30 percent more McLennan County residents getting food stamps

[douglas9]

he number of McLennan County residents receiving food stamps is nearly 30 percent higher than it was this time last year — an increase that coincides with record usage nationwide.

The country broke the 30 million mark for food-stamp recipients in September, with 31.6 million people receiving benefits. Before that, the record was 29.85 million people, set in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Part of the current spike can be attributed to devastation from Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Gustav, especially in Texas. But the bigger cause of the high numbers is the troubled economy, experts say.

Speegleville resident Robert Ashcraft said he’s living proof of that. The single father had a job at the local Pilgrim’s Pride plant until the end of October. But he was laid off, he said, when the company hit rocky financial territory, eventually declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

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[cosmik debris]

1. And yet this county votes strongly Republican.

Proving to my satisfaction that most of these voters are too freaking stupid to know which side their bread is buttered on. Maybe they will learn from this experience.

[sonias]

2. Or not

How many of the people getting food stamps are voting? I think that's our problem to begin with. You have areas that clearly should be voting their economic interests in great numbers, but I feel they aren't even voting. The people that are doing well in those communities like being the "top dogs". I'm sure you would hear them railing about "welfare queens" at their local shops and restaurants. I would feel pretty intimidated about voting in those communities and have the election clerks look down on you. There is a substantial portion of the electorate that really doesn't understand how voting can improve your day to day life. They're too busy working and worrying about supporting their families and they just don't see the connection.

Churches, Methodist and Baptist, are a big part of this area too. You can only guess what Churches are telling their church goers. Chet Edwards manages to pull it out here though. I know, I know you're going to say he's barely a Dem. But there is no doubt that Republicans split their ballots to vote for him or he wouldn't win.

http://www.muninetguide.com/states/texas/McLennan.php
These are the Demographics in McLennan
Latino: 17.93% of residents in McLennan, TX are Latino 17.9%
White: 64.73% of residents in McLennan, TX are Caucasian 64.7%
Black: 14.96% of residents in McLennan, TX are of African descent 15%

Sonia