I grew up this poor. Poor enough to look forward to summer times where we would be free to roam and eat berries, apples, etc... This bounty, combined with some bread and cheeze meant care free growing, playing days with more or less unlimited food!

And there is the difference between powdered milk and ordinary milk! (and mixing it half and half does not cut it!) Go look at the stuff! They've not changed the package since the 70's, I swear.

Also remember the much higher value perception "real money" had over food stamps. One could buy anything with real money! (very cool to have when one is 10!)

This story resonates strongly with me:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/us/01stamps.html?ex=1335672000&en=0297b496d0f1 e6e2&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Discussion on Kos:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/21/194651/557

Just to put things in context I suppose... I just like this kind of politics. There is rarely a better way to get solid metrics for legislation than to actually do and live to learn.

We fight over a lot of lofty stuff, but we let this go on day after day. BTW, people do get out of this kind of mess, but it's tough and the numbers are not good. I made it, but it took some luck and a lot of work --and more than a few hungry days to save for other options. Skipping eating days can yield some dollars needed to improve one's lot, but it's brutal.

Nearly everybody I knew, growing up as I did, is still there... And we wonder about our ability to produce and the social costs of their poverty.

That's it. Just liked the program and the many interesting links on the Kos story. There is growing support for modest increases in the food stamp program and the minimum wage.

I'm glad we re-elected the guy. We've got a nice gain on equality and an excellent boost in awareness of some basic problems that are well within our ability to address.

I didn't say solve. Nobody should get help, unless they are helping themselves. However, they should have the means to actually help themselves, without having to pick which hungry days are gonna matter the least, so real dollars can be put to some greater good.