Food stamps or teachers? Congress takes from one to pay for the other.

[Robbien]

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Washington -- It was food stamps versus teachers, and food stamps lost.

U.S. Senate Democrats made that choice in two separate actions this week, voting to take back $14 billion from the federal food stamp program in late 2013 to help pay now for a financial bailout of schools, state health programs and a small bump-up – six cents apiece – in the subsidy for school lunches.

The Senate votes occurred the same week in which the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that usage of food stamps -- formally called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program --reached a historic high. There were 40.8 million recipients in May, a result of the sour economy.

. . .

"If in a $14 trillion economy, with a $3 trillion federal budget, the only way Congress can come up with the money is to cut food stamps, the country's in a lot of trouble," said Jim Weill, president of the Food Action and Research Center, a national anti-hunger group.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/08/food_stamps_or_teachers_congre.html

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Completely dumbfounded.

[Zorra]

1. Can't feed the hungry, can't educate the kids, but they sure can appropriate

billions for the wars on a regular basis.

What's wrong with this picture?

[valerief]

3. Add up all those WAR billions and pretty soon we're talking real money.

FRIGGIN' THIEVES!!!!!

[Tempest]

4. What's wrong with this picture?

It shows that the industrial military complex is in control.

[Zorra]

7. True dat. nt

[laconicsax]

2. Heaven forbid they take the money from the DoD. n/t

[DFLforever]

5. The unions have pledged their support to get the funding

restored by 2014 when the food stamp cut goes into effect.

We should all be supporting that too.

[Robbien]

6. So once again we have to fight the fight we fought two years ago

Why food stamps was even a consideration is something this for which Congress should be ashamed.

In three years we shouldn't be fighting to get the 2008 cost of living food stamps back, we should be fighting to get 2013 cost of living food stamps. So even if we win that fight, we are still behind.

[DFLforever]

8. I'm sorry too that things don't work out the way we'd like

But I'm fortified by Zinn's statement that, "without struggle, there is no progress"

I find it much more useful than outrage and complaint.

[Zenlitened]

9. I don't think Prof. Zinn was advising us to invent the wheel over and over again.

[DFLforever]

10. Yah. But when a wheel falls off the cart,

it more likely doesn't need to be re-invented, just repaired

[Zenlitened]

12. Excellent use of the passive voice: the wheel just "fell" off, somehow.

[lib2DaBone]

11. Because the DEMS won't grow a spine and stand up to the Repukes...

Once again.. the Repukes dictate the talking points and the DEMS roll over.

[Divine Discontent]

13. how can these people in power in Congress & the White House sleep when they're aiding to the hunger

, that lead to malnutrition, and poor health and STILL make excuses for the warmongering...........


ah... I love the smell of war. Aint it grand (if you're a war profiteer working for one of the defense industry corps)

[Jefferson23]

14. Well, they could take that money from defense, but they won't...sick, very sick system we have. n/t

[inna]

15. Actually, sadly, that was the Administration's idea.

Congressional Dems were as dumbfounded as you are.

[inna]

16. Link for those who don't know what happened. Cutting food stamps for Race to the Top:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/race-to-the-top/cutting-food-stamps-for-race-t.html

http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/07/david_obey_obama_wanted_food_stamps_to_pay_for_teachers_jobs.html
http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/07/will_obama_save_teachers_or_race_to_the_top.html

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/obama-admin-takes-money-from-food-stamp.html