Food Stamp Map (VIDEO): Usage Increased Almost 60% Since 2007

A new time-lapse video illustrates the depressing rise of food stamp usage throughout the U.S.

The video's creator, Zero Hedge's John Lohman, points to the alarming levels -- food stamps now feed a record 43 million -- and warns that the program is the only thing keeping Americans from going "postal." Sinatra's upbeat tune "I've Got The World By A String" serves as an especially disturbing soundtrack.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, food stamp usage has increased almost 60 percent since 2007.

Click here to see states where usage increased the most.

[Ed. Note: This video contains strong imagery that may not be appropriate for some viewers. Adult language is used in written form.]

WATCH:

Comments

[beyondliberal]

07:05 PM on 11/23/2010

What is a small business? The criteria will amaze you.
fedaccess.com/what-is-small-business?

[Modern Liberal]

10:47 PM on 11/22/2010

Blame this on Reaganomics and the conservative ideology. The GOP will never stop serving the wealthiest 2% and crushing the hopes of Main Street. The only way to end this oppression is to vote Blue every election

[pgrlights]

08:21 AM on 11/22/2010

The GOP just loves the poverty that they have created..the greatest seperation of wealth since the begining of the U.S.

[plebian3]

09:50 AM on 11/22/2010

Thank Goodness the Democrats regained control of both Houses after the 2006 mid-terms and the Executive after the 2008 General election. After all, they live and breath to placate the serfs and are as pure as the driven snow.

[wdw505]

10:31 AM on 11/22/2010

nice touch

[d00gle]

11:39 AM on 11/22/2010

Yea.. Love is in the air. Now if only everyone could be poor!! Odd that the GOP was able to vote in so many people this last election go-round. You might think that 50% of the US population loves poverty!

[Keith Cozart]

10:32 PM on 12/09/2010

FIFTY PERCENT hardly.. that is a gross overstatement! There is only about 50 percent of the US population that is registered to vote, and of that, during the midterms an average of 40 percent actually voted. So all this GOP conservative wave taking over the country really is a representation of is less than 25 percent of our population.

[Ron Wagner]

05:59 AM on 11/22/2010

When one takes into consideration that so many millions of good paying American jobs have been outsourced to places like China and India and Mexico where workers are paid on average $1.00 per hour, and it is clear that these jobs will never be repatriated, then it should not be a surprise that our out of work Americans are doing whatever it takes to put food on their tables. The prospects are grim and when work does once again become available it most certainly for wages far lower than before. As soon as our corporations come up with any new inventions and ideas it is a guarantee they will have them manufactured in China by Chinese workers. Charity begins at home.
I say that American multi-nationals that have outsourced all the work overseas are the real enemies within and have sold us down the river and thrown us under the bus, all in the name of globalization. On top of all that Banks paying less than 1% for money, charge us 15-30% interest on the credit cards we use. It's no wonder we are in such bad shape. I say both Republicans and Democrats are to blame and neither one can fix this problem as we are now owned lock, stock and barrel by the Chinese.
What is scary is that with the Republicans returning in January with so much power they will try and put an end to safety net programs, and other entitlements.

[ANlMAL]

08:32 AM on 11/22/2010

You speak the truth mate, F&F. Globalization and Free Trade have decimated our country along with so many others. Watch the safety net programs end and civil uprising begin. It is not so unlike "let them eat cake". . . The people of this nation are on the edge. When will the madness end?

[wdw505]

08:47 AM on 11/22/2010

the statement "let them eat cake" never happened........

[Madbunny]

03:25 AM on 11/22/2010

Isn't it amusing how red staters don't seem to think of Farm Subsidies as socialism?
Take a look at that over time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2006/07/02/GR2006070200024.html
(note that the scale is in BILLIONS).

Well take a look at this.
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/food-stamps-cut/
(scale is also in billions.)

Looking at this over time it looks like we've spend MASSIVELY more billions on farm subsidies than we have on food stamps. Also, *duh* of course food stamp use is going to be on the rise, it goes up when long term unemployment goes up. The whole point of the program is to provide a safety net for our citizenry when they need it. The argument that since they're now needing it, therefore we should cut it is amoral, cruel and utterly shameless.

