Food Stamps Cut Just In Time For Thanksgiving

[unhappycamper]

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/dave-johnson/52911/food-stamps-cut-just-in-time-for-thanksgiving

Food Stamps Cut Just In Time For Thanksgiving
by Dave Johnson | November 28, 2013 - 10:05am

This is that time of year when newspapers bother to write about how there are hungry people in America. But this year is special. As the recession drags on for the non-1%, cuts in Food Stamps have completely swamped the capacity of food banks and other non-government assistance. Meanwhile pending cuts in unemployment compensation and even more cuts in Food Stamps and other assistance programs mean things will get much worse for millions of invisible Americans.

Have you heard about the Nov. 1 “Hunger Cliff?” On November 1 the Food Stamp program was cut. Millions of Americans are out of work, unemployment benefits have run out (and been cut), winter is arriving in force, but Congress allowed a temporary, recession-boosted increase in the Food Stamp program to run out! $5 billion in urgently-needed assistance just went away.

Terrance Heath told the story in 47 Million Americans Are Going Over the “Hunger Cliff”, writing “Millions of Americans will plunge over the “Hunger Cliff” tomorrow, when $5 billion in cut to food stamps go into effect tomorrow. While Congress negotiates even more cuts, millions of Americans will face negotiating where their next meal will come from.”

The “Hunger Cliff” has hit people hard. The cuts mean people just can’t get enough to eat. Hungry people are swamping the food banks.



unhappycamper comment: In other related news:

(2,907 vehicles to be built over 13 years at roughly $1.8 million apiece) http://www.armytimes.com/article/20131126/NEWS/311260025/Army-releases-RFP-new-armored-vehicle

The $40 billion dollar USS Gerald R Ford in the news: http://hamptonroads.com/2013/11/was-anybody-fired-2-billion-overrun-uss-fordcould-be-many-list

Our $5+ billion dollar USS Zumwalt in the news: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2013/11/25/hagel-asked-ddg-1000-future/


The problem as I see it:

[Oscarmonster13]

1. can't believe nobody has commented on this yet

It's a travesty, just disgusting.

I watched "Catching Fire" this week...the second hunger games. It depicts the Capitol as the place where the 'in' crowd lives in luxury...great parties, fancy clothes, food and drink flowing effortlessly. While the outer districts are there merely to produce the resources needed for the Capitol to function and stay in power...they are kept on the brink of starvation. That serves the purpose of keeping them under control, because they are too weakened by their status to fight back...well at least for a little while.

Anyway - what struck me was one scene at the big party in the Capitol. They offer Peeta some more food and he says he's full...so they just offer him a drink so he can barf it up and keep eating...

It's amazing how much art really imitates life, isn't it?

[CFLDem]

2. The Hunger Games copied the Roman patricians

who used to throw wild parties and throw their food so they could keep the party going.

Wealthy jerks have been with us a long time.