this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2025
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Summary

House Republicans are considering a 20% cut to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, impacting over 22 million households, as part of a $5 trillion deficit reduction plan.

The proposed changes to SNAP would save $247 billion over a decade by rolling back a Biden-era increase tied to the USDA's "thrifty food plan."

Critics argue the cuts could harm vulnerable populations and reduce demand for food production, while Republicans view the changes as a way to curb spending and encourage employment.

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[–] [email protected] 73 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

They don't give a shit about harming anyone.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 2 weeks ago

In fact, they revel in it. Wallowing in the pool of poor people’s tears, ahhhhh so so good.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

They do give a shit. It's their entire goal.

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[–] someguy3 58 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

reduce demand for food production

...

There's another name for that.

[–] lemmylommy 21 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Well, prices are so high because too many people are demanding food. Let some starve to death, boom, less demand and lower prices. Get two birds stoned at once. The second bird being MAGA reveling in other people’s suffering.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Let them eat cake.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

since when do they give a fuck about the deficit?

oh, right. it's their battle cry when they're trying to hurt (the 'right') people by cutting essential services.

then they pat themselves on the back as they cut taxes for the wealthy by far more than was 'saved'.

[–] EisFrei 30 points 2 weeks ago

https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/thom-hartmann/two-santas-strategy-gop-used-economic-scam-manipulate-americans-40-years/

First, the Two Santas strategy dictates, when Republicans control the White House they must spend money like a drunken Santa and cut taxes to run up the U.S. debt as far and as fast as possible.

This produces three results: it stimulates the economy thus making people think that the GOP can produce a good economy; it raises the debt dramatically; and it makes people think that Republicans are the “tax-cut Santa Clauses.”

Second, when a Democrat is in the White House, Republicans must scream about the national debt as loudly and frantically as possible, freaking out about how “our children will have to pay for it!” and “we have to cut spending to solve the crisis!” Shut down the government, crash the stock market, and damage US credibility around the world if necessary to stop Democrats from spending money.

This will force the Democrats in power to cut their own social safety net programs and even Social Security, thus shooting their welfare-of-the-American-people Santa Claus right in the face.

[–] foggy 37 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

This is short sighted.

Hungry folks' anger knows no limits. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[–] ZILtoid1991 13 points 2 weeks ago

That's where the part of declaring martial law on day 1 comes into play.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

I mean, this is from the people who want to gut the benefits of individuals they trained to be killers.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

And the rich are really tasty.

[–] Johnmannesca 3 points 2 weeks ago

Empty calories though

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah but under the current misinformation curve the people who rely on government support the most will direct their anger at those that are trying to help them.

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[–] ShittyBeatlesFCPres 36 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Wait until they find out the SNAP program (aka food stamps) is run by the Department of Agriculture because it’s about increasing demand for agricultural products, not helping the poor. For comparison, TANF (aka welfare) is under the Department of Health and Human Services.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

Right, it’s not just the poor lobby that cares about snap. The farmers rely on it a a form of price support. Large landowners have better lobbyists than the poors.

[–] thisorthatorwhatever 3 points 1 week ago

It's going to be a crazy administration as they randomly wail, fight with each other, piss off their donors.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Republicans considering cutting SNAP benefits as part of ~~deficit reduction plan~~ hurting the poors

[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 weeks ago

Do you want Luigis?

'cuz this is how you get Luigis.

[–] uberdroog 23 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Great idea. Take away from those that have nothing, should work out just fine.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The world is 9 meals away from anarchy

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[–] horse_battery_staple 21 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ah yes this is what all the invading Greenland and annexing Canada rhetoric was hiding.

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[–] JigglySackles 21 points 2 weeks ago

People on snap barely get anything as it is. What a shitty thing to do.

[–] Limonene 16 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

SNAP pays out almost nothing already. You can't eat on $292 per month, especially if you're poor enough that you actually qualify for SNAP.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Is that amount for a family, cause I can definitely eat on $292 a month in a very expensive city. I'd need to make adjustments, but it'd easily be doable.

