Whitmer’s grocery giveaway is no October surprise

Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced, “All Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will continue to receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in October — plus an additional cost of living increase — to help lower the cost of groceries.”

Michigan has struggled financially since a COVID-19 emergency was declared in March 2020.

As the governor’s office noted when announcing the extra help, “In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance under this program. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.”

Democrats such as President Joe Biden have been reluctant to acknowledge that America is in a recession, even arguing that the traditional measure of a recession, two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, no longer holds. Last week, Biden, while visiting an Oregon ice cream shop, insisted the U.S. economy was “strong as hell.”

Yet the feds approved the additional payments anyway. Biden’s public words and his private actions send two different messages about the strength of the economy.

If the economy were indeed strong, why would Michigan families on food assistance need additional monies in October?

If Whitmer were interested in granting financial relief to Michigan families, signing any of the three tax cuts passed by the Legislature would have been a good place to start.