AMAC Exclusive – By Sam Adolphsen
For most Americans, the old adage that “there is no such thing as a free lunch” represents enduring wisdom and ask-your-grandpa common sense. Rational minds know that something might look “free,” but the bill always comes due eventually.
There’s no doubt that Joe Biden has heard the saying. He probably remembers when it first went viral. But he seems to have lost the wisdom of that phrase somewhere along the way – along with the rest of his marbles. Now, his administration is advertising a literal “free lunch” for tens of millions of Americans that they will ultimately end up paying for, whether through higher taxes, higher inflation, or both.
Specifically, bureaucrats in Biden’s department of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), just pushed through a rule creating a new loophole in the “free school lunch” program that will give millions a free lunch year-round. The gimmick will include millions of families being issued new welfare cards to buy food all summer long.
Surely, you might say, this is only helping the truly needy, though, right? Wrong. The new welfare program will include millions who have the means to purchase their own food, some of them with incomes well above the national average.
But remember what Grandpa said about free lunches. Someone pays. So, who is buying all these free lunches?
You.
Once again taxpayers will foot the bill as Biden the Benevolent, the Food Stamp President, hands out more of your (borrowed) money in the form of a plastic card to be swiped at Costco, Wal-Mart, or a gas station near you.
Biden has dramatically increased food stamp enrollment and spending overall. In 2019, President Trump had trimmed the fat on the welfare program down from a record high and still cost taxpayers “just” $60 billion.
By 2022, Biden and Congress had ballooned those costs to $119 billion.
Notably, the same bureaucrats in D.C. who pushed through this latest welfare giveaway also gave a nearly 30 percent raise to food stamp recipients last year, all while the work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents was suspended. This unilateral raise for welfare recipients was done without congressional approval and was illegal.
The latest giveaway gambit was accomplished in two parts. First, the administration worked with Congress to push forward a summer food stamp program that was piloted during COVID-19.
Like seemingly every “temporary” government program, especially those cooked up during the pandemic, this one will now be made permanent. States have the option to provide a food stamp benefit to school kids all summer long.
Think summer school, with just the lunch part of school, and none of the learning.
The free school lunch program was originally geared towards providing low-income school kids with a free lunch. But various bureaucrat maneuvers and expansions over the years have grown the school lunch program to include millions with higher incomes.
Specifically, something called the “community eligibility provision” or CEP, means that if a certain number of kids in a school qualify for free lunch based on their lower incomes, then all other kids in the school also qualify, despite higher incomes that would normally make them ineligible.
That is where the second part of the latest scheme comes into play.
The new rule pushed through by Biden bureaucrats lowers the threshold of the community eligibility provision from 40 percent to 25 percent. This means that a school now only needs to have one quarter of their students who are eligible for free school lunch based on certain criteria, and then the entire school becomes eligible.
It doesn’t matter whether the kid is from a middle-class family or a rich family, they are going to get “free” lunch by virtue of being in a school where a minority of other students are eligible.
Free lunch for all, coming soon to a cul-de-sac near you.
So how much do all these free lunches for middle-class and rich kids cost?
Billions. Maybe tens of billions.
The good news is that states can lead and slow the spread of government dependency. They do not have to implement this program and they shouldn’t. Only about a dozen states have so far, including the usual suspects like California.
States can and should focus on providing benefits for the truly needy kids from poor families – and on empowering as many families as possible to advance beyond financial dependency.
If we don’t reverse course as a nation soon, we will all qualify for a free lunch. And then who pays?
Sam Adolphsen is the policy director at the Foundation for Government Accountability, and the former Chief Operating Officer for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services where he oversaw welfare eligibility and fraud investigations.
If one doesn’t see the hard push converting America to neo-Marxist government control by the Biden and all the blue state administrations and their globalist masters, you’re living under a rock.
He is desperate to waste OUR money bribing whoever might vote for him.
How can the Biden administration issue a “new rule” that spends more taxpayer money without the funds being approved by Congress? This change amounts to a new program being instituted without approval by Congress, surely a violation of the spirit of the Constitution, if not a criminal act.
For the damn Illegals coming in
Not Biden really making this decision. It’s the radical leftist getting it done in the background. 10% coming to the big guy somewhere down the road.
Meanwhile the average person is literally fighting tooth and toenail to survive. Those of us who refuse to suck on big goverments teat have to foot the bill????
Certain people are doing all they can to fundamentally change our Country – which they have a right to try and accomplish. We must pay attention, vote, let our voice be heard, and our actions be an example of devotion to Christian principles and our love for our Country, it’s history and it’s principles…and pray.
It is doubtful Biden had anything to do with these proposals. More likely they were suggested by socialist moles deep-buried in the administration.
The CCP functionary is on an all out race to destroy America.
