Food Assistance and the Left

Liberals and leftists often find themselves in the uncomfortable position of either defending welfare programs they know to be insufficient or running the risk of losing the modest benefits those programs provide. This was the situation last spring when the Food Stamp program neared bankruptcy and supplemental appropriations were sought in Congress. Conservatives attempted to stall the appropriations or at least to reduce the amount requested by the Carter administration. The program had grown in participants and cost far beyond their expectations. “We have been quite generous,” said Senator Henry Bellmon (R-Okla.), and it is time to impose “discipline” on the Department of Agriculture. I House Agriculture Committ...