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Hungry Kids are the Latest GOP Political Pawns

By Elstun Lauesen

“Christ of the Breadline” by Fritz Eichenberg (1901-1990) is a beautiful woodcut that instructs us to remember that Christ may appear in any form, calling upon our capacity for grace. Mr. Stoltze and his fellow Republicans would be wise to remember the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus, covered with sores, lies at the gate of a rich man who refused him. They died on the same day. Lazarus was welcomed into Heaven; the rich man was not.

Readers will not be surprised to learn that I was once an aspiring evangelist. At the age of 12, along with a few other recruits from the North Pole Baptist Church’s vacation bible school, I would hop in a van with Pastor Ragland and head into Fairbanks to redeem lost souls. If lost souls are the fruit of evangelism, then Fairbanks in the late ‘50s was an orchard. I loved it. I especially liked the ice cream sodas at the co-op afterwards. Like all 12 year olds, I was susceptible to flattery and I got my share. But — even at that age — I was more attracted to the doctrines of social justice than the Hellfire and Brimstone Old-Testament-influenced preaching that my companions preferred. I understood the doctrine of Redemption better than my pals because it was in keeping with the basic sunny outlook on life that I inherited from my dad. My friends came from families that today would be called dysfunctional and probably abusive. My family, by contrast, was relatively secure financially, open-minded and friendly. So while my friends seemed attracted to the angry God of Abraham, I was a fan of the Good News of the New Testament Redeemer.

All of this is a way of explanation and apology for what is to follow. I am dusting off my family Bible and I’m going to do a little bit of old-fashioned preaching. The object of my sermon is a piece of legislation entitled “Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 3, An Act providing for the funding for school lunches and breakfast; and providing for an effective date.” This bill, introduced by Anchorage Senator Bill Wielechowski, has been languishing in the House Finance Committee under the chairmanship of Rep. Bill Stoltze (R-HD 16).

The Republican majority-controlled house, you will remember, was ready and willing to pass Gov. Parnell’s HB 110 which would give nearly $2 billion a year of our revenue to the richest corporations on earth which, fortunately, got stopped in the senate. Apparently Mr. Stoltze and other Republican supporters of HB 110 were so mad about Senator Wielechowski’s central role in stopping the giveaway that they decided to hold food for hungry children hostage.

CSSB 3, unlike much of the sausage ground out in the sausage factory we call Juneau, is only 20 lines long and it is easily understood. The core of the bill proposes:

STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL LUNCH AND BREAKFAST. (a) To supplement the cost of lunch and breakfast provided to each student who is eligible for a free or reduced- price lunch under 42 U.S.C. 1771 – 1784, in addition to public school funding and subject to appropriation, the Department of Education and Early Development shall provide funding to a school district of 15 cents for lunch and 35 cents for breakfast to each eligible student.

(Emphasis added)

It is important to note that most, if not all, of the Republicans on the House Finance Committee are practicing Christians. They ran for and got elected to office on a platform of defending family values and no doubt made much ado about the sanctity of life.

Yet there are 51,000 children in Alaska who are going hungry every day; the majority of homeless Alaskans are children. School attendance is mandatory in Alaska and schools, therefore, are the most logical place to reach these kids who need to get fed.

How do we account for this disconnect between our duty to the poor and our service to the Rich Man?

Could it be that the poor, particularly poor children, do not have a lobby? They do not vote. They do not make large campaign donations. They do not command a SuperPAC. They cannot offer legislators the hope of a future job or a favor or an inducement that is certainly well within the capacity of the richest corporations on earth.

What kind of Christian serves the Rich Man but denies the poor? Jesus drove the moneychanger from the steps of the temple. He did not ask him for a campaign donation!

As for the poor child, did Jesus not admonish us in Mark 9:42 that “whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea”? By ‘belief in me,’ we who read Scripture understand that He meant ALL children for is not the faith of a child what is needed to enter the Kingdom in Mark 10:15?

