Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said in an interview Thursday that the bulk of the farm bill funds food stamps. Breitbart News Daily.
Sen. Johnson outlined some of the problems with the original 1,537-page continuing resolution (CR) negotiated by Speaker Johnson, which contained plenty of pork. One hurdle for some is the inclusion of a farm bill in the spending deal, but the senator said it's not what it seems.
“I think the influence that's being thrown at us is, 'We have to pass this because it has a farm bill in it, but it's like, wait a minute,'” the host said. Mike Slater said, asking the senator for clarification.
“This is a food stamp bill,” Johnson clarified. “Eighty percent of the Farm Bill funds food stamps, and President Obama dramatically increased eligibility.”
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“There was a time when we were affluent, and maybe 6 percent of the population was on food stamps. [the] Recession rises to 12 [percent] 13 [percent]”We're really stuck on that cap today because we're paying people not to work,” Johnson said.
“To be honest, we're paying people not to work,” he said, noting that the U.S. welfare system is very generous.
“People don't pay their taxes. [welfare benefits]. There is a huge transfer of wealth from working Americans to those who are not working. And we are a caring society. We want to help people who are helpless. We want to help people support themselves, but we have created a dependent class that is too large. It has to end,” he said. “We have to get people off the couch. They have to enter the workforce and grow our economy.”
talk to Breitbart News Daily The same day, Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, also said that the farm bill has “almost become a food stamp bill.”
“So it's all about handing out candy, but in that is the big concern about the Farm Bill for many of us is that it results in very lax requirements to qualify for food stamps. And because the state doesn't police them enough, a lot of the money ends up in the wrong hands or goes to people who shouldn't be getting it,” he said.
“That's the big problem with the Farm Bill. It doesn't help farmers anymore. It's become a food stamp program,” he added.
“So, there are definitely things that are good for farmers. But here are Democrats coming back and saying, “We want more money in the Farm Bill.'' The reason Democrats support the Farm Bill is because of the farmers. not for food stamps,” Tiffany concluded.
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