Food Stamp Asset Test

I would like to share with you an email I received from a Dept. of Health and Welfare worker. The worker is commenting on my comments on a story about Food Stamps. The DHW recently removed the asset levels from Food Stamp eligibility. Now, a person can qualify for Food Stamps, no matter how much property they own, simply through income levels.
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Mr Thayn,
I am writing to express some concern about a comment I read that supposedly was said by you regarding the Asset Test at DHW. Reporter Dustin Hurst quoted you as saying the following

”The reason I believe DHW employees don’t want to deal with the asset test because it means they would have
to work,” said Thayn. ”The whole philosophy behind federal food aid is wrong because we are missing a good opportunity to teach people how to stretch their food dollars are instead teaching people to become reliant on the government for sustenance.” Thayn

Mr Thayne; I sincerely hope you were misquoted. As a "Self Reliance Specialist" I can assure you that I nor any of my fellow eligiblity workers here in the Twin Falls office of the DHW are "afraid to work", in fact I have done 9 interviews today myself and many of my co-workers have done just as many or more. Most days there is literally a line out the door in our office, which consists, I believe of a large percent of people who don't want to be here. Whether or not we have to verify resources for our clients makes no difference to me; what does however is the perception of the work we at DHW are doing. We may sit at a desk all day, but I can assure you that listening to people in crisis day in and day out and trying to give them just a little bit of help is very hard work. If you doubt it, you should try it some time!

Thank you for your time;
Name withheld

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Dear Name withheld:
Thank you for your communication.

I believe that going out and determining the assets a person has would require more work. Determining income alone is much easier. Am I wrong on this? Second, giving food stamps to people only helps them in the short-term. It does not help them in the long-term. We simply cannot afford to get more and more people dependent upon government programs by paying them not to work.

The wealth of a nation is determined by the productive capacity of the people. As much as your work is supposed to help people, if you look over the last 45 years, the programs of the Great Society have done just the opposite. Until we come to this recognition and reform the system, our nation will continue to decline and experience poverty. If you would like to help me reform the system and modify it to help people become productive and independent, I would like your help.

Rep. Thayn