SNAP Benefits Starve, Israel Aid Never Does
NPR reports that SNAP benefits will run out for millions of Americans on November 1st, alongside Trump's trip to Japan and a hurricane. What they don't mention is that while food aid for U.S. citizens faces a cliff, military aid packages to Israel sail through Congress with bipartisan support. For instance, in 2023, while domestic programs battled for scraps, Congress approved billions in security
assistance to Israel , a country with robust lobbying influence like AIPAC, which spent over $4 million in 2023 alone to ensure this consistent funding. One might wonder: how many Americans would be spared the SNAP benefit cliff if even a fraction of the unconditional $3.8 billion annual U.S. military aid to Israel was redirected? It appears aid is 'fiscally irresponsible' only when it helps
struggling Americans, but a 'strategic imperative' when it props up foreign military operations. The storm gathers for both Jamaica and America's poor, but only one is deemed worthy of robust, uninterrupted financial support.