NYT: “Families Feel Sharp Edge of State Budget Cuts”

The New York Times today reports on the increasingly difficult struggle needy families face as state governments try to trim budgets. With unemployment still hovering around 9 percent, families nationwide are depending on government assistance to help weather the storm. But state governments, also facing a cash crunch, are cutting away those very government supports.

People often liken government budgets to family budgets, urging policymakers for a government that “lives within its means.” This argument seems intuitive, but really the opposite is true: in tough times, government spending supports struggling families and bolsters demand in the economy. See the startling correlation between unemployment and dependence on food aid here, and take action!