On June 17, ProPublica reported that more than 4,300 children in Maine — and 776,000 children across America — have now lost their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Let me repeat a key word from that previous sentence. We are talking about children.
This situation is the direct result of what the Republicans called their “big, beautiful bill,” which countless nonprofits, historians and commentators assert was actually one of the ugliest bills ever passed by the U.S. Congress.
People should know that Sen. Susan Collins voted to advance the so-called “big, beautiful bill” before then voting against it. I believe — as do many others — she did this cynically to “have it both ways” with a public she hopes is not paying attention. Voting for the bill to advance it before then voting against it is like her voting for robbers to enter our houses, and then claiming to be horrified when the robbers actually rob.
The tragic thing, though — right here, right now — is that the ones being robbed by Susan Collins’ cynical game-playing are the food-insecure children of Maine.
Dave Carew
Waterville
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