Our View Taking junk food o_ the menu for EBT users

Our View

Taking junk food o_ the menu for EBT users

Of the scores of bills being tossed into the pot in hopes fellow lawmakers will support them is one being proposed by a Perryville Republican who wants to take the radical step in reducing Medicaid costs associated with covering obesity-related conditions.

How does Rep. Mary Bentley propose doing this?

Well by taking aim at limiting junk food purchases by welfare recipients, an attempt we’re sorry to say, has about as good a chance of passage as a snowball’s chance in Hades.

Very noble but the reality of this is that there are entirely too many individuals, businesses, politicians and special interest groups seriously benefiting from this government handout.

Businesses particularly benefit and just word such an attempt is being made to restrict food stamp purchases has these business owners screaming bloody murder.

Furthermore, banning the use of food stamps for buying certain foods would require a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), something that is very unlikely, at least under the current administration. This is a $75 BILLION program.

Rep. Bently has a two-fold purpose, one being that it address some of the problems associated with obesity- related conditions and secondly also save the taxpayers money.

While it is certainly encouraging to see a politician wanting to save the taxpayers money by making those individuals taking full advantage of a government subsidy more responsible there will be ways for them to beat the system.

For instance, it is common knowledge how food stamp recipients fraudulently use their food stamps by getting the “corner grocer” to use their EBT cards to obtain cash, purchase alcohol or items not allowed. While government officials will claim food stamp fraud is “rare” it does exist and probably goes on more than we’re being told.

While Arkansas is the sixth-most-obese state in the nation, according to a 2016 report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Bentley’s proposed legislation will have little impact on the buying habits of these food stamp recipients.

By “hook or crook” people using food stamps will eventually get their beer, chips, cokes and candy bars.

Addressing this obesity problem will take much more than restricting the use of EBT cards. What Bentley needs to do is to focus on educational programs food stamp recipients must participate in if they want to continue receiving this free government subsidy.

While we commend Bentley for attempting to address this serious health issue we are sad to say she will have little success in getting her colleagues to go along with her suggested legislation. There will simply be entirely too much opposition from all fronts, particularly among Arkansas businesses.