An Anti-Musk Sign at Monument Square Portland, in a Recent Protest There.

Today, during a House Agriculture Committee meeting, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D) called out the Trump administration and its Republican allies for threatening to slash $230 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ——- which more than 40 million Americans rely on for monthly food assistance in order to pay for a $4.5 million tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.

Pingree blasted the proposed plan, highlightig the devastating impact these cuts would have on Maine, where more than 174,000  people ——including over 43,000 children  —– rely on the program each month.

“Look, I am a Democrat, but in my state, making sure the kids get fed, making sure that our seniors have food, this is just common sense.  About a third of the households in my state use  SNAP dollars to feed children.    There are over 1740,000 Mainers who get help from SNAP.  This is just to put food on the table.  And I think we all know $6. a day per person isn’t much to feed your family,” said Pingree.  “The reason we’re talkig about the cuts, it’s not ‘fear mongering.’ It’s because in this reconciliation plan, which some of our Republican colleagues have been over in the White House talking about just as this hearing was gong on, you can’t cut $230 billion from this Committee without cutting some SNAP benefits.  That’s why we’re here.  That’s why we’re talking about this.”

“Where is the “Republican Press Herald” on  this issue?  Maybe its editors support the cuts to SNAP benefits. And maybe, just maybe that is why the chain is being forced to downsize its production” suggests this blogger.