Comes now a gentleman named Kokayi Nosakhere. He is a community organizer in East Anchorage, a community with a concentration of low income families. Mr. Nosakhere is rapidly becoming known as “the conscience of Alaska” as he is frequently seen at rallies holding up a simple hand-lettered cardboard sign with the plea: “End Childhood Hunger.” Mr. Nosakhere has spent the last 3 years trying to get the legislature’s attention on this issue. He has formed a hunger-action organization called By 2015: AMERICA with the ambitious goal of ending child hunger in America by 2015. But Nosakhere’s vision must start by addressing the tens of thousands of hungry kids in Alaska. Consequently, the hostage taking of SB 3 by Chairman Stoltze during the last session has finally pushed him over the edge. Mr. Kosakhere has issued a challenge to Mr. Stoltze and the House Finance Committee: Pass this legislation out of committee and out onto the floor by Feb. 9 or he is going to go on a hunger strike.

The members of the House Finance Committee are: Stoltze (Co-Chair), Thomas (Co-Chair), Fairclough (Vice-Chair), Edgemon, Joule, Neuman, Gara, Doogan, Alt. Hawker. It would be fair to target the Republican leadership who have been unmoved by the needs of hungry children in Alaska. They can be reached at the following email addresses. Bill_Thomas@legis.state.ak.us, rep_anna_fairclough@legis.state.ak.us, Rep.Bill.Stoltze@legis.state.ak.us

Learn more about 2015: AMERICA by going to kokayi137.wordpress.com/theby2015americaplatform/

Please feel free to write to me and let me know what you think at elauesen@oz.net!

Comments

comments

Comments
73 Responses to “Hungry Kids are the Latest GOP Political Pawns”
  1. Mag the Mick says:

    Elstun, thank you for your words, your faith, and that amazing print.

    Sveral years ago when I still livedin Anchorage, I was facing a major surgery with an “iffy” outcome. The day before I was due to check in, I went for a walk downtown to try and put my mind in order. I made a promise that I would be open to everything and anything that presented itself. On one streetcorner, I saw a Native man, presumably homeless, who was stopping people and trying to interact with them. People were brushing him off and ignoring him,, but I decided to say hello to him. He gave me a beautiful smile and asked if I’d like a Lifesaver candy. I somehow knew that he was exactly the person I needed to see, so I told him that I would love one, since I needed my life saved. He pulled one out of the wrapper, and we both said at the same time: “Ooh, wild cherry, my favorite!” We laughed and I gave him a hug and went on my way. The Lifesaver was delicious and the operation a complete success. After I got back to work, I told the story to a coworker who was a devout evangelical, and asked him how he would’ve responded. His only words were: “My Lord and Savior.”

    I am not religious nor a member of any faith, but I am convinced I saw the face of Jesus that day in the face of a homeless man who showed me kindness. I really, really wish some of the erstwhile “leaders” of our country could have the same experience.

    “Whatsoever you do to the very least of these, you do also to Me.”

  2. Zyxomma says:

    My dad was an artist during the Depression (the big one, not the current one) and got some work with the WPA (and I continued this family “tradition” by working as a writer under CETA in the 1970s). When he became disabled during the 1960s, he dug out some of his old drawings (maybe some of the prints, too) to turn into paintings. He painted in oils a drawing he’d done in the ’30s of hungry children. He called the painting “Appalachia 1966.” The numbers change, but the hunger remains the same.

    Why are we subsidizing, via the farm bill, enormous quantities of genetically modified corn, wheat, soy, and cotton (which we can’t even eat, although the seed oil is used in processed food), thus making money for Monsanto, Dow, et al., when children (and often, their parents) have no food?

    • leenie17 says:

      Because Monsanto and Dow have lots of lobbyists in Washington and give lots of money to political campaigns.

      Kids don’t and don’t. And they don’t vote. And many of their parents can’t take time off from their three minimum wage jobs to vote either.

      Same old (morally wrong) story.

      (Why can’t some morally upstanding, compassionate billionaire fund some lobbyists to promote the causes of people struggling with poverty? Hmmm…Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, are you listening?)

  3. juneaudream says:

    For all those attending a church..that sounds like a strongly possible direction. Also..could a simple photo ‘poster’..of children..a large group..be taken with their faces ‘misted’ for privacy/to remain anonymous..and a simple message held by a few in the front row..perhaps a large cardboard..looking like a box panel: This many of us are hungery daily in———-..and have people who use the ..common thread..as do the anon. mask users do, fill in..where they are needed, community by community…state by state.

