Letters to the Editor: If this economy isn’t right for getting off food stamps, when is?

To the editor: I found it interesting that just after the Department of Labor released its November jobs report, the L.A. Times Editorial Board criticized President Trump’s executive action eliminating federal food stamp benefits to many able-bodied adults between 18 and 49 years old without dependents who are working fewer than 20 hours per week.

In November, 266,000 new jobs were added nationwide. The unemployment rate, at 3.5%, is at the lowest in 50 years, and average hourly wage rose 3.7% from November 2018.

In this economy, it’s hard to imagine how a motivated person could not find a job that would provide better food security than the few dollars per day provided by food stamps.

Glynn Morris, Playa del Rey

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To the editor: There is no reason other than simple cruelty to take money for food from those most in need.

Trump’s bailout of the farmers who have been hit hardest by the trade war he started has cost about $20 billion, while the savings from cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would average about $1 billion a year. Keeping rich farmers in business obviously means more to Trump than feeding the hungry.

All he is doing is playing to his base, which believes anyone on SNAP is a freeloader. Maybe they should go to a school in a low-income neighborhood and see the children who have no lunch and might not have much for dinner.

Trump has lived his life in a golden palace, never knowing hunger. It’s time he shows some empathy for those who know hunger every day.

Debbie Cassettari, Chino Hills