(NaturalNews) The number of Americans receiving food stamps exceeds 45 million – a level which has remained relatively constant for more than four years now. That figure accounts for nearly 20 percent of the population of the country.

In 1969, there were 2,800,000 Americans in the food stamp program. Since then the number has increased more than 15-fold.

In the midst of a sluggish economic "recovery" (one which many consider non-existent), there is little doubt that a large percentage of these recipients are indeed struggling to feed their families and deserving of assistance, as the gap between the rich and poor in our nation grows ever wider.
 

'Better Off Working'

But it's generally acknowledged that there are widespread abuses of the system. Aside from countless instances of outright fraud, millions of those dependent on SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) should be encouraged to find work, according to many experts.

Maura Corrigan of the American Enterprise Institute told The Washington Free Beacon:

"Our nation's simple three-word mantra should be: 'Better Off Working.' Social safety-net programs, including SNAP, should expect and encourage work—and the dignity and responsibility that accompany it—from those who are able to do so. ...

"Rather than promoting self-sufficiency, SNAP's predominant track record over the past decade has been to add participants to its rolls. Also, its eligibility definitions are in many cases vague, allowing it to deny fraud, waste, and abuse in the program, despite the reports of such behavior from citizens and caseworkers."