A Sad Picture Of Amerika: Interactive Food Stamp Map

05-04-2011 • Ritholtz.com & blogs.wsj.com/

Most Americans seem not to want to admit it, but we have fairly Socialist, rather Christian tendencies as a country. You know, things like charity, feeding the poor, broad government assistance to reduce senior and childhood poverty, etc. Consider this WSJ headline today that blares out “1 in 7 Americans Receive Food Stamps.” ONE IN SEVEN! That is a huge amount of folks on the public dole. As the very red map shows, this varies greatly by state. Oregon and Michigan have 20% of the population on Food stamps, NY and Texas have over 15%, California less than 10%, Wyoming only 6.6%. When you ask Americans if they support these social programs in the abstract, a high percentage will oppose them. But as you get more specific — “Do you support feeding families/children who are on the edge of starvation”– suddenly, we become downright European. Don’t believe me — look at the WSJ map below! http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/05/welcome-to-socialist-america/

2 Comments in Response to A Sad Picture Of Amerika: Interactive Food Stamp Map

Comment by Xaul Ex

Entered on: 5/4/2011 11:48:04 AM

The idea that a human should enjoy food, while another hungers, makes the latter awfuly hungry.

Comment by Sharon Jarvis

Entered on: 5/4/2011 7:44:33 AM

I'd like to know the specific polls that show most Americans oppose social programs. Somehow I doubt their veracity.

Meanwhile, idiots like Rush Limbaugh claim that helping the poor does not make America great and that charity is a failed experiment throughout history. I guess Rush isn't as smart as he claims. Every anthropologist and archeologist knows that even the Neanderthals took care of their old and sick.

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