“That’s the way the ruling class operates in any society: they try to divide the rest of the people; they keep the lower and the middle classes fighting with each other so that they — the rich — can run off with all the f*cking money. Fairly simple thing. Happens to work.” -George CarlinSNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is the largest federal nutrition assistance program in the United States, helping roughly 42 million people or about 1 in 8 Americans, each year.But SNAP is more than a food benefit. It’s one of the most effective anti-poverty tools in the U.S. In 2021, it lifted 2.4 million people out of poverty, including 1 million children. And when benefits were increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity declined significantly, even during an economic crisis.SNAP also improves health outcomes across the lifespan. Participation is associated with better birth outcomes, including higher birth weights, lower rates of hospitalizations and nursing home admissions among seniors, and reduced healthcare costs, including fewer missed workdays and doctor visits. In addition to poverty, SNAP reduces food insecurity by up to 30%, especially for households with children. And studies estimate that every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 to $1.80 in local economic activity, benefiting grocers, farmers, and the broader community.Despite the rhetoric, benefits are modest. In 2023, the average was about $212 per person per month, or roughly $7 per day. And the idea that SNAP is bloated or mismanaged doesn’t hold up. Fraud rates are low (routinely estimated at 1-2%), ~80% of benefits go to households with children, elderly adults, or people with disabilities, and 75% of SNAP recipients live at or below the poverty line.SNAP works. And it works efficiently. But the people actually taking advantage of the system benefit from you thinking it doesn’t.View all 4,657 comments

The transferring of at least three national security officials amounts to a complete gutting of leadership in the highly sensitive National Security Division.

A better Tuesday and country are possible! As Trump hawks an hour of lies and dangerous directives to Congress, MoveOn is providing an antidote: a livestream event with Senators Chris Murphy and Brian...