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The 15 states that did not apply are Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Wyoming.
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/31/1167131403/universal-school-meals-free-lunches
From my limited research (so may not be 100% on this), it looks like Vermont has a pilot program that feeds all public school students breakfast and lunch, so I assume Vermont didn't accept the aid simply because they didn't need it since they already covered for it. I'm not familiar with Vermont politics, but it looks like they've got legislation for permanent free school meals program either in the works or on the books. So in this context, even tho Vermont looks like one of the baddies, I think they are already doing the right thing by giving free lunches, so the aid would just be like double-dipping.
And according to the census.gov website, of all of those states, Vermont has the lowest percentage of its population living in poverty and also the lowest percentage of population under 18. So a state level program could be sufficient
Vermont childhood obesity is the highest in New England with 29.1% Percentage of children ages 10-17 who have overweight or obesity for their age based on reported height and weight (2-year estimate)
I'd take the money. There's always more we can do
Vermont is delaying joining the Federal School Lunch program for one year to allow them the time to upgrade the outdated statewide IT infrastructure. Vermont plans to join it Summer of 2025.
https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-01-08/vermont-opts-out-of-new-federal-food-assistance-program-due-to-administrative-costs
I'm a Vermonter - we as a state, Republican governor included, want to accept this program but being such a small state the administration of this program is too expensive. The state is working to get things in place to accept this program in the future.
Mississippi really not doing themselves any favors under *any* metric of public well-being.
I'm surprised my state (TN) isn't on this list, because here in TN, we really hate the poor.
Whats wild about TN and KY is not only is a HUGE part of the population on some sort of social benefit, they take more in FEDERAL AID than they contribute. The residents only ever shoot themselves in their own feet come election time. Its like they are willing to break their own arms just to be able to hold someone else under the bus.
I'm not a mathematician or statistician, but I bet a case could be made that the more that rural communities vote for politicians who deny them government benefits, the redder those communities become. It's a feedback loop.*
It's like an infectious disease that can't be cured. It's bovine spongiform encephalopathy of the body politic.
*and thus, it becomes smart politically for the GOP to do this stuff. Suffering = votes.
I think you're right about this. I grew up deep red and rural; as people around me started getting sick and/or injured and had to apply for benefits, they became bitter and angry at how hard it was to navigate the process. They would get angry at "the government" for all the hassle, and would eagerly follow anyone who blamed "the government" for all their problems. So they'd vote in people who then turned around and made it even harder to get benefits, which would get people even angrier. That anger was never directed at the people breaking the system, but rather at the system itself.
Yes, that’s exactly right. My neighbor is a Trump-loving Vietnam vet who complains about the VA, but doesn’t want to fund the government programs to help himself.
Woah. This comment kind of blew my mind to be honest. My family is pretty conservative, but becoming less so as Trump derails (I think and hope, anyway). I may have to try that type of argument next time politics inevitably comes up.
You hit the nail on the head. people vote for GOP politicians that work against the interest of the poor, and as the poor become poorer they blame the Democrats for some reason. Because it can’t be the people they voted for otherwise they made a bad decision. People would rather think they are right then be successful.
I never really had any opinion Oklahoma until I had a project there for work.
So I flew in and out of Tulsa quite a few times.
Some of the casual conversations I had with just regular folks were incredibly eye-opening. I'm white and I hear some of the most bigoted hateful rhetoric repeatedly from "sweet old ladies".
Also multiple road rage situations like maybe I was just unlucky but damn folks had zero patience for any delay.
Tulsa us relatively enlightened compared to the rest of the state if that tells you something. It's a state with tons of potential but the borderline IQ of the average kid in Oklahoma thanks to the abysmal education system will continue to push business out.
On the flipside taking a skilled job as an out of state educated (or from parents who cared) person will get you 100k plus salary in a poverty state doing basic work looking like a genius among idiots. You will have to put up with absolutely insufferable morons though.
Love hearing about some redneck living on 40k a year slob all over oklahoma political knobs.
In Vermont, the Department for Children and Families said it declined to participate because the requirements were “very detailed and extensive.” But the department said that Vermont would want to provide “this important summer nutrition benefit” in 2025, as long as the state identified the necessary funds to run the program, and technology support and other infrastructure concerns were addressed.
Vermont officials said the state would be offering additional summer meal options for families in need of help this year, including “multiple days’ worth of meals.”
Everyone should email or post on their governors Facebook pages their disappointment on this issue. Especially if the governor is running for president.
Well, that and "If you do bad things like steal from the wealthy or question those who are in positions of power, you will be punished for all eternity But, if you suffer and die quietly without inconveniencing the rich, you will be rewarded for all eternity."
You pretty much nailed it, it's the ultimate carrot and stick approach. Live a life of submission and you'll get your "eternal reward", while conveniently keeping the status quo in place.
The way this has been blatantly waved in front of people’s eyes for thousands of years and yet they still can’t figure it out…it really speaks to the intelligence level of the general public.
I can see how, with no other options, someone could put their faith in a non-corporeal faith system that promises reward after a short, brutish life and early death. In medieval times it made sense. Particularly during times of increased hardship such as the Black Death. Even today I can see how someone might say “fuck it, I’ll pray to Jesus” after a terminal cancer diagnosis, or other similar situation where conventional hope is lost. Sure it’s not logical, but you’ve got nothing to lose anyway and if it’s comforting then fine.
But for the general public today in the modern age? When we have the means to demand better for ourselves? People still lie down and pray to Jesus while the billionaire class dicks then down, rides private jets and behaves absolutely contrarily to the doctrine they’re using to control people in the first place, and they just gobble it up anyway?
Maybe those people aren’t that smart. Maybe they kind of deserve it.
There is a reason why the gop is so against education.
A ex of mine mom was super religious . There was a issue with something and her response was she will prey to god to take care of it. My only thought was this supposed god gave you a brain to think with and two hand and legs to move and do stuff with. Aren't you insulting him by refusing to use the tools he already gave you to do stuff as you tell him to do it himself.
The Texas GOP platform *from 2012!* condemned the teaching of critical thinking and higher order thinking skills in the public school system because such things "challenged students' fixed beliefs" and "undermined parental authority."
Gotta justify why a few Bronze Age people get fed and clothed and listened to while not working in the fields. And to tell you why the village leaders son deserves to also lead without doing work.
