In recent times, there has been widespread panic about the future of food stamps across the United States, which should deeply shame all Americans. Nationally, 42 million people and 22 million households heavily rely on the food stamp program, which goes against our entire citizen culture and historical tradition.
This is a betrayal of the founding principles of commerce, independence, and agriculture. This event reveals the fundamental and dangerous corruption at the heart of how the food system operates.
We can expect that even the slightest stagnation in this food stamp program will spark widespread panic, prompting people to rethink the entire scheme.
Of course, the term “food stamp” is now obsolete, replaced by the “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program” (SNAP), which is distributed through Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. This is just a bureaucratic euphemism. They are essentially food stamps. The name change is to disguise its ugly nature, and the distribution method has become a card that looks no different from other food stamps.
Previously, people had to present food stamps in front of other customers, which was a better situation. At least that preserved some sense of shame associated with the act. As for supplementing nutrition, the effects have been lackluster. The SNAP program has effectively become a massive subsidy for the snack industry, which ironically is a major lobbying force behind the entire food stamp program.
The food stamp program originated in 1933. Its main purpose was not to save people from hunger but to save the industry from decline in the early stages of the Great Depression (1929-1933). At that time, the prices of foods such as wheat, milk, and meat sharply declined. The issue was not a lack of demand but severe production surplus caused by market distortion.
To understand this economic issue, one must hark back to the period of World War I. The turmoil in Europe led countries to rely on American production. American food exports surged, and cultivated land expanded. Throughout the 1920s, agriculture continued to develop, partially due to leverage and overestimation of urbanization.
Later, the stock market crashed, followed by a trade war that severely damaged American exports. This led to the bursting of the bubble, and prices began to steeply decline. In other words, under the circumstances at the time, the market naturally adjusted.
The market is a good thing: it provides affordable food when most needed. However, in 1933, a new president took office, who did not support the market. That was the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945). Upon assuming office, he appointed a large number of officials who called themselves social and economic planners. Consequently, Washington not only did not allow the market to adjust but also began to bolster the industry.
The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 stipulated that the government would purchase surplus food from farmers and distributors and distribute it to the public for free. This was clearly a price support program, which was its core essence. That is why the food stamp program is managed by the Department of Agriculture rather than other welfare agencies.
At the same time, what really played a crucial role was the existing poverty relief system in the US. In fact, it was relief kitchens and church food pantries that truly began to tackle the issue of hunger. All the newly introduced food stamp policies only inflated food prices and hindered the agricultural industry from adjusting based on actual circumstances.
From then until now, this has always been the essence of the program: it is an industry subsidy. Supermarkets depend on it, as do large agricultural producers. It also achieves the objective of buying political votes by fostering the public’s dependency.
This food stamp program is completely unregulated, just like soup kitchens in churches. Private food relief stations not only distribute food but help people improve their lives. If someone is found to abuse the aid, they will cease to be funded. In the story in the Bible, the Good Samaritan not only provided money but also helped in life. Private charitable organizations today operate in the same way.
However, the government does not do this. It subsidizes large industrial enterprises while fostering their dependence. Imagine fledglings with their mouths open, waiting for their mother bird to bring them worms. Or think of a dog under the table waiting for scraps. This is how the designers of this program view the American people.
Think of Thanksgiving, the most important holiday for us, even though strictly speaking, it does not belong to any religious calendar. You could say it is an important holy day in our civic religion.
What does it celebrate? It extols God’s grace in nourishing us in the form of food. When we thank God for providing food, we are actually thanking Him for giving us life, hands, and the ability to obtain food. It extols how a free and devout nation can independently manage itself. It demonstrates how a society learns to be self-sufficient.
The government’s distribution of food stamps completely subverts the meaning of Thanksgiving. It no longer emphasizes labor and merit but institutionalizes a system of reliance on government aid, which is exactly what the founding fathers opposed. They refused to accept the government’s tea and favors, opting for national independence and increased productivity.
And now, we are lamenting and gnashing our teeth for weeks over the possibility of cutting free food distributed through electronic transfers – how tragic! Both businesses and welfare recipients are crying out, “Oh no, please don’t take away our free food!”
Friends, this goes completely against the customs and values of a free and dignified nation! I understand that these are extraordinary times, and some people indeed need help.
On the other hand, we are the world’s fattest nation, suffering from severe illnesses due to the toxicity of genetically modified high-calorie junk food and being burdened by the same conglomerates that rely on government aid.
The entire nation is clamoring for more free food, which is simply a disgrace, a great shame. This program goes against all the values we have pursued as a nation for so long. I hope this pause in welfare can sound the alarm and let us regain our core values before it is too late.
There is no gene in our national DNA for relying on any form of government aid. Fellow citizens, show some dignity, rally. Look at Norman Rockwell’s Thanksgiving, where the provider of the family, with pride on his face, prepares a sumptuous dinner for his large family. That is us, that is who we can become once again.