Alabama counties cut 85% of their food stamp participants with no work in sight

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

While former Governor Robert Bentley was using Alabama taxpayer funds to fly helicopters to find his wallet and nearly getting himself impeached for misusing campaign funds (amongst other things), he was standing out front with his baton in the Republican hypocrite-parade. Since the beginning of the year, Alabama has cut away the “work requirement” exemption that was in place during the economic crash for people receiving food stamps from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Since January 1, thousands have been purged and now the remaining counties that still had the exemption have also seen thousands of people going hungry.

During the economic downturn of 2011-2013, several states - including Alabama - waived the SNAP work requirements in response to high unemployment. It was reinstituted for 54 counties on Jan. 1, 2016 and for the remaining 13 on Jan. 1, 2017. As of April 2017, the highest jobless rate among the 13 previously excluded counties was in Wilcox County, which reported a state-high unemployment rate of 11.7 percent, down more than 11 percentage points from the county's jobless rate for the same month of 2011.
[...]

As of Jan. 1, 2017, there were 13,663 able-bodied adults without dependents receiving food stamps statewide. That number dropped to 7,483 by May 1, 2017. Among the 13 counties, there were 5,538 adults ages 18-50 without dependents receiving food stamps as of Jan. 1, 2017. That number dropped to 831 - a decline of about 85 percent - by May 1, 2017.

The good news is that Alabama is saving a few dollars. The bad news is that this bullshit form of bootstrap-pulling isn’t going to motivate people any more than they already are. Those areas don’t have an abundance of jobs, nor meaningful public transportation for people to get even volunteer work to meet these magic requirements.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/6/6/1669345/-Alabama-counties-cut-85-of-their-food-stamp-participants-with-no-work-in-sight?detail=emaildkre

[democratisphere]

1. No one should be surprised when crime spikes through the roof.

[Else You Are Mad]

2. Not only that but no one should be surprised when

Most, if not all, of the conservatives will blame minorities and Democrats for everything going to hell.

[sarah FAILIN]

3. A Cullman Al. person just told me those on food stamps need to ..

"Get out out of Mammy's' basement and get a job"
I'm not even joking. I told her that was racist and that she was crazy if she thought 25% of those on food stamps were kids too lazy to work. I blew up them I posted the link to Trumps budget where it says they are cutting 25% of food stamps with the page and a clip. I've not heard back from the racist heifer.

The article this was on happened to be about our food bank being very bare... I'm still pissed.

[pansypoo53219]

4. electing the GOP has consequences.