KIND OF >>> TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
>>> TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED TODAY IT IS GOING
ANNOUNCED TODAY IT IS GOING FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO KICK
FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO KICK NEARLY 700,000 PEOPLE OFF OF
NEARLY 700,000 PEOPLE OFF OF FOOD STAMPS.
FOOD STAMPS. THE ADMINISTRATION FORMALIZING A
THE ADMINISTRATION FORMALIZING A RULE THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR
RULE THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR STATES TO WAIVE FEDERAL
STATES TO WAIVE FEDERAL STANDARDS TO QUALIFY FOR THE
STANDARDS TO QUALIFY FOR THE FOOD PROGRAM KNOWN AS SNAP.
FOOD PROGRAM KNOWN AS SNAP. THE SECRETARY PURDUE SAID THE
THE SECRETARY PURDUE SAID THE CHANGE WAS TO SAVE MONEY AND
CHANGE WAS TO SAVE MONEY AND QUOTE RESTORE THE DIGNITY OF
QUOTE RESTORE THE DIGNITY OF WORK TO FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS.
WORK TO FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS. WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO IS THE
WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO IS THE GOVERNMENT SAYING IN MANY AREAS
GOVERNMENT SAYING IN MANY AREAS IF YOU CANNOT FIND A JOB YOU
IF YOU CANNOT FIND A JOB YOU CANNOT GET FOOD STAMPS.
CANNOT GET FOOD STAMPS. THE WORK REQUIREMENT RULE WOULD
THE WORK REQUIREMENT RULE WOULD SAVE THE GOVERNMENT $5.5 BILLION
SAVE THE GOVERNMENT $5.5 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS, JUST FOR
OVER FIVE YEARS, JUST FOR CONTEXT HERE THE TRUMP
CONTEXT HERE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS AUTHORIZED
ADMINISTRATION HAS AUTHORIZED $16 BILLION THIS YEAR ALONE TO
$16 BILLION THIS YEAR ALONE TO MAKE WELFARE PAYMENTS TO
MAKE WELFARE PAYMENTS TO AGRI BUSINESS AFFECTED BY
AGRI BUSINESS AFFECTED BY TRUMP’S TRADE WAR.
TRUMP’S TRADE WAR. IT REPRESENTS JUST ONE PHASE FOR
IT REPRESENTS JUST ONE PHASE FOR TRUMP’S PLANNED CUTS FOR THE $34
TRUMP’S PLANNED CUTS FOR THE $34 MILLION FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS.
MILLION FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS. THE URBAN INSTITUTE WHO STUDIES
THE URBAN INSTITUTE WHO STUDIES THIS SORT OF THING ESTIMATES THE
THIS SORT OF THING ESTIMATES THE MEASURES WOULD CUT 3.7 BILLION
MEASURES WOULD CUT 3.7 BILLION FROM THE SNAP PROGRAM.
FROM THE SNAP PROGRAM. CRITICS SAY THIS IS AN ATTACK ON
CRITICS SAY THIS IS AN ATTACK ON THE POOREST AMERICANS AND THEIR
THE POOREST AMERICANS AND THEIR ABILITY TO FEED THEMSELVES.
ABILITY TO FEED THEMSELVES. AND JOINING ME NOW IS ONE OF
AND JOINING ME NOW IS ONE OF THOSE CRITICS, THE TOP DEMOCRAT
THOSE CRITICS, THE TOP DEMOCRAT ON THE SENATE AGRICULTURE
ON THE SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. SENATOR, WHY DO YOU OPPOSE THIS
SENATOR, WHY DO YOU OPPOSE THIS MOVE BY THE ADMINISTRATION?
MOVE BY THE ADMINISTRATION? >> WELL, CHRIS, FIRST I WANT TO
>> WELL, CHRIS, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THIS UP.
THANK YOU FOR LIFTING THIS UP. IT’S A BUSY DAY, A LOT GOING ON.
