The Denver Post has an article today--with a quote from CCLP's own Ed Kahn--outlining the very serious problems that eligible families are facing in trying to get food stamps. There was already a backlog of delayed applications before the onset of the recession. So as job losses and economic strife have hit Colorado in recent months
Keep in mind, this is not a new problem. CCLP was party to legal action to try and fix this problem more than four years ago. In December 2007, a settlement agreement was reacheed, putting CCLP in a watchdog role to monitor the state's compliance with the terms-namely processing food stamp and other benefit applications. Well, they have not complied.
This is what happens when you try to 'drown government in the bathtub.' And lest any anti-government types argue against food stamps, take a look at this analysis from Moody's economist Mark Zandi. Food stamps provide the greatest "bang for the buck" of pretty much any economic stimulus provisions. Because each dollar invested is a dollar spent in local communities. As this analysis shows, for every dollar of food stamps invested, $1.73 of economic activity is created. Compare that to just 37 cents for every dollar of capital and dividend tax cuts, or 30 cents for every dollar cut in the corporate tax.
The sad thing is that state leaders could take more aggressive action to help speed claims and get families the life-sustaining benefits they need. The question is, as the reach of this problem spreads to more and more families, will the state take the necessary action?
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Not having food is no longer the issue of the moment. People have always at some point gone without food. The alarming tone of the article behooves us all to take a closer look at what is happening around food. No Jobs. No peanut butter either! Give God a break.
Things we need to know.
1. Who is planning these mass lay-offs and why?
2. How long will this “unemployment” plan be in existence?
3. Where is our infrastructure for meeting the needs of hungry families?
4. Who are “the new poor”?
5. What is happening with the already poor?
Did anyone tell Paulson that he had to get rid of his home(s), his saving account(s), his 401K, his investment, his checking account(s), or any signs of financial stability to qualify for assistance? Our elected officials have subsidized housing, free medical care and more than three square meals a day and that system works well for them. How is it that we can not do something similar for the working families of Colorado?
Did some of us just get the “wrong” jobs? Not only do we no longer have jobs, some of us have already lost our homes, given up our two dollars and had our 401k’s mismanaged by the group of folks who just received $700 billion dollars. Now we are lining up for some help. Oh, the audacity!
Cha Ka M-Zee
President, The Points Historical Redevelopment Corp., Inc.
Coordinator, Community Outreach, CBMS-Coalition
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