As the government shutdown drags on, media pundits are warning about a looming “food insecurity crisis.” That’s Washington shorthand for hunger — and according to official numbers, some 42 million Americans could soon face it.
Pause for a moment. That’s roughly 1 in 7 Americans relying on food stamps — or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as bureaucrats now call it.
Here’s a simple test: look around at the next seven people you see. Do any resemble refugees from a third-world famine? If so, check their green card. If not, hand them one of Kristi Noem’s “get home free” cards and keep moving.
Among those 42 million, a fair question emerges: how many are genuinely hungry, and how many haven’t skipped a free government meal in years — maybe decades?
Here’s a modest proposal. The government shutdown could serve an unexpected purpose: separating the truly needy from habitual scam artists.
Once EBT cards run dry, President Trump could declare a national emergency and order the military to distribute food directly to Americans in need. Set up relief stations at National Guard armories and military bases in every state.
At each station, request a valid government ID and the now-worthless EBT card. Record both, snap a quick photo, and hand each applicant a copy of U.S. dietary guidelines. Then provide meals ready to eat (MREs) from existing military stores. Return the next day for actual groceries, in quantities matching the recommended dietary plan.
If a family of illegal immigrants shows up, feed them an MRE, then put them on a bus to the nearest deportation flight.
This approach tackles food insecurity overnight — while also eliminating “waste, fraud, and abuse.” It’s a win-win.
While feeding Americans, the system could also flag outstanding warrants, fake IDs, and duplicate or fraudulent EBT cards. That way, genuine need is met and cheaters are caught.
If successful, maybe it’s time to rethink the SNAP credit-card model entirely. Replace government-issued plastic with actual food, delivered efficiently and fairly. The result? Less waste, lower costs, and far fewer opportunities for corruption disguised as compassion.
And if this plan highlights how dependent Democrats have become on managing poverty rather than solving it, all the better. Once it’s clear that President Trump can feed Americans and remove freeloaders in one move, watch how quickly Chuck Schumer and company line up to vote for a continuing resolution.
original source
