America Founded on Oppressing Poor
By Kevin Palmer
President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to poor families is no surprise coming from a person who resembles the founding fathers. In fact, the current disdain for the poor and homeless began with the founding fathers.
For instance, the founders made certain the first Constitution of the United States, the Articles of Confederation of 1777, denied rights and privileges to the poor and homeless. Article 4 states, “The free inhabitants of each of these States, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States.” Pauper means poor and vagabond means homeless.
Moreover, the Republican budget is like a shady coin toss, heads the rich win, tails the poor lose. By hook or by crook, the cost savings from denying benefits to poor families will end up in the bank accounts of the rich. That is why the words of Jesus are applicable to the modern day Republican Party. In the biblical passage Matthew, chapter 23, verse 27 Jesus said, “On the outside you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