IT’S A BUSY DAY, A LOT GOING ON. I THINK THEY HOPED IT MIGHT
I THINK THEY HOPED IT MIGHT SLIDE BY WITHOUT A LOT OF
SLIDE BY WITHOUT A LOT OF ATTENTION, SO THANK YOU.
ATTENTION, SO THANK YOU. OUR ANALYSIS TODAY ACTUALLY
OUR ANALYSIS TODAY ACTUALLY SHOWS WHY THEY SAY IT’S 700,000
SHOWS WHY THEY SAY IT’S 700,000 IT’S REALLY CLOSE TO A MILLION
IT’S REALLY CLOSE TO A MILLION PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. SOMEBODY GOES OUT TO THE MALL
SOMEBODY GOES OUT TO THE MALL DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND GETS A
DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND GETS A JOB BUT THEN THE JOB GOES AWAY
JOB BUT THEN THE JOB GOES AWAY IN JANUARY OR A WAITRESS OR
IN JANUARY OR A WAITRESS OR WAITER THAT CAN’T CONTROL THEIR
WAITER THAT CAN’T CONTROL THEIR OWN WAGES OR SOMEONE IN MICHIGAN
OWN WAGES OR SOMEONE IN MICHIGAN WHO’S WORKING PART TIME DURING
WHO’S WORKING PART TIME DURING THE SUMMER SEASON OR DURING THE
THE SUMMER SEASON OR DURING THE WINTER SEASON.
WINTER SEASON. SO IT’S PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE
SO IT’S PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE ECONOMY, AND THEY’RE TIGHTENING
ECONOMY, AND THEY’RE TIGHTENING THINGS UP.
THINGS UP. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THEY’RE
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THEY’RE REJECTING WHAT WE DID IN THE
REJECTING WHAT WE DID IN THE FARM BILL, ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS
FARM BILL, ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS WE VOTED THIS POLICY DOWN.
WE VOTED THIS POLICY DOWN. AND THERE ARE 47 OF US WITH LISA
AND THERE ARE 47 OF US WITH LISA MURKOWSKI AND MYSELF WHO SENT A
MURKOWSKI AND MYSELF WHO SENT A LETTER TO THE USDA SAYING DON’T
LETTER TO THE USDA SAYING DON’T DO THIS, AND YET THEY ARE
DO THIS, AND YET THEY ARE PROCEEDING ANYWAY.
PROCEEDING ANYWAY. >> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT
>> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
QUESTION. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS WAS
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS WAS LITIGATED IN THE FARM BILL, THAT
LITIGATED IN THE FARM BILL, THAT THERE WAS A PLAN TO WRITE THIS
THERE WAS A PLAN TO WRITE THIS INTO LAW, AND IT FAILED.
INTO LAW, AND IT FAILED. IT DIDN’T HAVE POLITICAL
IT DIDN’T HAVE POLITICAL SUPPORT, AND IN FACT WHAT DID
SUPPORT, AND IN FACT WHAT DID HAVE BIPARTISAN POLITICAL
HAVE BIPARTISAN POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THE FARM BILL THAT
SUPPORT FOR THE FARM BILL THAT PASSED, THAT IS WHAT AUTHORIZES
PASSED, THAT IS WHAT AUTHORIZES SNAP BY THE FIRST BRANCH OF THE
SNAP BY THE FIRST BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WAS NOT
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WAS NOT TO DO THIS.
TO DO THIS. CAN THEY THEN DO IT?
CAN THEY THEN DO IT? >> WELL, IT’S LIKE EVERYTHING
>> WELL, IT’S LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THEY’RE DOING.
ELSE THEY’RE DOING. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR A
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR A WAY NOW TO PUSH BACK.
WAY NOW TO PUSH BACK. YOU’RE RIGHT.
YOU’RE RIGHT. IN THE SENATE IT WAS TOTALLY
IN THE SENATE IT WAS TOTALLY REJECTED ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS.