  4. Polarbear says:

    You know, Elstun, we could better support Mr. Kosakhere’s hunger strike by simultaneously starting a petition to place this issue on the ballot. Most churches would place this petition quietly on a table for parishioners to sign as they leave church.

  5. mike from iowa says:

    He’s back and will yack more on next open thread. Thanks to all and as usual an apology to the good people at Mudflats for OT post.

    • Alaska Pi says:

      YAY !

    • beth. says:

      Welcome home, sweets! Can’t wait to hear of your most excellent adventure…and the meds and therapy that’re helping you mend. beth.

    • leenie17 says:

      So good to have you back! Hope you’re doing well with your new ‘bits and pieces’!

    • Baker's Dozen says:

      Welcome back! we missed your humor and insights on some really fun posts this week. Are your sure a new hip was worth missing posts on Romney and Palin and Santorum?

    • Zyxomma says:

      Goody! C U @ OT. {{{{{{ mike }}}}}}

    • Mag the Mick says:

      Mikey, as the dear departed Duke always said, “Hey blokes, get hip!” But you already did!

    • bubbles says:

      Mike! glad to see you back. you sound good. hope you are feeling better.

  6. marcuswelbymd says:

    “No child should go hungry in a country as wealthy as ours. Ever.” by Leeney17

    Leeney17, I agree with your points but want to add that to call our country wealthy is a mistake, of course. When 1% control the majority of the wealth, it means we’re no different from any Latin American or other Third World country of the 1950s to the present day.

    Lots of money at the top and everyone else just lives pay check to pay check or have no jobs at all.

    Welcome to Third World America. Sad, but true.

    • leenie17 says:

      I said the country as a whole was wealthy – I didn’t say that wealth was accessible to people who SHOULD have access to it!

      You are absolutely correct in that the top 1% has control of most of the money and seems to be becoming exponentially more greedy every day. And that’s why the right’s insistence on cutting SNAP and other assistance programs so that the wealthiest 1% and the corporations can have a few more million dollars in their offshore accounts is so heinous.

      What I just don’t understand is how so many of those at the top can be so heartless as to use their power and influence to get more and more KNOWING that, because they’ll get to keep money they don’t even need, a child will go hungry. How do they sleep at night and face themselves in the mirror knowing their greed has condemned someone to a day without food or shelter? Can they really enjoy that extra yacht or island getaway knowing that a child has gone shivering and hungry on the street in order to pay for it?

  7. AKblue says:

    This is a good reminder to pick up a package of cup of soups from Costco and take them to our neighborhood high school The school nurse kept them in her office for kids who needed them.
    How on earth can Limbaugh, the evangelicals and so-called Christian legislators sleep at night?

  8. Pat, Washington state says:

    Our school district offers meals for kids during the summer at some of the schools. All they have to do is get there. For some, I’m sure that isn’t possible. I don’t know how it is funded, but I hope they can continue to do it. I know the parents who come in the food bank trying to supplement their groceries appreciate the option.

    I don’t understand why people who seem to love the unborn and non-viable fetuses so much are so hateful and uncaring of the children who are here and need help, even if it is just breakfast and lunch less than half a year.

    They clearly aren’t reading the same Bible that I read.

  9. beth. says:

    Don’t know if any of you have heard about programs set up to feed hungry kiddos over the weekends, or not, but the concept and implementation seems to be such a no-brainer. [Googled “backpacks food weekends school kids” and pulled up some links, here: http://tinyurl.com/7ecq6cn ] There is *No* excuse for these chickadees to be going hungry… None! beth.

  10. Baker's Dozen says:

    Kids are in school, in general, 180 days/year. That is less than half the days of the year. I love school lunch programs. But kids need to eat the other half of the year, too.

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      Agreed. This is only the beginning. By the time they get done nursing their wounds from the righteous pummeling they will receive, They will be more averse to disregarding a future act of ‘grace’. That is when the other 180 days are taken care of…

      Thank you, Baker’s…

  11. Zyxomma says:

    This very widespread and crisis is unconscionable. Willard Romney, born with a platinum spoon in his mouth, must not replace President Obama. That goes double for Gingrich, and triple for Santorum. Since Paul won’t be the nominee, I’ll leave him out of it, but all of the above applies to him, too.

