KRUGMAN: SNAP is public policy at its best-Not only helps those in need-Helps them help themselves

[kpete]

Free to Be Hungry
By PAUL KRUGMAN

SNAP, in short, is public policy at its best. It not only helps those in need; it helps them help themselves. And it has done yeoman work in the economic crisis, mitigating suffering and protecting jobs at a time when all too many policy makers seem determined to do the opposite. So it tells you something that conservatives have singled out this of all programs for special ire.

Even some conservative pundits worry that the war on food stamps, especially combined with the vote to increase farm subsidies, is bad for the G.O.P., because it makes Republicans look like meanspirited class warriors. Indeed it does. And that’s because they are.

the whole column is especially good today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/opinion/krugman-free-to-be-hungry.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130923&_r=1&

[niyad]

1. "mean-spirited class warriors" is too kind. they are heartless, soulless, other-than-human thugs.

[Scuba]

2. Yeah, but food stamps are sucking the life out of our economy, right?

Um, no.

[woo me with science]

3. K&R

[Jefferson23]

4. ahem, Why hasn’t recovery brought the SNAP rolls down?

The answer is, while the recession did indeed officially end in 2009, what we’ve had since then is a recovery of, by and for a small number of people at the top of the income distribution, with none of the gains trickling down to the less fortunate. Adjusted for inflation, the income of the top 1 percent rose 31 percent from 2009 to 2012, but the real income of the bottom 40 percent actually fell 6 percent. Why should food stamp usage have gone down?



K&R

[indepat]

5. But isn't one Republican mantra to let kids, the elderly, and disabled work or not

eat? Is this not but a microcosm of the entire right-wing mantra? What is so difficult about this inhumane mantra that almost one-half of the people must not understand or else most would not vote Republican?

[Enthusiast]

6. Kicked and recommended....nt

[jsr]

7. Great piece.