Food aid curbs sought by Republicans would hit rural poor

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters


JUNE 15, 2018 / 6:09 AM / UPDATED 7 HOURS AGO

Amanda Becker

WEBSTER COUNTY, W.Va. (Reuters) - Bruce Green’s family of six scratches out a living in this remote, politically conservative corner of the Appalachian Mountains thanks in part to about $600 a month in U.S. food aid.

For the Greens and other rural Americans who get nutrition assistance, making ends meet could get tougher if Republicans in Washington, including President Donald Trump, carry out plans to make it harder to qualify for food aid.

“If I lose even $100 of that, it would be devastating,” said Green, 35, a registered independent voter who said he “leans conservative.” He earns $23,000 annually as a county appraiser. Green’s wife Barbara stays home with their four children.

A Republican plan to curb food aid is under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a broad farm bill. Its future is uncertain, with Democrats opposed to it. A farm bill in the U.S. Senate proposes no major food aid changes.




Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-food-aid/food-aid-curbs-sought-by-republicans-would-hit-rural-poor-idUSKBN1JB13D

[beachbum bob]

1. Majority of poor rural people on govt aid are white and vote republican

Karma is a bitch...but tricks maybe used to filter...such as population density in defined areas, but seems to be a lawsuit bait for sure

[bearsfootball516]

2. So he makes 23,000, has four kids and votes for the party that wants to slash aid to the poor.

I feel bad for his kids, but not for him.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. And then his wife "doesn't work"

in order to take care of the children. Yet if the same woman had been a POC in an urban area, she would be called "lazy" by his "conservative" (GOP) buddies and told to "get a job" and to hell with her children because she shouldn't have had so many (or any) and should have other family members or "The Church™" take care of them.

[DBoon]

4. It's OK If You Are White

IOKIYAW

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Basically.

[lunasun]

14. Yes unfortunately I was thinking about how conservatives would read that lament if it was from

any other than Appalachia white

[lagomorph777]

6. Well, Trump and the RePutins intend to punish him for his support.

Brilliant strategy. Let's capitalize on it!

[Achilleaze]

7. "Two more scoops for me, heh heh." - Dirty Donny* (R)

* republican draft-dodger-in-chief

[Scalded Nun]

8. So he 'leans' Republican.

Well, asswipe, keep leaning. When you fall you'll drag your whole family with you.

I just can't feel sorry for these people any more. Not even their kids.

OK, so I am no longer a 'good' Christian.

[dalton99a]

9. There is plenty of food in the fields

[appalachiablue]

10. Mr. Green and SNAP food assistance- dependent residents of Webster Co.

need to study actual news, brush up on civics and find out what's happening politically now in this country. But chances of that aren't so good and how long has it been since a decent Dem. candidate challenged the GOP in that conservative area. Unfortunately Mr. Green and others might find out what 'conserve' really means, in terms of significant loss of food support. Learn the hard way what conservative GOP policy really means now.

USDA, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), A Short History of SNAP

- Pilot Food Stamp Program - May 29, 1961-1964:
Mr. and Mrs. Alderson Muncy of Paynesville, West Virginia, were the first food stamp recipients on May 29, 1961. They purchased $95 in food stamps for their 15-person household. In the first food stamp transaction, they bought a can of pork and beans at Henderson's Supermarket. By January 1964, the pilot programs had expanded from eight areas to 43 (40 counties, Detroit, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh) in 22 States with 380,000 participants. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/short-history-snap

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Trump is coming for your food, Trump is coming for your kids

Better hide however you can

[Solly Mack]

12. Ain't as blissful as the saying claims is it?

You base your core being on stubbornly held - though fallacious - beliefs and the "who am I better than today?" hierarchy of prejudice and life has a way of biting you in the ass for your devotion to all the wrong people and causes.

[ck4829]

13. And when the cuts come for them, they'll blame immigrants and minorities

[modrepub]

15. Hurts Grocery Stores Too

Cutting SNAP benefits is certainly a tragedy for families but remember stores often rely on this to keep them running. People deprived of food stamps aren't going to find money to go back to the store and buy it. That means stores loose money and possibly shut down making everyone have to potentially drive further to the next store and/or have their grocery bill go up.