people as we can”, the nation is assured that the EBT failure is in fact due to server issues and NOT due to the government shutdown.
Hattip NinaO
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If you ever wanted to know what the United States might look like and how people will react should the EBT system fail, then pay close attention

I go to the register and they ask me “how you going to pay.”
I said with food stamps.
“Oh, we’re shut down, you can’t pay with food stamps.”
I got kids to feed. You know?
And because the government’s down I can’t feed my family?
…
What’s going on with America? Now they trying to starve us to death?
…This is crazy
…I got six kids I have to feed.
…
I’m just trying to figure out how to get something to eat.
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[youtubeif]VW-0xJb_FM4[/youtubeif]​

 

[TBuds]

Shot across the bow!!!! To the masses,,,don't step out of line. I don't think the sheeple understand just how much the data mining and collection of info the overment does. Now the have a measured response to go along with all others. To really slow their control we should stop using most devises. What they don't hear they don't know.

 

[wantaknow]

yep tbud your right ,and don't think they made it so easy to get on stamps ,just so they could jerk the rug out from under your feet?nothings for free people !nothing!wake up America !alast its too late ,........

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

well vote for anything if they take away are free stuff....

 

[Grass Lands]

The test was a success...no riots.

Next up the "Bank Holidays".

Just watched "Face the Nation" just for giggles to see whats going on in the MSM...(I tend to stay away from the boob tube, I watch it ever so often to see what they are shoving down the throat of the sheeple)...the "programming" word for today is "Austerity" they are now using the word to describe one simple way of life...which is accurate, but with the austerity that's taking place across the globe...I don't think that's what they have in mind...or is it? Trying to sell a simpler way of life is a little to late in my opinion.

 

[HempKat]

The shutdown of EBT in the 17 states it has affected is not related to the Shutdown of The Federal Government. It was due to a computer failure that impacted just the 17 states affected and was restored late yesterday. Had it been connected to the Government shutdown it would have affected all 50 states. Also if you go with the popular belief that Obama is only supported by people who receive government handouts like Food Stamps then for this to be a deliberate move by Obama to "make it hurt" would be counter productive. Again though if that was the goal it would have been done nationwide and not just in about 1/3rd of the country.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...ates-affected-by-outage?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1

 

[wildgrow]

The shutdown will screw a lot of people who actually need benefits. My quadriplegic friend cant get food. I suspect his SSI check wont come either, or $ for nursing care.

I get laid off in a month, no job market here. I don't think unemployment will be there for me.

I heard that Obamacare enrollment is still up and running - any one know? The site crashes on me.

 

[Capt.Ahab]

I find it disturbing that a lot of the people I see complaining about their ebt card not working are wearing jewelry, decent clothing and what look like expensive sunglasses. Then they go on the internet via their new Iphone and twitter about not having money to feed their six kids .

 

[Hemphrey Bogart]

Maybe they should go back to the printed coupons or "stamps" as they used to be known when I was a kid. Maybe the government should open up government food stores for people who take food aid so that these types of incidents don't happen. Maybe people shouldn't be having 6 kids if they can't support them.

Used to be that people were ashamed to have to take food stamps. Nowadays, it seems like everyone wants to get in on the food stamp thing.

Pretty sad that people who can clearly work have become so dependent on the government to provide for them.

HB.

 

[HempKat]

Maybe they should go back to the printed coupons or "stamps" as they used to be known when I was a kid. Maybe the government should open up government food stores for people who take food aid so that these types of incidents don't happen. Maybe people shouldn't be having 6 kids if they can't support them.

Used to be that people were ashamed to have to take food stamps. Nowadays, it seems like everyone wants to get in on the food stamp thing.

Pretty sad that people who can clearly work have become so dependent on the government to provide for them.

HB.

What I find even worse are those who condemn people on Food Stamps because of abuses and yet feel perfectly comfortable with buying Food Stamps off of people at 50 cents on the dollar thereby facilitating and expanding the ability of people on Food Stamps to abuse the system.

 

[Hemphrey Bogart]

What I find even worse are those who condemn people on Food Stamps because of abuses and yet feel perfectly comfortable with buying Food Stamps off of people at 50 cents on the dollar thereby facilitating and expanding the ability of people on Food Stamps to abuse the system.

I agree. I guess the cards were supposed to take away their ability to sell all or part of their allotment to someone else...I suppose there are flaws either way you go (actual stamps or coupon books vs. debit cards).

I think food stamps have their place...some people obviously need them and I don't mind them using my tax dollars to help pay for the program for those people who truly need it.

What I don't like is getting in line at the store behind another person, they pay with food stamps, they go outside to their car which is nicer/newer than mine, put their groceries in there and drive away.

If those folks can afford a brand new car but can't afford to feed themselves and their families, I think they have an issue with asset allocation.

HB

 

[Al Botross]

Many hard working entry level Walmart Employees are on Food Stamps in 48 states, Because Walmart refuses to pay all their employees a living wage. I understand you can make up to $1200 wages a month and still qualify for the food assistance programs.

 

[supermanlives]

glad I don't get food stamps.if I get real hungry there is all kinds of stuff here to whack.ducks,turkey,quail,deer and the list goes on.i can bag a few quail outside my door. this whole thing is a bad joke on us citizens .it is hurting my community as its tourist dependant here.the only parts of the govermant closed are parts that help us . dea aint closed nor is fbi and prob a whole bunch of other parts.fucking assholes we need to get off our asses and do something.cant we label all of em terrorists and lock em up lol

 

[supermanlives]

if you run out of food go to local politicians house and raid his fridge . they been screwing us all along an we never got a dinner LOL

 

[Sativa Dragon]

Nice Save!!

Nice Save!!

if you run out of food go to local politicians house and raid his fridge . they been screwing us all along an we never got a dinner LOL

Nice Save!

That's exactly what I would do, when they ask me what if when your food runs out... I am like My Food! your FOOD! is just as much my food, here I will show you, close your eyes.... Okay...

Peace

 

[floralheart]

Since CIA isn't supposed to be operating here, maybe it's a Homeland Security drill to see if they can see the fallout of shutting down food supplies in a geographic area.

 

[floralheart]

Maybe they should go back to the printed coupons or "stamps" as they used to be known when I was a kid. Maybe the government should open up government food stores for people who take food aid so that these types of incidents don't happen. Maybe people shouldn't be having 6 kids if they can't support them.

Used to be that people were ashamed to have to take food stamps. Nowadays, it seems like everyone wants to get in on the food stamp thing.

Pretty sad that people who can clearly work have become so dependent on the government to provide for them.

HB.

It was engineered that way.

 

[supermanlives]

the news had an article on a jail when the inmates are getting paid but no one else lol

 

[megayields]

I want my guvment money! $$$$$$

 

[Harry Gypsna]

I agree. I guess the cards were supposed to take away their ability to sell all or part of their allotment to someone else...I suppose there are flaws either way you go (actual stamps or coupon books vs. debit cards).



HB

This is stupid.
They have spoken about bringing this in for all social security benefits in the UK.
Stupid, all that will happen is people will go and do "Community spirited" things like doing little old ladies shopping with their card and being reimbursed in cash, maybe even getting a tip for it.