Robbing the Poor Instead of Cutting Corporate Welfare
States are begging for federal aid. And this week, the Senate is voting on an aid package that would give states Medicaid dollars, as well as money to keep teachers on the payroll. There is a catch. The money for this aid will be taken from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – formerly known as food stamps.
That’s right. To pass this aid package, the Senate is willing to take food away from children and families:
But to gain the votes of the Republicans necessary for passage, the bill includes “pay fors” to make it deficit-neutral. There is language to close a foreign tax credit loophole, raising $9 billion. Billions more come from tinkering with Medicaid drug prices and rescinding unspent funds from a variety of programs. But controversially, the bill will also likely slash $6.7 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the benefits formerly known as food stamps. This might result in a cut in benefit checks from one month to the next — an unprecedented event in the history of the benefit.
American food stamps are not generous, averaging only $4.50 a day even after being bumped up in the recession-era stimulus — less than you’d need to buy two meals at McDonald’s. And since the start of the recession, the number of families depending on them has skyrocketed. The economic crisis has pushed 12.9 million people into SNAP; as of April, more than 40 million collect the bare-bones benefits. More than 6 million Americans report no income whatsoever except for SNAP — because they are not eligible for unemployment insurance, Social Security, disability or other programs.
and:
Still, the suggestion caused outrage on the Hill. The House Appropriations Committee originated the education-jobs provision in a war supplemental bill, and in an interview with the Fiscal Times, its chair, Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.), first revealed that the White House had suggested cutting SNAP early in the summer.
“We were told we have to offset every damn dime of [new teacher spending]. Well, it ain’t easy to find offsets, and with all due respect to the administration their first suggestion for offsets was to cut food stamps. Now they were careful not to make an official budget request, because they didn’t want to take the political heat for it, but that was the first trial balloon they sent down here,” he said.
It ain’t easy to find offsets? He’s joking, right?
But this is also a question of priorities, of what gets cut. Bernie Sanders put up an amendment last month to cut about $35 billion in oil and gas subsidies. It failed. Republicans are arguing to extend Bush’s tax cuts for the rich with no offsets, and they may well succeed. But food assistance for poor families? You can get the votes to slash those.
How can this be? Sadly, it all comes down to money and influence:
The oil and gas industry, of which BP is a member, reported $169 million in 2009 lobbying expenditures.
Poor people spent $0 on lobbying.
Tags: food stamps, Medicaid
This is a profoundly important issue, impacting not only the poorest, but the working/middle classes as well. It has also largely been ignored. For the past quarter-century, our government has systematically dismantled the “safety net,” steadily cutting away spending on virtually everything except war and “tax relief” for the wealthiest. Billions of dollars of annual corporate “relief” have been provided since the Reagan administration, always on the theory that this would result in a massive creation of “good, family-supporting jobs.” It didn’t, and in fact, much of this money has been used to ship our jobs to foreign countries. This means that WE are paying to have our own jobs shut down. Meanwhile, the overall quality of life index in the US shows a rapid downhill slide. Our own government has been taking our money to reward those mega-corporations that, in turn, finance our political system. By eliminating most social safety net programs, those who fall into poverty often find no way back out. The survival of the US is going to depend on whether we reverse these policy trends, get the rich off of welfare, and restore both human needs funding and investment in our own country.
If we don’t dramatically reverse course, there is very little chance that the US will survive another 25 years (for a range of reasons).
It has reached the point where millions of Americans no longer care whether the US collapses or not because, as things are, they really have nothing left to lose.
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.
FABIEN ON THE BALL
WSA NOT USA
OWN CONGRESS
OWN WHITE HOUSE
OWN CORPORATE AMERICA
OWN BANKS
1,380,000 –OWN 120,000,000– WORKERS
TODAY THEY ARE MEMBERS OF WORLD’S LARGES CASINO–WSA
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.
I meant to add, cutting food stamps (by any other name) to finance Medicaid is like lighting a match to put out a fire. As a result of our welfare (AFDC) reform alone, infant mortality among our poor has risen significantly while the health and life expectancy of our poor have been on a downhill slide. Severely inadequate nutrition dramatically increases Medicaid costs. The next step, then, would be to declare that Medicaid is unaffordable, and end it.
