More "compassion" from the Ohio GOP [View all]

[Diamond_Dog]

You know whenever a Republican talks about “reforming” a safety net program to make it “more secure” the basic idea is to add an extra layer of cruelty.

May be a paywall here

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/06/11/ohio-senate-budget-bill-food-assistance-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program/7647949002/

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Ohioans who receive food assistance would have 30 days to notify the program of a change in income that was more than $500. Parents would have to cooperate "with the child support enforcement program" as a condition of eligibility. And the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services would have to "conduct an asset test for each SNAP recipient."

Another issue Hamler-Fugitt had with proposed changes was child support. Requiring women — some of whom are victims of domestic violence — to seek a formal agreement is going to push them out of the system.

"These families have just cause for not pursuing a formal child support arrangement," Hamler-Fugitt said.

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They want to perform a new and more complicated “asset test” on recipients, as well. More bureaucracy on top of bureaucracy. Is their point to make entry into the program so daunting that many needy families will say it’s too difficult to apply for?

Money for SNAP comes from the federal government and it has already been determined that people below the 130% of poverty level qualify. Yes the state bears some cost of administration of those funds, but does not bear the total cost. Changing over to the debit card system has cut down considerably on fraud. Many of the people who are in need of food assistance are children, the elderly, or disabled.

If Republicans want to get people off food assistance, they are going about it the exact wrong way. How about fighting to ensure all workers make a living wage so businesses don’t have to use the government to subsidize worker pay, instead of making assistance programs more convoluted, or choking off who can apply, or making up a cruel requirement to single moms.