Glory, check my post above where I said there were some easy answers and I stated that "most importantly we need to seek out and find all the source of tax avoidance, welfare fraud, medicare fraud, business tax fraud, immigration fraud (both employers and employee alike)" - I know how important it is to end the fraud, misuse, overbilling, unnecessary tests, unneeded farm subsidies etc.
Jrlz, your exapmle just showed that state/local involvement isn't the answer - I propose we give the money to religious and community orgs and let 'em know that if an audit finds waste, graft, corruption or whatever then BINGO, there goes the tax-exempt status.
As for the Toledo Blade article (gotta go read it) but just how does the amount you get for food stamps equate to, or is related to utility bills? I propose USDA ag subsidies be drastically cut (large corporate farms don't need it just small farmers since they're at huge risk due to market, weather, pests etc.) and food stamps funding go into H&HS (its a health issue not agriculture).
What we need, very desparately, is a leader - someone who can get these elected idiots away from the cameras and microphones and to the study tables to hash out a solution. We're in for an Austerity Crisis (why call it a fiscal cliff when the rest of the world calls it Austerity Crisis?) and it won't be pretty. I hope it happens because unfortunately I have no confidence in our elected or appointed officials to do anything more than kick the can down the road so they can get back in front of the cameras and talk about Benghazi again or is Susan Rice gonna be confirmed.