In today's New York Times Gail Collins takes Republicans to task for their latest attack on the poor - school lunches. Lately these attacks seem to be coming with greater frequency, so I'd like to make a suggestion on how to resolve the issue once and for all:
Let's, on a trial basis, give conservatives their way on this one. Let's eliminate all Federal programs designed to help those who are struggling - food stamps, free school lunches, extended unemployment benefits, and so on. That way, instead of talking in the abstract about policy decisions regarding poverty, everyone can see for themselves the end result of these proposals. Let's not commit indefinitely to this plan until we see how it works. I suggest we leave it in place until the 2014 elections.
That should be a long enough time period for everyone to get a taste of the implications and ramifications of balancing the budget on the backs of the poor - and allow folks to vote accordingly come November. Perhaps then, people like Paul Ryan who would advocate yanking food from the mouths of children will think twice before opening their own big ole pie holes.