Food Stamp Nation

Is it really a surprise that the U.S. poor need support from programs like food stamps?

September 24, 2013

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program logo. Credit: US Dept. of Agriculture.

Author

The Globalist

1. One of the hot topic issues during the last U.S. presidential election was the amount of Americans on food stamps and welfare.

2. In 2011, as the U.S. unemployment rate began to recede from its 2009 peak of 10%, the number of Americans living below the poverty line remained elevated.

3. This was because people burned through their savings and replaced full-time jobs with part-time work.

4. As of 2011, some 48.5 million Americans were living in poverty, up from 37.3 million in 2007.

From Use of Food Stamps Swells Even as Economy Improves by Damian Paletta and Caroline Porter (Wall Street Journal)

Takeaways

Since recovery began, many Americans have still needed food aid due to underemployment or debt from being jobless.