Is Not The Job Of The Federal Government To Feed The People
So, what is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP? According to the USDA, “SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being.”
For fiscal year 2024, the total SNAP participants were 41.7 million. This is approximately 12.3% of the American population.
SNAP Federal spending for FY 2024 was $99.8 billion dollars, with an average monthly benefit of $187.20 per participant.
The racial breakdown of welfare recipients in the United States is as follow: White: 35-37%, Black/African American: 26-27%, Hispanic: 16%, Asian: 3-4%, Native American: 2%, Unknown: 16-17%.
Approximately 39% of SNAP participants are children. Additionally, elderly participants make up 19-20%, and participants with disabilities 10%.
73% of SNAP household participants are living below the poverty line.
The above statistics were furnished by The Global Statistics site at www.theglobalstatistics.com
The fact that almost 42 million people, out of a population of 331,449,281 million, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, is egregious. The fact we do not know how many ineligible people are on the program makes this number more questionable than definite.
We know that under the Biden administration, millions of illegal aliens were allowed inside our country and immediately placed in the welfare rolls. According to the USDA, only “citizens” are allowed to participate in this program by applying thru their respective states of residency.
We are also aware; the Biden administration dropped these millions of illegal aliens all over the country overwhelming these lifelines designated for American citizens.
But why is the Federal government in the business of feeding people? Nowhere in the United States Constitution, is the Federal government given this power nor responsibility.
A little background on the origin and purpose of the SNAP program. The program was originally known as the Food Stamp Program and was established during the Great Depression. In 1939 it was introduced as a pilot program to deal with the hunger and unemployment crisis created by the Great Depression.
It was supposed to support low-income households by assisting them with the purchase of food items.
The program was meant to be a temporary measure to address a national crisis, but Between 1961 and 1964 the program was renewed and expanded. In 1964 the Food Stamp Act was enacted making it a permanent federal program.
Welfare became a way of life for many people in the United States, thanks to President Johnson, a Democrat.
Generational welfare is real. Many of these people have been on some kind of welfare for decades, some for the whole of their lives.
SNAP benefits fraud is rampant with New York State leading the charge with over 151,000 claims between 2023 and March 2025. This accounts for more than $80 million taxpayer’s dollars lost by fraudulent SNAP recipients, as reported by Newsweek.
California and Maryland come second and third respectively with losses of over $38 million, and $24 million.
So, I will ask you again, why is the Federal government in the business of feeding people? Why has the Congress not enacted a law in which to pass this responsibility to the states? It seems to me this is a 10th Amendment issue.
I cannot find the answer. Online responses are the same: It is the Federal government’s responsibility to fund this entitlement program, period. The same Congress who refuses to reform the program is the same who fund this monstrosity through appropriations.
The program needs to be reviewed. Ineligible recipients need to be removed; body able people need to go to work, applicants need to be properly vetted, and only those in real need, who can prove the hardship, need to be assisted.
It is time to “Snap” the federally funded SNAP Program and give it to the states. Generational welfare is a national cancer, and the welfare programs are nothing but contributing to this disease.
Sources: Newsweek, The Global Statistics
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript