Here is the sixty-ninth article in our Republicans on Parade series, featuring individuals who personify what the Republican Party has become. Today’s honoree is Gov. Paul LePage (R-ME). He is so honored for the Republican way in which he is making government smaller and less intrusive.
Maine is poised to ban food stamps recipients from buying certain types of food that Governor Paul LePage (R) and conservatives in the legislature deem to be “junk.”
The legislation LePage supports claims that “the purchase of unhealthy products is antithetical to the purpose of the [food stamps] program.” But the definition of “unhealthy” that the bill uses is quite broad, and would prohibit the purchase of a range of groceries that are not exempt from sales tax under Maine law. That means alcohol, soda, unprescribed [sic] dietary supplements, seltzer and bottled water, sweets, “and prepared food.”
The law goes even further than the tax code to prohibit food stamps from being used for bulk purchases of groceries that could be considered “prepared food” if they were bought individually. According to state tax guidelines, that includes packaged deli meats, large jars of spaghetti sauce, and pickles, among other things.
Burdening the poorest with more rules is in vogue with Republicans these days. Kansas recently passed sweeping new restrictions on EBT card usage, and one Missouri legislator has proposed a far-reaching nutritional rule that would prohibit buying seafood and steak – even cheap staple proteins like canned tuna and low-grade beef – with food stamps…
Inserted from <Think Progress>
LePage personifies the Republican approach to small government. For minorities, it’s small enough to fot in your voting booth. For women, it’s small enough to fit in your vagina. Now, for the poor, it’s small enough to fit in your skillet.
9 Responses to “Republicans on Parade–4/25/2015”
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What has gotten into these people? They want smaller government but they keep making it bigger with their foolish and unneeded regulations. Every one of them adds to the poor's burden. When will it be the straw that broke the camel's back so they will stop voting these turds into office?
Seems they forget the large portion of the recipients who may have limits affecting food choices: seniors, disabilities where minimal hand work/prep may be essential so prepared items needed (pasta sauce? that and a package of noodles may have to feed a family for a week); homeless where cooking by a business ower permitting their microwave be used so only prepared items possible for any hot food; families with parents working more than one job and virtually no time at home for meal preparation…ad nauseum…AKA–let's ensure people still starve to death while pretending to address their hunger needs
Wow, JL, I don't know how anyone could have said it any better than you did. I particularly like your closing sentence. I do not receive SNAP myself but am elderly and with limited mobility, and I certainly depend a lot on the microwave. In fact, if you ever need tips on doing odd things with a microwave (white rice, brown rice, pasta, browning ground meat to add to pasta sauce, frozen vegetables including potatoes), I've done all of that and will be happy to share.
How are people supposed to survive? They want to keep them from buying canned tuna and low-grade beef? Some people can’t afford to buy “high-grade beef” and tuna that is not canned! Unfrigginbelievable! Why are they so entrenched in people’s pantries?
He should be required to live by the same standards but I suppose he has a housekeeper who buys his food and a cook who prepares it.
They are a bunch of unmitigated hypocrites – they would never live on the food or in the conditions that they say are fine for other people.
I think this is more about control. Why when you are small,weak,poor,disable or whatever what better way to try to have control and power? You are right Pat A they are "Hypocrites" with a capital "J".
You made some excellent points, especially JL. I do not receive foosd stamps, but with my disabilities, I could not feed myself under those restrictions.
Vivian, how would we know who the Republicanus/Teabaggerum were if they weren't entrenched in people's pantries and women's vaginas?
Paul LePage looks like he should be on the SNAP diet to lose weight! What a POS!