Heres the real reason Republicans hate food stamps

[CousinIT]

. . . In his paper, “Electoral Consequences of Welfare State Expansion: The Case of the Food Stamp Program,” Ohio State professor Vladimir Kogan examines how food stamps programs impact the ballot box. His conclusions are striking and might surprise many: he discovered that Democrats gained voters in counties where the program had been implemented. Kogan’s paper shows that Democrats paid an initial electoral price when food stamp programs were first introduced, but that the negative impact quickly faded away. Kogan notes that in the decade-long rollout of the American food stamp program, Democrats gained votes as a result of new supporters.

Unsurprisingly, Kogan discovered that, “the boost delivered by the program was largest in counties with high poverty and [food stamp program] enrollment, rising to roughly 3.5 percent of the two-party vote in counties with poverty rates higher than the national median in 1960.”

Speculating on the exact reasons behind the wider bump, Kogan writes:

One possibility is that the new welfare benefit changed voting behavior among existing voters, persuading some to change their vote in response to the policy change. Alternatively, the program may have worked to mobilize latent Democratic supporters who had previously not bothered to vote (see, e.g., Pop-Eleches and Pop-Eleches 2012). Although it is impossible to disentangle these effects completely in the absence of individual-level public opinion data, the results in Table 5 appear more consistent with mobilization rather than persuasion. Overall, I find that the introduction of food stamps in each county increased the number of votes won by Democratic presidential candidates by approximately five percent.

Kogan’s findings seemingly point to yet another reason why the GOP wants to eradicate SNAP; its success negatively impacts Republicans’ chances of winning elections. It also drives home a direct point that flies in the face of some conventional wisdom: programs that benefit the most politically marginalized citizens can lead to real electoral victories.

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/heres-the-real-reason-republicans-hate-food-stamps/

[Truth321]

1. The only problem with them is that those that need them can't get them.

I've known a number of able bodied people that got food stamps. A pretty good amount.Had one buddy that got them that was a member of the job of the week club. Knew 2 other folks that really needed them-they literally were unable to work. Food stamp office told both of them that did qualify-for $18 a month. Guess they only needed to eat every couple days.

[unc70]

2. In what state did this supposedly happen?

I need a lot more details to believe this. Must be something I don't understand.

[erpowers]

3. Republicans Point This Out

Republicans constantly point this out, usually in a negative way. Republicans are always claiming that minorities, especially blacks, vote for the Democratic Party because they know they will get welfare and food stamps (free stuff). Republicans also claim that the main reason Democrats are so supportive of welfare and food stamps is that they think/know that if they stopped giving out welfare and food stamps minorities, especially blacks, would not vote for them and they would no longer win elections.