2/ If you don't read Spanish, you can paste the URL for a website into translate.google.com and it will translate the whole site for you. Spiffy!

And hopefully a good model for something you can do if you think something is wonky - aka ask before you click 😊

2/ Maybe today had extra good coffee, but here's another: person held up a cell phone at a ball game and that lady next to them yelling expletives + general crowd noise may not equal "everyone" booing a politician. It may just be rage bait.

2/ Usually corollary to this is a belief that economic success indicates virtue. People will believe that if you are wealthy, you must deserve it (and the opposite for the poor).

Especially difficult to hear other Christians argue this way when, to my mind, scripture clearly says otherwise.

I am not saying I agree with this, but I've seen people argue that the system is ok because businesses benefit society by providing jobs and innovative goods/services that they could not without public subsidy on labor cost.

Similar to the argument for public education. But people also get rich.

9. Food insecurity in the U.S. is the result of decisions — and until we face that, we’ll keep patching holes in a system designed to leak. The way it's set up now, private aid won't be able to meet the need.

8. We could decide to index wages to inflation. Or we could decide it’s acceptable to publicly subsidize private profit. But right now, we’re stuck in an incomplete, ill-informed argument that hurts people and creates inefficiencies.

7. So why does this happen in a rich country? Because of policy choices. We’ve built a system that subsidizes corporate profit. When wages are low, public assistance fills the gap — and that’s a choice we’ve made.

6. Charity food — food banks, pantries — also plays a role. But when there’s economic instability, like a recession or a government shutdown, they get overwhelmed. They can’t close the gap alone.

5. But these programs are stigmatized. People assume recipients are lazy or unwilling to work. In reality, many do work. Others are elderly, disabled, or caring for someone. The exceptions get weaponized to demonize the poor.

4. Programs like SNAP help fill the gap. They’re essential. Without them, millions of people — including working families — would go hungry.

3. Time is part of the problem too. If you’re working two jobs just to stay afloat, you don’t have hours to shop around for deals or cook from scratch. Convenience becomes survival.

2. A lot of people work — sometimes multiple jobs — and still don’t earn enough to afford quality food. Low wages and high housing costs eat up most of their income.

3/ I don't know that we can come up with money like this again this week. I am going to try.

I am also still paying taxes, for what it's worth.

I feel like we need more stories like this because if all the news is about power struggles, it's hard to remember the people who are affected.

2/ We managed to come up with money to get each family a $75 grocery gift card last week to help cover the missing SNAP payments.

I also buy groceries IRL and I know that's maybe enough for a week for a family if they are REALLY careful about what they buy.