COMPLICATED PICTURE OF A DARK
TIME.
A NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULE
CHANGE COULD LEAVE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT FOOD
STAMP BENEFITS.
THE DEPARTMENT AGRICULTURE SAYS
THEY WILL TIGHT ESPECIALLY WORK
REQUIREMENTS FOR SOME RECIPIENTS
OF THE SNAP PROGRAM.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS
THE CHANGE WILL SAVE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BILLIONS BUT
ACTIVISTS AND POLITICIANS CALLED
THIS DECISION CRUEL AND UNFAIR.
HERE TO WEIGH-IN ARE NOLAN
DOWNEY A STAFF ATTORNEY ON
POVERTY LAW OPPOSING THE NEW
REQUIREMENTS AND TED DABROWSKI
PRESIDENT OF THE WIREPOINTS
WEBSITE WHO IS SUPPORTIVE OF
THIS RULE CHANGE.
WELCOME BOTH OF YOU TO "CHICAGO
TONIGHT."
NOLAN DOWNEY FIRST, A PRIMER.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE RIGHT NOW FOR
FOOD STAMPS AND WHAT ARE THE
BENEFITS THAT THEY GET?
>> WELL, PARIS, TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR FOOD STAMPS YOU HAVE TO MEET
INCOME REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT NOW
IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS FOR
HOUSEHOLDS THAT DO NOT HAVE A
QUALIFYING MEMBER SOMEBODY OVER
60 OR SOME THAT IS STRUGGLING
WITH A DISABILITY THEY HAVE TO
BE 165% OF THE POVERTY LINE FOR
HOUSEHOLDS THAT DO HAVE THE
QUALIFYING MEMBERS THEY HAVE TO
BE 200 POVERTY OVER THE POVERTY
LINE.
THE FOLKS ABLE-BODIED WOULD HAVE
TO BE BELOW THE 165%.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT
SNAP BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE GET ON
AVERAGE ARE ABOUT $127 A MONTH
FOR BENEFIT RECIPIENTS.
THE MAXIMUM THAT A SINGLE PERSON
CAN GET ARE $194.
THESE ARE BENEFITS THAT HELP
PEOPLE SUPPLEMENT THEIR FOOD
BUDGETS BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR
THEM TO GET BY ON A DAY-TO-DAY
BASIS.
>> ABLED BODIED ADULTS WITH NO
DEPENDENTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY
THE CHANGE.
WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE UNDER
THIS PROPOSAL?
>> SO TODAY, ILLINOIS' SIGNED A
WAIVER FOR 101 COUNTIES OUT OF
THE 102 COUNTIES HAVE A WAIVER
FROM HAVING TO MEET THE WORK
REQUIREMENTS AND IT MEANS
ANYBODY RECEIVING FOOD STAMPS
SHOULD ABLED BODIED, SINGLE
YUCKER THAN 50.
IF THEY ARE --
YOUNGER THAN 50.
IF THEY ARE --
TO GET THE BENEFITS THEY MUST
WORK 20 HOURS A WEEK OR GO
THROUGH TRAINING AND ILLINOIS
HAD A WAIVER FROM THAT.
SO WE'VE HAD SOME OF THE HIGHEST
ENROLLMENT NUMBERS IN THE
COUNTRY.
>> AS I UNDERSTAND THE WAIVER
APPLIES TO COUNTIES THAT HAVE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES THAT ARE 20%
HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE
N THOSE COUNTY, THE WORK
REQUIREMENTS DO NOT APPLY.
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW, IS
IF UNEMPLOYMENT IS ABOVE 6%,
THEN THEY CAN GET THE WAIVER.
THAT SHRINKS THE AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE THAT CAN GET THE WAIVER.
NOLAN DOWNEY WHY DO YOU THINK
THIS IS A BAD IDEA?
>> IT'S IMPORTANT THAT FOLKS
UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THIS GROUP, PEOPLE
THAT ARE BETWEEN 18-49 ON SNAP
THAT DON'T HAVE DEPENDENTS, THEY
HAVE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO
MAINTAINING THAT STABLE
EMPLOYMENT.
MANY OF THEM SUFFER FROM
PHYSICAL OR MENTAL LIMITATIONS
THAT RESTRICT THEIR ABILITY TO
GET THAT GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.
