Bunker-busters are more exciting than food stamps

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which has has been skimming the 2008 Bush budget proposals, came across a hidden provision that would cut the food stamp program by $1.2 billion over ten years.  This means about 300,000 Americans would be cut from the program:

The President’s budget includes a provisionthat would cut the Food Stamp Program by $540 million over the nextfive years (and by $1.2 billion over ten years) by taking more than300,000 low-income people off the program in an average month.  The Administration would achieve thesesavings by stripping states of flexibility provided in the 1996 welfarelaw that allows states to coordinate certain aspects of eligibility forthe Food Stamp Program with eligibility rules used for state TANFprograms.

Priorities, priorities, priorities!  The Administration would rather have a 12% increase ($623 billion total) in the 2008 Pentagon budget than make sure the elderly, disabled and many single parents have a food stamp program that is fully funded for a fraction of the cost.