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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHuge Food Stamp Cut Goes Into Effect Friday
Food stamp recipients face a massive benefit cut set to kick in when stimulus funds expire Friday. The nationwide cut is equivalent to about 16 meals a month for a family of three, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis using the USDAs Thrifty Food Plan. CBPP called the roughly $5 billion annual cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program unprecedented in depth and breadth.
If you look across the world, riots always begin typically the same way: when people cannot afford to eat food, Margarette Purvis, the president and CEO of the Food Bank for New York City, told Salon Monday. Purvis said that the looming cut would mean about 76 million meals that will no longer be on the plates of the poorest families in NYC alone a figure that outstrips the total number of meals distributed each year by the Food Bank for New York City, the largest food bank in the country. There will be an immediate impact, she said.
The fact that theyre going to lose whats basically an entire weeks worth food each month, said Purvis, its pretty daunting. She told Salon that while policymakers are attempting to punish people for being poor, and people are comforted by believing that they know that a person has to have done something wrong in order to be poor, in reality, I can tell you that more and more folks have more than one job and are still needing help. (As I reported last week, audio recorded by a McDonalds worker-activist showed a counselor on an employee hotline encouraging her to sign up for food stamps because it takes a lot of the pressure off how much money you spend on groceries.) Purvis added that cutting food stamps was not even good business sense, because each dollar of food stamps infuses over $1.70 of spending into the economy.
We were all told that these cuts for November 1 would not happen, said Purvis. When they decided they were going to take from some of the increases to food stamps to fund First Lady Michelle Obamas Lets Move program, she told Salon, We were told, you know, by the president
these cuts will not happen, we wont get rid of the program. Well guess what? November 1 is around the corner, and no one has restored that money.
<snip>
http://www.salon.com/2013/10/28/riots_always_begin_typically_the_same_way_food_stamp_shutdown_looms_friday/
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Ancient Egyptian dynasties fell during crop failures.
newfie11
(8,159 posts)Sociopaths starve those with less. Disgusting.
clffrdjk
(905 posts)This is a huge issue but we need to get our numbers straight. A weeks worth of food for a family of three is 63 meals. The article can not be right in both places claiming a loss of 16 meals and a loss of a weeks worth of food.
TBF
(32,067 posts)but what they are saying is that if you lose 16 meals over the course of the month then you are losing a week's worth of food ($16/week x4 weeks = $64). See? But you are correct that they have to speak more clearly so they don't confuse the heck out of folks.
Cheers.
"The nationwide cut is equivalent to about 16 meals a month for a family of three,
That is 25% of one week not 25% of a month.
3 people x 3 meals a day x 7 days = 63 meals per week. 16/63 =.25xxx
3 people x 3 meals a day x 30 days = 270 meals per month. 16/270 = .05xxx
Bibliovore
(185 posts)If it's for one person, your figures are correct. If it's for one family (unclear from the article), it's either 5.33 days at 3 meals a day or 7.67 days at 2 meals a day.
clffrdjk
(905 posts)And that is why I used 3 people when showing my work. To assume that a single person would lose the same number of meals as a family of three is just plain wrong. As for the meal schedule I do not know if it is a 2 or 3 meal day but I think 3 is the better assumption. I am not digging any information up I am just using the numbers cited in the article. It contradicts itself and if we use it to try and prove our points we are opening ourselves up to issues.
Eta sorry your thinking family style meals and not counting a dinner for 3 as 3 meals I do not know how they computed the value of the meal. Anybody have the actual dollar amount change for a family of 3?
Chaco Dundee
(334 posts)Starving children is despicable and sick.
clffrdjk
(905 posts)So we should use the strongest possible arguments and not articles that contradict themselves.
Chaco Dundee
(334 posts)We should use the strongest argument and do our math bevore we print it.I just like the emphasys to be on children and needy people who have no way to provide food for themselfs,let allone healthy balanced meals.if you are starving,you only count to one.where does the next meal come from.
BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts)fasttense
(17,301 posts)just a reminder fasting has never been good for growing children.
BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts)As I posted in that thread, I find it ironic that news of these "studies" is coming out the same week that the food stamps are being cut. Many elderly people are on food stamps too.
Personally I don't think fasting twice a week is good for anyone. Maybe a guru living on a mountaintop who meditates all day can fast twice a week, I don't know too many of them.
demwing
(16,916 posts)lasted about a year, and all it made me was hungry. I lost no weight, because on Monday I would always compensate!
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)hollysmom
(5,946 posts)Maybe the petty theft will allow them to enrich some more prisons for money people, when they try and steal food, while the bankers who took their homes falsely are still free.
demwing
(16,916 posts)I think it's an issue of "give-a-fuckery"
historylovr
(1,557 posts)AzDar
(14,023 posts)Doesn't seem like a good idea...
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)We were all told that these cuts for November 1 would not happen, said Purvis. When they decided they were going to take from some of the increases to food stamps to fund First Lady Michelle Obamas Lets Move program, she told Salon, We were told, you know, by the president
these cuts will not happen, we wont get rid of the program. Well guess what? November 1 is around the corner, and no one has restored that money.
But I'm sure the strong random pretzel staircase will be along shortly to tell us it hasn't happened yet and we need to do something about our flammable hair.
cali
(114,904 posts)and how much of that is coming from funds that have gone to food stamps. I think it's safe to conclude that it's a very small fraction. Now that doesn't completely erase a potential pr problem but I imagine it reduces it.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)One of the major features of Teabagger mentality is a lack of a sense of proportion. You know--like all that "furrin aid" we keep giving away, and the Welfare Cadillacs and all that.
Actually, the whole article sounds like something of a hit job, but that doesn't lessen its propaganda value. Michele's program was the one source specifically cited as the cause of the problem. In fact, the article itself has problems in that it makes 16 missing meals (bad enough by itself) sound like 48 missing meals by the inclusion of that line about "a family of 3."
Laelth
(32,017 posts)That said, it's still a bad idea to cut SNAP, and I hope the Republicans can be made to pay for it at the ballot box.
-Laelth
B Calm
(28,762 posts)heaven05
(18,124 posts)Oh sorry, not GOP, Ryan and the TEANAZIS got their way again!!!! Starve em out, right Ryan? You Nazi POS!!!!!
AAO
(3,300 posts)jsr
(7,712 posts)USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!
solarhydrocan
(551 posts)spending >$2000 per SECOND adds up. What's a few less meals if it means a few more drone attacks on grandmothers picking okra.
jsr
(7,712 posts)demwing
(16,916 posts)join the military or go to jail, them's yer options in this brave new economy.
AnneD
(15,774 posts)One_Life_To_Give
(6,036 posts)Why was SNAP being financed with short term Stimulus funds?
clffrdjk
(905 posts)madamesilverspurs
(15,805 posts)is considering taking even more time off because, ostensibly, they can't find anything to do...
JEB
(4,748 posts)about what lengths hungry people will go to to feed themselves and their families.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)increase in retail theft,increase of violence,and an increase of broken relationships.
the glue that holds families together is slowly dissolving.
Coyotl
(15,262 posts)And it is working. Now more people oppose them than before!
The backlash cometh!
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)more people are getting work, but in many cases, it is a work that pays less than what they were making before. and i know in my own situation, i've lost so much in the past 4 years...it's had to imagine how i will ever catch up again. and there are still a lot of people who cannot find work. and federal UI extensions have dried up.
given the economics realities for so many people: this is simply unconscionable. it really makes you wonder WHO our elected officials are working for. well...we already know that, but they really don't give a shit.
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)How could anyone think this is OK?
I certainly hope the usual group of those that attempt to vilify the poor do not come by this thread (you know who you are ... you're the one that watches what folk receiving aid buy, you're the one that knows someone that knows someone that does X, you the one that believes in 'welfare queens"