Food Stamps vs. Partisan Politics

Writing at the Huffington Post, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) chides the Republican-led House of Representatives for putting partisan politics above people’s right to survive after members passed a bill to eliminate basic food aid for 4 million struggling Americans, including 200,000 children. Suggested Reading New Details Emerge After ‘Lion King’ Broadway Star Found Fatally Stabbed…

Writing at the Huffington Post, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) chides the Republican-led House of Representatives for putting partisan politics above people’s right to survive after members passed a bill to eliminate basic food aid for 4 million struggling Americans, including 200,000 children.

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With millions of Americans out of work and millions more working for minimum wage, it’s no secret that there’s a hunger crisis in America. I’ve met seniors in my own community who buy 18-cent cans of dog food to mix with rice. I know people who go into dumpsters to find their dinner.

So why did the Republican-led House of Representatives just pass a bill to eliminate basic food aid for four million struggling Americans, including 200,000 children and 170,000 veterans?

The answer is simple: They’re putting partisan ideology above people’s right to survive.

When Republican leaders blame the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for causing “dependency” on government, they fail to contemplate a simple question: Why do people receive food stamps in the first place?

While many recipients are seniors, children, and disabled veterans, there are two main reasons that ordinary able-bodied adults need assistance: Unemployment and unlivable wages.

Read Frederica Wilson’s entire piece at the Huffington Post.

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