[ANlMAL]

08:32 AM on 11/22/2010

Thanks for the links man, F&F.

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

06:59 PM on 11/23/2010

Right on! Every time I hear someone complain about clients and patients that request food assistance as 'spending our money'...I point out the disproportionate amount of money spent on farm subsidies and ask if they're equally as outraged. Usually, that question is met with silence.


Fanned!

[alanposting]

03:12 AM on 11/22/2010

The republicans give the money directly to the corporations....the democrats also give the same money to the corporations but they funnel it through food stamps....feeding hungry people and keeping more people working producing what the food stamp people buy. The republicans don't want the middle "stamp" people, as we see by some of the comments. Just write the food corporations a check, it's much easier. ....remember the corporations end up with all the money anyway...if this program was only benefiting the poor it would have been eliminated by the heartless republicans long ago.

[sandiegoconservative]

02:49 AM on 11/22/2010

And to think, the current government wishes to regulate my business even more and raise my taxes even more to prevent me from starting up my new business next year. 6-8 people that are out of work could be back to work on 1/11/11. However, they government keeps telling me more taxes and more regulation is what I need to run a new business. Oh well, I guess 6-8 people will still have government cheese when the new year starts.

[wdw505]

02:53 AM on 11/22/2010

the government needs to stabilize before business in general will hire again

[Barringtonmorr]

03:28 AM on 11/22/2010

You might just have to start up again. Because plans are made of dust and life's a breeze. Taxes are the price we pay to stay here even though much of what we pay is allocated to the wrong places. The Bush Tax Cuts (I'm assuming your business makes over 250K annually) will affect you but only anything over 250K. Plus i believe small businesses were given a tax break by this administration.

If you really wanted to hire 6-8 people you still can. You can cut your pay to cover taxes and to cover any improvements due to a new set of regulations. I don't think its fair to blame the government for maintaining its stability and looking out for the welfare of the American people.

[sandiegoconservative]

12:39 PM on 11/22/2010

You made a couple of interesting comments. First, my quandry over taxes is not with the Bush cuts. My business produces more business than 250k, but that is before the bills are paid. The Obama administration has authorized two particular tax hikes in the permitting process and legal document process, both of which heavily affect my business. The Bush tax cuts expiring are only small potatoes.

Second, why is it that I should cut my already small salary? I have already had to make cuts twice, and that is before opening my doors. I ran a similar business a few years ago and guess what? The more regulation, the less profit and less employees I had. Why is it that people demand a business owner, who puts out all the risk, starve his family on behalf of others?

There is nothing wrong with taxes, I am not saying that. But this administration is preventing me from running a business due to burdensome regulation that will affect nothing in the long run, and raising my taxes in the interim.

[RepChicksDoRock1]

01:44 AM on 11/22/2010

What a well made video...I mean who could ask for more than a guy shooting the finger at you, and just to make sure that you got it...he's holding a sign. HP certainly you can do better than this. Yes unlike the liberals on here I'm going to say this source is no source at all.

[HamletsMill]

12:52 AM on 11/22/2010

People of HuffPo,

This map is terribly distressing! What are we going to do? We are not coming out of this. People are going to now start to go into real destitution. The system is going to totally fail now in grid lock. We are in big, big trouble.

[wdw505]

01:12 AM on 11/22/2010

cancel welfare

[HamletsMill]

01:49 AM on 11/22/2010

What happens to these people then?

[msstrick40]

02:07 AM on 11/22/2010

Then what will be your solution for the working poor???

[Madbunny]

03:17 PM on 11/22/2010

Well duh. Long term unemployment means food stamp usage goes up. that's what it was designed to do. If functions as a safety net. The money, in big terms is pocket change for the country. We spend far more than that on farm subsidies, or Afghanistan, which costs us about 200million dollars a day. A day.

[Mik McAllister]

10:53 PM on 11/21/2010

Don't worry, once the GOP puts the food stamp program under the new privatized US Postal Service, the food stamp program will pay for itself as free market forces adjust the price of buying food stamps up.