    • Zyxomma says:

      Delete the and from my first sentence, please.

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      Agree! For all of the President’s faults, they are generally not rooted in a lack of virtue, but not having the courage thereof. That is a far more tolerable choice than the others…

  12. Alaska Pi says:

    http://www.adn.com/2010/04/23/1247294/kokayi-nosakhere-born-to-battle.html
    There’s another wrinkle to this .
    This is not a new thing – this refusing to fund food for school children thing. Last session, SB 213 expired.
    We’re in the 2nd year of this session- opens this next week- and here we are again.
    So, those kids we can’t spend $3M a year on- can we make Stolze , et al tell the youngsters the oil companies really needed the $s worse than kids with empty bellies?
    Pffft.
    Will go send emails to the committee.
    Getting tired of holding kids hostage to anything
    Political games most of all.

    Mr. Lauesen-
    I do have a nitpick. Juneau is not a sausage factory. The Leg may be, the Gov’s office often is but Juneau is not.
    We enjoy hosting the capital but we get really uncomfortable when folks blame the hoo-bobby which issues from representatives they themselves sent here on us and our fair city.
    Our air is clean, our water is good.
    These Representatives don’t lose their minds when they get here- they kinda , maybe, sorta never had em to begin with.

  13. Moose Pucky says:

    Feed the kiddos!

  14. Buffalogal says:

    For awhile now I’ve been watching the “Jesus TV” type programming in hopes of gaining an insight on the extreme evangelical groupthink. One of the things I’ve learned is that they are no longer even trying to couch their opinion that Dems, liberals and especially Obama are ruled by Satan. I am hearing more and more frequently that taking care of the poor should only be the work of the Christian Church ( and by that they mean their own brand of church ) and the govt has no place whatsoever in such things because by doing so it takes the poor people away from God. All social programs that are govt based are basically evil.

    Just last night I was watching a show called “Ask the Pastor” where questions are called in and answered by a panel of extreme evangelical pastors. This topic came up and I was shocked by the look of pure hatred on the faces of these supposed men of God as they talked about food stamps and welfare.

    As a follower of Christ’s teaching and just the plain ol’ “Golden Rule” moral code, I was absolutely shaken by the realization that this type of Christian teaching is in the core of an increasing number of our reps in Congress and local govt.

    By the by – I really love that image of “Christ in the Breadline”. I’m off, right this moment, to look for it as a print. Very moving. Thank you !

    • benlomond2 says:

      if the evangelical “Christians” spent more time doing good works for those less fortunate, they’d have less time trying to tell everyone how they should live…

    • leenie17 says:

      Unfortunately, the ‘charity’ that many of these churches provide often comes at a price. The people in need are forced to surrender their time, their dignity and, if the evangelicals have their way, their very souls in order to fill their bellies. Can’t have the danged government getting in the way of their proselytizing with their no-strings SNAP program given to any hungry person willy-nilly, without regard for which deity they may worship!

      Remember the trip that Palin did with Franklin Graham to the rural Alaska communities a few years ago. It took months before she could be bothered to help Alaskans in crisis and then it was only to provide food with religious pamphlets enclosed.

      And, oh yeah, a plate of cookies in return for some media coverage of how caring and generous she was!

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      Matthew 7:15-23: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

      By their fruits you shall know them. Do they sow bitterness and hatred and discord? They are False. As James admonishes: By your Acts shall you be judged and not by Faith alone!

      Thank you for your vigilance!

      ~e

    • beaglemom says:

      I wonder if some of these “pastors” have even read the New Testament. They sure all seem to have forgotten its lessons fast.

  15. Baker's Dozen says:

    My last teaching job, I had a very small class of sixth grade students who were failing for one reason or another. They all got free breakfast and lunch, but they were so hungry when they got to school, that the free breakfast, which they ate irregardless of its unappetizing taste and smell, wasn’t enough. I always had bread, peanut butter, and jam to make sandwiches, breakfast bars, juice and so on in the classroom and they always ate. We spent the first 15 minutes of class just getting full and starting to digest so there was some energy to work with. I wish I could have make them a real breakfast, but my budget and our time wouldn’t allow it. Most of my food was donated by our friendly Von’s manager.

    Do you think those kids had gotten dinner the night before?

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      Who knows what kind of household situation the kids have. The first period should be just for eating and brain teaser games to get the brain and body operating. Good job with the peanut butter and jam! Those kids will always remember you–even if it is unconscious remembrance…

    • bubbles says:

      they will remember Bakers Dozen. i do. i remember every single adult who fed me when i was young. even though a child may be fed at night their tummies are so small that if they don’t have time to eat a nourishing breakfast before school they will be very hungry when they get to class.

    • leenie17 says:

      I worked with a student some years ago who came to school starving all the time. When asked what he had eaten for dinner the night before, he usually just shrugged and said, “Nothing.” One morning, he took himself, at 5 years of age, several blocks away from his house and across a four lane main road to the nearest McDonald’s. He plunked four pennies on the counter and asked for some pancakes. The manager gave him food and called the police. His parents didn’t even know he was missing because they were still asleep.

      He was finally placed in foster care after which he came to school every day clean, rested and fed.

      I would not be at all surprised if your students had missed dinner on a regular basis.

      • scout says:

        to look into the eyes of a hungry child each day….. reminds me to bring a teacher a bag of apples and a box of crackers

        bless you, Lennie, and all teachers

    • Dagian says:

      I can remember watching my friends turn up their noses at food their parents had packed. I don’t want to think about the number of half-eaten sandwiches and bruised apples I offered to throw away for them and ate myself.

    • laurie says:

      We had a tour of the local Second Harvest Food Bank once when we volunteered for food sorting. They explained how they attempted to meet the needs of hungry children and families all over our state. They have a program that sends a backpack of food home with the children on Friday afternoon. They started sending food home because they realized many kids have little or nothing to eat except for what they get at school.

      • womanwithsardinecan says:

        We have a weekend backpack program in my community too. Also, during good weather, a lunch in the park for local kids. And our food pantry is open twice a week. And St. Vincent’s supplies us with emergency boxes. Plus the Lutheran church supplies emergency food. None of it is enough, but we are determined to feed every hungry person, especially the kids, in our small community.

  16. AKPetMom says:

    The non-passage of this bill alone is horrific enough news, but to hear that there are 51,000 kids in our state that are hungry is a rather earth-shattering number. Our 2010 population was 710,000, divide the 51,000 hungry kids by this population number and you get just a little over 7% of our state’s population is going hungry.

    Here is a chart of total school enrollment in AK as of March 2010. K-12 is 129,114 students. Divide the 51,000 needy children by the total of 129,114 and you find that nearly 40% of the children enrolled in Alaskan schools are in need of food assistance.

    http://www.eed.state.ak.us/stats/SchoolEnrollment/2011SchoolEnrollment.pdf

    I haven’t compared any other states to ours but this just seems an extraordinarily high number of children that are suffering from poverty and near-poverty.

    Then on top of this to see the actual statistics relating to the health and well-being of our young people it seems to me that subsidizing school lunches is but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to improving the situation for the youngest Alaskan citizens.

    http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/data/state-data-repository/cits/2011/children-in-the-states-2011-alaska.pdf

    I apologize because I did not know that the situation was so grim here regarding children. Thanks for opening my eyes and I’ll send this same comment to those in power that have the ability to make a difference; both those that support this measure, to remind them of its’ importance, and those that are using these children as pawns in their political “dance”.

    • AKPetMom says:

      I did it, I sent an email to Thomas, Fairclough and Stoltze and cc’d the rest of the committee. This was a really big eye-opener for me and I thank you again for posting this. Sometimes I don’t always get involved in the process but this was a really big shocker for me personally, and thanks again for opening eyes. I don’t have children so I’m a bit removed from the problems that they encounter but this is such a small thing that can make such a big difference in the lives of these 40% of school age kids that are going hungry. How can we be a strong State with a strong workforce if we don’t take care of the future?

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      This is great information. I’m going to post it on my Facebook. Thank you!

  17. beaglemom says:

    My husband had a conversation this afternoon with a very nice gentleman who voice his low opinion of homeless people. In fact he was, along with my husband, doing volunteer work at the time with a formerly homeless young man who now has a paying job and a place to live. My husband thinks that he and the young man were able to explain some of the stark and ugly realities of life than can lead to homelessness. For example, the older gentleman (who is genuinely very much a good-hearted “gentleman”) had not ever known that many of our homeless are mentally ill and incapable, because of their illness and isolation, to lead normal lives.

