House votes to cut food stamps by 5 percent

[Bosonic]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to cut nearly $4 billion a year from food stamps, a 5 percent reduction to the nation's main feeding program used by more than 1 in 7 Americans.

The 217-210 vote was a win for conservatives after Democrats united in opposition and some GOP moderates said the cut was too high.

The bill's savings would be achieved by allowing states to put broad new work requirements in place for many food stamp recipients and to test applicants for drugs. The bill also would end government waivers that have allowed able-bodied adults without dependents to receive food stamps indefinitely.

Food stamps' cost has more than doubled in the last five years as the economy struggled through the Great Recession.

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-09-19/house-to-vote-on-cutting-back-on-food-stamps

[upaloopa]

1. How about a jobs bill so people won't need food stamps

[rickyhall]

17. Absolutely

Had they done 5 years ago.....

[red dog 1]

19. + 1000

There won't be any jobs bills until and unless the Tea Party Republicans lose control of the House of representatives. (Hopefully next year)

[freshwest]

39. +1,000

[Ash_F]

43. That is very much not happening. /nt

[red dog 1]

49. "That is very much not happening"?

Are you saying that (despite the GOP's gerrymandering of Congressional districts all over America,) there is absolutely NO chance that the Dems will take back the House next year?

If so, that sounds like "defeatist" thinking to me.

[warrant46]

23. Lobster Boy Looms Large In Food Stamp Debate

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/09/19/223796325/lobster-boy-looms-large-in-food-stamp-debate

MY TAKE : Here's how fixed news and its corporate backers motivate the Repuke Base
______________________________________________________________________________


Before Fox News turned its cameras on him, Jason Greenslate was an anonymous Southern California beach bum, hanging with his surfer pals, playing in a demonstrably awful band and, in his words, "livin' the ratt life."

He doesn't work and gets $200 a month in food stamp assistance that he sometimes uses to buy lobster.Which he did, unapologetically."It's free food," said Greenslate, a dead ringer for the infamous slacker in the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. "It's awesome."And so was born, in the conservative media crucible, the GOP's new face of American indolence.

For House Republicans, who this week will try for the second time in three months to cut farm bill funding for the federal nutrition program, it's a hard anecdote to resist.

[Drahthaardogs]

56. I do not think I believe this.

I smell BS, much like Reagan's imaginary "welfare queen". This smells like Bill O'Reilly's wet dream.

[Skittles]

24. how about ending whatever they are doing in Afghanistan

f***

[Faygo Kid]

2. The lovable GOP - at least they protected corporate farm subsidies

I can't imagine what this country would look like if they controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency.

They are doing all they can to turn it into a wasteland.

[FiveGoodMen]

4. They DO control both houses and the presidency right now

They don't own all the seats, but they control them.

[Koko Ware]

3. Veto on the way, and then Republicans needs to be designated as terrorists.

They have been terrorizing America for the last 35 plus years. It's way past time to stop.

Terrorists defund something that helps America - as in Obamacare
Terrorists ignore the job bills that helps America
Terrorists love MIC and refuses to cut down Department of Defense or Homeland Security.
Terrorists loves guns and refuses to allow for gun control.

Yes, Republicans are terrorists, and it's time to put them in prison in Gitmo.

And for those who are actual Republicans who has no idea what the fuck Republicans are doing - declare independent and do some research, not what media lies to you about.

[thelordofhell]

22. It won't get to the President's desk for him to veto

This POS will go down in flames in The Senate

[n2doc]

29. The senate bill also cuts the food stamp program, by 4 billion

We shall see how reconciliation goes. It will go down if the repubs refuse to budge, though.

[customerserviceguy]

54. We'll also see

how much the President is willing to trade away to keep the ACA intact. That's the game the Rethugs are really playing, even they know that they can't "defund Obamacare". But they can get a lot of other things they want for letting go of it, and that's the strategy.

[red dog 1]

50. The 210 House Republicans who voted for the Food Stamp cuts are terrorists.

According to the FBI,
Terrorism is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations as

"the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives."..(28 C.F.R. Section 0.85)

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005/

[Downwinder]

5. How about a 5% cut in the House.

[Wilms]

6. The 2nd paragraph catches my attention.

The 217-210 vote was a win for conservatives after Democrats united in opposition and some GOP moderates said the cut was too high.

Since "Democrats united in opposition and some GOP moderates said the cut was too high", I'm wondering if this is really "a win for conservatives".

We'll see.

[Iliyah]

11. It should read

a win for the 1%ers after the 99%ers with some GOP moderates said the cut was too high.

Got the feed the 1%ers!

[Babel_17]

7. Ye shall know them by their fruits

Years from now people will be soft pedaling their association with the GOP the way people do now with the CCC and, before that, the Ku Klux Klan.

[LuckyLib]

8. I'd like to see a cut in military spending, but we know how far that would go.

Every congressional idiot bought and sold by the MIC will knock themselves out to make sure that doesn't happen. But cut programs for struggling families and children? They are right on it. Bastids.

[Cryptoad]

9. Here is the Enemy!

The GOP: Doing their damn-est to destroy America's Working and Poor Folk !

[Warpy]

12. I sincerely doubt the Senate will uphold that

You can starve the poor only so long and only so much before they start to throw bombs at you.

[LiberalLoner]

28. +1

[Stargazer99]

51. Maybe it is getting to that point

When you have little or nothing left....