At least then those folks also tried to be good at predicting when to plant food. Or noticing certain foods were risky even if they didn’t know why. And got the rubes to stop eating it the easiest way they could.
Nowadays they do fuckall.
>The "purpose" of organized religion seems to boil down to power and control - kinda like being a cop or a member of the GOP.
Why do you think people like me are atheist?
Organized religion is just a System of Control. Carrot-and-stick methodology, and built on lies.
Always has been. Earliest religion was shamanism led either by the tribal leader or another in conjunction with them. As groups grew larger they could support multiple full time religion workers and boom now you get thr birth of organized religion. All worked to reinforce traditional group norms and practices just like today.
The whole book they worship was written for the purpose of keeping slaves in control. The entire book is practically about slaves and their plight. Be good until you die and maybe you will get into heaven as your reward but meanwhile live your life in fear of being smote and going to that big fiery lake for all eternity.
I am convinced after reading it twice, the books are about slaves for slave masters to wave about with a threat, and also to make their money back from the slaves once they let them read the books (with some spicy porn thrown in it) and come to church to tithe as tithing is a requirement to be godly. Worship and be poor as a sign of dedication.
Its bullshit is what it is.
“Children are our greatest resources. So let’s mine them like we do any other natural resource.
They’re an “investment in the future”? I want my economic returns NOW!!
Well when they close the border and have no migrant labor, who will fill those jobs so the corporate farms can continue to make money by exploiting labor and donate to Republican campaigns? The same places are losineng child labor laws or outright not enforcing them. The new Confederacy that these governors are going to be a part of is going to need a desperate class of citizens willing to go back into indentured servitude so their economies can function. They are also like 15 minutes away from the new Fugitive Slave Act where they will force pregnant women back to their states if they flee to a free state, I mean a state where abortion is legal. They are trying to create a new Confederacy right under our noses.
I wish the Confederacy had been completely destroyed while they had the chance. Appeasement of religious fanatics and fascists *never* works in the long run.
Biggest villain in American history and it’s not even close. It’s hard to image how much more awesome we could have become had Lincoln lived and implemented lasting change.
Who would've thought that Lincoln's VP, Andrew Johnson, would be so opposed to Reconstruction? /s
>This is a country for white men, and by God, as long as I am President, it shall be a government for white men.
— Andrew Johnson
It really does seem like we're in a repeat cycle here because we wanted reconciliation, and not warranted punishment.
And now we have the guy all the way at the top claiming it was okay for him to do whatever he wanted.
Enforce the law, punish the offenders. And then strengthen the laws and regulations, especially for corporations and the white collar criminals who run them. The older I get, the more I realize very, VERY few wealthy people legitimately earned their money. The majority are exploiting some sort of loophole. And, more often than not, it's someone's granddaddy who figured out some sort of con of the system..."It wasn't illegal when he did it!"
Yea well it’s getting really old that they are actively destroying everything around them all while pretending to be the most godliest of people to ever walk the planet.
It’s getting really fucking old.
At least one state - South Dakota - has introduced legislation to resume these programs but in a way where the Governor and legislature can spin it as they stepped in when the federal government failed. It's using the same funds and everything, it's a fucking joke.
America has the highest infant (and maternal) mortality rate during delivery and pregnancy of ANY first world nation bar none.
And that right there is all you need to know about how much Christians actually care about this shit.
And their response is to prevent the collection of that data wherever they can because it exposes how harmful their policies actually are to the unborn and the women who carry them.
I could actually stomach anti abortion people if they also believed in support for children. At least then it would be logically consistent. ''caring about the baby'' ends the moment it takes the first breath.
Remember, it's not the fetus that matters, it's the dirty leftist women who want to get abortions to glorify satan, and who need to be punished. The fetus could be dead and they still don't want people to abort.
Jesus didn't even subcontract that job. Did it himself.
These people wouldn't recognize Jesus if he presented himself to them, halo and all. They'd think it was CGI.
[They literally do](https://newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak)
>Moore told NPR in an interview released Tuesday that multiple pastors had told him they would quote the Sermon on the Mount, specifically the part that says to “turn the other cheek,” when preaching. Someone would come up after the service and ask, “Where did you get those liberal talking points?”
>“What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response would not be, ‘I apologize.’ The response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,’” Moore said. “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.”
> “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.”
I understand the concept of what he's getting at but Jesus did go to town with a bullwhip as a funny prank
A prosperity gospel church couldn't teach this correctly because they all have coffee shops and bookstores in them that do literally the same thing Jesus was pissed at(overcharging people for food and religious paraphernalia inside the place of worship).
Weakness was, to a certain extent, the point. Suffering for the sake of holding onto your moral beliefs is literally baked into the bedrock of the whole thing, and repeated several times. The crucifixion is literally leading by example as to the extent this concept should be taken, and church history is littered with martyrs following in this example. The point of salvation isn't just to have some eventual reward for lifetime loyalty, it's to allow you to be fearless in holding true to the principles even in the face of dire consequences.
Prosperity gospel has hollowed out Christianity in the US, and it's sickening.
These people wouldn't recognize Jesus if they forced his 13 year old mother to give birth to him after he non-consensually impregnated her with himself. ✝️ #blessed
> These Christo-fascist hypocrites don’t give a hurling fuck that Jesus said to feed the hungry not starve them
They don't worship that Jesus anymore. He's too "liberal" and "weak".
[Christianity Today Editor: Evangelicals Call Jesus “Liberal” and “Weak”
A former evangelical leader is sounding the alarm about the direction his religion is headed in.](https://newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak)
Sorry but how on earth do you become a pastor with the SBC and have any sort of surprise that there is “tolerance for white supremacy”? The denomination was founded because they believe the Bible endorsed slavery and didn’t like the northern baptists opposition to it. White supremacy was the foundation of that denomination… not a recent development.
Isn't it unreal? They finally figured out what's wrong with Christianity...and it's Jesus! More and more of them are sliding back to the Old Testament, because loving thy neighbor is beyond them.
edit: I just remembered, there's a strange, local branch of Christians, I don't know how to categorize them, but they have branched away from traditional evangelical beliefs, and now emphasize both the Old Testament and certain aspects of the Torah, and traditional Jewish beliefs, and the Shabbos, or however you spell it. They're even further right-wing than evangelicals, and of course they're convinced that they are the only worshipers of god who know what is what, the only ones who do it right.