    It’s much the same with hungry children. It’s so easy to blame the children and their parents when what we need to do is work to end the hunger first and then put in place mechanisms that keep it from happening.

  18. Lacy Lady says:

    I don’t understand how these people running for office can spend millions and millions of dollars for TV ads and yet deny people of getting food to feed their familys. Something is wrong with this picture.
    As for Rush L, —-I don’t think he is missing any meals—-and the way he jumps up and down on his chair—he is swallowing more than food.

  19. scout says:

    GOP Chairman Stoltze subscribes to Republican hate-radio mouthpiece Rush Limbaugh’s malignant propaganda on hungry children or as Rush refers to them, “wanton waifs and serfs”:

    “So this is how it works, you see. If you feed them, if you feed the children, three square meals a day during the school year, how can you expect them to feed themselves in the summer?………..”

    “….. They demand to be fed during the summer or their acolytes demand that they be fed during the summer, because after all, we’ve conditioned them to not feeding themselves. Plus their parents don’t have to take the responsibility of feeding them, and their parents don’t take the responsibility of paying, not directly, for them to be fed. So it’s just natural.” ~ Rushpublican Limbaugh

    This is the face of the “pro-life” Republican of 2012: Do NOT feed the “wanton waifs” (hungry children) or they’ll become “conditioned” to expect food year-round. NWJWD.

    I stand with Mr. Nosakhere ~ End Childhood Hunger.

    • bubbles says:

      i stand with Scout as always.
      End Childhood Hunger! now! today! and forever!

    • leenie17 says:

      As a teacher in a city school district, I see children every day who depend on our less-than-appetizing breakfasts and lunches for their primary nutrition. I’ve also seen children who dread school holidays and vacations because they aren’t sure what – or even IF – they’ll be eating until they get back to school.

      No child should go hungry in a country as wealthy as ours. Ever.

      And any politician who holds up legislation providing funds for feeding hungry children in order to win a political pissing contest should be forced to explain to those same hungry children why their inflated ego is more important than that child’s empty belly.

      • BeeJay says:

        Leenie – it’s no different in rural America either. I’m at a high school with 140 students, and it’s a good bet that at least 60-70% are on free or reduced meals, perhaps even higher. I’m convinced that the way to truly fix this nation’s schools is to repair the children first. They need food, stable families, health care that doesn’t ruin family finances, the list is so long. That is what is missing from the whole school equation: what about the kids?

      • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

        Some of the more politically engaged parents might well organize those kids to attend a Southcentral caucus meeting in Anchorage to look those politicians in the face and ask them “why”? Thanks for the great idea re: politician “forced to explain to those same hungry children…”

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      Rush Limbaugh, who never missed a meal in his life calls them wanton waifs and serfs? The irony here is that he thinks he is more than they are. In truth, he is a serf. A lackey. He is the Plantation-owner’s paid bully to keep The Help in line. One of my wishes is to outlive Rush so I can go and visit his grave so I can sprinkle it with holy water–AFTER I drink it!

      • bubbles says:

        yes but be prepared to stand in line.a very long line.
        nice post. thank you.

      • scout says:

        The Republican Christian message; “Suffer the wanton waifs to come unto me” You’re a worthy life from 2 cells until birth, but accent on SUFFER if you’re an infant born into the wrong income bracket. (sic and sick)

        Mr. Lauesen, you are a treasure, Sir. Heartfelt thanks for this article to you and AKM.

        • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

          Thank you…some say the greatest weapon of evil is it’s ability to disguise itself. I fear that there are many False Prophets loose upon the land who call hate love and love hate. Unmasking these False Prophets is our challenge.

    • Millie says:

      Stoltz is the absolute worst! Just watch him in action as the head of his committee. Noticed lots of laughing and comments whispered (mikes off, of course!) back and forth between the Haines rep (can’t think of his name) and Fairclaugh of Eagle River. All easily viewed beginning 1/17 on the TV channel covering the Legislature.