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.
WHAT DO WE DO?
ALL STREET OF AMERICA
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN????
1980–2009
Reagan + Bush II preaching Conservatism and staffs off WSA
Free Market off WSA
Cut Tax for top 1% by 60%
Cut Unearned Income Tax by 60% for Rich WSA pals
Huge Increase in Defense Spending enriched WSA stock holders
Cut Estate Tax
Allowed WSA to destroy Savings and Loans by using funds to buy/sell destroy large firms
Check 2009 Forbes Richest 400 and see how many you identify who got rich from buy/sell destroy firms. Billionaires. Milken-Ichan-Jacobs-Perleman etc
Deregulate S&L=Destroyed
Deregulate Housing=Destroyed
Deregulate WSA=Destroyed
Promote the building of world’s largest Gambling casino — WSA
Free The Market — investors investments and depositors deposits use to BET on future events.
Money that was previously used to build new industries, new businesses, expand current businesses and create jobs. Gambling was much easier, quicker, and more profitable
Bush Conservative Federal Reserve took Clinton Interest Rate from 6.5% to 1% for Bush.
It increased the Total Money Supply in first five years of Bush by twice as much as in prior ten years
Big Banks rushed to window to borrow maximum of this almost free money.
Plenty low interest money and developers were encouraged to build.
Larger the better the more profit.
Sell mortgages as securities to world wide buyers who knew Triple A Rating was correct(suckered)
Sell Homes too large—too expensive for Middle Class Stagnated Incomes
No problem amigo—No down Payments-Interest only payments for first five year
No check on income to see if can afford it. Who cares? Suckers all over world.
Sell hundred million of toxic mortgages no problem. Buy AIG insurance to cover losses.
Paulson and Goldman sold “known” Toxic Securites and covered failures with AIG insurance
550M Fine by government. Big deal. Few days profit. Where are prison terms?
World suckers—MAJOR PREMISE—Housing has ALWAYS appreciated in Value
never in history has it depreciated. Never. Katrina dam never broke.
AIG covering $4000 bets with only $100 in pocket. Uncle Sam will Bailout.
Speculators rushed to get that Free Money and buy even entire developments.
In 2008, 23% of the Foreclosures were on Speculative bought homes.
In 2010, more million dollar homes have been foreclosed than on lower priced homes.
Low Income Housing? Affordable Housing? How much material and labor wasted?
Fanni Mae purpose to buy low income mortgages from banks.
Got caught up in frenzy and buy $500,000 mortgages. Bundled and sold as securities.
Fannie was For Proft wsa stock owned corporation not government operated.
Maximum loan for them was $700,000. Low Income??? Fannie WSA firm.
Why would we allow our government to back gambling of Fannie Mae.
Like AIG with their many crooks we guaranteed insurance on the mortgages at Fannie Mae
Dumb. Very Dumb.
Free The Market allowed WSA Banks to use money betting on rise/fall of future events.
They were betting $4000 with $100 in the pocket.
Housing started to Craaaash the world markets fell fast.
Mortgage Securities were held all over the world.
Did you know an investor in Russia owned your mortgage?
Greece government blamed WSA for their problems.
Thousands of banks were closed.
Why? They got a quick small profit from selling local mortgages to Gamblers
Then, they did not have regular home Mortgage payments coming to them.
No income=Busted
Eight million lost their jobs. Thousands of high paying jobs on WSA will never return
.JOBS—WSA exports them to China and elsewhere for cheap labor
In Bush 8, WSA sent 2,300,000 of our jobs to just China.
WSA has only one God $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ nothing else counts
The Rich sit in Ivory Towers and buddy buddy each other
with interconnecting Board Of Directors to enrich each other.
In 2010, one thousand jobs making our refrigerators go from Indiana to Mexico.
All Hanes Hosiery/Underwear will hereafter have label Made In China.
Chinese government subsidies a huge new plant for them.
All US plants shut down.
Decisions made on WSA not in Winston Salem NC.
HOW WHEN WILL WE RECOVER?
cswinney2@triad.rr.com comments appreciated
clarence swinney old ugly mean honest
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.
Right on Clarance and DHFabian!