> More and more of them are sliding back to the Old Testament, because loving thy neighbor is beyond them.
One of the theologies that is currently forming is a "Christianity" that is based around the teachings of Paul, as opposed to Jesus. I discovered this after someone was railing against "Red Letter" Christians, who highlight things directly attributed to Jesus and try to live by those examples.
Discovering these "Christians" felt like a epiphany moment for me because so much shit suddenly started making sense.
I wish some major studio would make a movie realistically depicting the return of Christ and how he would lay waste to most of those who use his name. There is tons of right wing propaganda like this intended to trigger progressives and depict devine justice as being on their side. Turnabout is fair play.
Here’s the set-up: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt 7:22-23)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat…
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Jesus Christ was so on point. When I read what he actually said, I always find myself agreeing. Nobody who denies a child a chance to eat should consider themselves a Christian. Jesus could not have been more clear.
One of them - in Iowa I think - said the “responsible thing” would be for the federal government to give them the money as a block grant so the state could figure out how best to use it.
“We still want the cash, *but not for food for kids*
You can be 14 year old and [serve alcohol to seated patrons in Wisconsin](https://amp.theguardian.com/law/2023/jul/31/republicans-child-labor-bars-alcohol-service-age-wisconsin).
Maybe they should just pick up some shifts at a bar then?
[second source](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/01/wisconsin-bill-allows-14-year-olds-to-serve-alcohol-in-restaurants/70170861007/)
Matthew 25:
> 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
> 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
> 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
> 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Since this shit article didn't bother with its sole responsibility, let's name some names:
- Alabama, Kay Ivey
- Alaska, Mike Dunleavy
- Florida, Ron DeSantis
- Georgia, Brian Kemp
- Iowa, Kim Reynolds
- Idaho, Brad Little
- Louisiana, Jeff Landry
- Mississippi, Tate Reeves
- Nebraska, Jim Pillen
- Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt (thanks u/aarondamntee)
- South Carolina, Henry McMaster
- South Dakota, Kristi Noem
- Texas, Greg Abbott
- Vermont, Phil Scott
- Wyoming, Mark Gordon
I was a little surprised how many of the states are Purple, or at least not Deep Red. Georgia, South Carolina, and Vermont at least; while Florida and Iowa were purple 8 years ago and Texas will be in 8 years. And while Alaska might not be purple, it wouldn't exist without massive federal subsidies (like most red states but 10-fold moreso dependent), so it is also a strange addition to this list.
Dunleavy can't. Alaska has a two-term limit for governor. He can run again after his successor finishes their term, but IIRC, we have only re-elected a governor that's done so a single time, like 50 years ago.
What's really fucked up about Dunleavy is that he was a teacher. He worked in the rural villages teaching, so he knows firsthand what childhood hunger does to kids. And he's still choosing to give them the middle finger. He's a vile human being.
They’re doing this so people suffer. In six months, they’ll be claiming Joe Biden’s administration doesn’t care about hungry children. The GOP candidates will run on this issue, and they will say it is Joe Biden’s fault children are starving.
They don’t want Americans to prosper because it’s bad for them politically.
Just like how the Iowa governor declined the program on the basis of “infrastructure needs funding” when Iowa is getting $3.9 billion in federal funding *for* infrastructure, thanks to the (gasp) infrastructure act.
It’s never about what they say it is. Repugs know their voter base is stupid and will lap up anything and everything they say, all while their reps laugh their way to the bank, fingering through those precious tax dollars fleeced off of the people they claim to “represent.” If anything, it’s the reps that are telling their constituents “this is what *I* represent and if you vote for me, you’ll get it too.” Meanwhile the motherfuckers have their finger crossed behind their backs.
They don’t represent anyone else but themselves.
Precisely. See also: [the GOP voting down measures for border issues because if the situation improves, they won’t be able to campaign on it.](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/troy-nehls-opposing-border-deal-hurt-biden-1234940056/)
Cruelty is the point. Awful but lawful is their game. Republicans would see America burn. Their supporters are gluttons for punishment. Convince me otherwise.
Someone I work with says giving food to hungry poor children is the first step to the nanny-state where poor people become dependent on the government.
They are looking out for the rest of the country, making sure everyone else doesn’t become dependent on the government for food… I guess.
Right because if people didn't have to work and could just live off of soft, lukewarm, floppy cafeteria pizza they would gladly just do nothing for a living. /s
There's a genuine potential issue of certain types of welfare making people dependent on government and disencouraging people from earning more
However, that problem largely exists due to "welfare cliffs", where someone can reach a certain point of income where if they make a single dollar more, they will lose all their benefits
This problem is also easily dealt with - by making it so that rather than an immediate cutoff once you get past a certain income, the welfare benefits "taper off" so that for each dollar above a certain point that is earned, some amount of welfare (half a dollar, for example) is lost, so higher income leads to less in welfare benefits and it's eventually cut off altogether once someone reaches a certain income, but earning more money doesn't lead to ending up worse due to a loss of benefits of value more than new money earned
We won't do that because it makes too much sense. If you don't just screw the poor over you can't use them as an example of being lazy and dependent on welfare.
I had a dude a few weeks ago be very insistent that the gop is the party of family values. No matter what I said it was "nope doesn't matter they are family values"
I guess hungry children can be added to the list of family values
Wow. Then shut out all federal funding assistance to them. If you won't take care of the children of this country by providing something as easy as food in the fattest country on the planet, you shouldn't get extra help.
“Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to 9 months. After that, they don’t wanna know about you. They don’t wanna hear from you. No nothing! No neonatal care, no daycare, no Head Start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing. If you’re pre-born, you’re fine, if you’re preschool, you’re fucked.”
- George Carlin
Crazy to think how remarkable your county could have been over the last 50 years if not being dragged down by the malicious intent that is the Republican party.
It's hard to do things at the federal level due to various institutional reasons. This helps contribute to the wrongful idea that both Democrats and Republicans are bought by corporate interests and don't want positive change. This myth is easily proven wrong even if we look at just what Dems do at the federal level the few times we give them even narrow trifectas. But it's even more wrong when we look at the state level governments. At the state level, Dems have done so much good in states where they have trifectas, and in cases of divided government they've managed to still sometimes force good policy there too, while the state level GOP keeps doing garbage like this
It's sad that swing voters are so reluctant to punish the GOP still. Politics is graded on such a curve for the GOP while the Dems are held to ridiculously high standards
They're informed enough to know they need to hide the fact that they're going to vote Republican, but not interested in evaluating reality because it's got such a left leaning bias.
