President Romney
“We Were Too Nice to the Hungry,
I applaud the Congress for insisting that the poor, even the working poor, be given the incentive of hunger to motivate them to find work.”
Text of signing speech for the 2103 Farm Bill, section on reform of food stamp program.
“I applaud the Congress for insisting that the poor, even the working poor, be given the incentive of hunger to motivate them to find work. This change in the food stamps program is not an indiscriminate action against the poor, sick, or otherwise unfortunate. Food stamps are a meager subsidy, of less than $1.40 per meal, for people either stuck in very low paid jobs or unable to find work at all. Compared to what a working man receives this is very little. Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, a Republican supporter of the bill, received a daily meal allowance of $127.41,. Lucas is also notable as a recipient of the agriculture subsidies his committee doles out: He and his wife have collected more than $40,000 worth. The 
poor should look at this as another way Frank has earned his position in life. They need to do the same!All of this is the way our government rewards those who work.”o
poor should look at this as another way Frank has earned his position in life. They need to do the same!All of this is the way our government rewards those who work.”o“As a Mormon, I understand the importance of a safety net. In our Church; anyone who contributes ten percent of their income is entitled to great social benefits if they are out of work. We do not, however offer those benefits simply because someone is a Mormon. If you can not earn enough to contribute 10 percent, then you are not entitled to benefits. The American poor do not pay taxes. They need incentives to earn more. As an American and as your President I can’t justify a massive socialist scheme that is called “agriculture policy.”
I want to assure my Democratic opponents that this is not intended at a blow to them simply because so many of the poor are Democrats. This legislation also supports subsidies to poor family farmers. Many in the GOP want to cut these subsidies for working Americans. They are wrong. The Congress’ farm bill locks in high agriculture subsidies, providing even the poorest of farmers a chance to grow his earnings. Democrats may object to Chairman Lucas getting a farm subsidy because after all, not all farmers are poor. Their real objection is that almost no farmers are Democrats. That is why former Democrat President Obama has attacked the GOP farm-subsidy bill for spending too much. “