Gotta pay for the new war somehow! Signed, pissed off!

[grahamhgreen]

President Obama signs $8.7 billion food stamp cut into law

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obama-signs-food-stamp-cut

[Skittles]

1. we're supposed to feel lucky he didn't give repukes what they wanted

[msanthrope]

7. No...you're supposed to GOTV 2014 so that the branch of government

and the political party who put the food stamps cuts into the Farm Bill cannot do that anymore.

The Repukes successfully triangulated the poor and farmers.

You can reward them by being mad at the President, or you can do your part to make sure they can't do it again.

[Scuba]

16. When was the Presidential veto removed from the Constitution?

[KG]

18. the veto pen must be some sort of 'magic wand' this prez can't just wave, y'know

[kickysnana]

24. You forgot the Sarcasm tag.

[msanthrope]

43. To what end? To kill the Farm Bill? That would be disastrous. nt

[Scuba]

47. You think cutting SNAP isn't disastrous?

[msanthrope]

51. Yes. So GOTV so we don't have to choose between disasters. nt

[Scuba]

65. Yeah, if we can only get Democrats in charge of the Senate! Or maybe the White House!

[msanthrope]

66. Per the Constitution, which you reference as an authority above thread....

neither one of those bodies originates spending bills.

But you knew that, since you rely on Constitutional authority, right?

[Scuba]

68. You're correct that spending bills originate in the House, but they must also be passed ...

... by the Senate and signed into law by the President. Perhaps you didn't know that.

[msanthrope]

73. Absolutely. And thus, you fail to grasp the essential economic blackmail that is being done by the

Republican caucus.....here, you have food stamp recipients pitted against farmers. The GOP is holding a gun to both their heads, and telling the Senate and President Obama to pick one.

You are faulting not the people holding the gun.

[Scuba]

74. Rich, Republican farmers, many of whom are in Congress. The President should have vetoed ...

... the bill and put the heat on the House. Of course the Senate should have never passed it, which would have kicked it back to the House.

If you think the Democrats in DC were watching out for small family farmers you're being fooled.

[msanthrope]

77. Right. You wanted a veto. nt

[Scuba]

78. What I wanted was for the Democratically-controlled Senate to ...

... refuse to pass the farm bill with the SNAP cuts in it. If the Repukes in the House still refused to come up with a bill that didn't starve our poorest citizens, then indignantly call them out on it and rally those who benefit from the farm bill to put pressure on the House to compromise. Instead, the Senate capitulated, as did the President.

[madokie]

21. Exactly

Those who can't see through this shit are being used. Used in a way that many, if they'd pull it out, wouldn't allow it to be

[Skittles]

40. is there a reason you always assume people are doing nothing?

[msanthrope]

42. Other than blaming the President on a partisan board..what are you doing? nt

[Skittles]

46. you fail to answer the question

and by the way, I do PLENTY

[msanthrope]

50. I generally find that posters who blame the President most have two

concomitant characteristics....

1) A lack of a comprehensive knowledge of civics, and

2) A lack of active participation in the party.

[Skittles]

55. "gnerally blame the president"

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

what you call BLAME others call HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE

[msanthrope]

57. He's not accountable for Congress, Skittles. We are. nt

[Skittles]

60. he's really not accountable for anything is he

lol

[msanthrope]

67. He sure as shit isn't accountable for the Repukes. nt

[Regrell]

62. "A lack of active participation in the party"

So you see, Skittles, we're not allowed to hold Dems accountable to the platform. It's YOU who is not active enough in "The Party".

[Skittles]

63. yeah, it's a common refrain of the heads-in-the-sand folk

very sad

they'll hold the prez accountable when we get a new one though - count on it

[CJCRANE]

2. Guns Not Butter.

[nationalize the fed]

3. at $10.54 Million Dollars per Hour

That's a month + a few days of overseas adventures.

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

$10.54 million/hr x 24 =$252.96 million per day
$253 million per day x 30 days =$7,590 million

And it won't ever affect anyone he knows. So what.

Trade-offs: What else could these dollars buy?

There won't be any real protests anyway. The people sat around and watched while their treasury was stolen in front of them and their children were sold into debt slavery. One of the worst things this con man has done is turn a bunch of so called democrats into republicans. It's sickening. But one could say the people get what they deserve. I've never been so disgusted. Time to find an island. Or anywhere far away.

Except Syria, where the New American Century will rear its ugly head again- soon. How long before Assad will be compared to Hitler for the second time?

