Among the many biblical teachings intended to guide us toward more virtuous lives is that we should feed the hungry. That certainly sounds reasonable. But feed them what?
I know what just popped into your mind. Hold that thought.
At the federal government level, the initiative to address this humanitarian endeavor was once known as food stamps and is now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
The Center on Budget and Priorities reports 41 million low-income people took part in Fiscal 2024, including 711,200 in Tennessee. (Legislative figures say 702,427 in Tennessee, but let’s not quibble. The state got $1.71 billion for the program last year.)
Rep. Jason Zachary is sponsoring a bill that would allow the state to request a waiver from the feds “to exclude candy and soft drinks from the definition of eligible foods” under the program.
I know this because I got a text opposing the bill. “This won’t save money – it will just create more government control,” the text stated. A link sent me to a webpage with more arguments against the bill. “SNAP restrictions ban Americans from certain aisles of the grocery store and strip them of the basic freedom to make personal decisions that are best for them.”
As it stands now, SNAP guidelines prohibit the purchase of alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, supplements and – oddly – hot food. But here is a partial list of what is acceptable, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
“Doughnuts, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, snack cakes, muffins, pastries, sweet rolls, pies, cakes, pudding, churros, scones, gelatin desserts … mints, chocolate, marshmallow, gum, toffee, brittle, fudge, marzipan, nougat, candy bars and candy of all kinds.”
Soft drinks? You bet: “Soda pop, sports or energy drinks, iced tea, fruit punch, mixers for alcoholic beverages, water and all other carbonated or uncarbonated beverages.”
All fall under the category of “accessory food items.”
Zachary’s bill passed the House with minor objections, basically from Democrats, and, as far as I can tell, no public debate whatsoever. The Senate version, by Sen. Rusty Crowe, was scheduled to go before the Health and Welfare Committee this week.
The House bill includes a definition of “soft drink” and states “candy” “has the same meaning as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture.” I won’t go down that rabbit hole, other than to say if it’s made with flour, it’s not candy.
So, “Doughnuts, brownies, cupcakes, cookies,” etc. would still pass muster under the bill. Snickers and Butterfingers would not.
But definitions, while crucial, are not really the point here. In presenting his bill to the House, Zachary described it as “aligning public policy with public health.”
With the vax-phobic and all-around kook Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running the Department of Health and Human Services, and MAGA fealty at a fever pitch among Republicans, I shudder to think where other “public health” assertions coming from this legislature might lead us.
As for that text I got arguing against the bill, it’s from an outfit that calls itself Americans for Food + Beverage Choice. It’s an arm of the American Beverage Association, which wants to sell more Cokes and Pepsis and Dr Peppers to one and all. So its claim to be standing for “basic freedom” is a little suspect, at best.
As I mentioned, certain items are already banned as SNAP purchases, so the question – if there is one – is whether that list should be expanded. I’m sure there are those among us who would happily limit the acceptable items to sardines and Wonder Bread – the proverbial loaves and fishes you probably thought of when I introduced the biblical theme. With maybe bologna – good ol’ baloney – as an optional protein. No ham or turkey.
Definitely no steak.
And I confess that even with my left-leaning sympathies I find it a little hard to stomach that SNAP is bankrolling Oreos and Little Debbies on the public dime. Is this some lingering “Let them eat cake” Great Society overcompensation?
But I also think that, before long, none of this may matter a whit. King Donald and Prince Elon might soon decide the whole of SNAP is a waste of money. And we’ll all be required to drive Teslas.
Joe Rogers is a former writer for The Tennessean and editor for The New York Times. He is retired and living in Nashville.