Letter to the Editor: Making common sense decisions

Time for the farm bill to be renewed and of course, the Republicans want to cut SNAP benefits. Fine, but why allow convenience and liquor stores to be SNAP eligible? Why count pickle relish as a vegetable? Why allow cookies and ice cream to count as allowable items? Go to any liquor or convenience store that allows SNAP and you will find the small section selling pickles, soups, mac/cheese, tuna, Spaghetti-Os etc. The stores carry enough items to qualify but does this make sense?

Another item paid for in the farm bill is crop insurance. In case the farmer loses their crop, the insurance will help pay for the loss. The government pays over half of the cost of this insurance. Great incentive for insurance companies to keep the rates high. And, does the government help private businesses with loss insurance? Nope.

2023 Commodity subsidies alone in Missouri totaled $36.7 million. Check out https://farm.ewg.org for individual farmers by county. Fascinating seeing the husband draw a check and the wife draws another check.

The Republicans want to cut costs but they are mighty particular about which group of people get to sacrifice.

Instead of electing the MAGA weirdos, why don’t we elect people who actually want to make common sense decisions?

Mary Kish

Maryville, MO