5 million Americans now on food stamps ... That's 45 million people who will erupt into social chaos when the free money stops flowing
Daniel Barker
(NaturalNews) The number of Americans receiving food stamps exceeds 45 million – a level which has remained relatively constant for more than four years now. That figure accounts for nearly 20 percent of the population of the country.
In 1969, there were 2,800,000 Americans in the food stamp program. Since then the number has increased more than 15-fold.
In the midst of a sluggish economic "recovery" (one which many consider non-existent), there is little doubt that a large percentage of these recipients are indeed struggling to feed their families and deserving of assistance, as the gap between the rich and poor in our nation grows ever wider.
'Better Off Working'
But it's generally acknowledged that there are widespread abuses of the system. Aside from countless instances of outright fraud, millions of those dependent on SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) should be encouraged to find work, according to many experts.
Maura Corrigan of the American Enterprise Institute told The Washington Free Beacon:
"Our nation's simple three-word mantra should be: 'Better Off Working.' Social safety-net programs, including SNAP, should expect and encourage work—and the dignity and responsibility that accompany it—from those who are able to do so. ...
"Rather than promoting self-sufficiency, SNAP's predominant track record over the past decade has been to add participants to its rolls. Also, its eligibility definitions are in many cases vague, allowing it to deny fraud, waste, and abuse in the program, despite the reports of such behavior from citizens and caseworkers."
In June 2015, a Gallup poll reported that during the first quarter of the year, 15.8 percent of Americans reported struggling to afford food. According to Gallup, this represented a decrease in the same period from the year before, when 17.4 said they struggled to feed their families.
If that were true, then why is nearly 20 percent of the population still receiving food stamps?
In November of 2014, Food World News reported:
"Food stamp usage is rising nationwide. The figures are becoming unprecedented and they speak volumes of President Obama's food policy. The usage of food stamps in the United States has reached an all time high after a continuous growth that has seen up to one in every five Americans enrolled on the program."
What will happen in a real food collapse?
Whether they deserve the assistance or not, a sizable percentage of the population now depends on the government to feed them. What will happen if this assistance becomes unavailable?
45 million hungry Americans will be a formidable force to be reckoned with. ...
And the bottom line is that the most of the rest of us are also dependent on others to supply us with food – even those of us who can afford it.
There was a time in America when the majority of the population grew their own food and were largely self-sufficient.
Those days are long gone.
What would happen in a real food collapse? Could you feed your own family while also protecting them from the hordes of desperate people out of their minds with starvation?
It's a scary thought, isn't it?
Working towards becoming self-sufficient is one of the smartest things you can do to prepare for an uncertain future. Growing as much of your own food as possible is an essential step towards survival when the SHTF.
One of the best ways to get started is with the Food Rising Mini-Farm Grow Box system, developed by our own Mike Adams, the Health Ranger.
This revolutionary approach to growing healthy food at home costs next to nothing – in fact, the 3D-printable plans are downloadable for free at FoodRising.org.
The system requires no electricity – even if the power grid fails you'll still be able to grow and harvest your own organic food at home.
Don't wait until food becomes scarce; start preparing for the future now by becoming as self-reliant as possible. Your long-term chances of survival could very well depend on your ability to feed yourself and your family without relying on someone else.
Sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/z052599_food_stamps_social_chaos_financial_collapse.html