Food Stamps: Democrats In Congress Attempt To Eat On $4.50 A Day To Protest Potential Budget Cuts

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) along with eight other congressional Democrats are eating on a budget of about $4.50 a day to show solidarity with food stamp recipients who receive $32.59 a week.

The personal thrift, which is part of a challenge organized by Fighting Poverty With Faith, was reported by Pacifica Patch. The site also listed the food items that Speier was now buying.

Speier displayed some of the items she was able to purchase for her first day of living on a food stamp budget: a bag of coffee and a loaf of bread from the Dollar Warehouse; a can of Campbell's low sodium chicken noodle soup; and a can of sweet peas, possibly to put in a tuna casserole later in the week.

"And this is my treat for the week," Speier said, holding up a box of microwave popcorn packets.

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), along with his wife and daughter, chose to live on a food stamp budget of about $1.59 per meal. He tweeted about the challenge, relaying that he ate "generic cereal and part of a banana for breakfast."

Food stamps have been a target of Republican-led budget cuts. House Budget Committee Chair Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) proposed transfering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, into a block grant program administered by the states.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) recently told ABC's "Top Line" that the food stamp program was "out of control" and being abused by "multimillion-dollar lottery winners." (After a Michigan man drew attention for still receiving food stamps despite winning the lottery, state lawmakers began asking recipients about their financial assets.)

The number of people relying on food stamps has risen as a consequence of the recession. Over 40 million individuals and 19 million households used the program in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In addition to Speier and Courtney, Reps. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) have also decided to trim down their food budget in solidarity.

Comments

[ellen jones]

04:12 PM on 11/04/2011

Hope you'll refer Congress to my book, "Eat Vegan on $4 a Day." It's my publisher's #1 seller in just 4 months. In my presentations around the US, I show a slide that says how we could save a lot of money trimming the fat this way. If it is good enough for Bill Clinton, it ought to be good enough for the rest of us. Even just a few times a week saves serious money and health!!!

[Heather Matthies]

02:41 AM on 11/05/2011

You know Robert, bringing that up isn't always relevant to the topic.

[Heather Matthies]

02:45 AM on 11/05/2011

Interesting, I had no idea that Clinton was going vegan. I'm currently working on a book project giving tips on how to save money and get more nutrition on a shoestring budget. Is your slideshow available online, on Youtube perhaps? If you wouldn't mind me gathering information to share

[ellen jones]

03:23 AM on 11/05/2011

Sorry, I assumed most people knew that President Clinton had been all over the airwaves when he turned 65 recently raving how a vegan diet saved him from a third heart bypass surgery. Congrats on your book, Heather. No, I haven't uploaded or shared anything as far as the slides in my presentation, since my book is a baby. I've been speaking around the country and sharing it there, if that counts. ;) I do have several Facebook pages, including one with the title of the book where I try to answer questions. My main point is that if you replace meat a few times a week with beans you can seriously save. Beans cooked from scratch are about 1/5 the cost of the cheapest burger meat (30% fat) per serving. And you save hugely by avoiding disease. What's in your wallet?

[krollins]

03:52 PM on 11/04/2011

I agree that there are problems with the food stamp system. Most people that are given food stamps are given a card like a debit card. It would be easy to fix a big portion of this problem if this card had a photo on it. This would prevent abuse and actually get the food to the children it is intended for. It is time to stop screwing our children. Maybe if there were enough employees in the departments that approve people for food stamps they might catch the lottery cheaters.

[Laici Dreyer]

02:13 PM on 11/17/2011

That's not a bad idea. Would post some challenges, but none that couldn't be overcome with some determination. I had food stamps after losing my job while I was on medical leave, until I enrolled in college. (FYI, many states deny food stamps to those who enroll in these career training programs, trying to get back into the work force. Stupid stupid idea) Multiple times, I gave my ebt card to my bf with a shopping list and had him go for me while I was at the unemployment office going through the programs trying to get into school, or otherwise occupied. BUT I would have been glad to do some readjusting in those small circumstances in order to make sure that only those who need them get them. I've heard of several instances where two people will live together, each getting food stamps for themselves and their kids, equaling up to over $1000 a month in benefits for a household that is primarily just 4, as some of the kids live with other parents half of the time. These people should be ashamed, as they take benefits away from people who are currently living with empty refrigerators and pantries.