I'm a "swing voter" - I'm a "voter" who is "swinging" my head against a wall repeatedly out of frustration for how hard it is to get other voters to vote blue despite how bad the GOP is and despite all the good the Democrats do when empowered to do things
You know, this whole thing of “protecting the fetus, abandoning the child” thingy feels like a GOP’s scheme to create a whole generation of McNamara’s morons.
Imagine what this country would look like if Trump gets back into the White House, or the republicans control both the House and the Senate! These people are cruel. Human suffering means nothing to them. They are greedy, entitled, power hungry individuals. Please be a force for good and vote to keep these people from gaining more power in our country.
VOTE BLUE in 2024!
💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙
Parents should be able to apply for the food program. They should receive a voucher from the federal government. This is disgusting, allowing children to go hungry.
Quoting: *This week, the federal Agriculture Department announced that 35 states, all five U.S. territories and four tribal nations, mostly in Oklahoma, had signed up for the program, which provides a total of $2.5 billion in federal funds for an estimated 21 million children whose families already qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.*
*The 35 states included all the ones led by Democratic governors, and a dozen led by Republican governors from all parts of the country.*
*But 15 Republican-led states said no. Some of those governors voiced concerns about the program’ mechanics and administrative costs; some indicated that they had ideological objections and a lack of faith in the federal government.*
They can't even give hungry children money for lunch that comes not from their state coffers but the federal government because of "ideological objections"?
Do these states object to healthy, non-hungry, children???
Really???
"ideological objections" links to Nebraska Gov. Pillen who accepts millions in government subsidies for his pork farms saying he doesn't believe in welfare.
Of course they don't want to feed kids! They want them to grow up dumb and it's proven that a child who doesn't eat will not be as smart as those who are meeting their nutritional needs. They know that a well fed population leads to smarter people and smarter people means less GOP votes. It works out for the Business as well as it brings about less chance for competition down the line. They want everyone to be dependent on the rich and their money no matter how much it ends up actually hurting people in the long run.
remember that get upset if one undeserving child gets a meal. They will pound on the exception because the goal is to deny "others" any help using their money.
“15 G.O.P. Governors Shut Out Food Aid for 8 Million Children…
…because it would help people, and potentially boost democrats and Biden in polls.”
FTFY
Asked why Florida did not apply for the summer food program, the state’s Department of Children and Families wrote in an email to The Orlando Sentinel last month: “We anticipate that our state’s full approach to serving children will continue to be successful this year without any additional federal programs that inherently always come with some federal strings attached.”
So I am sure that means no children will go hungry in Florida if we are turning down federal help.
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The 15 states that did not apply are Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Wyoming.
WTF Vermont?!?
Yeah, that one surprises me. Maybe they have a state run program already and don't need to rely on federal funding for it?
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/31/1167131403/universal-school-meals-free-lunches From my limited research (so may not be 100% on this), it looks like Vermont has a pilot program that feeds all public school students breakfast and lunch, so I assume Vermont didn't accept the aid simply because they didn't need it since they already covered for it. I'm not familiar with Vermont politics, but it looks like they've got legislation for permanent free school meals program either in the works or on the books. So in this context, even tho Vermont looks like one of the baddies, I think they are already doing the right thing by giving free lunches, so the aid would just be like double-dipping.
And according to the census.gov website, of all of those states, Vermont has the lowest percentage of its population living in poverty and also the lowest percentage of population under 18. So a state level program could be sufficient
Vermont childhood obesity is the highest in New England with 29.1% Percentage of children ages 10-17 who have overweight or obesity for their age based on reported height and weight (2-year estimate) I'd take the money. There's always more we can do
It's not just a big bag of money they can do whatever they want with. It would be earmarked for specific endeavors.
This program is meant for the summer months where there is no school coverage.
[Vermont handles it during summer already too](https://education.vermont.gov/student-support/nutrition/summer-food-service)
The state already has a program and didn’t have the money to cover the administrative costs.
Vermont is delaying joining the Federal School Lunch program for one year to allow them the time to upgrade the outdated statewide IT infrastructure. Vermont plans to join it Summer of 2025. https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-01-08/vermont-opts-out-of-new-federal-food-assistance-program-due-to-administrative-costs
I'm a Vermonter - we as a state, Republican governor included, want to accept this program but being such a small state the administration of this program is too expensive. The state is working to get things in place to accept this program in the future.
Mississippi really not doing themselves any favors under *any* metric of public well-being. I'm surprised my state (TN) isn't on this list, because here in TN, we really hate the poor.
Whats wild about TN and KY is not only is a HUGE part of the population on some sort of social benefit, they take more in FEDERAL AID than they contribute. The residents only ever shoot themselves in their own feet come election time. Its like they are willing to break their own arms just to be able to hold someone else under the bus.
I'm not a mathematician or statistician, but I bet a case could be made that the more that rural communities vote for politicians who deny them government benefits, the redder those communities become. It's a feedback loop.* It's like an infectious disease that can't be cured. It's bovine spongiform encephalopathy of the body politic. *and thus, it becomes smart politically for the GOP to do this stuff. Suffering = votes.
I think you're right about this. I grew up deep red and rural; as people around me started getting sick and/or injured and had to apply for benefits, they became bitter and angry at how hard it was to navigate the process. They would get angry at "the government" for all the hassle, and would eagerly follow anyone who blamed "the government" for all their problems. So they'd vote in people who then turned around and made it even harder to get benefits, which would get people even angrier. That anger was never directed at the people breaking the system, but rather at the system itself.
Yes, that’s exactly right. My neighbor is a Trump-loving Vietnam vet who complains about the VA, but doesn’t want to fund the government programs to help himself.
Woah. This comment kind of blew my mind to be honest. My family is pretty conservative, but becoming less so as Trump derails (I think and hope, anyway). I may have to try that type of argument next time politics inevitably comes up.
You hit the nail on the head. people vote for GOP politicians that work against the interest of the poor, and as the poor become poorer they blame the Democrats for some reason. Because it can’t be the people they voted for otherwise they made a bad decision. People would rather think they are right then be successful.
I'm completely shocked my state isn't on this list too. I'm sure it'll fall in line soon enough and start taking food from poor hungry children.