[Heather MC]

13. I bet a 5% cut in Defense spending would more than make up for the $4 billion in food stamps

[madrchsod]

31. total defence spending is around 1.3 trillion dollars

i`m not good at math but i`m figuring the war machine burns 5 billion in a blink of the eye

[Heather MC]

38. Exactly

That's why we "need" a war. We have to make room for the new weapons Lockheed, Raytheon, and CACI are building

[Lasher]

44. 5% of 1.3 trillion = 65 billion

[Babel_17]

14. All we need now

All we need now is to see the disabled required to perform chores for the 1% to justify their meals.

Dance for your supper, dance!

This is what is happening in a way. The bottom class in our nation is forced to twist in the wind for the satisfaction of these bloviators and those that enable them.

We all want people to have access to good jobs and we all want people to avoid harmful drugs. This isn't about that, this is about the Republican party creating a black hole to consume what's good and noble about our government.

[Gormy Cuss]

20. Don't give them ideas. n/t

[AngryOldDem]

21. That day is probably coming.

Along with work farms and everything else we thought were things of a very sad and sordid past.

Because as we all know, if you get any kind of assistance you're a lazy bum who just doesn't want to work.

[Iliyah]

25. MI pass a law I believe deals with

MI citizens inorder to get food stamps and I think welfare assistance they would have to do community service. That is, work for free. That is the 1%ers heaven - slave wages.

[JoePhilly]

15. GOP uses chemical weapon called STARVATION

against America's poor.

Will the media notice?

[OneCrazyDiamond]

16. Hey does this count as an offset?

[AngryOldDem]

18. Assholes.

While driving home tonight, I heard an interview with Jeff Sessions where he more or less called food stamp recipients lazy, and that they didn't want to work despite all the jobs that are out there. I nearly drove off the road, I was so angry.

Hey, Jeff, riddle me this: How many of these great jobs that you say are out there offer a living wage? Would they support a family? Are they full-time? Is there room for advancement in terms of a pay raise? I won't even bring up the subject of benefits.

And one more thing, Jeff: Most people, I think, WANT to work. They want to provide for themselves and their families, by the fruits of their own labor. It's been a rare person I've met in my life who wants to feed at the government trough from cradle to grave. But when the job won't make ends meet, and when that job is all there is, WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DO??? I understand that your party also wants to cut people from the rolls who are enrolled in training programs. So again, what do you want people to do?

No need to answer that, because sadly and disgustingly, I think I know your answer.

[warrant46]

27. The there's this beauty on TV from Angeli's in Mennominee MI

This receipt is the stalking horse for the Republican Party War on the Poor

It has been seen on TV

[madrchsod]

32. snap cards are another source for cash.

around here snap card is going for 50-70 % on the dollar

i'm betting someone gave 50-70% cash for the card to purchase the lobsters.

[warrant46]

33. Yes 50 %

see link

http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/receipt.asp

But the sheep aren't told that only to hate the lazy

[madrchsod]

37. thanks.

[AngryOldDem]

45. And that is a crime and should be prosecuted.

Like anything else, food stamps are prime for fraud. But that said, you don't cut the program because you jump to the conclusion that everyone who uses it or needs it is perpetrating a fraud.

We should go after the banking industry just as hard, then.

[grantcart]

26. Do they understand that Dick Cheney in fact only has

one vote?

[madrchsod]

30. nickel and dime republicans...

taking food out of the mouths of those in need.

[jwirr]

34. What has the senate done so far? We need him to veto it if they pass it.

[AAO]

35. "this bill won't see the light of day in the senate" - Sen. Debbie Stabenow

[barbtries]

36. is this the law now

or does the senate get to shut this bullshit down, or can the president veto?

i despise republicans. they will destroy this country.

[YOHABLO]

40. They already have destroyed the country

[Babel_17]

46. It needs a vote in the Senate and the Senate won't give it to them (nt)

[barbtries]

48. okay thanks

that's what i thought - but it's such big news you'd think it stood a chance of getting past the senate. surely it does not?!

[Babel_17]

53. The Republicans are doubling down so it is news

It's a written bill and they are on record voting for it. It's an easy story to write about because the bill isn't going anywhere.

It's theatrics but politics often is theatrics. Sometimes that eventually leads to deadly serious battles though.

[barbtries]

55. hopefully

just another nail in the coffin of a dreadful party.
if they shut down the government that should seal their fate. they can join the whigs and the tories in the dustbin of history and the world can be free of the scourge of their endless assholiness.

[blkmusclmachine]

41. Drip, drip, drip...

[onehandle]

42. Craphole un-Christians. nt

[WhoWoodaKnew]

47. It's easy to pass bills you know will never make it to law. Did you ever notice...

that the last republican controlled congress didn't pass a fraction of the stuff they HOUSE is passing now.

Playing politics 101.

[red dog 1]

52. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) "Shaming Repugs On the Floor"

"In my district...we have about 4,000 families who are on Food Stamps, but some of my colleagues have thousands and thousands more, " Rep. Speier said.
"Yet, they (GOP) feel like crusaders, like heroes when they vote to cut food stamps.
Some of these same members travel to foreign countries under the guise of official business.
They dine at lavish restaurants, eating steak, vodka and even caviar. They receive money to do this. That's right. They don't pay out of pocket for these meals."

"Another member was given $3588 for food and lodging during a 6-day trip to Russia.
He probably drank a fair amount of vodka and probably even had some caviar.
That particular member has 21,000 food stamp recipients in his district.
One of those people who is on food stamps could live a year on what this Congressman spent on food and lodging for six days." she added.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023697500/