Missouri Rep Akin opposes spending on National School Lunch Program

[rocks 494]

SEDALIA -- Missouri’s two U.S. Senate candidates tangled Thursday over whether taxpayers should subsidize school lunches for more than 34 million students across the country.

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, the Republican candidate, said he opposes federal spending for the National School Lunch Program, which provides cash and surplus food for nearly 650,000 school lunches in Missouri each day.

“Is it something the federal government should do?” Akin said. “I answer it no. … I think the federal government should be out of the education business.”

Akin made the statement outside the 60th annual Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair on the week many students are heading back to the classroom.

The big-tent, early-morning gathering was an opportunity for candidates of both parties to shake hands, distribute literature and profess support for the state’s farmers and ranchers.

Akin’s Democratic opponent, Sen. Claire McCaskill, quickly attacked Akin’s opposition to the federal school lunch subsidy.

“I support federal school lunches,” she said. “The notion that the federal government should stop using surplus commodities to help public schools feed kids lunch is a nonstarter for me.”

McCaskill was referring to one part of the school lunch program in which the federal government buys surplus food and distributes it to public and private school cafeterias. In fiscal year 2011, the government sent surplus food such as meat, cheese and fruit worth $24.8 million to lunchrooms across Missouri.

This week, the government said it would purchase meat and fish worth $170 million to help farmers stricken by the drought. Some of those chops and filets will find their way into school lunches.

But the far bigger part of the school lunch program — which now includes breakfast and after-school snacks — consists of direct cash payments to school districts for their lunch programs.

Missouri school districts received $179 million in cash payments for the program in 2011, helping to feed more than 646,000 high school and elementary students each day. Of those, roughly 400,000 get their lunches free or at a reduced cost because their family income is low enough to qualify for a price break.

Nationally, the school lunch program costs $11.3 billion. It has had bipartisan support for years, although Republicans have worried about growing costs while Democrats have argued for more taxpayer money to make the lunches healthier.

“When a child’s nutritional needs are met, the child is more attentive in class and has better attendance and fewer disciplinary problems,” the Food Research and Action Center, a lobbying group, has written. “The National School Lunch Program meets the nutritional needs of children by providing a … balanced meal that contains one-third or more of the nutrients they need each day.”

As a member of Congress, Akin has voted against the school lunch program. In 2010, he opposed the reauthorization and expansion of the school lunch program, which began in 1946.

He said Thursday that providing food to students at school should not be a federal responsibility.

“Why not do it at the state level?” he asked. “I’m not against school lunches, but I have a question whether the federal government should be doing as many things as it’s doing, and that would be one to take a look at.”

McCaskill said Akin’s position reflects his opposition to much of what the federal government does, a key argument she has made against the Republican.

“Do I want the federal government to spend less? Yes,” she said. “But I don’t want to turn out the lights and go home on the most important parts of our economy.”

In June, McCaskill voted for a new five-year farm bill that adjusts crop insurance programs and commodity subsidies and pays for the food stamp program. A small portion of the school lunch program is part of that measure.

But the farm bill has stalled in the House. Akin said he wants to separate the farm support part of the bill from the food stamp legislation, with separate votes on each.

Akin, whose district includes much of the St. Louis suburbs, has never voted in favor of a farm bill.

Thursday’s breakfast, hosted by Gov. Jay Nixon, drew more than 1,000 people and included an auction and bluegrass music. Nixon’s GOP opponent in November, Dave Spence, attended the breakfast but did not speak to the audience.

So children should starve? Interesting. I'm sure that will help them get good grades in school. Who votes for these people?

The federal government need to be in control of this so that the food provided doesn't end up being chocolate milk, chicken fried steak and mac and cheese as a vegetable.

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[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The federal government need to be in control of this so that the food provided doesn't end up being chocolate milk, chicken fried steak and mac and cheese as a vegetable.

With the feds in the mix, pizza passes as a vegetable. Congress said so.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

So children should starve? Interesting. I'm sure that will help them get good grades in school. Who votes for these people?

The federal government need to be in control of this so that the food provided doesn't end up being chocolate milk, chicken fried steak and mac and cheese as a vegetable.

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People shouldn't have kids if they cannot afford to take care of them.

Everyone else shouldn't have to pay for their brat's meals.

Of course you feel that these kids should be taken care of, there are plenty of charities that you can donate to that don't require government intervention.

[Pooky 3,365]

With the feds in the mix, pizza passes as a vegetable. Congress said so.

With the Feds classing pizza as a vegetable, and states trying to pass Creationism off as science, what are the alternatives?

I would have gone with the parents, but they vote for both of the above, so that's a non-starter, too.

[jimnlena 8]

People shouldn't have kids if they cannot afford to take care of them.

Everyone else shouldn't have to pay for their brat's meals.

Of course you feel that these kids should be taken care of, there are plenty of charities that you can donate to that don't require government intervention.

What!!! Take responsibilty for your own actions!!! What country you living in??

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

So children should starve? Interesting. I'm sure that will help them get good grades in school. Who votes for these people?