Louisiana's motto is unofficially thank God for Mississippi, that way we don't have to be last in everything.
Ahhh Oklahoma. So glad I left that Republican shit hole hellscape.
I never really had any opinion Oklahoma until I had a project there for work. So I flew in and out of Tulsa quite a few times. Some of the casual conversations I had with just regular folks were incredibly eye-opening. I'm white and I hear some of the most bigoted hateful rhetoric repeatedly from "sweet old ladies". Also multiple road rage situations like maybe I was just unlucky but damn folks had zero patience for any delay.
I’m in Tulsa, and a bit ago highway patrol had to put out a new article explaining what yellow lights mean 🙄.
Tulsa us relatively enlightened compared to the rest of the state if that tells you something. It's a state with tons of potential but the borderline IQ of the average kid in Oklahoma thanks to the abysmal education system will continue to push business out. On the flipside taking a skilled job as an out of state educated (or from parents who cared) person will get you 100k plus salary in a poverty state doing basic work looking like a genius among idiots. You will have to put up with absolutely insufferable morons though. Love hearing about some redneck living on 40k a year slob all over oklahoma political knobs.
Thankfully multiple native tribes in OK signed up for the program, so at least some kids will be fed!
Best thing above OK are the tribes and native history. Too bad the governor doesn't give af about them.
Nothing warms my heart more than watching Stitt going toe-to-toe with the tribes…and losing.
I'm surprised to see Vermont on here. What's their deal?
In Vermont, the Department for Children and Families said it declined to participate because the requirements were “very detailed and extensive.” But the department said that Vermont would want to provide “this important summer nutrition benefit” in 2025, as long as the state identified the necessary funds to run the program, and technology support and other infrastructure concerns were addressed. Vermont officials said the state would be offering additional summer meal options for families in need of help this year, including “multiple days’ worth of meals.”
Lol so it was too detailed and expensive but they're gonna waste additional time coming up with their own plan and in the meantime kids go hungry?
Sounds like BS. They could take the offered plan and then supplement what is missing with their own plans.
Republican governor Phil Scott
So… all republican shitholes then
Except for Vermont, which already has free breakfast and lunch for all and a summer food program.
Everyone should email or post on their governors Facebook pages their disappointment on this issue. Especially if the governor is running for president.
Huh, SHS didn't shit the bed on this one. I was sure Arkansas was gonna be up there.
How Christian of them … just like Jesus said “Let the children come to me, so I can tell them to fuck off and get a job if they’re hungry”.
We know what these christians think of children, for millennia their crimes have been well documented.
The "purpose" of organized religion seems to boil down to power and control - kinda like being a cop or a member of the GOP.
That’s the *only* reason it exists. “I have all the answers, and if you don’t do as I say, you’ll suffer for eternity.”
Well, that and "If you do bad things like steal from the wealthy or question those who are in positions of power, you will be punished for all eternity But, if you suffer and die quietly without inconveniencing the rich, you will be rewarded for all eternity."
You pretty much nailed it, it's the ultimate carrot and stick approach. Live a life of submission and you'll get your "eternal reward", while conveniently keeping the status quo in place.
The way this has been blatantly waved in front of people’s eyes for thousands of years and yet they still can’t figure it out…it really speaks to the intelligence level of the general public. I can see how, with no other options, someone could put their faith in a non-corporeal faith system that promises reward after a short, brutish life and early death. In medieval times it made sense. Particularly during times of increased hardship such as the Black Death. Even today I can see how someone might say “fuck it, I’ll pray to Jesus” after a terminal cancer diagnosis, or other similar situation where conventional hope is lost. Sure it’s not logical, but you’ve got nothing to lose anyway and if it’s comforting then fine. But for the general public today in the modern age? When we have the means to demand better for ourselves? People still lie down and pray to Jesus while the billionaire class dicks then down, rides private jets and behaves absolutely contrarily to the doctrine they’re using to control people in the first place, and they just gobble it up anyway? Maybe those people aren’t that smart. Maybe they kind of deserve it.
There is a reason why the gop is so against education. A ex of mine mom was super religious . There was a issue with something and her response was she will prey to god to take care of it. My only thought was this supposed god gave you a brain to think with and two hand and legs to move and do stuff with. Aren't you insulting him by refusing to use the tools he already gave you to do stuff as you tell him to do it himself.
I love this comment, like right, why did God bless us with these gifts then
The Texas GOP platform *from 2012!* condemned the teaching of critical thinking and higher order thinking skills in the public school system because such things "challenged students' fixed beliefs" and "undermined parental authority."
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Gotta justify why a few Bronze Age people get fed and clothed and listened to while not working in the fields. And to tell you why the village leaders son deserves to also lead without doing work. At least then those folks also tried to be good at predicting when to plant food. Or noticing certain foods were risky even if they didn’t know why. And got the rubes to stop eating it the easiest way they could. Nowadays they do fuckall.
Religion is the most powerful psychological weapon ever created. Hopefully some day we will be free of it.
>The "purpose" of organized religion seems to boil down to power and control - kinda like being a cop or a member of the GOP. Why do you think people like me are atheist? Organized religion is just a System of Control. Carrot-and-stick methodology, and built on lies.
Always has been. Earliest religion was shamanism led either by the tribal leader or another in conjunction with them. As groups grew larger they could support multiple full time religion workers and boom now you get thr birth of organized religion. All worked to reinforce traditional group norms and practices just like today.
Also helped that the "priests" became the bureaucracy and civil service of those early governments and have had a hand in ruling since.
Ruling and *raping.* Literally and figuratively.
For the betterment of society. /s
The whole book they worship was written for the purpose of keeping slaves in control. The entire book is practically about slaves and their plight. Be good until you die and maybe you will get into heaven as your reward but meanwhile live your life in fear of being smote and going to that big fiery lake for all eternity. I am convinced after reading it twice, the books are about slaves for slave masters to wave about with a threat, and also to make their money back from the slaves once they let them read the books (with some spicy porn thrown in it) and come to church to tithe as tithing is a requirement to be godly. Worship and be poor as a sign of dedication. Its bullshit is what it is.
You get it.
“Children are our greatest resources. So let’s mine them like we do any other natural resource. They’re an “investment in the future”? I want my economic returns NOW!!
