Meatpacking workers often contend with cramped
conditions, grueling labor, and long hours,
so it's unsurprising that plants have become
hotspots for COVID-19. If we want to keep
our food supply safe, we should first keep
our workers safe. So naturally, the president
isn't. Following aggressive lobbying from
the meat industry, Trump issued an executive
order aimed at reopening meat processing plants.
Look, it's not shocking the president leapt
into action to save meat. Because, burgers?
You in danger, girl.
- From Ohio to New York, Michigan to California,
this morning the beef shortage at Wendy's
is spreading.
- The company with that unforgettable catchphrase
decades ago is now having trouble finding
the beef.
- You're out of beef then? Out of patties?
It's embarrassing that the "where's the beef?"
place is out of beef! It'd be like if someone
at Taco Bell was caught thinking inside the
bun. With some food shortages and increased
prices, the federal Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program is more necessary than
ever. About 38 million people rely on SNAP
benefits to feed their families. And last
month, the USDA announced it would increase
overall benefits 40% to give families more
money to buy food. Unfortunately, many food
stamp households were left out of the benefit
expansion because they were already receiving
the maximum amount. Now while Democrats are
trying to raise benefits by 15%, Republicans
are attempting to block that change. Just
for context, the maximum benefit for a family
of four is only $646 per month. For Republicans,
giving hungry families an extra hundred bucks
during a worldwide pandemic is too big of
an ask. Both because they deeply, passionately
don't give a shit about poor people, and because
Steven Mnuchin needs it to fashion sheets
for his bed. SNAP is the best tool we have
to fight hunger during this pandemic. And
food stamps are considered one of the fastest
and most effective ways to stimulate the economy.
The second most effective way to stimulate
the economy—believe it or not—respecting
it. I’m just kidding. It’s using the shower
head. Even better, some states are beginning
to make SNAP benefits more flexible. Most
food stamp recipients aren’t allowed to
use them to buy groceries online. But a growing
part of the country is changing that rule.
It’s good ‘cause it keeps people safer
and because we all should have the chance
to experience the true magic of watching every
frozen pizza go out of stock the second before
we finish our order. The coronavirus pandemic
didn't create food insecurity. But it has
highlighted how close to the edge millions
of Americans already lived. The only answer
is a real, comprehensive social safety net.
But until we have that, charities and food
banks are working overtime to fill in the
gap. Full Frontal is partnering with Feeding
America, which supports 200 food banks and
feeds more than 40 million people. Go to the
site below to learn how you can help food
banks in your area. And after that, go to
the Potato Parcel site to send the White House
a potato that tells them to f— off. Here's
the one we sent! We're not partnering with
them. We just think it'd be fun.
