“The Times (New York) collected income data on food-stamp recipients in 31 states, which account for about 60 percent of the national caseload. On average, 18 percent listed cash income of zero in their most recent monthly filings. Projected over the entire caseload, that suggests six million people in households with no income. About 1.2 million are children.” (posted by Chris Sturr on Dollars and Sense blog January 5, 2010).
“Oil industry officials say that the tax breaks, which average about $4 billion a year according to various government reports, are a bargain for taxpayers. By helping producers weather market fluctuations and invest in technology, tax incentives are supporting an industry that the officials say provides 9.2 million jobs.” (New York Times “As Oil Industry Fights a Tax, It Reaps Subsidies”, July 3, 2010)
The Average Monthly Food Stamp Benefits Per Person in fiscal year 2010 was $133.79 (Kaiser Family Foundation website – State Health Facts That’s about $1,605 per year if the person receives them for a full year.
STAT-FUN #1: The money we give to the oil industry would pay for a year’s receipt of food stamps for 2,491,466 people or all of the children in those 31 states mentioned in the NYT article plus an additional 1.3 million people or put another way, every child in America on food stamps. A sound investment to help people weather market fluctuations and invest in human capital!
Let’s try another one.
The Pentagon’s enacted 2011 Budget is $530.8 billion (www.whitehouse.gov).
STAT-FUN #2: A rather modest five percent cut in the Pentagon budget would be $26.54 billion or enough to cover 16.5 million people on food stamps or over twice the number of people on food stamps in all 50 states who declare zero cash income (assuming 18% of 43.3 million Americans projected to receive food stamps - Reuters.com “Food-stamp tally nears 40 million, sets record”, May 7, 2010).
Budgets are moral documents. Now, you try it.