On Saturday (November 1st), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (aka Food Stamps) ended from lack of funding due to the government shutdown.
Except... there ARE funds available for SNAP.
The law that governs the SNAP program includes a provision for additional funding in case of a government shut down.
All the executive branch of the government has to is authorize the release of those funds and the SNAP program will be funded for another few weeks at least.
Only a heartless motherfucking goddam sunuvabitch would not take that action to help the millions of people who rely on SNAP benefits to not go hungry.
Well, there may be a problem....
The name of that problem is Donald Trump, aka heartless motherfucking goddam sunuvabitch.
While millions of Americans (including children and veterans) are wondering where their next meal is coming from, Trump was posting photos online of his latest remodeling project, redorating the Lincoln bathroom with white marble and cheap gold fiddlybits.
And collecting donations (bribes) for his goddam $300 million ballroom.
Trump and his cronies claim they do not have the authorization to release funds for the SNAP program.
A judge has ruled that yes, they do.
The Trump administration had two options:
1) "Well, I guess that's that. Release the funds and help millions of Americans in need of food assistance."
Or...
2) "Appeal the ruling."
Now you might need a moment or two to consider which of--
Yes, it's option 2. Of course the heartless motherfucking goddam sunuvabitch would appeal the ruling that says the Trump administration should help feed people.
To justify the actions of the heartless motherfucking goddam sunuvabitch, various Republicans have sought to demonize the SNAP program and the American citizens who use it.
The Agriculture Secretary said the SNAP program is rife with corruption.
A Republican Congressman said people using SNAP should get off their asses, get jobs and stop smoking crack.
Well, fuck that guy!
Most of the people who need help from SNAP are children.
Another large segment of the population who need SNAP are veterans who incurred injuries and disabilities during their service to our country.
And there is the not so small matter of all those millions working minimum wage jobs and still qualify for SNAP benefits.
If I may...
Let me take a moment to share my story regarding food stamps.
When I was a child, my family was on food stamps for awhile.
It started when the furniture factory my father worked at decided his job could be done cheaper in other countries. And my mother's services were no longer required at the sewing plant where she worked, as those services could be rendered for less pay elsewhere.
We lived in a small town where other than tilling the tobacco fields in summer, there was fuck all in the way of gainful employment beyond those manufacturing jobs.
We qualified for food stamps.
My parents were grateful for the assistance but we weren't happy or proud about it.
Eventually, my father found work in various jobs over the course of my youth. My mother was never able to secure full time work.
But even with my father's gainful employment, guess what?
We qualified for food stamps.
My parents were not alone in this.
Then and now, many people who qualify for food assistance are actually working somewhere, often more than one somewhere.
To the Congressman who thinks the solution to people needing SNAP beneftis is to get off their lazy asses, stop smoking crack and go to work, well fuck you!
I will concede there are those who are gaming the system to perhaps get benefits they don't deserve.
But decrying those people is NOT worth dismissing the entire population of American citizens who legitimately need help.
There is a LAW that says those people can be helped even during a government shutdown. But Trump and his sycophants would rather ignore that law so they can play their political games instead of helping people.
And never mind the law. Doing this would be the right thing to do, because it is just and it is kind.
Something we should not expect from a heartless motherfucking goddam sunuvabitch.
No comments:
Post a Comment