Senate Bill 7, a bill that would reduce or eliminate food assistance to 18,000 households in New Hampshire, is unnecessary, cruel and won’t save New Hampshire taxpayers any money, since the program is federally funded. It’s a horrible bill that exposes ignorance about poverty and bias against the poor. The lack of understanding on the part of lawmakers in New Hampshire and Washington about what it is like to work and still not be able to make ends meet is appalling and inexcusable.
I have a family member who works and qualifies for food stamps – people in that situation don’t want to be in it and are treated with suspicion, mistrust or impatience by everyone from some of the government workers assigned to process their benefits to some of the cashiers who ring up their purchases.
Hunger was nearly eliminated in America until much of the safety net was dismantled. (See “A Place at the Table” for more; it was shown at Red River a few years ago and the website explains hunger in America well.) Lack of good nutrition prevents children from developing to their full potential. Want to break the “cycle of poverty” so often cited by lawmakers? Ensure every child grows up well-fed, safely housed, healthy and well-educated.
Like all good investments, these will pay off. May SB 7 die a just death this week. Senators, vote no on SB 7.
DEB BAKER
Concord