Don’t starve people to win a political fight

Politicians should not use food as a weapon.

And yet, President Donald Trump is trying to withhold food assistance for 42 million Americans to pressure Democrats to reopen the federal government without any compromise from Republicans.

Late Saturday, Trump’s Department of Agriculture threatened that states will face consequences, including the loss of additional federal funding, if they issue full payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for November.

States must “immediately undo” any actions they’ve taken to provide full benefits, the new guidance states.

That puts New Mexico in a difficult spot, as the state has already provided full November benefits to hundreds of thousands of people.

Republicans lie

Some Republicans in New Mexico are blaming Democrats for Trump’s actions, saying the federal government can’t release SNAP funds because they won’t vote to reopen the government.

This is a lie. Past presidents from both parties have used emergency money to make SNAP payments during shutdowns. Once upon a time, Republicans had the common decency to ensure people didn’t starve over a political disagreement.

Trump has similar access to emergency money. Courts have ordered Trump to release that money. He’s instead fighting in court for the legal right to starve tens of millions of people to pressure Democrats to do what he wants.

That’s the political equivalent of torturing a detainee.

And yet, folks like N.M. House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong repeat the lie, accusing New Mexico’s U.S. senators, Democrats Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, of what Trump is actually doing: “holding vulnerable New Mexicans hostage for political leverage.” State Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer is doing the same.

Democrats step up

Meanwhile, the Democrats who lead our state’s government aren’t about to let folks starve. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday announced that the state loaded full benefits onto people’s EBT cards for November.

The state is covering the cost, if necessary. Lujan Grisham has already spent $30 million in emergency state funds she controlled to plug the hole. State lawmakers are meeting Monday to vote to continue providing short-term funding.

“We won’t stand by while the president works to deny food to hungry children, families and seniors,” Lujan Grisham said.

The chair of the state Republican Party, Amy Barela, took the bullshit a step further than Armstrong and Sharer, calling the special session “virtue signaling at its finest.”

Our state government is stepping up, with its own money, to ensure people can eat. Where I come from we call that putting your money where your mouth is.

460,000 New Mexicans

Approximately 460,000 people in New Mexico depend on SNAP to put food on the table. Every state legislator represents people who need and are legally entitled to receive such help buying groceries. And, since this matters to some of our Republican lawmakers, I’ll add that some of those New Mexicans are Republicans.

It is one thing to believe SNAP needs reform. Project 2025, for example, calls for implementing work requirements for people who receive food assistance and reforming eligibility. I know Republicans who want such changes.

The appropriate move would be for Republicans, who control every branch of the federal government, to reform SNAP through the legislative process. They have the votes to do it.

Changing the program through the process our U.S. Constitution requires would minimize chaos, and thus, harm. That should be something our elected officials value.

Trump is instead trying to abruptly and unilaterally halt funding while it’s getting cold across most of the country and families are planning to gather for Thanksgiving. During a holiday that celebrates abundance, he wants people to face starvation so Democrats will do what he wants.

This is cruel. It should be criminal.

Do the right thing

Republicans in our state Legislature have an opportunity on Monday to do the right thing — to support New Mexicans who need help buying food and to stand up for our state’s right to provide that help.

Regardless of who they blame for the shutdown, lawmakers should be able to make public statements, with their words and votes, that it’s not OK to starve people to win a political fight.

Any Republicans who can’t do something that basic for the people they represent have no business holding elected positions in state government. If they don’t do the right thing on Monday, voters should kick them out of office, without exception.

Disclosure: This journalist is married to state Rep. Sarah Silva, D-Las Cruces, whose family received government assistance buying foodwhen she was a child.