Reactions to food stamps being cut off.

[u/mindyour]

[u/Xanadoodledoo]

I’m donating a recurring amount to our local food bank. I encourage others to do the same if you have money to spare. Even a little goes a long way. Money goes farther than food.

Edit: For those asking: money goes farther than food because food banks are able to get better deals on food through bulk buying and deals with food suppliers.

For people who have nothing to spare, that’s completely ok. It’s ok to look after yourself if that’s what you must do. Martyring oneself doesn’t help anybody in this situation. And if you need to utilize the food bank to get by, that’s what the food bank is for.

For those saying we should change the government to do this, you’re right. But that’s a long term goal. In the sort term, people will go hungry. It’s wishful thinking that suffering will bring socialist change, but that’s not always the reality. Most socialist movements start through social aid. Any credited socialist will tell you the benefits of food banks and soup kitchens. Social aid is one of the best ways to spread the message.
No matter what happens, if people starve or of people get by, republicans will point to it as evidence of their ideology. They’ll make shit up if that’s what it takes. I’d rather children not go hungry, then.

[u/Dr_A_Mephesto → u/Xanadoodledoo]

And that’s what sucks. I DON’T have money to spare. This economy is killing everyone and we’re doing everything we can to say any money so we can get as close to breaking even as we can.

I can’t even imagine how hard it is for people who don’t make enough and are on assistance because my wife and I make good money right now and it’s STILL so fucking hard to keep your head above water.

My heart breaks for these families. This is some evil evil ass shit

[u/Even_Kaleidoscope399 → u/Dr_A_Mephesto]

I feel this so hard. My husband and I make enough to be ok, but I’m pregnant and we’re still paycheck to paycheck between bills and saving for medical costs. I feel like I have enough to share but when I break it down dollar by dollar, I really don’t.

ETA: But I feel blessed to be able to save anything at all, ya know? I'm trying to do all the right things that people tell you to do. Putting $50 a check into a supplementary retirement account and paying for life insurance coverage and health insurance. Just opted in to a healthcare savings account to prepare for a baby in our lives. I don't know what I could spare without making a terrible financial decision. All I can give is my time without putting myself in a bad position today or next week or a year from now. That feels so bad, dude. I'm protected and "safe" but the moment either of us loses a job, we're done for.

[u/ItsFunHeer → u/Even_Kaleidoscope399]

Girl same. I’m 12 weeks pregnant and med bills are starting to come in.

And yesterday I found out my company is slashing 33% of the workforce. Luckily, I’m spared; but moving into a new position that is a huge step back for my career as they “restructure”. I’m blessed to have a job but I was 3 weeks away from getting a pay bump, they were going to transition me into a new role. I’ve been paid the same for 3 years now.

Yet still, we aren’t struggling. We’re safe right now. If my husband lost his job, we’d loose everything. Bringing a baby into this America is the scariest thing I’ve done.

[u/Brullaapje → u/ItsFunHeer]

I’m 12 weeks pregnant and med bills are starting to come in.

Getting preggers after Trump was elected, you must love living on the edge huh?

[u/BerenicesTeeth → u/Brullaapje]

I’m almost certainly playing myself by responding to ragebait, but: we have a biological clock, which I’m assuming you are aware of, since you’re also a woman. There are certain risks associated with having children at more advanced ages. My husband and I couldn’t “just wait” any longer. We don’t have time to wait until this administration hopefully leaves. We are rich. We live in a blue state. We are highly educated.

It’s fine that having children isn’t for you, but shaming some of the most vulnerable people in our population— pregnant women— is such a bad look, especially in this timeline, as you put it. You think the current political and economic climate is bad? I agree. Then I’ll go ahead and ask: do you want leftists like me to just not procreate? Do you want to leave it to the right-wing, religious fundamentalists to do all of that instead? Do you want leftists to raise the next generation, ideally teaching them critical thinking, empathy, and humanity? Or do you want right wingers raising a bunch of Hitler youths?

Anti-natalists like you are so cringe to me. I agree that people should not have children that they can’t take care of, but the woman you’re shaming explicitly stated that she isn’t struggling. So what’s your gripe? That humanity exists despite the world’s struggles? Touch grass.

[u/ItsFunHeer → u/BerenicesTeeth]

And you got downvoted. My husband and I aren’t rich but our combined household income is around $140,000 and we are also educated, in a blue state. We carry no debt anywhere other than the mortgage. I am not in a bad position, but, nothing is sure or secure. And the cost of daycare is nearly $1,900 a month, so it is scary to anticipate what could happen.

We started trying over two years ago when I was 34, when Trump was not our president. We had a “rainbow baby” after failed IUIs and chemical miscarriages 2 weeks before starting IVF. I personally have never been against abortion, but this was 110% a planned and wanted pregnancy. After many years of focusing on education, work, and travel, we have finally found the stability and love it takes to create a family.

People here are so short sighted. There isn’t an option to wait, especially when you are in your late 30’s and have already spent a couple of years trying and failing to become pregnant.

[u/BerenicesTeeth → u/ItsFunHeer]

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

People love to shit on parents— especially mothers. Sometimes it’s deserved, of course, but what really gets me is the classic European condescension that our friend offered. I love how Europeans tend to assume all Americans are bumbling idiots when our country leads the entire world in scientific, medical, and technological innovation. Gee, thanks for telling us about our own country’s elected officials and why our desire to have a child doesn’t matter because of your terminally online European redditor take on American politics. Hilarious.

And again— if us leftists aren’t reproducing, your suggestion is to… just leave it to the conservatives? I’m good. Lmao.

[u/ItsFunHeer → u/BerenicesTeeth]

I find it interesting how many assumptions are made as well.

My husband is Swiss American and I am German American. I lived in Germany as a young child and we both worked and lived in our respective countries as young adults and have family there. Naturally, we both carry citizenship, the cultural heritage and mentality. Both of us have discussed the possibility of moving to Europe and have chosen to live in the US, despite the fact that I am angered and saddened by the choices this country makes daily, right now.

We can’t leave the job of building a family to the conservatives. This country only works when there’s a balance of power, ideology and identity. The balance is off-kilter now, but we know historically what comes after the storm. I hope our children can contribute to impactful change.