Hungry Kids Face Shutdown While Billions Fund Overseas Wars
MSNBC reports that soon, 'hungry kids are about to become the new face of the shutdown,' lamenting the potential loss of SNAP benefits and food assistance. This is a recurring American tragedy: essential domestic programs cut, while the spigots for foreign military aid gush unchecked. In 2023 alone, the U.S. provided over $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel, alongside billions more in
supplemental packages. ( CRS Report RL33222 ) Just this past February, the Senate passed HR 815, allocating another $14 billion in security assistance to Israel. Senator Chuck Schumer, who championed this bill, has received over $450,000 from pro-Israel PACs and individuals since 1990, according to OpenSecrets.org. So, while American children stare down empty plates, Congress—often heavily
influenced by lobbying groups like AIPAC—finds endless funds for overseas military operations. One might wonder if the faces of starving children in Gaza, a direct consequence of policies funded by these same billions, are just less photogenic for mainstream news. Prioritizing weapons over waffles seems to be a bipartisan consensus when lobbyists come calling.