The Atlantic
By Jordan Weissmann
Jun 21 2012, 10:18 AM ET
Hunger is high. Overpayments are low. The economy is weak, and food stamps are a strong stimulus. What exactly is the problem the GOP is trying to solve?
Here is a fact that should disturb everyone, regardless of their
politics: Today, about one out of every seven Americans receives food
stamps. That's a population of 45 million people -- roughly the size of
Spain -- who rely on government help to feed themselves.
There are two ways to interpret this number. On the one hand, you could
take it as evidence of just how crucial the social safety net has become
in the wake of the Great Recession, as families are quite literally
struggling to put food on the table. On the other, you could just read
it as an example of government welfare run amok.
Guess which view is popular among conservatives these days.
read the full article...
- Jordan Weissmann is an associate editor at The Atlantic. He has written for a number of publications, including The Washington Post and The National Law Journal.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment