As the U.S. economy continues to struggle, with an unemployment rate that has hovered around 9 percent since May 2009, more and more families are looking to get assistance for their grocery bills. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, has recieved record participation.

As of May 2011 the number of people receiving benefits rose to 45.8 million, prompting criticism from Republicans about government spending. The number of people on SNAP began to increase in 1999 and has steadily gone up every year since, with a huge spike in participants in the last two years following the housing crash in 2009.

Both former presidents Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush encouraged wider participation, and President Obama has voiced similar convictions. This has begun to ease the negative stigma attached to those receiving food benefits and resulted in more participation. Part of the reason for the large increase in the number of people getting SNAP benefits is the large number of individuals in the program who are only employed part-time.

These are hard-working individuals who are often looking for full-time employment, but are having a difficult time having their hours increased. As a result, there just is not enough money by the end of the month for all of the necessary bills, and food. SNAP brings welcome relief to those who would like to be making enough money to not need assistance, but are currently unable to do so.

The growing number of individuals on food stamps is an indicator of the large number of people either out of work, or not getting enough work. Until unemployment numbers begin to go down, enrollment in SNAP is likely to stay fairly high.

The government cost of $68 million last year to run the program has led Republicans to encourage cutting some of the costs of the program as part of the overall goal to decrease government spending and reduce the nation’s debt. Democrats have disagreed with cutting this particular program because reportedly for every dollar that the program costs, $1.87 comes back into the economy.

It is believed that by spending money on SNAP benefits, the employees paid to transport, stock, and sell the food purchased helps to stimulate the economy. Another problem is the belief that the money spent on this program is wasted by those not using the benefits for their intended purpose.

While abuse of the system does exist, and there are certainly a number of people on SNAP who do things like sell their cards for cash, abuse of the system is not as widespread as is sometimes assumed. The Department of Agriculture estimates that approximately 2 percent of those receiving benefits are using their food stamps fraudulently.

While it would be preferable that no abuse of this program occurred, this low number indicates the large number of Americans whose incomes are legitimately at the level where they are unable to feed their families and keep up with rent and utilities. Whether or not SNAP benefit funding should be cut, or if it is an important part of rebuilding the economy remains to be decided.

However, the fact that record numbers of individuals are on the program and thousands more are eligible, but are not receiving benefits, is a symptom of America’s struggling economy.

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The growing number of hungry Americans that depend on the food stamp program may be fixing the economy. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the number of Americans requesting food stamps rose to an all-time high of 45.8 million people.

The government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), more commonly known as food stamps, provides benefits to low-income individuals and families each month. Recipients can use these funds, like one would a debit card, at stores that accept SNAP benefits.

In order to qualify for the program, an individual’s income can’t exceed $1,174 a month or $14,088 a year. CNNMoney reported the average food stamp benefit was $133.80 per person and $283.65 per household in May 2011.

National Public Radio reported that the need for food stamps is likely to continue to rise. Even though the economy has been improving since 2009, it’s been such slow growth that it can’t absorb the nearly 14 million who are unemployed. Currently the highest need for food stamps are in the states of California, Texas and New York.

While the food stamp program is a vital service to many Americans, it comes at a steep price – it cost taxpayers $68 billion last year.

Many economists say the program is worth the money because it helps stimulate the economy. Harvard economist Martin Feldstein, head of the National Bureau of Economic Research, said the “fastest way to infuse money into the economy is through expanding the ‘food-stamp’ program.”

A recent study by the N.C. Budget and Tax Center estimated that $1.6 billion in food assistance distributed to residents in North Carolina, resulted in $2.8 billion in economic activity. “When a person spends food assistance money at a local grocery store, that is a sale the store may not have had otherwise,” said John Quinterno, research associate at the center. “Then, that money gets turned over several times, generating economic activity.”

President Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, referred to the food stamp program as a “stimulus” itself. The Agriculture Department estimates every dollar in food stamps expands the economy by $1.84.

“If people are able to buy a little more in the grocery store, someone has to stock it, package it, shelve it, process it, ship it,” Vilsack said. “All of those are jobs. It’s the most direct stimulus you can get in the economy during these tough times.”

Still, there are other opinions on the best way to improve the poor U.S. economy. Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary, disagreed with Vilsack’s support of the food stamp program. Carney said unemployment checks are the most effective tactic. “There are few other ways that can directly put money into the economy than applying unemployment insurance,” said Carney.

There is still debate over whether the food stamp program truly helps the economy. There is no debate, however, on the fact that people are seeking out the service in record numbers.

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Oh Sarah Palin.  I have been out of the loop enough to miss her and her crazy “I am a victim, the media is horrible” rants.  Yes, it has been that long.  Her latest crazy rant was about David Gregory, the mundane and most uncontroversial host of NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Speaking on Wednesday’s edition of “Hannity”, on Fox News (where else?), Palin said that Gregory asked a “racist-tinged question” when speaking with GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

Last week, Newt suggested that the presidential election in 2012 may be the most important election since the before the civil war.  Speaking to the Georgia Republican Party’s convention, Gingrich said the nation is at a crossroads and that the re-election of Democratic President Barack Obama would lead to four more years of “radical left-wing values” that would drive the nation to ruin.  Gingrich also criticized Obama as “the most successful food stamp president in modern American history.”

During “Meet the Press,” Gregory pressed Gingrich on his remarks.  “First of all, you gave a speech in Georgia with language a lot of people think could be coded racially-tinged language, calling the president, the first black president, a food stamp president,” Gregory said to Gingrich during the show.  Gingrich tried to deflect the question but Gregory kept pushing.  Gingrich then became defensive.

“That’s, that’s bizarre. That — this kind of automatic reference to racism, this is the president of the United States. The president of the United States has to be held accountable. Now, the idea that — and what I said is factually true. Forty-seven million Americans are on food stamps. One out of every six Americans is on food stamps. And to hide behind the charge of racism? I have — I have never said anything about President Obama which is racist,” Gingrich told Gregory.  Except for the whole Kenyan anti-colonial nonsense, right?

And then the victim weighs in with her two cents.  “Well, talk about racism, that was a racist-tinged question from David Gregory,” said Palin of the exchange. “He made it sound like if you’re black you’re on food stamps and the president is referring to you as being on food stamps. I think that’s racist. And, you know, enough is enough of this calling out, this racism, these false charges.”  Enough is enough Palin.  Take your own advice and quit calling out your own false charges of sexism and problems with the “lamestream media.”

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The Republicans in Washington have not learned a bit from the Wisconsin debacle and, instead, are continuing their attack on workers.  To recap, the crisis on Wall Street has led lawmakers to ask workers and the middle class to sacrifice, while companies like GE and Bank of America pay not a single cent in corporate taxes.  And now, the attack continues.

A group of House Republicans is launching a new assault on union workers.  GOP Reps. Jim Jordan (OH), Tim Scott (SC), Scott Garrett (NJ), Dan Burton (IN), and Louie Gohmert (TX) have introduced H.R. 1135, which states that it is designed to “provide information on total spending on means-tested welfare programs, to provide additional work requirements, and to provide an overall spending limit on means-tested welfare programs.”  Nothing too awful so far.  The bill mostly about verifying those that apply for federal benefits are eligible to do so.  But, buried deep in the bill is the sneak attack on workers.  The bill, if passed, would actually cut off all food stamp benefits to any family where one adult member is engaging in a strike against an employer.  The bill states that “striking workers are ineligible.”

The bill also includes a provision that would exempt households from losing eligibility, “if the household was eligible immediately prior to such strike, however, such family unit shall not receive an increased allotment as the result of a decrease in the income of the striking member or members of the household.”

Entire families would lose eligibility for food stamps based on a strike.  This means children that have no control over their parents’ jobs could go hungry.  Tell me the GOP is pro-life because it just doesn’t seem like it to me.  Currently, there is a record 42 million Americans utilizing food stamps during this great recession.  Prohibiting families from receiving food stamps is just another nail in the GOP coffin.

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