Food is a fundamental necessity of life. Securing adequate food to satisfy daily requirements is a basic aspect of survival, essential for individual well-being and a stable economy.
Hunger can indeed drive remarkable achievements across history. Many significant advancements have arisen from the quest for sustenance, while countless individuals endure monotonous labor just to earn their daily meals.
Thus, economies characterized by openness and freedom typically empower a larger number of individuals to provide for themselves. In contrast, systems burdened by corruption, arbitrary property laws, and authoritarian governance generally lead to greater hunger among the populace. An increase in individuals unable to secure food may indicate economic decline, often exacerbated by government fraud and overreach.
According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics from September 2011, over 46 million Americans rely on food stamps. This represents nearly 15 percent of the total U.S. population, showcasing a staggering increase of 65 percent since 2008.
What’s the explanation? Why are so many people depending on government support for their basic food needs?
We will explore this further in a moment, but first, let’s delve into some entertaining yet poignant critique typical of election-year populism.
An Alarming Reality
At Economic Prism, we are unashamedly opinionated and enjoy pointing fingers when necessary.
We chuckled recently when Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich labeled President Obama as “the finest food stamp president in American history.” The irony lies in the fact that Obama might consider this a compliment, given today’s culture of entitlement to government assistance.
However, the food stamp program sometimes struggles to meet public expectations. When it fails, the consequences can be devastating…
For instance, last week in Laredo, Texas, Rachelle Grimmer shot her two children, aged 10 and 12, before taking her own life after her food stamp application was denied. This tragedy underscores the reality that something has gone awry in our system.
The Importance of Self-Reliance
Government intervention in the lives of individuals is rampant, reflecting our observations and experiences. Despite often well-intentioned motives, officials frequently hinder personal freedom and self-sufficiency.
On the surface, it seems beneficial to provide food stamps to those in need. But beneath that facade lies a series of unintended consequences.
By fostering dependency on government support for food, authorities effectively undermine the ability of individuals to support themselves. Often, the assistance provided may be causing more harm than good.
As the adage goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
In our community, the Long Beach Rescue Mission actively empowers individuals to help themselves. They not only provide food but also offer the necessary skills for self-sufficiency, all funded through private donations—eschewing government support entirely.
Unfortunately, politicians seem to overlook this wise principle. Instead of fostering independence, many government programs perpetuate a cycle of dependency. Despite recognizing that their initiatives are expensive and often ineffective, politicians continuously allocate more funding to these failing programs.
Moreover, when government budgets become bloated with these initiatives, the reliance on loans to finance them grows. This results in money printing to manage the ensuing debt.
This predicament has become our current reality, and reversing it seems improbable. Once trust in the integrity of our monetary system evaporates and inflation takes hold, food scarcity will inevitably worsen.
Sincerely,
MN Gordon
for Economic Prism