REJECTED ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS. THE FINAL FARM BILL DID NOT HAVE
THE FINAL FARM BILL DID NOT HAVE THIS IN IT.
THIS IN IT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IT DID HAVE IT
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IT DID HAVE IT IN, BY THE WAY WAS JOB TRAINING
IN, BY THE WAY WAS JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS WHICH I REALLY WISH
PROGRAMS WHICH I REALLY WISH THEY’D IMPLEMENT.
THEY’D IMPLEMENT. BUZZ IF WE WANT TO LIFT PEOPLE
BUZZ IF WE WANT TO LIFT PEOPLE UP, IT’S NOT BY PUNISHING THEM,
UP, IT’S NOT BY PUNISHING THEM, BY TAKING AWAY WHAT IS AN
BY TAKING AWAY WHAT IS AN AVERAGE OF $161 A MONTH.
AVERAGE OF $161 A MONTH. AND SO INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, WE
AND SO INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, WE CAN LIFT PEOPLE UP AND HELP THEM
CAN LIFT PEOPLE UP AND HELP THEM WITH JOB TRAINING.
WITH JOB TRAINING. SO WHAT WE’RE FIGURING OUT NOW
SO WHAT WE’RE FIGURING OUT NOW SINCE THEY PROCEEDED EVEN THOUGH
SINCE THEY PROCEEDED EVEN THOUGH WE HAD ALL KINDS OF ADVOCATES,
WE HAD ALL KINDS OF ADVOCATES, ALL OF US THAT SENT IN LETTERS
ALL OF US THAT SENT IN LETTERS SAYING DON’T DO THIS, AND THEN
SAYING DON’T DO THIS, AND THEN WE HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THERE’S
WE HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THERE’S SOME OTHER WAY WE CAN STOP THIS.
SOME OTHER WAY WE CAN STOP THIS. THERE IS A MECHANISM TO BLOCK A
THERE IS A MECHANISM TO BLOCK A RULE THAT WE’RE NOW LOOKING AT.
RULE THAT WE’RE NOW LOOKING AT. >> JUST IN TERMS OF THE POLITICS
>> JUST IN TERMS OF THE POLITICS OF THIS, I MEAN THERE’S SOME
OF THIS, I MEAN THERE’S SOME THINGS THAT THEY DO THAT THEY
THINGS THAT THEY DO THAT THEY SEEM TO BE CATERING TO A
SEEM TO BE CATERING TO A POLITICAL BASE OR THEY THINK --
POLITICAL BASE OR THEY THINK -- THERE’S NO CONSTITUENCY OR NO
THERE’S NO CONSTITUENCY OR NO MASS CONSTITUENCY ON THE HILL
MASS CONSTITUENCY ON THE HILL FOR THIS AS FAR AS I CAN TELL,
FOR THIS AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, CORRECT?
CORRECT? >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. WELL, THIS IS JUST THE WELFARE
WELL, THIS IS JUST THE WELFARE POLITIC.
POLITIC. THAT’S ALL IT IS THE OLD, YOU
THAT’S ALL IT IS THE OLD, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO WORK,
KNOW, PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO WORK, AND THEY’RE GETTING ALL THIS
AND THEY’RE GETTING ALL THIS MONEY FOR FOOD.
MONEY FOR FOOD. THEY’RE BUYING STEAKS AT THE
THEY’RE BUYING STEAKS AT THE GROCERY STORE.
GROCERY STORE. YOU KNOW, IT’S THAT OLD STORY OF
YOU KNOW, IT’S THAT OLD STORY OF THE WOMAN WHO’S COMING IN WITH
THE WOMAN WHO’S COMING IN WITH 13 KIDS AND A CADILLAC AND
13 KIDS AND A CADILLAC AND BUYING STEAKS.
BUYING STEAKS. AND I WISH I COULD FIND HER.
AND I WISH I COULD FIND HER. I’VE LOOKED FOR HER ALL OVER THE
I’VE LOOKED FOR HER ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND I CAN’T FIND HER, BY
COUNTRY AND I CAN’T FIND HER, BY THE WAY.