[Jane Reinhardt-Martin]

02:09 PM on 11/04/2011

In case you haven't figured it out, the money is running out. My family of 4 spend $ 400.00 or less
each month on food, and these are healthy meals. I have teenage boys. It can be done, and I don't drive everywhere to get the deals. Walmart price matches everything! Steaks are not part of our program, but I know plenty of food stamp recipients that get just that. Proper meal planning is in order. People survived the depression without food stamps. Another great depression is coming if our country doesn't get their act together. Shared sacrifice by all is in order, SHARED SACRIFICE.

[Robert Pruitt]

05:03 AM on 11/04/2011

Here's a link from a couple years ago showing a family of 10 living on less than 2 dollars per day per person. I know it's a couple years old but since food prices have not even doubled in the last 2 years it is still very relevant for the 4.50 per day challenge. It includes menus, food costs, and what they actually bought each week(well she slips every now and then). It's a good place to read up on how to eat well cheap. But to be honest for a single person trying to do it for a week will not really be possible since they will have to buy the smaller portions from the store(more expensive). Now if they bought the larger portions and only counted what they used in the cost for the challenge(if it's 5 bucks and they use half then you count it as 2.50), then maybe, because It also doesn't allow for things you buy when their on sale and can use later on. But I'm sure someone good with math could figure that out too and extrapolate for a whole month.
But I do wonder how they will ever have time to actually cook their own food. Guess their gonna have to get their chef's to do it for them. Hopefully they won't be so offended by the cooking of such common food that they quit. That'd be a shame.

http://www.milehimama.com/real-food/food-stamp-challenge/

[Laici Dreyer]

02:21 PM on 11/17/2011

I'm glad to hear that, where you live, food prices haven't risen that much. They HAVE doubled in my area. I used to be able to get a 16oz jar of generic brand peanut butter for $1. Now it's over $2. Milk is usually about $3 a gallon now. A pound of the cheapest turkey breast lunch meat is now about $6-7. Even vegetables. A pound of snap peas is over $1, carrots are over $3, even canned goods cannot be bought around here for less than $1. And canned veggies used to be able to be found for around $.30-.40 only...5 years ago. I spent $20 at the grocery store the other day. I got 16oz of generic peanut butter, 24oz of generic grape jelly, two loaves of generic white bread, a gallon of generic vit D milk, a 16oz box of generic cereal, and a 1 gallon jug of a flavored "drink" just to offset the constant drinking of water. $20 will feed 3 people a very bland and unhealthy diet for just under a week.

[WarriorLemming]

04:28 AM on 11/03/2011

QUOTE:
"(After a Michigan man drew attention for still receiving food stamps despite winning the lottery, state lawmakers began asking recipients about their financial assets.)"

I know how degrading it feels to put it all out there for some help but this is over the top--it truly has the "DUH factor". That Michigan man is why the government has to ask so many questions of perfectly honest people when they're down and out and in need of some help.

[KaraokeChris]

11:46 PM on 11/02/2011

In Ohio, I survive on a paltry Social Security Disability check. A blue collar worker, I worked hard, & paid taxes from the time I was 17 years old. After 30 years of hard, physical labor, I've been reduced to just a hair above the poverty line. I'm afforded $72.00/month in Food Stamps. I had to chuckle at the struggles Congressional Democrats relayed, trying to get by on more than TWICE what I receive. Every year, I have to re-qualify. The past two years (including this year) I sent in the required documents only to be told that they didn't receive them. Last year, I went to the Welfare office, hand delivered the documents and asked for a receipt. A week later I was told that they didn't receive them!! They said my receipt proved nothing!. I had to involve my State Representative. After all was said & done, I received an amount equal to the remaining week. THIS YEAR, same thing!! Except that they also cut off my Medicare Part B premium assistance. So far, I've received NO Food Stamps for the month of October, AND I'm having an additional $125.00 deducted from my Disability check!!! Naturally, the State of Ohio is taking it's sweet time with my appeal. Until then, I wonder if those Congressional Democrats would mind sharing their $4.50/day with me?