MANY ARE UNSTABLELY HOUSED.
THEY ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN THE
POPULATION OF FOLKS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY ACCESSING
RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND
TECHNOLOGY AND THE OTHER
IMPORTANT THING IS FOR THESE
FOLKS THEY ARE DEALING WITH
INCREDIBLY FEW RESOURCES.
THEIR INCOME TENDS TO BE ONLY A
COUPLE,000 A YEAR AND SNAP IS
THE ONLY BENEFIT THAT HELPS THEM
GET BY.
>> TED DABROWSKI WHAT ABOUT
THAT?
IT SEEMS LIKE THE RULE CHANGE
MIGHT BE PUNISHING THOSE BECAUSE
THEY ARE NOT WORKING AND PERHAPS
THEY CAN'T FIND A JOB?
>> WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THOSE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT OF THOSE
NEEDS.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND IS THAT IN A PLACE
LIKE ILLINOIS WE HAVE FAILED OF
GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
WE HAVE THE 7TH HIGHEST
ENROLLMENT IN FOOD STAMPS IN THE
COUNTRY OUR NEIGHBORING
RECOVERED AND REDUCED THE PEOPLE
BELOW THE GREAT RECESSION WE ARE
HIGHER.
>> THAT IS BECAUSE ILLINOIS HAS
MORE COUNTIES THAT HAVE HIGHER
UNEMPLOYMENT?
>> WE'VE HAD A WORSE EMPLOYMENT
PERFORMANCE.
WE'VE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS AS
WE'VE DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW.
BUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND
HERE IS WHAT IS INTERESTING WE
NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE
PEOPLE.
IN ILLINOIS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD
SO MANY ON FOOD STAMPS FOR SO
LONG IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THEM
BACK IN THE MARKET BUT THIS IS
AS GOOD AS IT GETS WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT LEVELS
NATIONALLY AND IN ILLINOIS.
OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS LOWER
THAN IT'S BEEN.
THIS IS THE MOMENT IF YOU WANT
TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE GET
BACKING --
GETTING BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE,
THIS IS THE MOMENT TO GET THEM
BACK IN.
IF WE CAN'T GET THEM WORKING NOW
THEY WILL BE REGULATED TO FOOD
STAMPS THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
>> IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPORARY
AND THE GOAL IS TO GET PEOPLE
OFF OF IT AND BACK INTO SELF
SUFFICIENCY?
>> PARIS, I DON'T THINK THERE IS
ANY DENYING THAT A JOB IS
IMPORTANT IN HELPING PEOPLE
MEANINGFULLY IMPROVE THEIR
LIVES.
WHAT I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD IS
HOW STARVING PEOPLE IS GOING TO
HELP THEM GET THERE.
WHEN YOU TAKE THE BENEFITS AWAY
FROM FOLKS THAT IS NOT A RECIPE
FOR SELF SUFFICIENTFY OR
ECONOMIC STABILITY IT IS A
RECIPE FOR TAKING FOLKS THAT
HAVE BARRIERS AND LOW RESOURCES
TAKING AWAY THE NUTRITIONAL
SUPPORT IS ONLY GOING TO MAKE
THE CHALLENGES HARDER.
>> AND ANOTHER CRITICISM, THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS GIVEN
OUT AS MUCH AS $28 BILLION IN
SUBSIDIES TO FARMERS BECAUSE OF
THE TRADE WAR WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT $5 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS
TO BE SAVED FROM THESE FOOD
STAMP SAVINGS IT'S INCONSISTENT
THERE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMY BOTH
NATIONALLY AND IN ILLINOIS THIS
IS THE LOWEST RATES OF
UNEMPLOYMENT FOR BLACKS,
MINORITIES, HISPANICS.
IT IS AN AMAZING TIME TO GET A
JOB AND GET OUT OF THE
DEPENDENCY ON FOOD STAMPS.
I THINK IN ILLINOIS MAYBE TOO
MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE
WAIVERS AND THE MESS WE'VE HAD,
TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE BECOMING
DEPENDENT AND WE HAVE TO BREAK
THAT DEPENDENCE.
