Wisconsin GOP Bans Poor People From Buying Certain Foods

Every so often one state in the Union steps forward and displays an extreme lack of intelligence or compassion. We’ve seen that with Arizona, Indiana, South Carolina … feel my pain … and, as always, Texas. Now, though, it’s Wisconsin’s turn at bat.

The GOP leaders in Wisconsin are attempting to pass a bill that would ban poor people from eating certain foods via the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP]. 

Yup, that's right; Assembly Bill 177 seeks to ban people who rely on food stamps from buying a huge list of products deemed unworthy for the mouths of poor people and their children, like any kind of shellfish.

Seriously. And the bill goes on to mention a list of groceries that poor people will no longer be able to purchase, like …

• No red potatoes; sweet potatoes and yams are okay.
• No nuts, trail mix, herbs and seasonings.
• No jarred spaghetti sauce; no soups, salsas, or ketchup.
• No canned beans, except for green, wax or yellow beans.

Seriously. All of these food items are relatively inexpensive and can be found in the pantries of most homes; and a lot of families living at, or below, the poverty level subsist on spaghetti and soups because they don’t cost a lot and can feed an entire family, but this bill makes it against the law for these items to be purchased by certain people.

Oh, and some other foods not allowed for purchase by the poor include:

• Cranberry sauce and pie filling.
• Creamed vegetables; canned peas and green beans.
• Baked beans
• Pickles
• Frozen veggies that come in packages featuring pasta, nuts, rice, cheese, or meats
• French fries and hash browns
• Cheddar, Swiss and Fresh Mozzarella are a no-no, but American cheese is fine; Kosher cheese is also banned unless you apply to get a specific check for it.
• Albacore tuna, red salmon, and fish fillets
• Bagels, pita bread, English muffins; taco shells
• White rice and wild rice
• Almond, rice, goat, and soy milk.
• Brown eggs and any eggs produced by cage-free or free range chickens.
• Several kinds of infant food
• Bulk, Organic, or Natural items.

Broken down, it means that the Wisconsin GOP is trying to make it more difficult for poor people to buy food, create meals, or even enjoy a meal. And it gets better; Wisconsin Republican, of course, Representative Scott Allen says the bill is a way to make poor people healthier:

“We as a country are spending a fortune on health care costs for largely preventable diseases, and a lot of that relates to our habits as people — we’re consuming the wrong foods.”

Um, okay? But one wonders then, why are the Republicans banning the purchase of organic and natural foods? Does that not reek of GOP hypocrisy and lies?

But Wisconsin is not the only state trying to tell poor people what to eat and how to live; Missouri Republicans want to ban poor people them from buying steaks and seafood; Kansas asshat Republicans are banning poor people from going to the movies, swimming pools, and are trying to limit poor people to withdrawing just $25 a day from ATM machines.

Think there is no such thing as a class war? The GOP tries to legislate better lives for the One Percent, while telling poor people what to each, where to go, and how much money they are allowed to carry.

That certainly sounds like class warfare to me.

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Image Source: Politico