Liberals are eager to criticize the Albuquerque Journal for their alleged transgressions in being overly-sympathetic to the Rio Grande Foundation and the conservative viewpoint. So here’s my critique of their pitifully one-sided story on today’s front page on the food stamp program (SNAP).
The story included the usual sob-stories about people who couldn’t possibly live without the program (no mention why a single woman is paying $765 in rent for a two bedroom apartment) and from advocates like “Voices for Children” who never saw a government program they didn’t want to expand. Also unmentioned was food stamp fraud and the way the system is often abused.
Nor is the fact that spending on the program has more than doubled since just 2008:
Overall, about as one-sided a story as you can find.
One reason welfare should be funded and run by private charities is that government cannot make good judgements, it cannot discriminate between the truly needy and the welfare cheats. Welfare has become a racket, and one we cannot afford. It’s too bad the truly needy will be hurt the most when it all comes crashing down.
When over 70% of babies born in NM are on Medicaid there is a much larger overall problem. Again, the government, State of Federal should get out of the welfare business. Maybe instead of complaining how poor NM is and looking for government handouts, our governor and legislators should start doing something to attract business and create jobs. NM, with vast natural resources and hard working people, needs more than the progressive/socialist approach seen too many times coming from the Democrats in Sante Fe; like overtaxing already stressed businesses; Instead of encouraging welfare, illegal immigrants, mediocrity in schools, and unmarried mothers with money incentives, we should demand more responsibility from our citizens and accountability from our representatives.
My comments on “Another tough week for the local economy: what can be done?” refer.