The Pennsylvania governor said in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” he hopes Congress revitalizes Medicaid and SNAP programs next term.

The Pennsylvania governor said in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” he hopes Congress revitalizes Medicaid and SNAP programs next term.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he hopes Democrats prioritize healthcare and food assistance when they take control of Congress in January, though he urged them not to forget to hold the Trump administration accountable.

“I hope one of the first things that the Congress does is to stop these Medicaid cuts, stop the SNAP cuts, roll back the cuts, the effective cuts in the Affordable Care Act,” Shapiro said in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday.

Shapiro said that in Pennsylvania alone, 510,000 people are losing healthcare and 143,000 more are losing SNAP or food assistance because of cuts approved during Donald Trump’s second term.

While he stressed the importance of revitalizing Medicaid and SNAP programs, Shapiro also said Democrats shouldn’t forget to hold the Trump administration accountable.

  • mgtzbos@lemmy.world
    2·
    13 hours ago

    Food assistance in the current state is problematic. It reinforces a tiered system for a basic right - sustanance. Better to transition farm subsidies and existing food subsidies so they are tied to an affordable, safe, nutritious, and responsible food system.

    1. Cash cropping: minimize subsidies for production based on non-food manufactured goods to drive food incentives.
    2. Food assistance: increase existing food subsidies and add in food assistance budget with targets on affordable crops to drive food prices down
    3. Imports: increase tax credits for retailers that source target percentage of local products (within state/region) to reduce transport and tarrifs that increase food costs.
    4. Packaged goods: extend tax credits to producters that source local, use renewable energy, and direct marketing dollars to healthy eating and purchases over branding spend on stadiums and entertainment.
    5. Cross-border: strengthen food trades under an umbrella food program and policy to extend food security and affordability within the zone - e.g. US, Mexico, Canada - allowing for flattening of costs and pricing.
    6. Regulations: enforce and improve consistent food safety that drives corporate behavior and investment to mitigate pathogens and promotes responsible farming and husbandry creating a single tier over typical commercial farming, organic, non-gmo systems.

    Treat food like health care.