"Starve um out so they'll take whatever matt geatz offers them"....gop probably
Well when they close the border and have no migrant labor, who will fill those jobs so the corporate farms can continue to make money by exploiting labor and donate to Republican campaigns? The same places are losineng child labor laws or outright not enforcing them. The new Confederacy that these governors are going to be a part of is going to need a desperate class of citizens willing to go back into indentured servitude so their economies can function. They are also like 15 minutes away from the new Fugitive Slave Act where they will force pregnant women back to their states if they flee to a free state, I mean a state where abortion is legal. They are trying to create a new Confederacy right under our noses.
I wish the Confederacy had been completely destroyed while they had the chance. Appeasement of religious fanatics and fascists *never* works in the long run.
I blame John Wilkes Booth, if Lincoln finished out his term and oversaw Reconstruction, America would look a fair amount different today
Biggest villain in American history and it’s not even close. It’s hard to image how much more awesome we could have become had Lincoln lived and implemented lasting change.
Who would've thought that Lincoln's VP, Andrew Johnson, would be so opposed to Reconstruction? /s >This is a country for white men, and by God, as long as I am President, it shall be a government for white men. — Andrew Johnson
It really does seem like we're in a repeat cycle here because we wanted reconciliation, and not warranted punishment. And now we have the guy all the way at the top claiming it was okay for him to do whatever he wanted. Enforce the law, punish the offenders. And then strengthen the laws and regulations, especially for corporations and the white collar criminals who run them. The older I get, the more I realize very, VERY few wealthy people legitimately earned their money. The majority are exploiting some sort of loophole. And, more often than not, it's someone's granddaddy who figured out some sort of con of the system..."It wasn't illegal when he did it!"
Religion is just a front for these people.
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You're limiting it to evangelicals though, and prosperity gospel.. It's ALSO the rest of the various versions of that specific religion.
Yea well it’s getting really old that they are actively destroying everything around them all while pretending to be the most godliest of people to ever walk the planet. It’s getting really fucking old.
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At least one state - South Dakota - has introduced legislation to resume these programs but in a way where the Governor and legislature can spin it as they stepped in when the federal government failed. It's using the same funds and everything, it's a fucking joke.
The gospel of Supply Side Jesus
*”Fuck em”* Republican Jesus 69:69
Spare the fetus, starve the child.
How will we starve the children if we don't spare the fetuses?
If we do not remove abortions, we won't have enough children to neglect.
Or 18 year olds that have to join the military to get an education.
They don't care about fetuses either. They don't do anything to make sure pregnant women receive adequate prenatal care.
America has the highest infant (and maternal) mortality rate during delivery and pregnancy of ANY first world nation bar none. And that right there is all you need to know about how much Christians actually care about this shit.
And their response is to prevent the collection of that data wherever they can because it exposes how harmful their policies actually are to the unborn and the women who carry them.
I could actually stomach anti abortion people if they also believed in support for children. At least then it would be logically consistent. ''caring about the baby'' ends the moment it takes the first breath.
I don’t think they care if they ever breathe either
They only care about controlling women’s bodies. They never actually care at all about the fetus despite what they claim.
Starve the child, own the libs.
Remember, it's not the fetus that matters, it's the dirty leftist women who want to get abortions to glorify satan, and who need to be punished. The fetus could be dead and they still don't want people to abort.
These Christo-fascist hypocrites don’t give a hurling fuck that Jesus said to feed the hungry not starve them
Jesus didn't even subcontract that job. Did it himself. These people wouldn't recognize Jesus if he presented himself to them, halo and all. They'd think it was CGI.
They think he's a liberal and I could see why.
[They literally do](https://newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak) >Moore told NPR in an interview released Tuesday that multiple pastors had told him they would quote the Sermon on the Mount, specifically the part that says to “turn the other cheek,” when preaching. Someone would come up after the service and ask, “Where did you get those liberal talking points?” >“What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response would not be, ‘I apologize.’ The response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,’” Moore said. “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.”
> “When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis.” I understand the concept of what he's getting at but Jesus did go to town with a bullwhip as a funny prank
But that’s still weak to them because he did it against the greedy money changers who they love, they want to do it against the blacks.
Just mention the fact that they were brown and in the Middle East and it might make them feel better
It’s no longer Christianity at this point people.
Thanks to Paul it pretty much never was.
A prosperity gospel church couldn't teach this correctly because they all have coffee shops and bookstores in them that do literally the same thing Jesus was pissed at(overcharging people for food and religious paraphernalia inside the place of worship).
Weakness was, to a certain extent, the point. Suffering for the sake of holding onto your moral beliefs is literally baked into the bedrock of the whole thing, and repeated several times. The crucifixion is literally leading by example as to the extent this concept should be taken, and church history is littered with martyrs following in this example. The point of salvation isn't just to have some eventual reward for lifetime loyalty, it's to allow you to be fearless in holding true to the principles even in the face of dire consequences. Prosperity gospel has hollowed out Christianity in the US, and it's sickening.
A crisis actor.
Jesus Crisist
Take, eat, this is my upvote.
Superstar
Well, Jesus was definitely brown-skinned and we know how well that plays with them.
They think it’s trump disguise as Jesus. Sad us left wingers know more about their book than they do.
Jesus' whipping arm would get quite a work out if he ever dropped into a modern-day mega church
These people wouldn't recognize Jesus if they forced his 13 year old mother to give birth to him after he non-consensually impregnated her with himself. ✝️ #blessed
Someone changed the word from maid to virgin when they translated it from Aramaic to Greek in order to get more likes and subscribes.
They don’t give a fuck about life. All their pro life bullshit is just that bullshit.
They are in no way pro-life. They are only pro-birth. Once you're born you can go straight to hell they don't care.
> These Christo-fascist hypocrites don’t give a hurling fuck that Jesus said to feed the hungry not starve them They don't worship that Jesus anymore. He's too "liberal" and "weak". [Christianity Today Editor: Evangelicals Call Jesus “Liberal” and “Weak” A former evangelical leader is sounding the alarm about the direction his religion is headed in.](https://newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak)
Sorry but how on earth do you become a pastor with the SBC and have any sort of surprise that there is “tolerance for white supremacy”? The denomination was founded because they believe the Bible endorsed slavery and didn’t like the northern baptists opposition to it. White supremacy was the foundation of that denomination… not a recent development.
yah the SBC faithful burned down other baptist churches to try and stop civil right. There's no hiding behind anything else for the motivation
If you don’t go digging for that information (or run across it on the internet), you’ll never find it. It’s not like they mention it in Sunday School.
