Military and food stamps

Lately a lot of complaints have been made about the food stamp program. Let's take a look a one group that gets food stamps -- 14,000 military families were on food stamps in 2000. The Pentagon does not keep track of any military families that are on food stamps. President Bush in 2001 decided to authorize a $500 subsistence pay increase that was taxable in order to help military families get off food stamps. It did not work. Military families increased on food stamps because food stamps are non-taxable. From 2008 to 2009 military families were using food stamps at twice the rate as civilians, 25 percent to 13 percent. About $31 million of food stamps were used in nationwide commissaries. From July 2009 to March 2011 in Oklahoma, where there are four military bases -- Fort Sill, Tinker AFB, Vance AFB, Altus AFB -- $1.8 million in food stamps was spent.
President Obama, in the 2010 Defense Authorization Bill, increased the food subsistence program for military families to $1,100 and made it non-taxable to help get families off food stamps. But will it? The military pay scale does not match cost of living anywhere in America. So if the U.S can only pay men and women who volunteer to serve and protect our freedom a wage that reflects poverty, how can anyone complain about someone else getting food stamps? So to those who complain, start lending a hand at food banks and homeless shelters. Help feed those who are having trouble during this hard, economic time. Remember neighbor helping neighbor --no matter who they are. Let's lend a hand. Rick Page Newnan

More Opinion

A new UWG campus moves closer

Tuesday was a huge day for the city of Newnan and, in fact, all of Coweta County. City council approved three big contracts - architectural, ... Read More

Published on Thursday, May 16, 2013

Rants and Raves

RAVE: To all the public safety employees, friends and concerned citizens who joined the search for a missing 58-year-old. It’s times l ... Read More

Published on Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Georgia Says

The Albany Herald on health reform, unhealthy for politicians:

The Affordable Care Act is getting closer to implementation, less than half a year. But there are a great many questions still lingering and ... Read More

Published on Monday, May 13, 2013

Sunday's Editorial

Let's stop comparing our presidents to Hitler

What do Adolph Hitler and President Barack Obama have in common? Nothing.  Far too often, critics of the president of the United States ... Read More

Published on Sunday, May 12, 2013

Alex McRae Column

The doctor is (t)in

Four years, ago as the debate raged over a 2,700-page legislative abomination called Obamacare, few people — including every last memb ... Read More

Published on Sunday, May 12, 2013