I don’t know how this one slipped by, but, in keeping with their war on the middle class and the working poor, House Republicans voted to punish people who collect SNAP (aka “welfare”) by making them choose between their car and feeding their kids.
No, seriously.
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
The bill’s SNAP cuts come primarily from eliminating a state option known as “categorical eligibility.” Congress created the option in the 1996 welfare law, allowing states to provide food assistance to households — primarily working families and seniors — with gross incomes or assets just above federal SNAP limits or modest assets, but disposable income in most cases below the poverty line. The bill also would eliminate SNAP incentive payments to states that have improved payment accuracy and service delivery and would eliminate a state option that reduces paperwork for many households claiming utility expenses (and also reduces state administrative costs). (See Table 1 for information about the effects of the provisions in specific states.)
So say you took out a regular mortgage, own a mid-priced car, work to feed your family of four and save to send the kids to college. Suddenly, in 2008, Wall St. blows up the world’s economy and you lose your job. You manage to find a crappy job that can just barely pays the mortgage but you’re struggling to pay the utilities and other basics, like food. Unlike Mitt Romney, you pay your taxes every year and decide that you need help. According to the Republican philosophy, you are now a leech on society and you’re just too “rich” to receive help. That car you bought when times were better? Well, it’s just gotta go or no help for you. But you NEED that car to get to work because budget cuts have left your neighborhood without reliable mass transit.
Oh well! Should have thought of that before you lost your job!
The worst part about this is that there are millions of conservatives that will still vote for the GOP despite being treated like criminals by their own party.
Feel free to tell me what a terrible person I am on Facebook, at my home blog or follow me on Twitter @FilthyLbrlScum