This dysinformation brought to you by the fine folks at Goldman Sachs.

[rowdybrowngirl]

10:52 PM on 11/21/2010

The Vietnam war destroyed my father in many ways. His mind, his body, his ability to function in society. To this day he will rant and rave about how badly our government treated him and his fellow soldiers, but then he will turn right around and say he wishes he could go to Iraq to fight those anti-American %^&&*&^'! My father suffers from a kind of schizophrenia that while reading the posts of right wingers I get that same sense of schizophrenia from them.

They have damaged minds that are unable to see beyond their propagandized prejudices.

[momcat4obama]

11:23 PM on 11/21/2010

I'm sorry about your dad - and thank him for his service. To the rest of your post? - oh yeah - I get it, too. and it's drivin' me nutz!!! i get dizzy just trying to follow their "logic".... then i have to go eat ice cream....damn, i'z gettin' fat!!

[MamacitaOfLove]

12:46 AM on 11/22/2010

Hugs to you and your dad.

[IWantAJob]

10:28 PM on 11/21/2010

to qualify for food stamps you must have exhausted most of your assets. From the SNAP program website:
Just an FYI
If you have more than $2,000 ($3,000 if your household has a member who is age 60 or older or disabled) in cash, a bank account, other readily available source (and in some states part of value of a motor vehicle) you may not be eligible for SNAP benefits.

[IWantAJob]

10:30 PM on 11/21/2010

No such qualifications are required for bush tax cuts.

[Mik McAllister]

10:47 PM on 11/21/2010

Amen.

[Nafisa Abbott]

01:34 AM on 11/22/2010

so true!!!

[Mik McAllister]

10:54 PM on 11/21/2010

However, if you have over $100 million in assets, several cars, savings accounts, investment accounts too numerous to be listed, etc, you can still get a bailout.

[IWantAJob]

11:08 PM on 11/21/2010

A bailout and they get to carryforward losses to future years so that no taxes are paid. And don't even get me started on all the payroll taxes that US corporations don't have to pay anymore because they've outsourced the computer jobs to India.

[FairlyProgressive]

10:24 PM on 11/21/2010

you have to wonder. at what point is it possible to crack the irrational belief system of the liberal and progressive. they have no success ......ever, to point to for a country run on their ideas.

have you heard about the new idea ? ram all our legislation down their throat in lame duck session even though same people were vastly voted out. it's not the will of the pople, it's the people will subverted by the libs......for our own good, of course, we are all knuckle dragging bigots and neanderthals, if only we would let them run everything

[rowdybrowngirl]

10:48 PM on 11/21/2010

This country does not run off of Progressive ideals. It is only the progressive ideals that have managed to get through the cracks that have kept this country from completely crumbling.

Our failing is the failing of a free market (corporate welfare) capitalist system For you to blame Libs is beyond ridiculous and beyond ignorance. It is willful unfounded ignorant prejudice.

[MamacitaOfLove]

12:48 AM on 11/22/2010

Fanned

Exactly so.

[Barringtonmorr]

03:36 AM on 11/22/2010

How can libs and progessives ever convince the Right that they are ummm...kinda... destroying america (atleast the middle/working/and lower classes) by having this unbelievably naive faith in an unregulated free-market?

I'm telling you its impossible. They have been indoctrinated by corporate campaigns to actually be trusting of an entity that only works for profit. Don't get me wrong, capitalism is a good system to an extent, but only when you add socialist (thats right i said socialist) programs will you counteract the inherent greed of corporations.

[Mik McAllister]

11:01 PM on 11/21/2010

"for our own good, of course, we are all knuckle dragging bigots and neanderthals, if only we would let them run everything"

Congratulations. The first step is admitting you have a problem. However, recovery can be a long, hard road. I want you to know that we are all here for you, especially in dark moments where recovery doesn't seem to be worth it. But together, we can get through it.

I would recommend you get a sponsor who has been in the program at least a few years, to help you as well. Someone you can reach out to, night or day, when you feel overwhelmed.

