Oh SNAP!

Looks like the Agriculture bill will pass one of these days, and no doubt any programs designed to help the poor will be savaged in the name of "deficit reduction".  The chief target as always is the food stamp program, or more euphemistically, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which for some reason arouses the Scrooge in the Republican Party's base.  This dates back to Ronald Reagans apocrophal Cadillac driving welfare queens.  Of course it's probably even less true now than it was then, but when did facts ever get in the way of a good story.  One thing that might serve both sides would be a ban on using food stamps to purchase soda.   The pols could brag they are punishing the poors, especially the blahs, and by limiting food stamp purchases to healthy foods instead of high calorie junk, the country might provide better nutrition to the less fortunate and better health outcomes.   The overconsumption of highly sugared beverages has been directly linked to childhood obesity and the rise of type 2 diabetes in young adults.  Doubling the value of food stamps used at Farmers' Markets would be another good outcome if it paralells the New York program.  While we can't legislate our way out of our health problems, perhaps we can use the carrot and stick approach to encourage healthier eating among the poor.