The Bidentator strikes again! How in the hell can one person (unless he really is a king or a dictator) make such changes at his/her every whim? What the hell has happened to our “checks and balances” gov’ment?
Wokeness breeds weakness !!!
My Observation: Biden administration is buying votes at the demise of this great Sovereign Republic. China, Iran, Russia, and other countries are benefitting from his poor domestic and foreign policies, or just simply evil policy to “destroy the United States of America” at all costs. There are also Republicans who are collaborating with the Democrats to see this destruction through. Don’t forget the 6-8 million migrants from around the world who are going to also benefit. We need daily to cry out to God for deliverance.
Face it…FJB just likes spending money.
We MUST get these three letter agencies under control! They can NOT legally be making rules like this as the power of the purse rests with the US House per the US Constitution!!!
Where congress is liable to allocate funds for expenditure where does Obiden get all of these dollars he throws away at his leisure? The republicans can turn any win into a loss so is this what we have?
He is buying votes for 2024. These DC Dems will do ANYTHING to retain their power. They own all the branches of our government now…including the so-called justice department. None of the evil, corrupt, immoral stunts they have pulled have lead to any kind of punishment. Biden continues to throw away our tax dollars and lie to We, The People to keep himself in office. Anyone who would vote for him and his comrades next year is as evil, corrupt and immoral as they are!
Somebody get that socialist puppetmasters hand out of Joe’s azz so he can walk normally, will ya?
If he had a brain he would take it out and play with it, and as long as people don’t have to work to get free stuff they won’t. And illegals will keep coming across the border because our government keeps giving them free handouts !!!!
Who could ask for anything more He already ran out of paper What is he printing the money on?
Another giant step toward a Socialist/Communist America. Saddest day in our history was letting Biden steal the election and get away with it.
Yeah, they will be swiping them in the casinos in Las Vegas too…that’s been going on for a long time. We are funding their gambling addiction…
It’s OK, our kids and grand kids will be delighted to pick up the tab. Ol’ Uncle Joe will be dead, so no skin off of his back. Is this a great country, or what?
If all these countries paid back the money they borrowed begged ,or stole , the u s could pave its streets in gold. We would all be on easy street. Then we could feed kids free lunches,build schools ,jail houses , and whatever else we wanted. No sweat. Kyle L.
Just Brandon buying votes with other people’s money, as usual!
It’s all about destroying the sovereignty of this nation. George Bush Sr. presidential speech: “We must usher in the New World Order.” IE”: Destroy this Constitutional Republic. As George Wallace, Democrat governor of Alabama said way back in the 60’s: “There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between democrats and republicans.” … to add: with a precious few exceptions. We’re losing this nation by the day. We’ve had it good for almost 250 years….but one thing that’s undermined our strength is that so many folks vote for those who give great campaign speeches and have the right letter behind their name and leave it at that.
DC the place of rarified air, back room deals, our manufacturing left our shores in the 60’s, after late night “deals”. Chinese crap flooding our stores…Walmart one of the worst. No southern border, schools now little better than glorified indoctrination centers, children as young as 3 being “groomed” into perversion. A criminal “justice” system that’s a dangerous “joke”, a ramped up mania to disarm we the people and on and on.
Ben Franklin when asked what the best form of government is, responded: “A Republic…IF you can keep it.” How often do we hear the word “democracy”… so much that it’s taken for granted. We were never set up to be a “democracy”…it’s as far from a Constitutional Republic as you can get…except complete dictatorship. There are uncountable facets to the planned demise of this country…put them together…pay attention, understand how this nation was originally set up to be…sadly the true history of our nation hasn’t been spoken of in “schools” for years. And look at those mindless, angry robots coming out of what’s laughing called “colleges”…or in the present, indoctrination centers.
Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers right hand “man”: “A lie repeated often enough becomes truth.”
Puzzling eh? It shouldn’t be. The treason party works tirelessly to weaken the country in many ways. With this one, bloodcurdling shrieks will result at any future attempt at reform. Remember the 90s? The Rs were beaten into submission using this very meme- that they were literally yanking lunch out of school kids mouths when the Rs dared try welfare reform.
Democrats, specifically Biden, is trying to turn a sandwich into a vote. It’s liberal alchemy!
And . . . what do we on Social Security get? I know, I know a measly 3.2% raise for inflation. Seems some of us are on the wrong side of the fence.
Since Covid there are between 10 and 17 million former workers ( depending on your source) who have not returned to work. It’s the major reason the unemployment rate is so artificially low. They have just been dropped from the workforce.
The only way to reverse this and to get back to a healthy productive economy is to take away incentives to stay home. Is there a GOP Congressman awake enough to do the math? We are living on borrowed time if we don’t fix this.