The federal government need to be in control of this so that the food provided doesn't end up being chocolate milk, chicken fried steak and mac and cheese as a vegetable.

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and

if the whole story had been posted, What Akin said was, He was not opposed to feeding children he just did not think education was a federal function he thought it was a state function. It's amazing to me that anytimg someone tries to start using common sense and lmiting our government they are accused of wanting to posin the air, starve children, kill elderly yad yada yada.

And I will add that the School lunch program is Widely abused and along with food stamps is one of the big cash moo cow's of the entitlement program. Free lunch has become a right and is out of control. Over 60% of kids in Georgia get a free or reduced price lunch.. Do WHAT! Yes that's right.

I was in a meeting the other day and a girl who drives a Lexus to work was talking about getting her free lunches.

Last summer a guy that worked for me, brought boxes of food with hundreds of sandwiches, milks, chips etc to work everyday. Why?? His wife worked in the free summer feeding program. and they had all this extra food.

The problem is that every government entitlement program is a bloated, festering pig of a free handout program that drains billions out of our Treasury.

60% getting free lunch, but yet if someone tries to reel it in they are accused of starving children.. The question should be is who keeps voting for people that allow this to continue.

[james&olya 1,121]

a girl who drives a Lexus to work was talking about getting her free lunches.

I would just like to point out that making sure that children have some semblance of nutrition may be one of the best investments society can make. You indirectly said as much! A girl who now drives a Lexus to work (employed with a very good income!) was helped in the past with school free lunches. A healthy and educated workforce is essential to maintain the integrity of our government and all of the services it provides including even right wing favorites such as military spending!

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I would just like to point out that making sure that children have some semblance of nutrition may be one of the best investments society can make. You indirectly said as much! A girl who now drives a Lexus to work (employed with a very good income!) was helped in the past with school free lunches. A healthy and educated workforce is essential to maintain the integrity of our government and all of the services it provides including even right wing favorites such as military spending!

I said the girl with the Lexus had children that were getting free lunches.

60% of kids getting free lunches is a crime, I don't give a darn who you are. It's not right.

[^_^ 5,021]

I'd like to see federal involvement in education changed, not strengthened or weakened. I support federal curriculum mandates that apply to all 50 states. I don't support them doing much of anything else.

[Danno 1,228]

So children should starve? Interesting. I'm sure that will help them get good grades in school. Who votes for these people?

The federal government need to be in control of this so that the food provided doesn't end up being chocolate milk, chicken fried steak and mac and cheese as a vegetable.

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Why would these low income kids starve, we are already providing Food stamps to feed them...... do they starve during the summer vacation?

Axe the program.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Danno

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

So children should starve? Interesting. I'm sure that will help them get good grades in school. Who votes for these people?

The federal government need to be in control of this so that the food provided doesn't end up being chocolate milk, chicken fried steak and mac and cheese as a vegetable.

Link

My children will not starve without government help. Yours? Ever hear if a lunch box? How about parents controlling what their children eat? Get up earlier, make them lunch, kiss them goodbye and let them carry lunch to school.

Typical Democrat that couldn't find their way off a stuck escalator.

I would just like to point out that making sure that children have some semblance of nutrition may be one of the best investments society can make. You indirectly said as much! A girl who now drives a Lexus to work (employed with a very good income!) was helped in the past with school free lunches. A healthy and educated workforce is essential to maintain the integrity of our government and all of the services it provides including even right wing favorites such as military spending!

And who better to do that than parents?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

My daughter will head to school next week. First official communication I received was about free and reduced price lunches. Doesn't apply to me. What really got me, though, was that the school provides a free breakfast to each and every student, each and every day. Why? My daughter will eat breakfast at home with mom and dad prior to either one of us bringing her to the school bus stop. It makes no sense to me that there's a free breakfast waiting for all students every day.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

My daughter will head to school next week. First official communication I received was about free and reduced price lunches. Doesn't apply to me. What really got me, though, was that the school provides a free breakfast to each and every student, each and every day. Why? My daughter will eat breakfast at home with mom and dad prior to either one of us bringing her to the school bus stop. It makes no sense to me that there's a free breakfast waiting for all students every day.

First of all, good for you! Your children are number 1 and I do no tneed anyone to feed mine or decide what is best for them to eat.

You are paying for the free breakfasts, so say something.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

People shouldn't have kids if they cannot afford to take care of them.

Agreed. It's a shame there are people in office (or who want to be in office) who are absolutely opposed to many forms of birth control.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Some students if not given free lunch will not be able to eat at all.

There are numerous studies out that show that (big surprise!) children need healthy food to grow good and capable brains. School lunch and even breakfast for the extremely poor provides nutrition that these children would not otherwise get.

We can wish that people who can't afford kids won't have them, but they do. I think the best thing for a lasting solution is to feed them and grow their brains so these kids can stop the welfare cycle and be smart and get jobs as adults. I'd rather pay for some cheap lunches for a few years then pay for someone's house and food and living expenses for 50+ years.