U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern's Dear Colleague Letter: The Food Stamp President?

Washington, DC, February 8, 2012

THE FOOD STAMP PRESIDENT?

February 6, 2012

Dear Colleague,

Last week, I circulated three Dear Colleagues highlighting SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps. Unfortunately, SNAP and the people who use the program to put food on their kitchen tables are being used as political fodder in current presidential campaign. As I documented in my previous -Dear Colleagues,- SNAP is an effective and efficient program that has prevented millions of Americans from slipping into hunger and starvation.

The criticism against anti-hunger programs like SNAP are not just bad form, they are flat out wrong. These falsehoods are damaging not just because of the hateful and hurtful rhetoric, these false statements actually poison the general public against these programs. People want to be self-sufficient. They want to be rich. They don't want to live paycheck to paycheck. They don't want to worry where their next meal comes from. And they don't want to rely on the charity of others to make ends meet. The reality, however, is that this assistance is necessary precisely because of the bad economy and both lost jobs and decreased wages over the recent years.

I encourage you to read an analysis by Ezra Klein titled -Gingrich says Obama is the ‘food stamp president.' Is he?- http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/gingrich-says-obama-is-the-food-stamp-president-is-he/2012/01/18/gIQA1Ino8P_blog.html. In his analysis, Mr. Klein shows that SNAP participation increased significantly under both President Bush and President Obama.

I do not dispute the fact that SNAP participation has increased under President Obama. However, I am concerned with the tenor of this debate and the implication that relying on SNAP is somehow a bad thing. As we continue to work on improving this economy, we must do everything we can to foster job creation and increases in wages so that families do not have to rely on this important safety net program. But we shouldn't demagogue the program or the people forced to rely on it simply for political gains.

I hope you will read this analysis and lower the nasty tone of this debate. Words matter when discussing our anti-hunger programs. We should care about the poor and those who need assistance to put food on their tables. We shouldn't turn a blind eye to them nor should we disparage them or the programs that help them - especially when those programs are being operated at record rates of efficiency. This issue is too important to trivialize it for political gain.

I will continue to circulate similar reports, fact sheets and news articles about SNAP and its role preventing hunger. I will continue to correct the misconceptions and misleading comments that are being perpetuated by those who don't know much about the program or are opposed to it.

Sincerely,

James P. McGovern

Member of Congress