Biden and the Democrats are just trying to buy votes. At the expense of our children and grandchildren. They’ll buy it hook line and sinker.
Than ten or fifteen years from now when it comes time to pay the piper they be crying “how did this happen” and blame our generation. They wouldn’t be entirely wrong, especially if we let the left stay in power.
Forgive student loans, open borders, more welfare benefits…….free, free, free. Democrats just buying more votes, keeping the sheep on the plantation.
I don’t understand the Democrat’s need to give everything we have away!!! There are already the generational welfare families none of whose family members has probably every worked in their lives but have more than most poor people!! There are the illegals who Joe and Democrats have promised everything free!!!
The school I used to work at has been giving free lunch (and breakfast) to all kids for years, whether they qualify as low income or not. I live in a poor rural county, so the government figures everyone is poor (not the case at all). But 2 of my neighbors who are disabled have just had their food card amount lowered, after getting more during Covid. Doesn’t make sense, they aren’t less needy now. Our wise government gives with one hand, takes away with the other.
My last two quick trips to the local Wal-Mart encountered a majority of shoppers speaking a foreign language. In the first trip most were speaking Spanish and they were mostly families. This time it was younger people (20s) and seemed to be speaking European or possibly Central or South American.
Prior to these two trips to Wal-Mart within the last two-three weeks, there’ve been only one or two occasionally who were from Mexico or Puerto Rico (shorter, darker complexion). This time they were taller, lighter-skinned and more robust; though that could have been because they were in what appeared to be their 20s.
I live in a relatively small town of probably 20,000 people (with a large retired population) but located off an interstate that connects to another larger north-south interstate. And since foreigners seeking citizenship legally must learn English, I can’t help but wonder if our town is now getting bussed illegals with government-issued debit cards and free housing.
Being elderly and disabled, just received ss 4 years ago, I can tell you that these raises and giving do not extend to us, the elderly. In fact, the supposed cola is also immediately taken away, plus 3 times more, by raising many other costs each year that we have no choice but to pay. As far as food stamps, for the last 3 years in a row, the literal few dollars I receive have been lowered. For quite some time, at least a generation or two (according to what I have heard my entire life) the ss system has been working every year to further oppress and drag down into abject poverty the elderly. This nation has no use for people over 50, especially women, and prefers to see us simply disappear at that age. I was never able to get disability though I was dealing with a devastating illness for 12 years before being ss age, while many of the 20-something and 30-something people around me got it for having a sore wrist, or depression.
Demanding that EVERY able person in this nation work and pay into the social programs, unlike now where the wealthiest and all government workers reap the highest pay from them and never pay into them, and stopping the government from leaching/stealing from the ss program like it is their own personal nest egg to be spent indiscriminately, and this nation would have more than enough for all. For decades in my state, they have been giving food stamps to ALL college students no matter the income or parental finances. It makes a huge impact on you when every summer you see parents drive up in $60K+ vehicles, dripping with diamonds and gold carrying $700 purses, and signing up their children for food stamps.
With all of the decades of giving to young people who can work and paying them more not to work for every child they have, to the tune of 6 times more than they can make if they work, and not only paying for their rent, food, and utilities, but also cars, insurance, educational degrees they never use, expensive clothing, childcare, Christmas presents, drugs and the mental treatment they need from their wasted lives, plus many other things, only one conclusion can be drawn. The goal is the utter and complete destruction of this nation from within, without the need to fire a shot, while continuing to create the mentally lost who will go shoot up classrooms, school campuses, and malls and restricting the sane-minded access to weapons for self-protection.
I do not begrudge anyone who truly needs help or wholesome care of children, but with the above paragraph being entirely true and the depths the left will go to annihilate anyone that will possibly change things while dismantling any good, the help we need can only come through diligent prayer and trust in the Lord above. God help us.
These past three years have been Obama’s third term as President. joe is incapable of cogent thought or speech. I still remember Obama’s acceptance speech where he stated, “We are about to fundamentally change the United States of America”.
AND HE WAS RIGHT!
Not sure why everyone thinks Biden is doing this – he’s not. It is Obama and all the hold outs from his administration that are running the country. Biden has no idea what is going on and is just the puppet for Obama so he can still control the gov’t.
What annoys me the most about all these giveaways is that for years now we have known that Social Security is running out for millions of seniors who depend on it, and not one finger has been lifted to do anything about it.
I wonder how much Biden will spend as it gets nearer election time? I have never seen or heard of such a loose policy on spending. My wife was a subsitute teacher in an elementary school. She observed that the students on free lunch always had the newest fashions and high-end cell phones. Better things than those paying for lunch. Breakfast, too.
As I have said before many times, brandon will go to any length to do further harm to the American taxpayer! But then it’s only another nail in America’s coffin.
