Inland Empire Progressive

The cruelty of the Donald Trump administration’s handling of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is stark and unforgivable. As winter draws near, children, seniors, veterans, and working families face the real threat of going without food because Washington is playing politics with survival. According to the Food Research and Action Center, the administration is delaying or withholding full November benefits for the 42 million people who rely on SNAP. A federal judge ruled the government must provide full funding for November. Instead of compliance, the administration appealed and sought to withhold billions, even telling states to undo full payments that had already been issued.  What we’re witnessing is a deliberate campaign of cruelty. Children who depend on SNAP aren’t faceless statistics. They are real kids in real homes worrying about their next meal. People with disabilities, veterans on fixed incomes, families with little margin for error. The government sh...

Republicans passed Big Ugly (H.R. 1) that slashes roughly 20 % of the  CalFresh  budget decimating benefits.  22% of residents of our District received SNAP (CalFresh) benefits. Meanwhile, Trump and the party circus are planning their next Great Gatsby party while poor families are figuring out how to stretch their dollar.  Trump, Jay Obernolte and his conservative allies are clinking champagne glasses with each other while cuts to SNAP coming for five million residents.  These are not minor adjustments. These are cuts that will push people into hunger, insecurity, and worse. The research clearly states that CalFresh benefits have not only fed families, but they’ve also bolstered local economies. Yet the cruelty continues and Obernolte is part of the cut-crew.  While grocery bills for a typical California family with children run over a thousand dollars a month, the average CalFresh benefit hovers at around $189. Obernolte and Trump think it’s cute to toss ...

  Congressman Jay Obernolte's  refusal to compromise is doing serious damage to our district. The federal government is stalled because Republicans in congress want to shove their cruel agenda down Inlander's throats while essential programs are being used as leverage to get Democrats to bend the knee.  The Trump shutdown threatens the food security of millions via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and leaves the pay of federal employees and service members in limbo. This month-long impasse has federal employees wondering whether their next paycheck will show up and if they will get back pay.  But what is Obernolte doing? He continues to hold the line against compromise, standing firm with MAGA Mike Johnson rather than lifting a finger to protect the people who depend on these programs. In his own words, he has called out partisan gamesmanship but declined to find a solution.  Families in Yucaipa, Barstow, Adelanto, and Victorville relying on ...