[CrispyQ]

31. From your first link:

Every hour, taxpayers in the United States are paying
$8.43 million for Homeland Security Since 9/11.



Interesting site. Like the Tradeoff page, too.


Totally agree with you here.

There won't be any real protests anyway. The people sat around and watched while their treasury was stolen in front of them and their children were sold into debt slavery. One of the worst things this con man has done is turn a bunch of so called democrats into republicans.

[tecelote]

4. As part of the farm bill no less.

Cut farm subsidies to all those non-farmers!

[ReRe]

5. K&R for EXPOSURE

Ok... if this was a compromise, what did the Democrats get in return for the $8.7 billion cut in food stamps? Nothing justifies removing food from the tables of the needy in this country. The needy just don't seem to be represented in the Federal Gov't. Who represents the needy? Who? They are American citizens too.

$95/month less in food stamps. Did I read that right? You know, there are some people on food stamps that would starve rather than be seen at a food bank. They will do without. And when social services finds people in homes emaciated from a lack of food, will they be charged with negligence? Negligence comes from the top, people. And trickles right down to the least of these.

There is nothing to celebrate here, if you're a real Democrat!

[Enthusiast]

8. PLUS ONE, a whole bunch!

We ain't seen nothing yet.

[newfie11]

11. I'm afraid your right

Here we go again

[Samantha]

52. I agree, and let's not forget there are about 16 members of Congress (or their spouses)

who own farms and benefit tremendously from the farm bill.

So manna from the mouths of the poor has been diverted to the coffers of members of Congress, corporations and well-to-do private persons .... Beyond appalling.

Sam

[msanthrope]

6. GOTV 2014 so the House can't attach shit like this to the Farm Bill. nt

[grahamhgreen]

39. My people are so pissed off about the new war they may stay home:(

[msanthrope]

44. And that will make domestic policy better exactly how? nt

[cantbeserious]

9. Hope And Change Has Sunk To A New Low LOW

Let all never forget - it was all smoke and mirrors from the beginning.

So much so ...

Obama Wins! ... Ad Age's Marketer of the Year
http://adage.com/article/moy-2008/obama-wins-ad-age-s-marketer-year/131810/

ORLANDO, Fla. (AdAge.com) -- Just weeks before he demonstrates whether his campaign's blend of grass-roots appeal and big media-budget know-how has converted the American electorate, Sen. Barack Obama has shown he's already won over the nation's brand builders. He's been named Advertising Age's marketer of the year for 2008.

Mr. Obama won the vote of hundreds of marketers, agency heads and marketing-services vendors gathered here at the Association of National Advertisers' annual conference. He edged out runners-up Apple and Zappos.com. The rest of the shortlist, selected by Ad Age's editorial staff, was rounded out by megabrand Nike, turnaround story Coors and Mr. Obama's rival, Sen. John McCain.

"I think he did a great job of going from a relative unknown to a household name to being a candidate for president," said Linda Clarizio, president of AOL's Platform A, the sponsor of the opening-night dinner attended by 750 where the votes were cast.

Snip ...

[woo me with science]

20. +1 Bloodshed and hunger,

Brought to you with a smile, by Wall Street and Madison Avenue.

[blkmusclmachine]

10. Nobody ever promised you'd actually LIKE Obama's phony "Change"

And Hillary would probably be worse, if that's even possible ...

[Stryst]

12. I allready struggle to put food on the table

One meal a day, mind you. Thats all my family gets to eat right now. How am I supposed to make due with rising costs AND funds being cut?

[Dragonfli]

30. I am thinking the same thing. I already miss meals yet it would appear eating

is something our president does not feel is important enough for the lower class that it would be worth putting up a fight for via a veto attempt.

That is all I had hoped for, the attempt, let them try to override the veto or try again without the starvation attached to the bill.
We are not even worth that to him.


I don't understand the upper middle class and above, people like those in congress and our president (and the well fed comfortable supporters of both, many of which post here), that, just because their own bellies are full, believe that hunger felt by others is of less than zero importance.

"Are they even human?", is a question I am asking myself right now. They treat their pets better, I am sure they make certain they are able to eat regularly, yet for us it is not important.

It would appear that the President agrees with the wingnuts that charity can and will easily take care of the hunger in this country, they fail to realize that is not going to make up the difference because none of them have had to go to the food pantries and witness as we have the increase in numbers and the inability of such places to keep up with a need that has continued to grow ever since the crash, for the poor there has been no recovery and food becomes ever more scarce rather than there being an improvement, the hungry grow hungrier even as the wealthy have all seen great increases in their already opulent finances.

