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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWisconsin Republicans Look To Keep Shellfish, Spices, Pasta Sauce Away From Families On Food Stamps
Low-income Wisconsin families wont be able to buy shellfish with food stamps, and will have a much harder time getting basics like dried beans, pasta sauce, and cooking spices into their kitchens, under the latest state-level Republican proposal to tighten the governments grip on the poor.
A bill proposed by state Rep. Robert Brooks (R) would ban stores from accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cards for lobster, shrimp, and any other form of shellfish, and set a long list of additional rules for the first two-thirds of a recipients monthly spending. Lawmakers held a committee hearing Thursday on the bill, which would require a federal waiver to implement.
An average of 420,000 households received SNAP each month in Wisconsin in 2014. The average recipient household got $220 per month from the program last year. Brooks restrictions would apply to all but $72.60 per month for the average household affected. And even that amount could not be spent on any form of shellfish.
Next to other recent state-level SNAP restrictions, Brooks bill looks like an attempt at compromise. It mandates that at least two-thirds of a recipients food stamps be spent on designated categories of food, and leaves the last third unrestricted. Republicans in other states have sought outright prohibitions rather than Brooks partial, ratio-based ban. Brooks says he has resisted calls from colleagues to add steak to the list of banned foods. The ban on shellfish is more moderate than a ban on all seafood proposed by one Missouri lawmaker earlier this year, meaning that cheap sources of protein like canned tuna would still be unrestricted for Wisconsins poorest families.
more
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/05/01/3653919/wisconsin-food-stamps-shellfish/
Republicans- the party of evil lemmings
Hong Kong Cavalier
(4,572 posts)Another state is proposing the same thing: banning all prepared foods. Even things like jars of pasta sauce.
I swear they really relish being cruel to the poor.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)use although that is wrong too, but spaghetti is a staple food for the poor.
hlthe2b
(102,236 posts)These are evil people!
daleanime
(17,796 posts)When your trying to live on a small food budget, dried beans are a necessity. And they are cheap! What reason could they have for restricting them?
Retrograde
(10,136 posts)which are (at least around here) about a third the price of packaged beans. Hmmm, I wonder if the Koch holdings include a bean brand or two?
upaloopa
(11,417 posts)people. Imagine if they put that energy into fixing real problems.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)What flaming assholes.
sdfernando
(4,935 posts)bread and water...oh and cheese because this is Wisconsin and they have to keep the dairy farmers happy so they will continue to vote for these morons!
n2doc
(47,953 posts)Lancero
(3,003 posts)That is past its sell by date.
City Lights
(25,171 posts)Heartless, cruel, unsympathetic, controlling bastards.
kairos12
(12,858 posts)okaawhatever
(9,461 posts)BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)Don't realize they are going to have explain to Wal-Mart and the other grocery chains why they are fucking with their income
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)Prudish Government is the right-wing counterpoint to Nanny-Government.
CommUNITY it means strength by coming together. Of COURSE WI teahadists would oppose this...they can't stand the notion that the poor and weak could be made stronger.
Having entire strata of people who are poorer and weaker is an essential benchmark of white poor/working class who live by the notion that 'it could be worse'.
As things have become very bad, they find that they must work harder to make real people who have it worse.
lpbk2713
(42,757 posts)The guillotine awaits.
dmr
(28,347 posts)What a cruel, sob. Shame on him. Shame. Shame. Shame.