Uncle Sam Shouldn’t Subsidize Bad Habits
A Republican named Briscoe Cain has filed an important bill in the Texas legislature, blocking food stamp recipients from using taxpayer money to buy soda, candy and other junk foods.
Latest figures from the Department of Agriculture show more than $70 billion a year goes to food stamps and 10 percent of that pays for energy drinks, sugary beverages or candy bars. Cain’s bill wouldn’t cut overall expenditures, but would block purchases with no nutritional value; after all, it’s called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance.
Recipients could still buy unhealthy foods with their own money, just as they buy cigarettes and booze, but Uncle Sam shouldn’t subsidize destructive habits.
Another recent study from OnePoll showed a typical American family now spending $1,497 every month on non-essential purchases like cable bills, restaurant meals, and drinks.
The key to personal progress and prosperity isn’t just what you earn, but how wisely you spend it.