Missouri lawmaker on child hunger: ‘Hunger can be a positive motivator.’
In her June newsletter, State Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-MO) provided several “commentaries” to a press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on a summer food program. The program provides food during the summer for thousands of low-income Missouri children who rely on the school cafeteria for free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year. Davis, who serves as the chairwoman of the Missouri House Special Standing Committee on Children and Families, questioned whether the program is warranted and extolled the hidden benefits of child hunger. This is a quote from her newsletter:
"Bigger governmental programs take away our connectedness to the human family, our brotherhood and our need for one another..... Anyone under 18 can be eligible? Can’t they get a job during the summer by the time they are 16? [So Ms. Davis, what do the ones under 16 do--beg for food?] Hunger can be a positive motivator. What is wrong with the idea of getting a job so you can get better meals? Tip: If you work for McDonald’s, they will feed you for free during your break.... It really is all about increasing government spending, which means an increase in taxes for us to buy more free lunches and breakfasts."
A report by Feeding America found that one in five Missouri children currently lives with hunger. Taking apart Davis’ other arguments, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial noted that most of the summer feeding program sites are actually hosted by churches and that the program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fed 3.7 million meals last summer. With higher unemployment, more children will be hungry.
Another quote: "This program could have an unintended consequence of diminishing parental involvement. Why have meals at home with your loved ones if you can go to the government soup kitchen and get one for free? This could have the effect of breaking apart more families."
This black-hearted Republican needs course 101 in logic.
Here is a quote about sex education from another newsletter:
"Some people think that we will reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy if we put children in classes that teach them how to use birth control. This backfires. More kids are prompted to experiment with sex if you teach them that this is expected behavior."
How do these people get elected?
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Comments: 17
I don't agree with her.
Does she understand that these children HAVE NO OTHER RESOURCE FOR NUTRITIONAL MEALS?!~
o wait~ a repug politician~never mind~
what a callous human~
shame on her~
I wonder how much she received from her rich members of her family, from connections as the result of her well connected relative. What terrifies me is that it seems that in some parts of our country people are getting so self centered that their theme is "I got mine so screw you!"
The Marie Antoinette Syndrome...
WHAT THE FRENCH TOAST? Sounds like Swift to me!
I wonder the same thing! That's absolutely LUDACHRIS!
She thinks that these people should eat McDonald's every day?! That's really healthy, not! I bet she doesn't eat at McDonald's on a regular basis. Yes hunger can motivate alright, it can motivate people to steal and and engage in other criminal behavior. And I know plenty of people who can afford food but they still don't have meals with their families.
She sounds absolutely retarded.
I don't like what our governor here in our state is doing - his proposed budget cuts will cause the library I go to all the time to have to shut down if they pass. NOT TO MENTION all the cuts to funding to parks and recreations that I USE ALL THE TIME!! I am going to be doing a lot of emailing, letter writing and faxing tonight and I am not one to get overly involved in politics. GGGGGRRRRRR Don't mess with my library!
Coming from a Republican this is not suprising.
I agree with Kerrel. Jonathan Swift couldn't have improved on this - it's a satire of itself. As to how they get elected, greed is our national pastime.
What a horrible human, well prehaps she is not human afer all, to suggest that making kids go hungry is a good thing?? stupid sow!
I think that she should be made to go hungry and see how she likes it!
with more and more familys living on little income, the free lunch/breakfast may be the only chance they have to fill their tummies with good food!
Ugggg, I just want to reach thru the screen and thump her mellon, see if anything rattles up there!
I am thinking about her relatives - what are they like? I am also thinking about those that elected her and support her. She's not the only one tat says that, other republicans have too. And they want to save the babies; for this? I havent heard any democrats say that, though.
No wonder the country is torn in half.
So you advocate sending school children to work and to he** with child labor laws??
I agree with her that hunger is a great motivator. So, I vote we take 2/3 of her salary and give it to the poor. That way, she'll be more motivated to be a better person!
I, like Charles have had to work. In my 52 years, I've worked to provide my own clothes since I was 13 years old and everything else on my own since I was 13. But, after having 2 kids and having to leave the husband who was trying to kill them occasionally, I found myself unable to provide everything the 3 of us needed. My kids were sometimes hungry, but not because I was lazy....I was working more than full time! So was my babysitter!
I guess we could provide work farms for these kids that she thinks need to be motivated. But, mostly I think her remarks show how far from connected she is with reality. She obviously doesn't realize there are lots and lots of kids out there that need food!
This is too stupid (on her part) to even comment about....
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