THE BEST THING FOR PEOPLE ARE
JOBS TO FIND MEANING IN THEIR
LIVES.
TO BE ON FOOD STAMPS AND NOT
HAVE THE IMPETUS TO GO OUT TO
WORK IS THE WRONG THING.
>> HOW MANY PEOPLE IN ILLINOIS
IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT?
>> THIS COULD IMPACT AS MANY AS
140,000 PEOPLE HERE IN ILLINOIS.
AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT EVERY
OTHER AREA THAT HAS HAD TO
IMPLEMENT THIS TIME LIMIT MANY
OF THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOSE
BENEFITS.
IN ILLINOIS THIS IS NOT OUR
FIRST ENCOUNTER, ONE COUNTY HAD
TO IMPLEMENT IT IN DUPAGE
COUNTY.
AFTER THE THREE MONTHS HALF THE
PEOPLE IN THIS GROUP THAT WERE
RECEIVING SNAP LOST THEIR
BENEFITS.
>> AND IN COOK COUNTY, ABOUT
50,000 WILL LOSE THEIR BENEFITS
UNDER THE CURRENT RULE BECAUSE
COOK COUNTY'S ECONOMY HAS
IMPROVED.
THIS IS DOUBLING THE PROBLEM
HERE FOR COOK COUNTY RESIDENTS?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I LOOK AT THIS AS A BIG
OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WITH THE
ECONOMY SO HOT WITH THE
UNEMPLOYMENT SO HOT AND THERE'S
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR 80,000 JOBS
IN ILLINOIS WE HAVE TO DO A
BETTER JOB OF MATCHING.
BUT OUR NEIGHBORING STATES ARE
DOING FAR BETTER IN GETTING
PEOPLE OFF OF FOOD STAMPS.
INDIANA 30% LOWER THAN THE GREAT
RECESSION WE ARE 17% HIGHER.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR ECONOMY
AND THE POLICIES WE HAVE THAT
ARE KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF JOBS.
>> WHY ARE THE STATES GOING IN
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS?
>> I MEAN IT'S IMPORTANT
QUESTION BUT I WANT TO RESPOND
TO THIS NOTION THAT THE ECONOMY
IS BOOMING AND THAT THERE ARE
JUST AN ABUNDANCE OF JOBS
WAITING TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE OUT
OF POVERTY.
THE REALITY IS MANY OF THE JOBS
ARE LOW PAYING JOBS THEY ARE
PART-TIME JOBS AND SOME ARE NOT
GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR
PEOPLE TO MEET THIS WORK
REQUIREMENT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A BOOMING
ECONOMY YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE
THE GENERAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
DOES NOT PAINT THE WHOLE
PICTURE.
WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
SAYING HERE IS THAT EVEN IN
AREAS THAT HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY
HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT THAN THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE WE'RE STILL
GOING TO BE FORCING FOLKS TO
FIND A JOB THAT IS GOING TO BE
ABLE TO GET THEM OFF OF FOOD
STAMPS.
IT'S NOT REALISTIC.
>> ANOTHER POSSIBLE CRITICISM
HERE AGAIN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
$5 BILLION TO BE SAVED OVER FIVE
YEARS.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF
TAXES NOT BEING PAID BY THE
BIGGEST COMPANIES, IBM, GENERAL
MOTORS, AMAZON DOESN'T THAT
ACCOUNT FOR SO MUCH MORE MONEY
THAN WHAT IS BEING SAVED HERE?
>> WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO
MIX THE THINGS.
THERE ARE POLICIES WE SHOULD
CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO
CORPORATIONS AND TAXES AND THAT
IS A SEPARATE DISCUSSION.
WHAT IS CRITICAL HERE AND IT IS
A SITUATION FOR ILLINOIS, IS
THAT THINGS LIKE FOOD STAMPS
HIDE THE REAL PROBLEMS WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A PENSION PROBLEM, WE
HAVE AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM, WE
HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM
BROADLY, THE FOOD STAMPS ALLOW
OUR GOVERNMENT TO HIDE BEHIND
THOSE THINGS.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS CHANGE OUR
POLICIES TO HAVE MORE GROWTH AND
MORE INVESTMENT IN ILLINOIS AND