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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums26 Lawmakers Live Off Food Stamps To Protest Republican Cuts
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/06/13/2147141/26-democrats-live-off-food-stamps-to-protest-republican-cuts/Twenty-six members of Congress will live off of a food stamp budget this week to draw attention to House Republicans cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The programs eligibility requirements already leave out 50 million food insecure households, but another 2 million Americans would lose access to food stamps in the proposed changes for the Farm Bill.
The SNAP challenge means that Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and 25 participating members must try to live off of under $4.50 per day for food and drink.
Lee detailed the tough decisions she made grocery shopping butter and milk were outside her budget and a McDonalds value menu item will count as her midweek break in a blog post. What Im thinking about most during this trip is that Im shopping only for myself, she wrote, comparing the difficult decisions now to when she needed public assistance as a single mother. When I was a young, single mother, I was on public assistance. It was a bridge over troubled water, and without it, I wouldnt be where I am today. I spent hours debating what to buy and what to skip, all the while keeping my sons in my mind. Many Americans receiving SNAP benefits are under 18 years old and live in working households.
On Wednesday, the participating Democrats chronicled their trips to the grocery store, where they poured over coupons and attempted to buy a weeks worth of food for about $30:
Rep. Dan Kildee
(snip)
51 cents to spare. Hardest shopping trip in memory. Two small bags of groceries, not a lot of food.
https://twitter.com/RepDanKildee/status/344850760892301312/photo/1
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26 Lawmakers Live Off Food Stamps To Protest Republican Cuts (Original Post)
cal04
Jun 2013
OP
Maybe we need to get some republicans doing this. Dems already know what struggles
southernyankeebelle
Jun 2013
#3
I thought it was great seeing the congressman bringing what he bought to the floor
sad-cafe
Jun 2013
#5
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)1. They really need to stop doing this stunt, and spend more time
speaking out LOUDLY against the republicans.
Anyone could go on a "special diet" for a while when they know that once it;s over, they are back to eating their normal diets.,
Their hearts are in the right place, but nothing new will come of this.
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)2. Big deal.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)3. Maybe we need to get some republicans doing this. Dems already know what struggles
people are going through.
Lugnut
(9,791 posts)4. BS sideshow.
Let them try living this kind of life.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023006250
sad-cafe
(1,277 posts)5. I thought it was great seeing the congressman bringing what he bought to the floor
I thought it was a point well made.