As poverty level increases, more people quality for social programs.

[rodeodance]

http://www.comcast.net/news/usatoday/index.jsp?fn=/2006/03/13/242367.html

Federal aid programs expand at record rate
By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY

Mon Mar 13, 5:32 PM

A sweeping expansion of social programs since 2000 has sparked a record increase in the number of Americans receiving federal government benefits such as college aid, food stamps and health care.



.....Programs that grew over the past five years are aimed at the under-65 population, especially families earning less than $40,000 a year. For example, the number of mostly low-income college students receiving Pell grants rose 41% over five years to 5.3 million.

Robert Greenstein, head of the liberal Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, says the growth in the number of people in many programs is due to a rise in the poverty rate from 11.3% in 2000 to 12.7% in 2004, the most recent year available. "It's certainly better that people falling into poverty can get Medicaid, but I'd prefer fewer poor people and employers not dropping medical coverage," he says.

Rep. Gil Gutknecht, a conservative Republican from Minnesota, says the number of people in entitlement programs should not be growing when unemployment is near a record low. "It's probably time to revisit food stamps and its goals and costs," says Gutknecht, chairman of the subcommittee that oversees food stamps. Food stamp enrollment climbed from 17.2 million in 2000 to 25.7 million in 2005......

[rodeodance]

1. this Repug does not understand why social progs increased when

employment is near 'record low"


...Rep. Gil Gutknecht, a conservative Republican from Minnesota, says the number of people in entitlement programs should not be growing when unemployment is near a record low. "It's probably time to revisit food stamps and its goals and costs," says Gutknecht, chairman of the subcommittee that oversees food stamps. Food stamp enrollment climbed from 17.2 million in 2000 to 25.7 million in 2005......

[wtbymark]

2. how bout' Livable Wages!!!! asshat

on edit; 2 reasons, 1)after peoples unemployment benefits run out, they're off the rolls and 2)the only jobs are low paying service industry = no food on the table

how much does representitave fuckface have in his account?

[Tom Joad]

3. They *qualify" for social programs. Might still be time to edit. eom

[depakid]

4. ....when unemployment is near a record low.

LOL.

Delusional Republicans believe their own propaganda rather than their own eyes....

Wishing you and yours the worst, Rep. Gutknecht.

[MGKrebs]

5. That so perfectly encapsulates the conservative paradigm.

More people in poverty = more social spending = must cut food stamps.