So as the House Agriculture Committee debated this week over how much to cut from SNAP, it was not surprising that Representative Juan Vargas, a California Democrat, would remind the committee to follow the example set forth by Jesus, who said that how we treat the least among us is how we treat him. Of course, not to be out-Bibled, Representative Stephen Fincher, a Tennessee Republican, came back with his own Bible verse, quoting the Old Testament when he said, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
Really? Is that how we see the least fortunate among us? As lazy? Last I checked, there were laws against child labor in this country, and children make up almost half of all SNAP beneficiaries. Further, since many of the jobs that have been created since the economic recovery began are low wage jobs, it is to be expected that many of the families on the program are what are called ‘working poor’; families that do work but do not make a living wage.
But Rep. Fincher certainly doesn’t fall under this category. The Fincher family owns a 2500 acre farm in western Tennessee that brings in MILLIONS of dollars in Federal farm subsidies from the very bill he says needs to be targeted for its food stamps benefits. Make no mistake, this is no small family farm. Not one to miss out on any free government money, Fincher also took a grant from the state of Tennessee, as did his father, that allowed for taxpayers to buy them new farm equipment. That’s free to them. Free work related materials. FREE.
But free is only okay if it benefits him, evidently. Free is no longer okay when it comes to giving poor children, disabled, and elderly enough food to barely keep them from starving. Fact is that the amount of benefits granted by the SNAP program is very low, $668 for a family of four. If your family of four makes more than $1,921 a month, you do not qualify. To give perspective, the USDA says a modest food budget for a family of four with children between the ages of 6 to 11 years old is about $1,024.70. That is $356.70 higher than the allowance received through SNAP. For this reason, most benefits run out before the month is over.
Rep. Fincher has already been hearing from angry voters after bragging about the passage of the proposed cuts to SNAP benefits (all while keeping government farm subsidies in tact). On his Facebook page, people are letting him know what they think of his politics with comments such as:
Looks like you haven’t missed any meals lately…do you even know how it feels to be hungry? You are a dumbass!
“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” ~Fincher
Guess you better tighten your belt, parasite.
Did you mention what benefits Fincher Farms will get put of this and how many more 8th dist kids will starve as you reduced the USDA SNAP benefits in favor of your financial supporters. Sounds like something the Devil would do.
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