Being liberal.org, seems to be a favorite facebook page of some people still on my friends list. A posting forwarded to me, poses this: "Food Stamp Cuts     A country that expects the elderly to eat on $15.00 per month to avoid taxing the wealthy is morally bankrupt and has no future."

This message is obviously aimed at low information voters. But, it really is only persuasive to the truly stupid. First, Social Security has significantly reduced elder poverty. Add in Medicare and you have a situation where the elderly are among America's most well off groups of people. Second, food stamps are "means tested."  That means, if an elderly person gets $15 per month in food stamps, that means they can otherwise afford food without specific government assistance.That is good for people who cannot afford food as there is money available for them and not being spent on people with more need. The message takes the lowest dollar amount of assistance, and implies it would be all the assistance available. That is patently false. Food stamp assistance can be quite substantial. If, and I emphasize, the IF, the need is there. Less need, less assistance. Food stamps are not a giveaway. They are meant to help those in need, not to feed everyone who is a certain age. Let me make this final point, FOOD STAMPS ARE NEED BASED ASSISTANCE, NOT AGE BASED ASSISTANCE.

Walt-in-Durham