“When the Government Shuts Down, So Does the Food on the Table”

By: Brian Evans

You know, there’s an old saying that’s been rattling around in my head a lot lately: “A government that feeds you is a government that can starve you.”And right now, that feels truer than ever.With this government shutdown dragging on, millions of families are waking up scared — staring into half-empty refrigerators, wondering how long they can stretch what’s left. SNAP benefits — the food stamp program — have been paused or are running out. And for a lot of parents, that means their kids might go to bed hungry.That’s not politics. That’s real life.But it’s also a warning — one that’s been a long time coming. See, somewhere along the way, we’ve become dangerously dependent on the government for things we used to get from hard work, faith, family, and community.

Now, when Washington freezes up, it’s not just offices that close — it’s dinner tables that go empty.Back in 2009, during the recession, President Obama expanded SNAP. At the time, it made sense — people were hurting, jobs were disappearing, and families needed help. The idea was that it would be temporary.But temporary turned into permanent.In just a few years, the number of people on food stamps jumped from 28 million to 47 million — a seventy percent increase. Even after the economy improved, those numbers never went back down.Now, over 41 million Americans — one in eight — rely on SNAP, costing taxpayers more than $140 billion a year.Those aren’t just numbers. Those are warning lights flashing on the dashboard of our country.

Now don’t get me wrong — we’ve all fallen on hard times. Everyone needs help now and then. That’s what community is for. But when help turns into dependency — when people start to believe that Washington is the only thing keeping them alive — that’s where freedom starts to fade.And this shutdown is showing exactly why. When the government closes its doors, it’s not just paperwork that stops — it’s people’s dinner. The same hand that feeds can just as easily withhold.That’s not compassion. That’s control.

Let’s talk about the cost — because this dependency isn’t free. Out of the 41 million people on SNAP, about one and a half million are non-citizens, and over two million children live in homes where adults on food stamps aren’t citizens. That alone costs a few billion a year. And when you factor in all welfare programs tied to illegal immigration, taxpayers are footing the bill for about $150 to $180 billion a year. That’s around $1,100 out of every taxpayer’s pocket.

Even beyond immigration, this is about all of us. The more we lean on Washington, the weaker we get. We’re teaching entire generations that the government is the answer to every problem — and that’s a dangerous lie.Because history has already shown us what happens when the government controls everything.In the Soviet Union, people starved because the state controlled the food supply. In Mao’s China, tens of millions died in state-made famines. In Cuba and Venezuela, socialist governments used food and money as weapons — rewarding loyalty and punishing dissent.That’s how socialism works. The government becomes the provider — and then the controller. Once you depend on the state for your next meal, they’ve got a hold on you… .And while America isn’t there yet… we’re heading in that direction every time we choose dependency over independence.You can already see it taking root here.

Look at New York City — a man named Zohran Mamdani, who proudly calls himself a “democratic socialist,” is running for mayor. His big ideas? Free buses. City-run grocery stores. More government-run programs. And in Minneapolis, Omar Fateh, another socialist, is backed by his party to run for mayor too.It’s not just about those cities — it’s about a mindset spreading across America. The idea that the government should be the solution for everything… But here’s the truth: when the government becomes your provider, it eventually becomes your master.

We’ve got to get back to what built this country — faith, family, hard work, and freedom.If we really want to fix the SNAP problem, the answer isn’t just throwing more money at it. It’s helping people get back on their feet. Strengthen work requirements for those who can work — not to punish them, but to give them purpose again. Encourage job training, volunteering, and community service. Help people stand tall, not stay stuck… And let’s actually invest in the things that help people build a life — small businesses, trade schools, childcare, and local jobs. That’s how we lift people up — not by keeping them dependent, but by helping them become self-reliant.Because when people can feed themselves, they also protect their freedom.

This shutdown is a wake-up call. It’s showing us how fragile things have become.A nation that relies on Washington for food, money, and survival is a nation that’s already halfway to losing its freedom. When the government controls your food, it controls you.If we keep going down this path — more dependency, more socialism, more government in every corner of our lives — we’ll end up repeating the same mistakes that crushed freedom in other parts of the world.If we truly care about ending hunger, we have to care just as much about ending dependency. Let’s help people get back to work, rebuild their dignity, and regain control of their lives… Because when Americans can feed themselves, they can’t be starved into silence.

History’s made it clear — from Moscow to Havana, Beijing to Caracas — once the government controls your plate, it controls your fate.So let’s remember this simple truth: A government big enough to feed you is big enough to starve you… And the only way to stay free… is to stay self-reliant.

Sources:

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=55416(USDA

Economic Research Service — SNAP Data and Charts)

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=58388(USDA

Economic Research Service — Food & Nutrition Assistance Spending, FY 2024)

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility

(U.S. Department of Agriculture — SNAP Eligibility Rules)

http://www.epicforamerica.org/federal-budget/1-5-million-noncitizens-receive-food-stamps

(Epic for America — Report on Non-Citizens Receiving Food Stamps)

http://www.cato.org/blog/immigrants-used-less-welfare-native-born-americans-2022

(Cato Institute — Welfare Usage by Non-Citizens and Native-Born Americans, 2022)

http://www.fairus.org/issue/publications-resources/fiscal-burden-illegal-immigration-united-states-taxpayers-2023