Sign "O" the Times

Oh, SNAP:

According to the Department of Agriculture’s most recently released data, the number of individuals enrolled in the food stamp program (known officially as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) has remained above 45 million every single month for three years straight.

In May 2011, 45,410,683 individuals received food stamps. As of May 2014 (the most recent date for which data are available), 46,225,054 people were on food stamps. At no point between the two dates did the number of food stamp enrollments ever fall below the 45 million mark.

Part of the problem is that food stamps — embarrassing, awkward, and obvious food stamps — have been replaced by little plastic cards with little magnetic strips that look just like the little plastic cards issued by banks which hold our own money rather than other people’s money.

There ought to be a strong social stigma against spending other people’s money, as just one incentive to getting off the dole and becoming full adults and autonomous human beings.

And that is why we have SNAP cards, because people who aren’t on the dole and who are full adults and autonomous human beings tend not to vote for Democrats.