[–] Limonene 11 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

It's for a household of 1, in Milwaukee. I could do it here if I cooked every meal and ate meat at most twice a week.

A person poor enough to qualify for this probably doesn't have time to shop properly and cook for every meal, and probably doesn't have a full kitchen.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

In Los Angeles I’m paying like $50 for a barebones, mostly produce and raw ingredients shopping trip 1-2 times per week. I’m vegan so I’m not buying milk, eggs, meat, etc. but sometimes I’ll buy processed fake meat (but those prices are insane right now too).

[–] CharlesDarwin 2 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I’ll buy processed fake meat

If only this was subsidized like meat is. I find it absurd when I look at the prices for a lot of that stuff. Completely upside-down, especially given our health situation in this country. It makes it very difficult for people to start transitioning away from SAD, when it's funded and marketed with so much money...even if some of the substitutes are often not much more healthy than the standard carnist stuff.

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[–] NotMyOldRedditName 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (8 children)

Not that I suggest you do this, but in the context of eating cheap, you can get that cheaper by finding a place that sells larger bags of frozen vegetables, such as the carrot, pea, green bean, corn mixes. Go for the store brand to get that cheapest. They're just as nutritious as they get flash frozen when their nutrients are at their peak. It won't be very exiting though.

You won't have a lot of variety trying to eat on $292 a month.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Good point. I do that to an extent for the reasons you’ve listed. I thought of produce because lately I’ve been into salads and wraps.

I have no clue why others are downvoting you for this.

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[–] crystalmerchant 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Right, because THAT'S where the untold billions of dollars are going. Not the defense and weapons spending

[–] CharlesDarwin 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Well, we also have billionaires in this country, when that should not even be a thing. It's time to Make America Great Again, and tax these fuckers at 92%. Like the 1950s.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Conservatives believe you have it too good and that makes you lazy. They promise to make life harder as a way of motivating you to work more.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Encourage employment? Do these people think you can somehow live off snap? It doesn't pay for rent, transportation, cooking utensils, napkins, toilet paper... Anything bit uncooked foods. If you want to cut the money needed for snap, increase minimum wage so they make enough money to pay living expenses while working.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They want you to get a 2nd job, they want you working one extra shift whenever you can.

[–] CharlesDarwin 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You work three jobs? Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that."

To a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005

  • George W. Bush

He said that 20 fucking years ago, and the qons have not changed since. America, where you can work your fingers to the bone to get by, isn't that a beautiful thing?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Their dream American is a 28 year old, married with 3 children, with a car lease, and no savings in their bank account.

He wakes up at 4am each day to drive an hour and a half to start his shift at the widget company, he clocks out at 3 to pick up his kids and eats a quick meal before heading to his 2nd job at McGuffin's where he will work until 9 before heading home to sleep.

This is their ideal person, someone who can't take a single day off or have a moment to themselves without crushing financial consequences. Who must constantly be working and generating value for their employer.

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[–] bitchkat 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

My son got $150/mo for SNAP. His SSDI got raised by $75/mo so they reduced his SNAP by $75. Not sure what it is down to now after the new increase.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Wow, if they reduce egg prices any more through all those cuts they'll have to start giving them out for free!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago

Bruh, even the romans knew that bread and circus were all you needed to control the plebs. It's like the Republicans are asking for it.

[–] Skyrmir 11 points 2 weeks ago

They need higher crime rates to enable pushing for more authoritarian spending on police and enforcement.

[–] Feathercrown 10 points 1 week ago

If you starve to death because you voted for Trump, it's your own damn fault

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Does anyone even believe in deficits anymore? Like even the rubiest of rubes have been watching trillions of dollars worth of weapons flow out with no debate whatsoever.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

Because starving the poor has historically always worked out for the wealthy...

[–] PunnyName 4 points 2 weeks ago

They want a 100% cut. Fuck the GQP

[–] CharlesDarwin 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

...and I'm sure all the people that suffer from this will be blaming the motherfucking DEMOCRATS if/when this comes to pass.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

Well yeah, they shoulda had a majority to prevent it! It’s all their fault! /s

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