In a recent Bible Study one person commented that giving people 'food stamps" probably encourages unemployment. The thought was that if you are eating you might not be inspired to look for work. And the individual implied that we should reconsider the program now called Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP.
It seems that some in the Republican primaries have labeled the President "the food stamp president". They say he is promoting food stamps rather than jobs. Both the idea that people will not work if the government is giving out nutritional assistance, and that the president is promoting unemployment, run counter to the real facts.
What is now called SNAP serves people below a certain income level. Almost half, 49% of those who receive assistance through this program are children under 17 years of age. If we add to them, first those who are elderly, and second those who are disabled, we have over 85% of those being helped.
Important to this discussion is the fact that 40% of those receiving assistance live in households where a family member is earning a wadge. Ed Bolen, an analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said: "just based on income, minimum wage single parents are almost always eligible for food stamps". Even with unemployment benefits, Jessica King, of Portland Oregon, says her family juggles bills to ensure the electricity stays on. They are also selling some belongings on Craigslist to raise funds. King's husband Stephen, 30, an electronics assembly worker, lost his job in June of 2011, the third time he has been laid off since 2008. Jessica said she was reluctant, initially, to go on food stamps. "I felt the way our national debt was going I didn't want to be part of the problem, But I didn't know what else to do and I got to a point where I swallowed my pride and decided to do what was best for my daughter"
The facts tell the story, that many of those on Nutritional Assistance are in a household where there is someone earning a paycheck. Many of those would be considered under-employed. However, the expenses of a household will continue to rise, while wages fail to keep pace.