Who pays for this free lunch? The deplorables, the white race and anyone else that does not follow ole Joe ‘s plans. This is all to get the votes in 2024 and to keep the power.
Trumps impeachment was based on nothing. Ole Joe has done nothing but lie and buy power and now there is an impeachment inquiry all of a sudden he calls it political. While he has been busy trying to keep Trump off the ballot in many states. Even going as far as to a higher court. Not being satisfied with the ruling from a lower court that allowed Trump on the ballot. And he is talking about the impeachment inquiry as political? No ole Joe, it has to do with criminal conduct on your part. Your son disregards a congressional subpoena and it’s all okay with you. While Trump is being charged with made up dems crimes.
Ole Joe is governing as a dictator. Without consulting congress. This free lunch ruling is the most insane rule ever but did we expect anything else from a man in the throes of dementia. He governs by mandates. The people have no say. We have no border policy because ole Joe doesn’t want one. We have no infrastructure because ole Joe doesn’t want to bother with that. Buy electric vehicles, cook with electric, no more gas leaf blowers Where is all the power to run these appliances. Oh don’t worry pretty soon we don’t need those anymore. There won’t be food available except this so-called free lunch ole Joe has planned. Anyone that still can remember the bread lines of the 1930’s will be shocked by the food lines that will be here in 2030.
Like ole Joe always says when he is asked what he is going to do about this or that, I am not going to tell you. We are in it so deep, those students at Harvard with the President of that institution included, wished they had never marched in support of Hamas. But that is what the Nazis found out after they lost in WW II. Their excuse was “we didn’t know”. Of course they knew. Just like the ultra left and the dems know now what is going on. Only they don’t care as long as they can rule and have all the power. And the people of America acquiesce.
Biden is so demented that he cannot possibly fathom all of the destructive things that are being done in his name.
Biden and his croonies should be tried for treason, then hung.
Just because a child is from an economically stable family does not mean he will get a lunch or money to buy lunch. Parents can be neglectful in many cases. Embarrassing situation for poor children.
As I am among the downhill slide in age folks, I most likely will not be around to see the complete destruction of our Freedom as we are pushed increasingly into a Globalist World. I do, however, wonder about the sanity and intelligence of those pushing this agenda. Do these Legislators and Promoters, such as Gates, Zuckerberg and the likes of them think they will have a voice in this New World Order of Globalists. Or have they somehow given up their minds, i.e. Stepford Wives Syndrome? Given the Countries our there leading the charge for this insanity, Russia, China, and their allies, I believe they are chomping at the bit to crush not only the U.S. but Gates and Zuckerberg and all those wealthy Citizens and Corporations. And George Soros will be leading the cheering section. All of those Politicians bought and paid for by Soros will end up singing a different tune.
I have yet to find one Billionaire or Politician who can actually put some thought into the question of “If this happens what will it cause and what will be the result?” They all seem to have been sleeping in High School when we learned that if you put a lit match too close to the wick of a stick of dynamite, what happens next? Hmmmm
Gotta get that “New World Order” on track….lovingly spoken of by George Bush Sr. during his One World Order speech when elected president. As of a few weeks ago videos of Bush on you tube extolling the ‘virtues’ of the NWO were still available…of which those who consider themselves the “ruling elite” will be in charge….Once upon a time in an America far away, the majority of Americans understood the uniqueness of this nation, unlike any before it, our veterans fought for it’s freedom and existence. No other nation in history has had a Constitution a Bill of Rights, a Declaration of Independence, a one unique rule of law, like the United States of America…tho’ being a bit of a history buff I’ve realized that like Patrick Henry, I would have been (and am to no avail) an anti-Federalist. The separate states would have had autonomy unlike now where they’re under the ultimate rule of the nastiest place on earth…Washington, D.C…better known as the District of Corruption. Sadly complacency and good living has no doubt helped speed up our now quickly deteriorating America. We’ve had it good, politicians have done what they “deem fit” to our detriment…now we may be seeing the death of the only Constitutional Republic ever to exist….but if you look closely, we’re a nation that’s put its Creator on the back burner…to our sorrow.
It is amazing to me how this corrupt liar is still in office after all the destructive things he has done to this country.
Joe Biden is nothing but a Dictator bypassing Congress on everything he does when he is suppose to go through Congress first. So why should able bodied persons with no dependents get any freebies when Biden proclaimed that he has created plenty of jobs so why aren’t they working? There is no incentive to work. It is time to get people off Welfare freebies. Why should my tax dollars go to these lazy bums. I raised my 3 children as a single parent. I worked for over 30 years. All my children are productive working adults. All this is Biden trying to buy votes!!!
Michigan now provides free lunches for all students.
Another way for the Communist Democrats to get voters !