There is no longer a party for those that are not rich, if there were and a member of such a party held the presidency a veto attempt would have been made.

[magical thyme]

13. It's targeted at states that are gaming the heat and eat program

It is not an across the board cut so the vast majority of people will not have their food stamps further cut.

"Here’s how “Heat and Eat” works: In most states across the country, people who spend more than half their income on housing and utilities are eligible for deductions which increase their benefit levels. For the most part, that means food stamp recipients need to show state agencies their housing and utility bills in order to claim the deduction. But in “Heat and Eat” states, anyone who qualifies for energy assistance is assumed to also qualify for the shelter deduction. That means that state agencies can automatically increase how much their citizens receive in food stamps by giving them a purely symbolic energy subsidy. Anyone who receives even $1 in energy assistance is eligible for more food stamp benefits than they would otherwise receive.

If the proposed $8.7 billion cut went through, then only people who receive a minimum of $20 in energy assistance would qualify for the deduction. Last week, the Washington Post editorial board said that would mean closing a massive “loophole” in nutrition law which provides some food stamp recipients with unearned benefit hikes."

[flamingdem]

25. Thanks for this info

[magical thyme]

26. you're welcome.

I'm trying not to go off half-cocked on the cuts without reading the details.

I just learned that a new co-worker's daughter is gaming the system. She makes cakes for a local store and is being paid under the table so she can also collect WIC. In the meantime, she and her husband just bought a fairly new house that was a bankruptcy. Her mother mentioned that the reason she just had to have that particular house is because it is so big. So yeah, they got the big house cheap, will be able to do a lot of the repairs on the cheap (sitting empty has led to some damage) -- but then they'll start crying poor when they find out how much/year it costs to heat it.

Because of other things I know about this family, it kind of burns my butt. In a word, they're greedy.

[FSogol]

27. "I'm trying not to go off half-cocked on the X without reading the details. "

That makes you different that 99.9% of DU. Thanks for the real info.

[magical thyme]

32. well, trying is not always succeeding.

But some days sanity wins.

It helps to be pissed about the greedy co-worker.

[dixiegrrrrl]

35. So glad you posted that.

Bad on the Admin. for not making that clearer, tho.

I fear any change in this country is impossible when people will knee jerk react rather than check out the details of an issue,

[Hippo_Tron]

48. God forbid we give people slightly more generous benefits

[Skittles]

49. can you believe that shit?

OMFG

[woo me with science]

81. +1

[magical thyme]

75. I know one person who is gaming the system

She's doing a fucking lot better than I -- who get no assistance -- am doing. And her mother's giving me a hard time at work because apparently I'm supposed to trash what's left of my life in order to be at her beck and call. They are a greedy, gluttonous family who believe in living the good life at other people's expense.

Careful of the rolling eyes. The might get stuck there, you know.

I didn't say it was a good thing. I said it isn't quite the travesty it's being made out to be. I wish I'd been able to get help when I was down for the count twice. As it is, I'm barely scraping by.

[Hippo_Tron]

83. Umm...

I wish I'd been able to get help when I was down for the count twice. As it is, I'm barely scraping by.

The focus of your frustration needs to be directed towards people who opposed you getting assistance (and still do), not the person you feel is "gaming" the system. Doing otherwise pretty much guarantees nothing will change.

[magical thyme]

87. Since I have to deal with her greedy mother at work, who is giving me a hard time,

my frustration with her giving me a hard time is focussed on her.

My frustration with the unfairness of our system of aid, which pits one worker against another, is directed at the appropriate people.

[Regrell]

64. Yeah, fuck those people who might get a couple more dollars for heat and food.

Didn't you hear, we have some extra war coming up and we gotta budget for that instead. We gave a bunch of our extra war shit to all these podunk police forces, so now we have to make some new shit. Drones, armored trucks and assault rifles don't grow on trees, yanno.

[pampango]

14. Terrible. "The food stamp cuts are one component of a massive omnibus bill ..."

When House Republicans originally argued for a food stamp cut of between $20.5 billion and $39 billion, the White House threatened to veto both of those proposals. During his Friday speech, the president did not say whether he was satisfied with the final $8.7 billion figure, or even mention the cuts at all. Instead, he praised the food stamp program and said that the final Farm Bill preserved much-needed benefits.

“My position has always been that any Farm Bill I sign must include protections for vulnerable Americans, and thanks to the hard work of [Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich] and others, it does just that,” he said.

