this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2025
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Politics

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The Trump administration told states on Saturday that they must “immediately undo” any actions to provide full food stamp benefits to low-income families, in a move that added to the uncertainty surrounding the nation’s largest anti-hunger program during the government shutdown. In late-night guidance seen by The New York Times, the Agriculture Department also threatened financial penalties against states.

Why is feeding people political? What value add is forcing people to starve? Monsters.

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[–] thebardingreen@lemmy.starlightkel.xyz 25 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Why is feeding people political? What value add is forcing people to starve? Monsters.

I've been doing some free consulting work with Food Not Bombs chapters in my local area. The same day that SNAP went away, ICE started intimidating them.

  • They told all the churches and community centers where they do distribution that they're "providing material aid to illegal immigrants" and can face criminal investigations and warrantless searches unless they stop letting FNB distribute food.
  • Have shown up at distributions to check people's immigration status which has scared some people away from coming to get food.

IDK if this is a nationwide coordinated effort or unique to my area.

[–] theangriestbird@beehaw.org 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Christ, of course it's a deportation tactic.

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

We didn't end up in the "eat the rich" future, but rather "starve the poor."

Investors are going to love Walmart's next quarterly earnings.

[–] megopie@beehaw.org 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Actually, Walmarts probably gonna be hemorrhaging money without SNAP. Like, they’re the single largest recipient of money from the program, by way of people using SNAP at them to buy groceries.

It’s actually supper perverse since a lot of their employees are on SNAP due to the poverty wages they pay. Walmart employees buying food with snap at Walmart is a non trivial part of their revenue.

A lot of conservatives argue that we shouldn’t have snap since it makes it possible for companies to pay poverty wages and not have their workers starve to death, and that without it employers would have to raise wages. Conveniently ignoring the fact that companies like Walmart would rather let their workers starve than raise their wages.

A tax to contribute to SNAP on companies that pay wages so low that their employees end up on SNAP is the better answer to the problem.

[–] Powderhorn@beehaw.org 3 points 1 month ago

That's exactly my point. People won't spend SNAP at Walmart, they'll cancel Prime and all other streaming services. Something's gotta give, and even HEB is raising prices by 25%-50%. Like, how is the line supposed to go up when people can't afford your products?

We're going to see a bunch of fools parted with their money.

"Pay them enough to buy food? Pshaw."