LePage says he’ll go ahead with food stamp junk food ban without federal OK

[jpak]

http://bangordailynews.com/2016/06/21/politics/lepage-says-hell-go-ahead-with-food-stamp-junk-food-ban-without-federal-ok/

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage says despite his proposal being rejected by the Legislature and federal government, Maine will move forward with restricting the purchase of what he calls junk foods with food stamps in Maine — or give up administration of the program altogether.

“It’s time for the federal government to wake up and smell the energy drinks,” wrote LePage in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides full funding for benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps. “Doubtful that it will, I will be pursuing options to implement reform unilaterally or cease Maine’s administration of the food stamp program altogether. You maintain such a broken program that I do not want my name attached to it.”

A USDA representative did not respond to a question about whether the federal government administers the program in any state, though the USDA website indicates that it is a state-run program without any other explanation.

On Tuesday evening, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who represents Maine’s 1st District, said that the USDA had informed her that if Maine opts out of administering SNAP, recipients in the state would lose benefits.

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[Chasstev365]

1. I thought we settled the whole "States Rights" issue

Between 1861-1865 & again from 1954-1965. LaPage is an A-hole!

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Another republican governor chipping away at food stamps to the most vulnerable.

There were accusations that food stamp recipients were blowing their distributions on a solitary orange and using the change to buy a bottle of vodka. (Reagan)

Then it was they were squandering taxpayer dollars on lobster and steak.

Then it was food stamps on a debit card which deducts money from the original amount with each use.

Now it's junk food when that option may get more bang for the buck than tomatoes for more than $1.69 a pound and there are food deserts where "healthy" food just isn't available for purchase.

[Warpy]

3. Republicans are just the latest of the Puritan killjoys who want to criminalize poverty

and make sure the poor know they're being punished for being poor.

Food stamps should only buy rolled oats for gruel and powdered milk if there are kids under 5 in the house. Older kids can live just fine on gruel. Get pregnant and have another kid? Water the gruel.

Some of what this bluenosed, pickle faced Tartuffe calls "junk food" can go a very long way to giving kids just enough in their stomachs so they don't cry from hunger.