According to the federal government's official numbers, the peak inflation in America was just a tick over 8%. They claim this is the worst inflation in 40 years, but also that it's leveling off. However, that's for inflation as a whole, and on a month by month basis.
For people who are keeping track of the money they spend at the grocery store, they're looking at inflation that's going on 100%.
Butter is twice as expensive compared to two years ago. Bread is double, milk is double; eggs are up like 700% over that same two-year span. Don't even get started on what red meat costs. You would need a calculator to figure out how high that's risen.
So, while the government can push around this 8% number like it means something, the people who are struggling to afford food know that it's nowhere near 8%. They wish it was only 8%.
Though at least the government knows it's been selling Americans a bill of goods in order for the current administration not to look horrible, which is why the government continues to extend and increase food stamps for Americans, otherwise known as SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
It was announced early today, Oct 3, that SNAP benefits are increasing another 12.5% for the month of October.
Awfully odd that 8% inflation would require a new monthly increase of over 8% multiple times now; but that's not really the story here.
That the government lies isn't news at all; it's their modus operandi.
The news here is that families on SNAP will be receiving over $100 extra a month to spend on groceries. So, for the typical family of four receiving $835 a month on their EBT card, they will now be getting $939 a month.
This is great news. Other great news for hungry and needy people is that the government is not only adding money to the program; they're also extending it.
So, if you've been struggling to buy food for yourself and your family, you will likely have an easy road to travel getting onto the SNAP roles.
This is something controlled by the US Department of Agriculture, which is one of the very few federal government administrations not embroiled in constant politics.
All they seem to care about is helping people, and so they usually offer a no-muss, no-fuss sort of sign up.
Generational Dependence
Some government programs are very temporary.
A lot of people out there remember that $500 weekly unemployment payment that former President Trump signed, which was lowered to $300 by Joe Biden, but was still very welcomed relief.
That ended and is not coming back, most likely. This is an example of a program that wasn't meant to foster dependency.
In theory, that's how food stamps started out, and that was the plan when rolling into SNAP. The "S" in SNAP stands for "supplemental," which means that it's only meant to help supplement a family, not to sustain them.
But with everything that's going on in America, and has been going on for many years with its economy, SNAP benefits are becoming generational in many cases, much like Section 8.
People who were just teenagers during the housing crisis, for instance, and lived through their parents getting on SNAP, are all grown up now themselves and many of them are on SNAP benefits.
So while it's an objectively good thing that the USDA is doing what it can to ensure that people don't struggle for food and starve, it's also a very vicious indictment against the federal government that the situation for so many millions of Americans has just continued to worsen over the years.
It's not as if people are proud to carry those EBT cards around. Most people would much rather make and spend their own money.
That is just something that millions of people cannot do in this economy, and it is not the fault of the virus.
There are many things to blame, and almost all of them predate 2020.
If you're one of the many millions of people on SNAP benefits, just know that you're going to be getting more money for groceries for the foreseeable future.
And if you need to get on SNAP, it should be an easy process for you. You can learn more and apply here.
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