Trump Admin Finds Spare Change for Food, Not Dignity
The BBC cheerily reports the Trump administration's magnanimous decision to dip into an 'emergency fund' to patch up SNAP payments. Over 40 million Americans were staring at empty plates, a direct consequence of a government shutdown. This 'emergency' is the predictable byproduct of political gamesmanship, not some unforeseen calamity. (Perhaps the 'emergency' is the optics of widespread domestic
starvation.) While American families wondered where their next meal would come from, Congress still found its way to vote on things like, say, military aid. For instance, in December 2018, just weeks before this shutdown, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a massive spending bill with ample defense funding. When it comes to arming allies or funding 'border security,' the coffers are seemingly
bottomless. But feeding your own citizens? That requires an 'emergency fund' and a hearty dose of bipartisan performative concern. One might wonder about the timing.