THE WAY. BUT IT’S JUST GOING TO THAT, YOU
BUT IT’S JUST GOING TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BIAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE
KNOW, THIS BIAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT SOMEHOW WE SHOULDN’T HELP
THAT SOMEHOW WE SHOULDN’T HELP FOLKS.
FOLKS. >> HERE’S THE THING I CAN’T GET
>> HERE’S THE THING I CAN’T GET MY HEAD AROUND.
MY HEAD AROUND. SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE
SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE TO WORK.
TO WORK. THEY SHOULDN’T GET SOMETHING
THEY SHOULDN’T GET SOMETHING FROM NOTHING.
FROM NOTHING. THE PRESIDENT IS WRITING 18, $16
THE PRESIDENT IS WRITING 18, $16 BILLION CHECKS TO FARMERS TO
BILLION CHECKS TO FARMERS TO MAKE UP FOR THE TRADE WAR HE
MAKE UP FOR THE TRADE WAR HE HIMSELF STARTED AND THERE’S
HIMSELF STARTED AND THERE’S MONEY FOR THAT SOMEHOW.
MONEY FOR THAT SOMEHOW. WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM?
WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM? >> THIS IS FRUSTRATING.
>> THIS IS FRUSTRATING. FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE MORE
FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE NUTRITION
ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE NUTRITION PROGRAM IN SNAP THAN THEY ARE
PROGRAM IN SNAP THAN THEY ARE NOW USING FOR THESE FARM
NOW USING FOR THESE FARM PAYMENTS.
PAYMENTS. WE PUT IN THE FARM BILL PAYMENT
WE PUT IN THE FARM BILL PAYMENT LIMITS THAT YOU CAN -- WE WANT
LIMITS THAT YOU CAN -- WE WANT TO SUPPORT FARMERS.
TO SUPPORT FARMERS. I SUPPORT FARMERS STRONGLY IN
I SUPPORT FARMERS STRONGLY IN MICHIGAN.
MICHIGAN. IT’S OUR SECOND LARGEST
IT’S OUR SECOND LARGEST INDUSTRY, BUT WE PUT PARAMETERS
INDUSTRY, BUT WE PUT PARAMETERS AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY, PAYMENT
AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY, PAYMENT LIMES OF WHICH THEY’RE
LIMES OF WHICH THEY’RE COMPLETELY BLOWING THROUGH.
COMPLETELY BLOWING THROUGH. THEY’RE NOT EVEN FOLLOWING THE
THEY’RE NOT EVEN FOLLOWING THE FARM BILL ACCOUNTABILITY ON
FARM BILL ACCOUNTABILITY ON THESE PAYMENTS.
THESE PAYMENTS. >> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> AND I JUST PUT OUT A REPORT
>> AND I JUST PUT OUT A REPORT SHOWING THEM A MAJORITY OF
SHOWING THEM A MAJORITY OF PAYMENTS AREN’T EVEN GOING TO
PAYMENTS AREN’T EVEN GOING TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE HURT THE
THE FOLKS THAT ARE HURT THE MOST.
MOST. THE MAJORITY OF THE PAYMENTS ARE
THE MAJORITY OF THE PAYMENTS ARE GOING TO THE SOUTH.
GOING TO THE SOUTH. THEY’RE GOING TO FOLKS THAT
THEY’RE GOING TO FOLKS THAT COMMODITIES -- BIG, BIG
COMMODITIES -- BIG, BIG COMMODITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN
COMMODITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN IMPACTED, NOT THE MIDWEST THAT
IMPACTED, NOT THE MIDWEST THAT ARE LOSING THEIR MARKETS.
ARE LOSING THEIR MARKETS. SO THIS WHOLE THING, IT’S NOT
SO THIS WHOLE THING, IT’S NOT FAIR.
FAIR. IT BOGGLES THE MIND.
