What do you call it when the usual adjectives fail to adequately convey the true extent of the outrageousness of political policies?

A prime example would be the repeated criticism by Republicans of the record number of people receiving food stamps (SNAP) and the efforts of the U.S. House controlled by Republicans to cut $40 billion from the program before they release their latest hostage, the farm bill.

It is no mystery why food stamp use is at a record level after the U.S. economy lost 8.8 million jobs during the “Great Recession” of 2008 which followed eight years of Republican tax cuts for the wealthy (the so called job creators) and their failure to regulate the Wall Street casino.

Of those job losses 60% were in the $14-21 dollar an hour range while during the current recovery, which has created over 4 million jobs in spite of Republican obstruction at every turn, only 26% of the new jobs are in that range and 58% are paying less.

It should be no surprise then that middle class income has declined and a large number of our fellow citizens have fallen into poverty with the resulting food insecurity. While food banks strain to meet the demand and while free and reduced price school lunch usage is up, there are children in this country still failing to receive adequate nutrition.

Just who are these people calling for cuts to food for children while turning a blind eye to subsidies for oil companies, large corporations and billionaires as well as the off-shore tax havens which cost our federal treasury more each year than the food stamp program? What word best describes these people? And the political party which supports these policies?

We thank frequent contributor Larry Hodgden for this essay.

Larry is a retired Viet Nam era veteran of the USAF. He and his wife of 40 years, Sharon, have three children and seven grandchildren who keep him very busy. Family, education, church and politics have been a lifelong passion.