Over the past year, 18 US states have officially ended pandemic-era states of emergency – including the covid food benefit, while a December mandate from Congress will end aid in March for the other 32 states, along with the District of Columbia, the US Virgin Islands and Guam.
The collective return to pre-pandemic policies includes enhanced unemployment benefits and child tax credits, as well as a rollback adjustment to Medicaid that boosted enrollment.
Now, people are waiting up to nine hours in mile-long lines for free food – some of whom say they can only afford to eat once per day, while others say they limit expensive food items such as meat for specific family members, such as growing teenage boys.
“I thought, ‘Wow, the government is trying to kill us now,” said 63-year-old Danny Blair of Kentucky. Blair, who lives in a mobile home with his wife, survives on his Social Security disability check, the Washington Post reports.
“They are going to starve us out,” Blair continued, apparently unaware that government assistance provided during the pandemic wasn’t permanent.
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Read the entire article and then read the comments to see how working Americans feel about this situation.
David DeGerolamo
I get the frustration. These folks should work, they should prep, or homestead, or a dozen other things. This is generational dependence and indoctrination though. Another way to put it, learned helplessness.
It’s merely a prologue to whats coming nationwide. We have been warned.
Keeping a $ 50,000 truck or nice car running for 9 hours in a line would likely buy you a few groceries. They can grow their own food (like we do) or work those 9 hours instead of sitting in line, and make enough money for lots of groceries. I feel for the pensioners, especially since I am one and am in the same boat. We don’t buy food we grow it; problem solved.
This reminds me of the fall of Rome; Gibbon’s decline and fall of the Roman empire exactly parallels our country’s fall, complete with male transvestites strutting the streets of Carthage, to timid and soft young men terrified to fight the barbarians, to expected bread and circuses. History repeats. Again.
I contacted a local news station to put some articles up regarding the ceasing of Snap benefits for 900,000. I suggested putting food donation bins in CVS, Walgreens, and food markets. WRAL did not seem to care.
They could grow their own food, at least partially. But as the writer below says, wait for handouts from the government. Shameful. I’m getting older and am retired, but I am going to my garden in a few minutes.
Do you collect Social Security?
He should, everyone that paid in should get their money back, period. It does not belong to the .gov cabal.
And who did they vote for????
Obviously several here share my thoughts. I was thinking about how this last weekend, we started seeds for roughly 75 head of lettuce. A pack of 75 seeds costs ~$2.50, roughly the same price as a head of lettuce in the grocery store. Some of the lettuce will be used for chicken feed, from which we will get eggs. We also planted about 250 carrot seeds. A 5lb bag of potatoes for $3.99 if left to sprout will grow you a good 50lbs of potatoes. Aside from possibly starting a garden bed, the amount of labor required is not that much or even all that intensive. Unless one is severely disabled, chances are they can pull up a chair next to a raised garden bed and use their hands or a trowel to manipulate some dirt and plant a few seeds. I would bet a crisp Benjamin that anyone who can get up at 4am to go wait in line 9 hours for a handout can manage.
In any case, even if the grocery store shelves run bare, we will not be starving.
Do you have a mortgage?
:Your comments seem more like trolling.
How so? I ask questions that I hope may provoke thought.
In a string of comments, I saw one …. ONE … that evinced anything like Christian charity.
Not everyone has a plot of land. Some people live in apartments and are unable to grow 75 head of lettuce, AND 50 lbs of potatoes, and carrots, and have chickens.
The stunning lack of empathy on here is … well, … stunning.
Way to keep driving away readers and commenters, btw.
I hope that you are an island. You’ll need to be.
Everyone can grow something and then share with others. No on can grow everything they need to survive thus the trade. If someone is growing lettuce and raising chickens -- these are folks to befriend not condemn.
I see people begging at intersections who are young and healthy-looking. Most restaurants and many other businesses have help-wanted signs up. Many people not working could find something not physically taxing instead of complaining that the govt doesn’t dole out enough. At 77. I still work part-time, as my SS is small. It’s not that easy …
Your comments are not intended to provoke thought -- they are intended to be snarky and rude. They succeed.
Alright, in light of your comment below, I will answer this question. The short answer is no, I do not have a mortgage and I also have very little debt. This is in large part because of choices I have made over the years. I get the some folks are in financial distress because of no fault of their own, but far too many are in it because of choices they’ve made. I anticipate that we will soon se the results of a combination of both effects as criminal monetary policy has produced inflation that has now forced the collective American public into the highest level of credit card debt in history and those same folks are going to get crushed under the higher interest rates.
I understand not everyone has a lot of land and that may limit the options one has when it comes to gardening, but it doesn’t mean that they have to be completely dependent on outside sources, even if you’re in an apartment. If you live in the suburbs it is very likely that you can have a few raised beds, and likely have some backyard hens or even rabbits. Obviously, you’re on the internet. If you haven’t encountered it before, go read at The Organic Prepper and it’s sister site, the frugalite. There are several blogs and discussion about options. I was simply pointing out grocery stores are expensive and with a little effort many people can improve their situation.
With regards to charity, what I chose to give or not is my business; it is not something for you or government (redistribution) to demand of me. You have no idea what I do or do not give, to whom, or my reasons for doing or not doing.
Quote ““They are going to starve us out,” Blair continued, apparently unaware that government assistance provided during the pandemic wasn’t permanent.”
My first thought was look at the dependency syndrome here.
And it is but in the Spirit of Micah 6:8 King James Version 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
I had to remember how much more MY shopping trips have cost, how “Strong” I’m getting as I can easily carry 100 dollars’ worth of groceries, that just two years ago would have been MUCH heavier.
Some are TAKERS and are a growing hazard to you and I. Some are fixed income and are just trying to survive.
I remember too well the 80’s when fixed income and working poor were forced to decide between food, medicine and heat.
Those days are returning. Remember Micah 6:8 to those that are not takers.
These people can get a J O B and not blame the government for their predicament. If you can sit in your car and burn gas for free stuff you can work. Pathetic.
Centralization strikes again. Back in the day Churches were in the business of charity, caring for the widows, orphans and the down trodden. They worked within their neighborhood, communities. they knew a lot of the people in the area whether attending services or not. They could focus on the truly needy. Along comes .gov and the clergy response team. Now we have pyro, fog machines, 100k audio and lighting systems. Media teams, public relations teams, legal teams….need to drop the 501c3 status, stop quoting scripture and start Living It. If your church is not concerned enough to take action maybe they are waiting or You.