[janetislight]

10:23 PM on 11/02/2011

In Iowa, where I live, you have to report assets, living arrangements and income on a regular basis to receive food assistance. And they check everything. A friend of mine lost her job, and she had a company car and 1985 celica supra she kept for back up. The food assistance person assigned to her kept saying she had an expensive car, and how was she making the lease payments, tax payments, etc. She had to go THREE different times to her former employer, every time revue time came around to get a letter stating that she did not own the car. I'm not saying there isn't fraud out there, but most places do require you to get a statement of income every six months from the county who keeps track of what is reported by employers. Entitelments is responsible for 10% of the deficit, 48% Bush tax cuts. This according to the Congressional Budget Committee. If we just let the Bush cuts expire, which affect mostly large corporations, we would be nickle and dimeing grandma and grandpa and someone who lost a job during hards economic times. This is a long term issue, it isn't going away over night. But letting those cuts expire would do a "world" of good for our Country.

[gwhizz]

01:56 PM on 11/02/2011

WalMart sells Michelina entrees for $1.00. I bring one for lunch every day.

[janetislight]

10:31 PM on 11/02/2011

Those have approximately 200-280 calories a piece. Hardly a full meal for a six foot man. Start adding produce to add to it and oops, you are over your allotment for the day.

[WarriorLemming]

04:31 AM on 11/03/2011

Exactly. Getting fresh fruit is almost impossible. I was advised by my doctor to buy frozen fruit which she said was just as good.

[leftnotruth]

01:06 PM on 11/02/2011

A stupid stunt by someone who has no answers that only unintelligent people or those so stuck in ideology would believe is actually happening.

[Southernthinker]

12:55 PM on 11/02/2011

Republican Congress Members are using the worse tactics imaginable. They and the TP act as if those voting for them arn't bright enough to realize that they TOO will be impacted by these cuts and it's clear that most commenting here (for fee or free) think that social safetynets and entitlements are synonyms minority. Tha's a Reagan/Clinton myth. Swiping EBT cards is a 50/50 event in most states while because of life expectancy the majority of those with medicare are of the majority. Poverty has no master and is not trumped by race.

[blarneydude]

12:19 PM on 11/02/2011

"(After a Michigan man drew attention for still receiving food stamps despite winning the lottery, state lawmakers began asking recipients about their financial assets.) "

The MI guy votes Republican. How much you wanna bet?

Yet more evidence that the alleged Christianity of the GOTea is so much babble. If Christ were to perform a return engagement of the cleaning out of the Temple, he'd start there before moving on to Wall Street.

[madisgp]

01:51 PM on 11/02/2011

A few facts about food stamps:

According to the Government Accountability Office, at a 2009 count, 3.53% of food stamps benefits were found to be overpaid, down from 7.01% in 1999. A 2003 analysis found that two-thirds of all improper payments were the fault of the caseworker, not the participant.

Food Stamps generate $1.73 of economic activity for every $1.00 spent. The highest amount of all Government programs.

The Average amount recieved for an indivudual is $133.12 per month or $4.43 per day.

As of June 2011, the number of Americans receiving food stamps was 45,183,931.

The GOP wants to end one of the most sucessful Government programs at the exact time it is needed most. Food for thought.

[kbrown2225]

02:35 PM on 11/02/2011

Fanned for knowledge and insight!

[Taxed]

08:57 PM on 11/02/2011

If food stamps create jobs why don't we give everybody food stamps and we can create all the jobs we need? Of couse if everybody is also in subsidized housing and has Medicaid, WIC, TANF, SSI, etc. - who will even need a job? Problem solved.

[Kate Larsson]

11:23 AM on 11/02/2011

I admire what the representatives are doing to show their solidarity. But what happens when they (the representatives) really get hungry? Poor people just go hungry. They don't have any other option. And by the way, all of you who are going to say, getting a job is an option.... at least 10% of Americans are out of work and trying to get jobs now.... so not everyone can get a job no matter how hard they are trying.

