David Mixner: Republicans [like Lee Terry and Adrian Smith] make Marie Antoinette look like a flaming liberal

Left to far, far right: Marie Antoinette, Lee Terry, Adrian Smith

Rather than taking steps to close tax loopholes exploited by corporations like Apple ($70 billion in tax avoidance), GE, Microsoft, Google et al., Reps. Lee Terry and Adrian Smith instead voted to cut $40 billion out of SNAP, the Department of Agriculture's food stamp program, despite the fact that:

• 76% of SNAP households included a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person. These vulnerable households receive 83% of all SNAP benefits.
• SNAP eligibility is limited to households with gross income of no more than 130% of the federal poverty guideline, but the majority of households have income well below the maximum: 83% of SNAP households have gross income at or below 100% of the poverty guideline ($19,530 for a family of 3 in 2013), and these households receive about 91% of all benefits. 61% of SNAP households have gross income at or below 75% of the poverty guideline ($14,648 for a family of 3 in 2013)
• The average SNAP household has a gross monthly income of $744; net monthly income of $338 after the standard deduction and, for certain households, deductions for child care, medical expenses, and shelter costs; and countable resources of $331, such as a bank account.
• SNAP benefits don’t last most participants the whole month. 90% of SNAP benefits are redeemed by the third week of the month, and 58% of food bank clients currently receiving SNAP benefits turn to food banks for assistance at least 6 months out of the year.
• The average monthly SNAP benefit per person is $133.85, or less than $1.50 per person, per meal.
• Only 57% of food insecure individuals are income-eligible for SNAP, and 26% are not income-eligible for any federal food assistance.

Much more outrage here, at Mixner's website.
(Via Towleroad)