"dpb" wrote in message ...
On 6/14/2012 1:48 PM, Oren wrote:
I never knew this.

"You're probably familiar with the food stamp program which grew from
$35 billion in 2008 to $75 billion last year. But did you know that
getting food stamps also makes you eligible for a free government cell
phone?"
...

sigh

Indeed.

And for all the furor the Washington Post and others make over farm
payments, crop insurance subsidies, etc., the _total_ of all direct farm
payments and subsidies is only about 15% of the USDA budget. Another 6-7%
is USDA Forest Service while the remaining nearly 80% is for social
services going to urban population centers.

Which greatly benefits the food industry. Who spends an inordinate amount
of money lobbying the government to include their products in the approved
list. Recall the dust up over classing ketchup as a vegetable?