The latest data on SNAP enrollment shows 42,609,852 people on food stamps in fiscal year 2017 (government fiscal year begins in October of the prior year). That’s quite a drop from the all-time high in 2013 of 47.6 million (a little more than 10%).
It’s also the lowest level since 2010, when 40,302,000 enrolled in the program.
Food stamp usage has been on a steady decline after 2013, when enrollment in the government program swelled to 47.6 million, the highest amount it has ever been since the program’s inception.”
Part of the growth in the program was due to the Obama administration allowing higher income levels for qualification. In the first term of the Obama administration, benefit enrollment increased by 70%! Had to get that vote out for re-election in 2012!
One of the reasons the decline began was House Republicans pressured President Obama into signing an $8.7 billion cut in food stamp funding in early 2014 as part of the 2014 Farm Bill.
Another contributing factor was the decision by some states to change food stamp qualification criteria in order to cut down on long term dependency.
The cuts to the program, along with state efforts to curb food stamp enrollment, caused a domino effect. In 2014, 46.6 million Americans received food stamps, 45.8 million received benefits in 2015, and 44.2 million enrolled in the program as of 2016.”
States such as Maine began the process of instituting or reinstating work requirements as necessary for participation in the SNAP program. Some states had deferred or relaxed that requirement during the recession that began in 2008.
Although Maine led the way in implementing work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents who wish to receive food stamps, a lot of other states did not catch on until 2016-2017.”
When Georgia rolled out work requirements in 2016, thousands dropped off the food stamp rolls. Alabama soon followed. In addition, states are looking at programs to increase employment and decrease food stamp enrollment.
With strong job creation an early hallmark of the Trump administration, the momentum for declining food stamp levels should continue.
At the federal level, lawmakers are working on legislation to take food stamp work requirements nationwide and reinstate time limits on how long recipients can receive benefits.”
As many conservatives and libertarians will attest, the best food program is a good job and lower taxes.
Source: Breitbart
Image: The DC Gazette
HELL THE FOOD STAMPS PEOPLE CHEATED ME. FIRST I WAS GETTING $200 THEN THEY DROPPED ME DOWN TO $95 THEN TURNED AROUND AND DROPPED ME DOWN TO $2O A MONTH… AFTER BEING DROPPED DOWN TO $20 A MONTH I SAID TO HELL WITH THEM AND GAVE UP MY FOOD STAMPS… I FEEL I WAS DONE WRONG. I WASNT LIKE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE WHO SOLD THEM FOR STUFF, I USED MY STAMPS FOR FOOD AS THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE USED AND I GOT SCREWED OVER… SERIOUSLY HOW THE HELL DO THEY EXPECT SOMEONE TO BUY FOOD FOR A MONTH ON $20 FOOD STAMP DOLLARS….. WTF….! I NO LONGER GET FOOD STAMPS BUT IT STILL PISSES ME OFF ON HOW THEY WRONGED ME AND OTHERS….
Get a job. Why would you think you are entitled?
People in line to get food stamps in sedans, truch
Al people have EBT cards
Now days, but some in Tx
Have a Lone Star card
If you are able to work – yo don’t need them – they are for people that cannot work.
People who work at Walmart need them. Being able to work has nothing to do with it. You have to have access to opportunities that pay a living wage, and these are just not available in a lot of areas.
More working and illegals are afraid?
Lol thats funny!!
I was a single father for years before I met my wife. When me and my daughter decided to move to a new city, while I was looking for a job I applied for food stamps…HA…..they told me I didn’t make enough….what the H. E. double hockey sticks does that mean, “you don’t make enough” but I said, “you know what…that’s fine”. Daddy gonna make it happen and I did.
You got more than me, when they qualified me I got a whopping $43.00/mo and then they dropped me to $0. I went to the church for help and they passed out expired, opened and used food and when I told Sister Lisa about it, she said beggars can’t be choosers.. I have never felt so disgusted by the Catholic Church as I did at that moment. But, God didn’t fail me, that particular church did and it is the reason it will fail as others have. I stand strong in my Faith, I find that people in positions of power are despicable and will reap the rewards of their actions sooner or later. i have never asked the church for help and it took a great deal of courage for me to at that point and let me tell you the shock was enough to know me down. But life is full of surprises and its not over till the fat lady sings.