Food Stamp Cuts Affect 1 in 7 Americans

Brietbart/UPI ^ | Fri, Nov 1, 2013

[upchuck]

U.S. food stamp cuts taking effect Friday are one of two stimulus safety-net programs ending, an economist said. The other is extended unemployment benefits.

...

It was a temporary increase in the maximum amount of food stamp benefits people could get monthly as part of Washington's response to the Great Recession.

...

Friday's change in the food stamp program, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, cuts monthly benefits 13.6 percent -- or, more precisely, ends a 13.6 percent increase in SNAP benefits from the stimulus act.

Benefits to a family of four receiving the maximum amount drop Friday to $632 from $668, the U.S. Agriculture Department says.

The maximum benefits for a single adult fall to $189 from $200.

The cuts leave recipients with an estimated average $1.40 to spend on each meal, the department says, citing its Thrifty Food Plan.

The number of people on food stamps jumped to nearly 48 million in July from about 26 million in 2007, before the recession started, the government said.

[upchuck]

Food stamps are sometimes known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The key word is Supplemental. Way too many people believe that food stamps should cover ALL of their nutrition costs.

[JRandomFreeper]

I spend much less than $189 a month on groceries.

/johnny

[CMailBag]

[old and tired]

The cuts leave recipients with an estimated average $1.40 to spend on each meal, the department says, citing its Thrifty Food Plan.

Is that amount calculating an additional meal for the students who get free breakfasts and lunches?

[massgopguy]

Remember back in January when we rioted over the Social Security Tax Holiday ending? No? Funny thing about that is we actually EARNED that money.

[Mygirlsmom]

These increases did a great job of “stimulating the economy”, didn’t they?

[hal ogen]

Maybe the people on food stamps could use lose a little lard. If they buy the essentials (rice & beans, chicken, canned fruit & veggies), they can get along nicely and still sit around all day watching bad tv. My nano violin plays them a tune.

[camle]

they ain’t cuts, they’re a return to normal levels. like when a river floods, then goes back to where it should be, it ain’t a cut.

[Red Badger]

If I spent $189 a month for groceries I would be fat as a pig...............uh, .......wait a minute......

[rightwingintelligentsia]

I spend much less than $189 a month on groceries.

I do, too, but then I eat out every day for lunch and over the weekends.

But I still think I could manage on the $189 if I had to.

[Starboard]

With 48 million recipients, opportunities for fraud abound. Just saying.

[listenhillary]

So they will have $.08 less to spend per meal? Oh god they’re all going to die!

[NEMDF]

$632/90 meals per month/4 people in the family is $1.75 per meal, per person, not the $1.40 estimate in the article. This does not even take into account that the children are getting free meals for maybe 40 meals per month, each, at school. If there are young children, there are some additional benefits through WIC, I believe. And presumably there are other resources such as food banks, charities, churches, etc. before ANY of “their own” money needs to be spent on food. If they shop and cook like the rest of us need to, to make “ends meet”, they should be able to eat very well on the reduced benefits.

[Hoodat]

Food Stamp Cuts Affect 1 in 7 Americans

Paying for the Food Stamp program affects 1 in 2 Americans.

[frogjerk]

Way too many people believe that food stamps should cover ALL of their nutrition costs.

If it doesn't cover all of their nutritional costs how in the hell are nike sneakers, smart phones and vain accouterments going to be purchased? This will ruin our recovery - /pelosi

[from occupied ga]

Benefits to a family of four receiving the maximum amount drop Friday to $632 from $668, the U.S. Agriculture Department says. The maximum benefits for a single adult fall to $189 from $200.

OH NOES!!! The sky is falling. The world will end - women and minorities affecte more.

[JRandomFreeper]

Funny you should mention pig... I'm sitting here waiting to hear if my brother got a feral pig while he was hunting this morning. I eat a lot of feral pig, since the price of meat in the grocery store is so high.

/johnny

[BitWielder1]

Food Stamp Cuts Affect 1 in 7 Americans
0bamacare Affects 6 in 7 Americans.
What should we be more concerned with?

The gov't will undoubtedly come up with a program to alleviate the HORRIBLE CUT (which is in fact only the end of a minor temporary stimulus).
Nothing is as permanent as temporary government spending.

[Hoodat]

It also does not take into account sales tax which the rest of us have to pay. At a sales tax rate of 7%, I need $676 to purchase that same $632 worth of groceries. For the food stamp crowd, the money I would use to pay the additional $44 in taxes, they can buy the latest PlayStation game instead each month.

[kearnyirish2]

Don’t worry, food stamp recipients; while we’re taking away $11 per month we’re giving you a new benefit: free healthcare! (free for you at least)