Just terrible.

[RandiFan1290]

15. How come the democrats didn't raise them in 2009-2011?

They had the House, Senate, and WH but found the will to extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

[Jeff Rosenzweig]

37. How come you seem to have missed it?

SNAP will use an estimated $45.2 billion of Recovery Act funds to increase benefits to serve the growing number of families seeking assistance... Starting in April 2009, most four-person households began receiving an $80 increase in their monthly SNAP allotment to spend on groceries. These ARRA-funded benefit increases will end on October 31, 2013.

The Recovery Act also provided nearly $300 million to States for SNAP administrative expenses in FY 2009 and 2010.

The ARRA investments in SNAP have been implemented as planned with benefit increases going out on April 1, 2009 and continuing each month, and administrative dollars being spent by SNAP State agencies to address the significant caseload increases.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/arra/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap

[Scuba]

17. Indefensible.

[Doctor_J]

19. he's rallying the base for Nov

Worried about the democrats "meh" attitude

[L0oniX]

72. Looks like the "base" is not the base I expected.

[Dragonfli]

33. Apparently it is being defended with some nonsense about how some people don't need to eat because

they use a loophole in order to gain the assistance they need. Yet there was no concern by the Democrats using this rationalization for the hunger porn they enjoy to close the loopholes that grants wealthy people free money because of "farms" used for no other purpose than to get richer off our tax dollars. They needed to be protected at all cost.

Those that need every loophole they can find just to survive are useless eater parasites that the well fed in both parties agree should pay more for their sin of being unsightfully poor.

[malletgirl02]

45. Food Stamp Cut Defense on DU

I saw people on this very thread using the very same defense you referred to. So disappointed seeing so called Democrats defending food stamp cuts.

[jwirr]

22. Oh, wonderful. What states was that supposed to effect again? Or was that the last cut that hit some

states and not others?

[JaneyVee]

23. Article from February.

We were already pissed off about this.

[flamingdem]

28. Please revise your OP

This is not news, look at the date on the articl

02/07/14 03:40 PM—Updated 02/07/14 09:38 PM

[Autumn]

29. Its from earlier this year but a timely reminder of what the priorities are

GOTV recommended

[daredtowork]

34. What Happened to Hope and Change?

I don't get.

Food banks are already being pushed to the limit with the current food stamp cut.

[woo me with science]

36. Another day, another whack of the Third Way axe!

What a con job that 2008 campaign was. And they are ramping up to do it again!

[SamKnause]

38. I receive $99.00 per month

in food stamp benefits.

Cut it to zero.

I really don't give a fuck anymore.

The government of the U.S. is as corrupt as any corporation.

Their priorities do not benefit the 99%.

They want anyone who receives one cent from the government to drop dead.

[daredtowork]

41. please consider signing my petition

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/work-while-on-welfare?source=c.em&r_by=11132229

It's about how all the politicians grandstand about wanting people on welfare to work, but when we try to work the rules are written to excessively, elaborately, and way over the top punish us for it.

[JEB]

53. Up next for sacrifice to war god....Social Security.

[Quackers]

54. I'm actually speechless.

I never thought he would allow this to pass his desk.

[Quackers]

56. Wait a minute! This is from February!

[TeeYiYi]

58. Old story...

This happened over 6 months ago. You should probably delete your OP so that people won't be misled into believing that there's a new food stamps cut in the works.

TYY

[sakabatou]

59. You're right, it is old

[Major Hogwash]

61. Then, in that case, this means that the entire OP is just a lie!!!!!

Which means that the author of the OP is a liar!!!

Filing that away for future reference.

[Scuba]

69. Please point out the lie.

[L0oniX]

71. So glad you are making the effort to keep people who may have missed this ...uninformed.

[L0oniX]

70. Something is really very wrong with the Democratic party...

when we elect a Dem POTUS that signs off on cuts to needy people. Are you ready for Hillary yet?

[Initech]

76. No money for us but there's plenty of it for the War Machine!

[woo me with science]

79. kick

[woo me with science]

80. kick

[AtomicKitten]

82. disgraceful

people are suffering

[taught_me_patience]

84. Old article and completely misleading OP that should be deleted n/t

[grahamhgreen]

86. Don't make me bring up the sequester

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/analysis/2014/sequestration-impact-on-military-spending-2013-2014/

[raven mad]

85. Sigh. Back to the food bank...............

[woo me with science]

88. kick