Remember, conservatism is a disease, and the worst symptom of that disease is denial. It's very hard to overcome, but I promise you, it will get better.

I invite all of the progressives here to Fan FairlyProgressive. She/he is our brother/sister in spirit, trying desperately to climb out of the darkness, and she/he needs all the support she/he can get.

[momcat4obama]

11:21 PM on 11/21/2010

how come i haven't fanned you before now?? ;-)

[Nafisa Abbott]

01:37 AM on 11/22/2010

Thanks for sharing! All those available for sponsorship please raise their hands!

[MamacitaOfLove]

10:21 PM on 11/21/2010

43 million children at poverty level or lower and some here can't find any compassion.

[angelinarosa]

11:10 PM on 11/21/2010

So true. My class is almost all eligible for free lunch. Their parents all work, it's just so sad what little they have to get by on. I don't know how they do it. And you should see how hungry the kids can be. We send backpacks home with the neediest, filled with crackers, peanut butter, fruits, cheeses, other non-perishables to get by on the weekend.

[Mik McAllister]

11:44 PM on 11/21/2010

I salute you and other teachers who are seeing first-hand what we are doing to our children, and take action against it.

I could have said something snarky about how the theo-cons view teachers and unions. But they are so eager to grab onto any evidence that someone supports them, they'd fan me for it.

A suggestion. Some food pantries have switched over to the better-funded food coop model. They still allow other charities to provide families with vouchers so that the food is free. You and your coworkers could pool spare change (because I know how little you folks make) and purchase a couple of food boxes per week, or your union could make a deal with the pantries where you provide free vouchers to the families.

Just some thoughts. I'm adding your class to my prayer list.
Namaste

[MamacitaOfLove]

12:45 AM on 11/22/2010

Bless you. You are making a real difference in children's lives everyday.

Thank you for sharing that.

[wdw505]

12:27 AM on 11/22/2010

ok so

[Mik McAllister]

12:55 AM on 11/22/2010

Apathy is such a great political statement. Or was it arrogance?

Must be the latter. If it was the former, you wouldn't have commented. Personally I am surprised that you're not patting yourself on the back for helping put those kids in poverty.

I'd suggest that you might find yourself caring if we shipped every one of those kids to you, but I like kids and I don't want to be charged with child endangerment.

[JohnMayer]

10:19 PM on 11/21/2010

The Food Stamp program was begun by far-sighted progressives, to see the poorest among us through the eventuality of lean years of Republican rule. But don’t worry, all who envy those lazy bums luxuriating on food stamps; you can count on principled Conservatives, as soon as they consolidate their power, doing away with it. CEO’s know very well that a hungry labor force is an unquestioning, industrious labor force. Soon we will be able to compete on an equal footing with poverty-wage third world workers, and industry will return to our shores. Conservatives are only thinking of us!

[Mik McAllister]

11:46 PM on 11/21/2010

Not to mention, the undernourished have lower life expectancies, which saves Social Security lots of money by making sure the poor don't survive to retirement!

[Linda Williams]

12:03 AM on 11/22/2010

Well, John, how do we get American people to stop their work and protest?

[Mik McAllister]

01:00 AM on 11/22/2010

Linda, while it's a great idea, I don't think it will happen.

Folks are too afraid of losing their jobs, for one. Second, the constant drivel from the right keeps insisting that boycotts and walkouts are both useless and an effort by "socialists" to take over the country.

Then there is the level of willful ignorance and apathy in this country.

About the only option I can see as working is taking a page from the Rove playbook, and advertising a free lunch to everyone who shows up in a particular place and time. And that's a line I refuse to cross.

[JohnMayer]

04:59 AM on 11/23/2010

Simple, Linda: we form unions. It won’t be easy, will involve decades of tears, sweat, and blood, but, if we stick together for our mutual good, US workers can have the clout they did before Reagan starting busting America’s unions, and most of the rest of us shrugged off what our grandparents and great-grandparents worked so hard to achieve.

That and a little good, old-fashioned “protectionism” to slow down off-shoring.

American wrokers, like Democratic office holders, have to find a little courage once again.