It's Been a Minute The politics of hunger
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Oct 31, 2025 Maggie Dickinson, an associate professor and author, and Poonam Gupta, a research associate at the Urban Institute, delve into the complexities of hunger in America. They discuss the implications of potential SNAP funding lapses as Thanksgiving approaches, highlighting who suffers most from hunger. The duo counters the stigma surrounding SNAP recipients, explaining that many are children or disabled. They also explore the political motivations behind SNAP criticism and how hunger is often a result of policy choices, rather than individual failure.
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SNAP Is A Federal Entitlement
- SNAP is the largest federal food assistance program and a federal entitlement.
- Maggie Dickinson explains eligibility expansion or contraction depends on need levels.
SNAP Stigma Versus Reality
- Public narratives frame SNAP users as lazy or over-reliant despite evidence to the contrary.
- Poonam Gupta notes two-thirds of SNAP recipients are seniors, children, or people with disabilities.
Race Shaped The U.S. Welfare State
- U.S. welfare policy has been historically shaped by race and backlash.
- Maggie Dickinson traces exclusions in New Deal and Reagan-era rhetoric like the 'welfare queen.'
