VOTERS HAVE ONLY
THEMSELVES TO BLAME FOR ELECTING
LEADERS WHO LET IT HAPPEN.
IF YOURE SOMEONE WHO RELIES ON
FOOD STAMPS TO FEED YOURSELF AND
YOUR FAMILY, THIS IS NOT A
PLEASANT DAY. THATS BECAUSE THE 
INCREASE IN FOOD ASSISTANCE YOU 
RECEIVED FOUR 
YEARS AGO THROUGH FEDERAL 
STIMULUS MONEY - EXPIRES TODAY. 
AND YOUR ALLOTMENT IS BEING CUT 
BY AN AVERAGE OF $36
DOLLARS PER MONTH. BUT IF 
REPUBLICANS IN
CONGRESS GET THEIR WAY, THIS IS 
ONLY THE BEGINNING. THEY WANT TO
MAKE ABOUT 4 BILLION DOLLARS IN 
ADDITIONAL CUTS TO THE FOOD 
STAMP PROGRAM. AMONG THE
REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED FOR THE 
CUTS - IS WEST TENNESSEE
CONGRESSMAN STEPHEN FINCHER - 
WHO BY THE WAY HAS RECEIVED 
ABOUT THREE AND HALF MILLION
DOLLARS IN FARM SUBSIDIES OVER
THE LAST 15 
YEARS. SOUNDS A LOT LIKE
HYPOCRISY TO ME.
SO FAR, DEMOCRATS HAVE RESISTED 
THE AMOUNT OF CUTS
THAT REPUBLICANS WANT. BUT ITS
VERY LIKELY THAT
SOME REDUCTIONS IN THE SNAP 
PROGRAM WILL BE MADE. THIS COMES
AT TIME WHEN MORE TENNESSEANS 
THAN EVER - FIND
THEMSELVES IN NEED OF HELP
BUYING FOOD. TENNESSEE RANKS
AMONG THE TOP FIVE STATES IN THE
NATION FOR FOOD STAMP 
ASSISTANCE. AND NOT ALL OF THEM 
ARE IN MEMPHIS. 
THE ARGUMENT FROM CONSERVATIVES 
THAT PRIVATE AND
FAITH-BASED GROUPS SHOULD BE
DOING MORE IS RIDICULOUS. THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR IS DOING PLENTY. 
THE FACT IS, SOME LAWMAKERS IN
WASHINGTON SIMPLY DO NOT CARE 
ABOUT THE POOR. AND AS
LONG AS THEY KEEP GETTING 
ELECTED - THEIR CALLOUS 
ATTITUDES - WILL NEVER CHANGE.
THATS MY POINT OF VIEW. IM
OTIS SANFORD, WREG NEWS CHANNEL 
3, THE MEMPHIS STATION THATS ON 
YOUR SIDE.
HOW IS OUR WEATHER FORECAST 