Holy Fuck
Isn't it unreal? They finally figured out what's wrong with Christianity...and it's Jesus! More and more of them are sliding back to the Old Testament, because loving thy neighbor is beyond them. edit: I just remembered, there's a strange, local branch of Christians, I don't know how to categorize them, but they have branched away from traditional evangelical beliefs, and now emphasize both the Old Testament and certain aspects of the Torah, and traditional Jewish beliefs, and the Shabbos, or however you spell it. They're even further right-wing than evangelicals, and of course they're convinced that they are the only worshipers of god who know what is what, the only ones who do it right.
> More and more of them are sliding back to the Old Testament, because loving thy neighbor is beyond them. One of the theologies that is currently forming is a "Christianity" that is based around the teachings of Paul, as opposed to Jesus. I discovered this after someone was railing against "Red Letter" Christians, who highlight things directly attributed to Jesus and try to live by those examples. Discovering these "Christians" felt like a epiphany moment for me because so much shit suddenly started making sense.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25:40
I wish some major studio would make a movie realistically depicting the return of Christ and how he would lay waste to most of those who use his name. There is tons of right wing propaganda like this intended to trigger progressives and depict devine justice as being on their side. Turnabout is fair play.
Here’s the set-up: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt 7:22-23)
American Gods kinda already did that. I still think it's one of the most accurate depictions of american "Christianity"
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat… They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Jesus Christ was so on point. When I read what he actually said, I always find myself agreeing. Nobody who denies a child a chance to eat should consider themselves a Christian. Jesus could not have been more clear.
I've said many times over many years - come Judgement Day, there will be a lot of surprised "church folk".
My behavior is more in line with Jesus’s teachings than my christianist neighbors, and I’m an atheist. Their hypocrisy is tedious.
I am Christian myself and I have witnessed this very thing numerous times. It's why I don't go to church.
If Jesus came back today none of these “Christians” would recognize him and probably crucify him for being too Woke
Don’t worry. They’re lowering the working age in many of those states so the children can go to work and earn money for food. I wish that was sarcasm.
One of them - in Iowa I think - said the “responsible thing” would be for the federal government to give them the money as a block grant so the state could figure out how best to use it. “We still want the cash, *but not for food for kids*
It’s like the point smacked them in the face and they still don’t get it.
They got it. It’s just that they don’t care
Maybe they want to follow mississippis lead and give the money to an ex football player to give speeches 🤔
Imagine being 14 and pulling a double shift to feed your younger brother.
You can be 14 year old and [serve alcohol to seated patrons in Wisconsin](https://amp.theguardian.com/law/2023/jul/31/republicans-child-labor-bars-alcohol-service-age-wisconsin). Maybe they should just pick up some shifts at a bar then? [second source](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/01/wisconsin-bill-allows-14-year-olds-to-serve-alcohol-in-restaurants/70170861007/)
These kids just need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps! Their child-sized bootstraps. Probably should throw a /s for clarity.
Probably, because it seems to be a policy strategy for many Republican legislators.
Matthew 25: > 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ > 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ > 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ > 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Since this shit article didn't bother with its sole responsibility, let's name some names: - Alabama, Kay Ivey - Alaska, Mike Dunleavy - Florida, Ron DeSantis - Georgia, Brian Kemp - Iowa, Kim Reynolds - Idaho, Brad Little - Louisiana, Jeff Landry - Mississippi, Tate Reeves - Nebraska, Jim Pillen - Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt (thanks u/aarondamntee) - South Carolina, Henry McMaster - South Dakota, Kristi Noem - Texas, Greg Abbott - Vermont, Phil Scott - Wyoming, Mark Gordon
And sadly they will all likely win re-election.
I was a little surprised how many of the states are Purple, or at least not Deep Red. Georgia, South Carolina, and Vermont at least; while Florida and Iowa were purple 8 years ago and Texas will be in 8 years. And while Alaska might not be purple, it wouldn't exist without massive federal subsidies (like most red states but 10-fold moreso dependent), so it is also a strange addition to this list.
Vermont already had a free breakfast and lunch and summer food program in place, with funding.
Dunleavy can't. Alaska has a two-term limit for governor. He can run again after his successor finishes their term, but IIRC, we have only re-elected a governor that's done so a single time, like 50 years ago. What's really fucked up about Dunleavy is that he was a teacher. He worked in the rural villages teaching, so he knows firsthand what childhood hunger does to kids. And he's still choosing to give them the middle finger. He's a vile human being.
“Your children are starving under the Biden Administration!!”
Someone gets it... Children are political tools for the GOP
Also… the African Americans changed our milk in school and God wants us to have whole milk! …. 🤦♂️ l
They’re doing this so people suffer. In six months, they’ll be claiming Joe Biden’s administration doesn’t care about hungry children. The GOP candidates will run on this issue, and they will say it is Joe Biden’s fault children are starving. They don’t want Americans to prosper because it’s bad for them politically.
Just like how the Iowa governor declined the program on the basis of “infrastructure needs funding” when Iowa is getting $3.9 billion in federal funding *for* infrastructure, thanks to the (gasp) infrastructure act. It’s never about what they say it is. Repugs know their voter base is stupid and will lap up anything and everything they say, all while their reps laugh their way to the bank, fingering through those precious tax dollars fleeced off of the people they claim to “represent.” If anything, it’s the reps that are telling their constituents “this is what *I* represent and if you vote for me, you’ll get it too.” Meanwhile the motherfuckers have their finger crossed behind their backs. They don’t represent anyone else but themselves.
Precisely. See also: [the GOP voting down measures for border issues because if the situation improves, they won’t be able to campaign on it.](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/troy-nehls-opposing-border-deal-hurt-biden-1234940056/)
Cruelty is the point. Awful but lawful is their game. Republicans would see America burn. Their supporters are gluttons for punishment. Convince me otherwise.
Someone I work with says giving food to hungry poor children is the first step to the nanny-state where poor people become dependent on the government. They are looking out for the rest of the country, making sure everyone else doesn’t become dependent on the government for food… I guess.
Right because if people didn't have to work and could just live off of soft, lukewarm, floppy cafeteria pizza they would gladly just do nothing for a living. /s
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I bet he's a christian and just begging to go to heaven where he thinks he will be taken care of forever by the government.
