Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker has been lauded as a hero by many for completing the week-long #SNAPChallenge, living for a week on a budget of $30, or the equivalent of New Jersey’s food stamp allocation. Booker chronicled his week through a series of videos and blog posts, concluding with a call for universal food justice and a recommitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
My latest @LinkedIn blog post reflecting on my final day of #SNAPChallenge: http://t.co/DLRmAmyS #infollow
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) December 10, 2012
Over the past week I have been sharing my personal experience of eating less than I am accustomed to, because I wanted to personally confront what I know millions of Americans deal with everyday — the lack of sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. I will end the SNAP Challenge today but my attention and commitment to addressing food access does not stop here. I ask you to join me and those in your community who are working towards a just and sustainable food system that nourishes everyone.
https://twitter.com/lovinganidea/status/278328973065347073
From a diehard #Republican: @CoryBooker inspires me by his courage to tackle the #SNAPchallenge and his desire address hunger in our country
— Tyler Duvelius (@TylerDuvelius) December 10, 2012
I'm pretty sure @CoryBooker is a folk hero in his own time #SNAPchallenge
— Dr. Amanda Wasielewski (@awasielewski) December 7, 2012
Love @CoryBooker for doing the #SNAPChallenge — yay empathy!
— Erica Heinz (@ericaheinz) December 10, 2012
https://twitter.com/OldBlueHeron/status/278290784061628416
https://twitter.com/themelster/status/278295858229952513
For all of the attention the SNAP Challenge has garnered, some of the conditions have left a bad taste with observers. For one, Booker restricted his food purchases to what food stamps would buy.
Hang on, Mr.Booker. The S in SNAP = supplemental. Not designed to live off. Do you think it should be? #SNAPchallenge
— Rick Wolff (@RickWolff) December 4, 2012
Although I'm doing it, isn't living *just* on SNAP sending the message that it's not a supplemental program? #SNAPChallenge
— Wendy E.N Thomas NH State Rep (@WendyENThomas) December 4, 2012
I respect Cory Booker for taking the #SNAPChallenge. But the "S" stands for "supplemental" – it's not meant to cover your whole diet. #tcot
— Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) December 7, 2012
@mtgrove actually @CoryBooker is totally disingenuous, food stamps are supplemental. Program never intended to be only source of food/money.
— Leo Knepper (@leoknepper) December 8, 2012
@CoryBooker here are half a dozen other federal food prog & that doesn't even get into state prog/private charities http://t.co/XM6WCpyc
— Leo Knepper (@leoknepper) December 8, 2012
@CoryBooker then you have SSI, SDI, section 8, unemployment, and the list keeps going.
— Leo Knepper (@leoknepper) December 8, 2012
@CoryBooker the problem isn't we don't spend enough on the poor. The problem is most of the spending goes to the salaries of govt employees.
— Leo Knepper (@leoknepper) December 8, 2012
If @CoryBooker went to public school when he did the #SNAPChallenge: he coulda got free breakfast & lunch. Thats government overlap.
— Liberty & Grace (@Oahts) December 11, 2012
You know, I liked Cory Booker after Sandy. After #SNAPchallenge, not so much. "not a gov't handout." COME ON.
— kaitlin. (@katepfal) December 10, 2012
#SNAPChallenge
I 2 have been on Food Stamps
The "S" in SNAP is supplementary.@CoryBooker's mission is nobel but bogus#tcot #p2 #p21 #tpp— Ed Bradford (@egbegb) December 10, 2012
Govt operates at 25-30% efficiency.
$1B in benefits costs $4.5B – $5B#LogicFail #LibLogic#tcot #tlot— ıɹɐɹɹǝɟɯoʇ (@tomferrari) December 8, 2012
Booker’s concluding statement is short on specifics but expansive in its call for “fundamental rights and freedoms that are universally protected and guaranteed to all people around the globe without distinction,” including food, housing and medical care. In the meantime, a week of beans and yams has earned the mayor immense political capital.
https://twitter.com/shanapowers/status/277810220284121088
https://twitter.com/MyPointWas/status/277115335755309057
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