The cost of eggs has doubled 70 percent in the last year, but some lawmakers think there are even better ways to inflict economic pain on America's poorest grocery shoppers.
Emboldened by winning the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm election, some Republican legislators including Jodey Arrington, the Texas Republican who leads the House Budget Committee, are targeting food stamps as a way to cut billions in federal spending.
Resistance to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) isn't new; two years ago, even as the pandemic was still raging, GOP leaders were balking at expanding the program to help the economically ravaged country. Now that those extensions of SNAP are expiring in March, some families that rely on food stamps may see the help drop from an average of $230 a month down to $82, according to The Washington Post.
The nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has an excellent breakdown on how SNAP programs benefit citizens state-by-state.
Some Republicans in states that control the distribution of food stamp cards want to go even further. The plan would be to raise restrictions to make it harder to qualify for food stamps by making work requirements stricter and doing away with waivers that have been in place. There could also be a fight against expanding SNAP benefits to keep up with inflation, like those rising egg costs. Their argument is that food stamps keep people from seeking work, the "spur the economy" argument that the party has used against welfare programs.
Tell us, though: how is spurring the economy tomorrow going to help anyone trying to buy those eggs today?
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