One booming part of the economy: food stamps!
Recently C-SPAN was interviewing Democrat congresscritter Rosa DeLauro about the federal food stamp program. The gist was something like this:
Interviewer: The cost of the food stamp program rose from $30 billion in 2007 to $72 billion in 2011. Why the huge increase? Is it all due to the rough economy?"
DeLauro: Mostly. When there are difficult times, the number of people who use food stamps rises. When the economy gets better, the numbers drop. And we're already beginning to see a slight decrease in the numbers [on food stamps].
Interviewer: But Bloomberg reports that food stamp rolls are expanding even as unemployment decreases. [The Dept of Labor reported] a drop in unemployment between 2009 and 2011, yet the number of people on food stamps is continuing to rise. Some people think it's become too easy for folks to get on food stamps."
DeLauro: Uh...."
Okay, she didn't say that, and actually admitted that even though official unemployment was down slightly, that doesn't include people who have stopped looking for jobs, and that just might, possibly, barely be more than a few dozen people.
Which got me thinking: There is no good way to answer that question. Because if the number of Americans on food stamps is indeed rising (and it's up 140 percent in two years), either the gummint is 'cooking the books' about unemployment, or else people are getting on the program when they shouldn't.
If a Republican were prez, that would be a lose-either-way deal. But under the gentle reign of Buraq "Freebies" Obama, the MSM will ensure that this gets a spin that will help Democrats, by flooding the zone with stories about dozens of delightful and oddly photogenic single moms who depend on food stamps to feed their kids.
Equally predictably, you won't read or hear much from the MSM about thugs using food stamps to buy drugs, booze, guns, bling or lottery tickets.
Don't get me wrong--I think the food stamp program is generally a good idea. Just wish the MSM wasn't completely in the tank for the Dems.
Interviewer: The cost of the food stamp program rose from $30 billion in 2007 to $72 billion in 2011. Why the huge increase? Is it all due to the rough economy?"
DeLauro: Mostly. When there are difficult times, the number of people who use food stamps rises. When the economy gets better, the numbers drop. And we're already beginning to see a slight decrease in the numbers [on food stamps].
Interviewer: But Bloomberg reports that food stamp rolls are expanding even as unemployment decreases. [The Dept of Labor reported] a drop in unemployment between 2009 and 2011, yet the number of people on food stamps is continuing to rise. Some people think it's become too easy for folks to get on food stamps."
DeLauro: Uh...."
Okay, she didn't say that, and actually admitted that even though official unemployment was down slightly, that doesn't include people who have stopped looking for jobs, and that just might, possibly, barely be more than a few dozen people.
Which got me thinking: There is no good way to answer that question. Because if the number of Americans on food stamps is indeed rising (and it's up 140 percent in two years), either the gummint is 'cooking the books' about unemployment, or else people are getting on the program when they shouldn't.
If a Republican were prez, that would be a lose-either-way deal. But under the gentle reign of Buraq "Freebies" Obama, the MSM will ensure that this gets a spin that will help Democrats, by flooding the zone with stories about dozens of delightful and oddly photogenic single moms who depend on food stamps to feed their kids.
Equally predictably, you won't read or hear much from the MSM about thugs using food stamps to buy drugs, booze, guns, bling or lottery tickets.
Don't get me wrong--I think the food stamp program is generally a good idea. Just wish the MSM wasn't completely in the tank for the Dems.
posted by SF at
5:31 PM
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