Decisions You’ll Make
In America, access to food relies on a growing, vibrant economy
whose benefits flow to all through viable jobs and livable wages. This
idealized economy for all, however, no longer exists. The average
worker’s wages, adjusted for inflation, peaked more than forty years ago.
While opportunities for those in the top income strata have continually
improved, average workers’ wages have barely budged, and those in the
lowest income strata have fallen further behind. As household budgets
have tightened, so also has access to food.
In the current environment, businesses and politicians are benefit-
ing twice over. First, taxpayers are financing access to food for the most
vulnerable, making it easy for politicians and businesses to avoid resetting
public policies and business practices that undercut broad economic
opportunity. Second, any calls to rein in oversupply by cutting subsidies
to the food system are easily spun to the public as cruel measures that
will cut off access to food by those most in need.
This willingness to blur access and availability, and unwillingness
to address structural economic causes that limit opportunities for the
most vulnerable, shows no signs of abating. Coming out of the post-
008 economic recovery, three of every five new jobs were mostly low-
wage service positions. Such jobs remain the fastest-growing segment
in the employment market. Keeping profits high and worker incomes
low, American businesses outsource jobs overseas, deploy immigrant
labor, and eliminate benefits through part-time positions (while often
expecting workers to be available full-time). The service sector is also in
the crosshairs of technology, with humans being replaced by artificial
intelligence, automation, and self-service retail.
As more-desirable employment opportunities have withered, people
have juggled multiple jobs, forgone health benefits, relied on extended
families for day care, and applied for food assistance. As the number of
service-sector jobs expands in proportion to total employment, low-
income families make trade-offs—pay for utilities or purchase more
food? Budget for maximum calories to dampen hunger or for better
nutrition?
The vast majority on food assistance are working families, includ-
ing military households. As incomes stagnate, their numbers will grow.
Eighty percent of monthly SNAP benefits are typically spent by the end