Poll: GOP voters love food stamp cuts

By an overwhelming margin, Republican voters say they approve of the recent cuts to the program

Published November 15, 2013 1:24PM (EST)

  (AP/Susan Walsh)
(AP/Susan Walsh)

According to a new poll from the Huffington Post and YouGov, GOP voters are quite happy with the recent cuts in benefits for those on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, AKA food stamps.

By a margin of 67 percent to 25 percent, GOP voters registered their approval of cuts to the program that helps feed some 47 million Americans. Democrats, on the other hand, oppose the cuts by a similar margin, 67 percent to 28 percent. Independents are more evenly split, with 48 percent disapproving and 40 percent approving.

More from the Huffington Post:

November's cut happened thanks to legislation that passed Congress with Democratic votes back in 2010. There had been virtually no discussion of the cut before it took effect -- even though its $5 billion annual reduction is 25 percent bigger than what Republicans' have sought in their much-publicized effort to reform food stamps.

The 2010 votes hastened the expiration of a food stamp increase that was part of the 2009 stimulus bill -- so benefits are returning to pre-stimulus levels. However, experts say the change still represents the first-ever month-to-month reduction in food stamp benefits.

The somewhat obscure origin of the cut partially explains why it received little attention from the national media -- in the month before the reduction took effect, liberal watchdog Media Matters reported not a single national news broadcast had mentioned it.


By Elias Isquith

Elias Isquith is a former Salon staff writer.

MORE FROM Elias Isquith


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Food Stamps Gop Poll Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program The Huffington Post Yougov