    • Pat, Washington state says:

      Rush is such a jackass. That is the dumbest argument against feeding children that I have ever heard. I can’t believe that people listen to him and think that sort of stupidity has a valid point.

    • John says:

      Rush wants to blame the parents for being out of work (thanks to policies he promotes). Then he wants to blame the schools for failing to teach even though it is well documented that hungry kids have a harder time learning. Hungry children need food. If we can only feed them 180 days of the year, that is better than not feeding them ever. Maybe the money the parents save during half the year can then be used to help feed them during the other half.

  20. Ivan says:

    Blessed are the Oil company’s for one of their own is in the governors office.

  21. Dagian says:

    I’m appalled that anyone would rather see children continue to go hungry rather than not.

    Off-topic alert! From the Washington Post site:

    Posted at 03:58 PM ET, 01/13/2012
    Perry, Gingrich lose lawsuit to get on Virginia primary ballot
    By Anita Kumar
    A federal judge denied a request Friday to add four presidential candidates to Virginia’s Republican primary ballot.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. indicated he thought a provision requiring candidates to only use state residents to gather signatures was unconstitutional, but none of the candidates had collected the required 10,000 regardless.

    • Dagian says:

      I find it kinda funny that ‘law & order at all costs!’ Republicans just couldn’t be bothered to follow the rules. It’s not like these are NEW rules in Virginia, either. None of these four could muster enough signatures? Hmm. Interesting.

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      HAHAHAHAH…so all the ‘Conservatives’ who are counseling that all the other candidates get behind one to stop Mittens must now get behind Ron Paul. OMG…this gets funnier and more ironic by the day…

      • Dagian says:

        What makes it still funnier is that in Virginia, you can’t write-in nominees for the presidency on the primary ballots.

        So – a write-in campaign in March will go nowhere legally.

      • Dagian says:

        Did I fail to mention that Gingrich is a Virginia resident and has been for many years?

        *bwahahaha!* The irony!

        “But Gingrich didn’t do his homework. Primary write-ins aren’t legal in Virginia. Gingrich’s absence from the Super Tuesday race is a blow to his fast-rising campaign, even as a poll showed the one-time Republican congressional leader ahead of GOP favorite Mitt Romney in Virginia.

        The lack of signatures was particularly stinging because Gingrich is a Virginia resident.”

  22. Writing from Alaska says:

    Thank you… and amen, brother.

  23. Ivan says:

    Jesus said, “Let the little oil company’s come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” [Matthew 19:14]

  24. Millie says:

    I hate to say this, but this particular problem is going on all over the United States. I watched a CSpan show last night that included a panel of national figures discussing the problem for a good two hours. It should also be noted that this problem is a concern to ALL races across our nation.

    Many couples have lost their jobs or have jobs that don’t pay enough to survive as costs are rising in food, rent, utilities, medical, etc. And, I would suspect single parents are experiencing worse circumstances.

    Alaska is one state that CAN afford to assist our less fortunate in providing funds for the breakfast and lunch programs in our schools.

    Newt Gingrich is calling President Obama the ‘food stamp president’ which is idiotic! Did you know that the application to apply for food stamps is 12 to 15 pages (cannot recall the exact number, but it shocked me when hearing it last night)? Does it appear to be a discouragement to apply? It does to me. Plus, once applied for, the application is moved automatically to the criminal side of our governments to see if the applicant has a record or is currently wanted for some offense. Not only does it slow down the process, but think of the parent, with a record, trying to feed his or her family, to have to be checked out ‘further’ to see if he or she is ‘clear’ in order to feed his or her family.

    I blame the Republican side of the Alaskan Legislature in their non-support of this issue. They should be ashamed of of themselves! Children need food in their bellies to provide the energy to ‘learn’ in their schools!

    Keep track of the legislators that are against this issue, Alaskan voters.

  25. Thank you for letting people know about this issue. “Your reward shall be great ijn Heaven”

  26. Lynn in VA says:

    Typical Republican attitude: every sperm & fetus is sacred, once they’re born ( and especially if they aren’t born rich, white & Republican) not so much…

    • Elstun W. Lauesen says:

      Spermatazoae, Ovae, Zygotes lend me your ears: life is not all you were knocked up to be! Particularly if you emerge in a Republican-controlled state.