Food Stamps vs. Poverty
Jalissa Burt
11/18/13
“Food Stamps vs. Poverty” In this article Food Stamps vs. Poverty, Lizzy Ratner explains the importance of food stamps and how it affects people, their living conditions and its challenges. Though the food stamp offices may be unattractive and uncomfortable, one of the eighteen food stamp offices that opened in New York City described by Erica (an applicant) was loud, crowded and hot, but effective. Although this may be true, the place was still reliable and useful. The SNAP program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is considered a social safety net program, just like unemployment benefits, welfare programs, and section 8. This social net responds to the “deserving poor”, people who may have lost their jobs, may have children, cannot work because of disability or are just very much affected by the current recession. 1.8 million New Yorker get food stamps, and 46.3 million Americans take advantage of the program. SNAP has assisted millions of unemployed people and continues to serve as a “food security”. According to Triada Stampas, “It is a program that works”. Perez-Lopez (an applicant) expresses that, “They actually rescued me.”
Even though SNAP participants are a large diverse group, the program is being challenged by people like Paul Ryan who consider these programs to be a hammock that enables able-bodies citizens to depend on these programs, and Newt Gingrich who is against SNAP, calling Obama the “food stamp president”. Also, Rick Santorum, who accuses Obama of “pushing people on food stamps”. Regardless of their allegations, I feel as though the main point is being overlooked, and that is that food is essential. A 2008 study by Mark Zandi found that every government dollar being spent on food stamps lifts GDP by $1.73, circulating the economic flow back into the system with money being dispersed increasingly back to store clerks, farmers, grocery store companies and truckers.
I agree that cutting
11/18/13
“Food Stamps vs. Poverty” In this article Food Stamps vs. Poverty, Lizzy Ratner explains the importance of food stamps and how it affects people, their living conditions and its challenges. Though the food stamp offices may be unattractive and uncomfortable, one of the eighteen food stamp offices that opened in New York City described by Erica (an applicant) was loud, crowded and hot, but effective. Although this may be true, the place was still reliable and useful. The SNAP program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is considered a social safety net program, just like unemployment benefits, welfare programs, and section 8. This social net responds to the “deserving poor”, people who may have lost their jobs, may have children, cannot work because of disability or are just very much affected by the current recession. 1.8 million New Yorker get food stamps, and 46.3 million Americans take advantage of the program. SNAP has assisted millions of unemployed people and continues to serve as a “food security”. According to Triada Stampas, “It is a program that works”. Perez-Lopez (an applicant) expresses that, “They actually rescued me.”
Even though SNAP participants are a large diverse group, the program is being challenged by people like Paul Ryan who consider these programs to be a hammock that enables able-bodies citizens to depend on these programs, and Newt Gingrich who is against SNAP, calling Obama the “food stamp president”. Also, Rick Santorum, who accuses Obama of “pushing people on food stamps”. Regardless of their allegations, I feel as though the main point is being overlooked, and that is that food is essential. A 2008 study by Mark Zandi found that every government dollar being spent on food stamps lifts GDP by $1.73, circulating the economic flow back into the system with money being dispersed increasingly back to store clerks, farmers, grocery store companies and truckers.
I agree that cutting