Millions of people on food stamps are going to have emptier pantries starting November. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) also known as food stamps is being cut by five percent. Families will see about a thirty dollar reduction in their monthly benefits every month. It may not sound like much, but assuming three meals a day for a thirty day month, and for a family of two which is 180 meals has to be made from around $300 which is less than two dollars per meal.
This will certainly cause a strain on food banks, some of which give out food long past safe to eat. These cuts are being made during a time when we need it most. Opponents of food stamps argue about the rate of fraud, of people who game the system for food, who trade the use of their card. Why allow these bad apples to spoil the barrel when that barrel includes our most vulnerable members of society: single mothers, the elderly, college students, the underemployed and unemployed.
With the burden of paying for food taken off from them, they can afford bills, rent, medication. You know, like a civilized society. But they might have the audacity buy junk food. Produce is climbing in cost and can’t be stored for very long. Junk food is cheap and easy. Food stamp recipients might get cupcakes because their children rarely get treated because they’re so poor. It’s not our business to question their reasons. They’re adults and they can make those decisions.
I shall be frank with my beloved readers, I too am one of these “moochers” who uses SNAP, and I don’t want to imagine what situation I’d be without it. I’m not proud of admitting, but neither am I ashamed. I internally wince every time I have to whip out that white badge of shame at the cash register knowing that the cashier might be judging me. I
know many other recipients of food stamps, and many of them work, but do not make enough to go over the defined line of income. In order to qualify for food stamps, you have to jump through tons of hoops and if you’re an enable bodied adult, you have to constantly report to Health and Welfare that you’re looking for work which is the ultimate exercise in tedium and futility. Also, they make you go to the most stupid, insipid, insulting classes because they honestly think we’re a bunch of manchildren too dim-witted to put on a tie for an interview.
As food is taken off our plates, we Americans can be happy to know that our 10% approval rating Congress doesn’t have to be inconvenienced by losing their paychecks.