In the News

I believe in people — I believe they can do more than they think. Somewhere in years past, the government of this country gave up on people. They decided we could not take care of ourselves. With the Depression Era, food stamps were to be a short-term aid to families as they got back on their feet. It has swollen into an entitlement program that limits people's ability to reach and achieve for themselves.

There is a bill proposed right now that will restore the ability of people to work and find ways to feel pride in themselves and respect for their own achievements. President Reagan once said: "We should measure welfare's success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added." Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana has introduced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 2996) that would give able-bodied adults without independents a requirement to work to receive food stamps. Many of us ask our children to do chores to earn allowances. When we are old enough, we work to gain a paycheck. If someone has the mental and physical ability to work, our tax dollars should not hand them what they have not earned. I believe in these people, even if they have forgotten how to believe in themselves. They can do this, and we need to allow them the chance. It is common sense, which is desperately needed in these days.

Over 90 percent of Americans agree that able-bodied adults should work for food stamps. What is needed now is for all of us to reach out to our people we have sent to Washington and tell them that they need to get on board with this act. Maine, Kansas and Alabama have already implemented this program with great success and savings to their taxpayers.

I do believe that we have a great body of people who are good in themselves but need to find out what they are capable of by having government stop treating them like infants who must be coddled and watched over.

Gayle Higgins