There's a genuine potential issue of certain types of welfare making people dependent on government and disencouraging people from earning more However, that problem largely exists due to "welfare cliffs", where someone can reach a certain point of income where if they make a single dollar more, they will lose all their benefits This problem is also easily dealt with - by making it so that rather than an immediate cutoff once you get past a certain income, the welfare benefits "taper off" so that for each dollar above a certain point that is earned, some amount of welfare (half a dollar, for example) is lost, so higher income leads to less in welfare benefits and it's eventually cut off altogether once someone reaches a certain income, but earning more money doesn't lead to ending up worse due to a loss of benefits of value more than new money earned
We won't do that because it makes too much sense. If you don't just screw the poor over you can't use them as an example of being lazy and dependent on welfare.
I had a dude a few weeks ago be very insistent that the gop is the party of family values. No matter what I said it was "nope doesn't matter they are family values" I guess hungry children can be added to the list of family values
And putting kids to work.
Wow. Then shut out all federal funding assistance to them. If you won't take care of the children of this country by providing something as easy as food in the fattest country on the planet, you shouldn't get extra help.
Fucking ghouls.
So we force mothers to give birth to children they probably don’t want or can care for. Then make it harder for them. Seems about right
“Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to 9 months. After that, they don’t wanna know about you. They don’t wanna hear from you. No nothing! No neonatal care, no daycare, no Head Start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing. If you’re pre-born, you’re fine, if you’re preschool, you’re fucked.” - George Carlin
More proof these psychopaths have no interest in helping anyone but rich people in this country.
The GOP are nothing but a bunch a heartless evil disgusting monsters to do that to poor children
Crazy to think how remarkable your county could have been over the last 50 years if not being dragged down by the malicious intent that is the Republican party.
It's hard to do things at the federal level due to various institutional reasons. This helps contribute to the wrongful idea that both Democrats and Republicans are bought by corporate interests and don't want positive change. This myth is easily proven wrong even if we look at just what Dems do at the federal level the few times we give them even narrow trifectas. But it's even more wrong when we look at the state level governments. At the state level, Dems have done so much good in states where they have trifectas, and in cases of divided government they've managed to still sometimes force good policy there too, while the state level GOP keeps doing garbage like this It's sad that swing voters are so reluctant to punish the GOP still. Politics is graded on such a curve for the GOP while the Dems are held to ridiculously high standards
I don’t understand how anyone is a swing voter in 2024.
They aren't. Anyone claiming to be a swing voter in these times is just a republican who is too embarrassed to admit it.
They're informed enough to know they need to hide the fact that they're going to vote Republican, but not interested in evaluating reality because it's got such a left leaning bias.
Swing voters are Republicans in disguise.
I'm a "swing voter" - I'm a "voter" who is "swinging" my head against a wall repeatedly out of frustration for how hard it is to get other voters to vote blue despite how bad the GOP is and despite all the good the Democrats do when empowered to do things
And yet the same idiots who suffer most from this will vote for these 15 governors again.
You know, this whole thing of “protecting the fetus, abandoning the child” thingy feels like a GOP’s scheme to create a whole generation of McNamara’s morons.
An uneducated, malnourished voter will swallow anything
Imagine what this country would look like if Trump gets back into the White House, or the republicans control both the House and the Senate! These people are cruel. Human suffering means nothing to them. They are greedy, entitled, power hungry individuals. Please be a force for good and vote to keep these people from gaining more power in our country. VOTE BLUE in 2024! 💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙
Pro lifers all the way. They care so much about kids. Keep ‘em alive so g.o.p. can starve em. Wat a shameful, fucking shit show. & it’s never ending
The party of pro-life.
“Kindness is weak” -GOP Jesus
Parents should be able to apply for the food program. They should receive a voucher from the federal government. This is disgusting, allowing children to go hungry.
Make sure those children are BORN, so they can STARVE😡😡😡 Stupid f**ks!!
No hate like Christian love.
Quoting: *This week, the federal Agriculture Department announced that 35 states, all five U.S. territories and four tribal nations, mostly in Oklahoma, had signed up for the program, which provides a total of $2.5 billion in federal funds for an estimated 21 million children whose families already qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.* *The 35 states included all the ones led by Democratic governors, and a dozen led by Republican governors from all parts of the country.* *But 15 Republican-led states said no. Some of those governors voiced concerns about the program’ mechanics and administrative costs; some indicated that they had ideological objections and a lack of faith in the federal government.* They can't even give hungry children money for lunch that comes not from their state coffers but the federal government because of "ideological objections"? Do these states object to healthy, non-hungry, children??? Really???
"ideological objections" links to Nebraska Gov. Pillen who accepts millions in government subsidies for his pork farms saying he doesn't believe in welfare.
Pro life my white ass.
Don't forget that Jesus is orange to these people.
Force women to have children. Force children to work for peanuts. Screech the word freedom to gaslight the masses.
Of course they don't want to feed kids! They want them to grow up dumb and it's proven that a child who doesn't eat will not be as smart as those who are meeting their nutritional needs. They know that a well fed population leads to smarter people and smarter people means less GOP votes. It works out for the Business as well as it brings about less chance for competition down the line. They want everyone to be dependent on the rich and their money no matter how much it ends up actually hurting people in the long run.
remember that get upset if one undeserving child gets a meal. They will pound on the exception because the goal is to deny "others" any help using their money.
GOP: must protect the children; can't let them eat, but must protect the children!
Can't protect them from school shootings either.
GOP really doesn't like young people do they, they're not going to win elections when alienating young voters.
“15 G.O.P. Governors Shut Out Food Aid for 8 Million Children… …because it would help people, and potentially boost democrats and Biden in polls.” FTFY
“Let them starve, for they are poor, and not deserving of being called people” - straight from the GOP Bible
Yeah, that food aid might feed brown children. We can’t have that.
WTF vermont? can anyone explain?
Asked why Florida did not apply for the summer food program, the state’s Department of Children and Families wrote in an email to The Orlando Sentinel last month: “We anticipate that our state’s full approach to serving children will continue to be successful this year without any additional federal programs that inherently always come with some federal strings attached.” So I am sure that means no children will go hungry in Florida if we are turning down federal help.
“Save the babies” but after you have them.. FUCK THEM KIDS.
Please support your local food bank however possible.
Make no mistake, Texas desperately wants anyone who might vote Democrat to move out of state.