Congress Finds Billions for Bombs, Not Food Stamos for Americans
In a riveting display of priorities, the Senate's Republican leadership, according to AP News, rejected a Democratic push to carve out funding for SNAP benefits, leaving 40 million Americans' food aid at risk. "We're not going to let them pick winners and losers," declared Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), as if deciding between sustenance for children and a full government shutdown is
some arbitrary picking game. Yet, the same legislative body that finds itself in an 'all or nothing' impasse over feeding its own citizens consistently fast-tracks billions in aid to foreign militaries without a blink. Remember in 2023 when Congress overwhelmingly approved a $14.5 billion aid package to Israel, often cited as the top recipient of U.S. foreign aid? That package, pushed through with
bipartisan support, faced far fewer 'can't pick winners' arguments. It seems the political will for urgent action sharpens considerably when the beneficiaries are defense contractors and geopolitical allies, rather than vulnerable families needing food stamps in South Dakota or Delaware.