As Congress reads talking points about responsibility, the masses are waking up and recognizing the hypocrisy of creating legislation to sacrifice the middle class, creating more poor, for the elite interests that have promoted war, climate destruction and poverty. How long until they realize we, the masses aren’t buying the circle…dance designed to confuse us. We are coming together as people, beginning to realize that which divides us is propaganda designed to divert attention away from the ruling families’ antics.
If any elites that own 95% of the world are reading this, you’ve allowed too many people to be hurt too hard, too quickly for us to actually believe it is something WE are doing wrong. You’ve got us to question our capitalistic upbringing, the soundness of FIAT money and our relationship international bankers. Your greedy withdrawal of middle class wealth in October of ’08 and the proceeding decline woke many of us up. We might not know the details but we smell the foul odor of our burning flesh used for your picnic’s main course.
How will we recover? The masses will come together, despite their perceived opposing beliefs, stop buying the public lies disseminated by elite owned media driven talking points, stop voting for candidates that have elite financed campaigns, stop investing in the Wall Street casino, stop doing business with outsourced telemarketers, billing specialists, technicians, etc., stop buying products made by slave and impoverished foreign labor, stop shopping at Wall Mart and other huge franchises, stop eating at McDonalds (because it isn’t really food anyway), stop selling out to huge corporations and refuse to participate in activities that lie to, cheat or steal from other middle class people. We will recover by taking responsibility for our choices and the affect it has on everyone else.
What would have happened if every mortgage originator refused to sell products that preyed on the greed and ignorance of their clients and led to a global meltdown?
What would happen if every employee blew the whistle on public and corporate lies regurgitated to the public?
What would happen if the unemployed would refuse commissioned-only or starvation wages?
What would happen if salaried employees would refuse to work 60 hours a week to cover for those dismissed due to “lack of work”?
What if even 25% of the public challenged their elected officials to amend the health insurance law so that it actually reduced costs, removed the public mandate and demanded a public option?
What if campaign promises were legally binding verbal contracts?
What if even 25% of the public challenged law makers to stop funding wars entered through deception for questionable reasons?
What if every day people started and shopped at small businesses that provide superior quality and service realizing that it lasts longer and therefore, is less expensive than the lower priced item?
What if every day people turned off radio, internet, print and television ads?
What if every day people stopped disclosing personal information on social media sites and refused to mindlessly consume?
There are so many things every day people can do that individually, doesn’t seem to make a difference but collectively, will create a new paradigm where the capitalistic ideals are not a lie.
We will recover when “People join together now, in real time to create a new paradigm.”
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.
New Paradigm – Well said. I also agree with DHFabian and Clarence. So, how do you propose “waking up” the American people? We ARE our own worst enemy through complacency and tolerance. No one seems to know where to begin or even believes they will be heard. People ARE confused by much of what our government does. That is because America’s political leaders and lawmakers behave like a separate society of sociopaths. I know that sounds harsh but only if you think that all sociopaths are killers. Actually most sociopaths are not killers. Sociopaths are simply overtly selfish, greedy, lack empathy and cannot even recognize the harm they do themselves in the longterm during their quest for instant personal gratification. All they know is that they want something for themselves and they want it now and they’ll do anything to achieve it and they won’t consider consequences. Now, that is what I mean by being led by a society of sociopaths. America is in trouble. We need to wake up and hold all politicians and lawmakers accountable. Our system of government is becoming completely COMFORTABLE demonstrating that they do not care about any people except for those they consider to be of “equal financial status” or personally beneficial to them in their quest for “more” whether it be more power, more fame, more money. They no longer even try to fool us. They overtly demonstrate that they do not care about how their present actions affect the future of America. Many of our political leaders are demonstrating an extreme comfort level openly demonstrating that they do not represent the American people, they represent the political party – Republicans or Democrats, whichever it may be. Our democracy is becoming a study in the leadership of a society of sociopaths. We the people must make it known that we matter – ALL of us, from poor to wealthy. We must find a way to come together to hold our government accountable.
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.
Thank you all for your insights.
New Paradigm – I think you’re right when you say we will recover when people join together to create something new.
You must sign in or register to post a comment. Registration is free.