Trickling Down
Mar 31st, 2008 at 12:11 pm by Susie
Just another benefit of extended Republican rule:
Driven by a painful mix of layoffs and rising food and fuel prices, the number of Americans receiving food stamps is projected to reach 28 million in the coming year, the highest level since the aid program began in the 1960s.
The number of recipients, who must have near-poverty incomes to qualify for benefits averaging $100 a month per family member, has fluctuated over the years along with economic conditions, eligibility rules, enlistment drives and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, which led to a spike in the South.
But recent rises in many states appear to be resulting mainly from the economic slowdown, officials and experts say, as well as inflation in prices of basic goods that leave more families feeling pinched. Citing expected growth in unemployment, the Congressional Budget Office this month projected a continued increase in the monthly number of recipients in the next fiscal year, starting Oct. 1 — to 28 million, up from 27.8 million in 2008, and 26.5 million in 2007.
Great, if depressing, catch, Susie. Thanks. Blogs really need to highlight facts like these. And wait until the cities, counties and states start reeling from the reduction in property tax revenues. Used to be that the Feds as per congress would do revenue sharing with hard-hits municipalities and state governments, but Reagan saw to it that such things didn’t happen anymore. Ah yes, Voodoo economics; trickle, trickle, trickle.