With an election twelvemonth in sight , you may bet the political climate is work to get a morsel more heated than usual — peculiarly when it comes issues surrounding solid food . pool stick public debate on welfare reform .
sodbuster — both rural and urban — are familiar with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( aka SNAP ) and belike have varying popular opinion on how it ’s run . To brush you up on your knowledge , the programme unremarkably known as food stamps offers nourishment assistance to down in the mouth - income family . Individuals can receive up to $ 197 per calendar month and a menage of four up to $ 649 per month — that ’s even less per individual , by the way — on an EBT card to spend at foodstuff stock , Fannie Farmer marketsor other retail merchant like gas station .
While healthy selection are available via SNAP ( participants can evenpurchase seedsto grow their own garden ) , some would contend that the selection of affordable healthy nutrient available to nutrient - insecure families , especially those who populate infood deserts , is far from various . However , one U.S. Representative require to put further limit on the eccentric of solid food one can buy with their EBT card .
This week , Missouri State Representative Rick Brattinintroduced a billthat would disallow the leverage of “ biscuit , chips , zip drinks , soft drinks , seafood , or steak ” using SNAP benefits . Whilethe purchasing of debris foodshas long been part of the SNAP treatment , the part about “ seafood and steak ” israising some eyebrows , not only because seafood and beefcanbe part of a balanced diet but also because who the heckcan affordto eat filet mignon on a $ 194 - per - month grocery budget ? !
Of course , Brattin admits that the language of the bill could use some editing . “ My intention was n’t to get disembarrass of canned tunny and fish pin , ” aWashington Postbloggerreported him saying . ( Yikes ! Shall we segue to a wellness - care debate ? )
More than930,000 Missourians who are SNAP participantscould be bear on by the outcome of this greenback . Some mass are worried the state ’s elderly and handicapped will be blackball from buying a can of tuna , while others think this move is just rich politician exerting their power over the vulnerable .
What do you call up ? How strict should our government be about SNAP purchases ?