[madisgp]

01:58 PM on 11/02/2011

And yet American Corporations are holding 1.2 Trillion in CASH. NOT investing or expanding and hiring workers. They are using it to invest in securities which don't create ANY jobs. UNearned incomes. They have figured out a way to make money without us.

[Heather Matthies]

03:18 AM on 11/05/2011

I'm really touched by their attempt to show solidarity and personally understand the plight of the poor. Unfortunately the ones who really should be trying this are the Republicans. They are completely out of touch. Perhaps the Democrats should challenge them to do the same, ask them to prove how a long a person can last. Personally I think they would either make some excuse or they would fold really quick and only last 3 days tops

[TheHeartland]

10:08 AM on 11/02/2011

This should get major news time. All of congress should be offered the chance to sign on and attempt to try this. And those who don't should explain their position.

[Brenda Starr]

09:10 AM on 11/03/2011

They should be paying for their own health insurance, too -- I mean, let's get real, if we're going to get real.

[Pollytiques]

09:22 AM on 11/02/2011

It's obvious some of the posters have no idea how the EBT program work. As far as SC goes and the claim FIVE people managed to defraud the system by $20,000, either the poster is mistaken or leaving out the most important part. That would be impossible without help from the stores. When they are used in a legitimate store the allowable items ring up separately. They won't even buy hot food from the deli section. Certainly no tobacco or alcohol. And I saw a post mentioning the price of a pound of beans. That's the old price..thanks to commodity traders, that's no longer true. The bag of flour for $1.99...there again we can thank commodity traders and other dishonest greedy people. Less than a year ago I could buy that same bag of flour for a dollar. Just this week, thanks to them, the price of a jar of peanut butter jumped at least 30%. Let's tell the real story here. It's not the poor people those same wonderful people have shipped their jobs away and taken their homes that's at fault. It's that "trickle down" theory the republicans are so fond of actually at work. Yesterday in Walmart I noticed Maxwell House coffee is being packaged differently now. Instead of the 32 oz. container.. That had increased in price from $5 to $10 in a year. Now the container is 24 oz. and the price is still $10. The truth hurts..so does hunger because thanks to the republican

[Robert Pruitt]

05:19 AM on 11/04/2011

While I can't tell you why coffee and beans have gone up so much. I can tell you that the main reason why peanuts have increased is because of a bad harvest. And the reason why corn is up is because it pays better to grow corn for bio-fuels than for food. So farmers wanting to increase their profit are selling corn to the bio-fuel companies(can't really blame the farmer). But we can blame the government for the simple fact that it's been proven time and time again that using corn for fuel is a negative net gain in energy. Meaning that when you count all the fuel to plant it, spread fertilizers and pesticides, harvest it, ship it, turn it into fuel and then ship it again to the stores to sell it, it uses more fuel than you get from it. And yet the government keeps giving money to business to research and implement it, not to mention tax breaks, without which these companies couldn't even make enough profit to stay in business.

[Todd12345]

09:10 AM on 11/02/2011

No doubt the food stamp program has deffective practices, not unlike the big bank and wall street practices.

Complain and bicker about it - yet do nothing constructive to solve the problem .

Republicants only solution is to dimantle the entire system and turn the truely needy to crime, then youll see them scatching their head wondering why we need more taxes to pay for more police and jails . Yet never understand that now we are housing and feeding them in prison at tax payer expence. Current republican policy is truley the new and improved stupid ! Get to the table and solve the issue !

[madisgp]

02:04 PM on 11/02/2011

The program isn't really all that broken. According to the Government Accountabi­lity Office, at a 2009 count, 3.53% of food stamps benefits were found to be overpaid, down from 7.01% in 1999. A 2003 analysis found that two-thirds of all improper payments were the fault of the caseworker­, not the participan­t.

Typical Republican stratigy, create a boogy man and get the rank and file all pissed off at him. Facts be damned. Why? If you look closely you'll find that almost all the time this is for the benifit of the very rich and huge corporations.