The Problem With Pence’s New Talking Point
At a rally last week in Wichita, Kansas, as Vice President Mike Pence kicked off a swing of campaign appearances across the Midwest, he unveiled a new GOP talking point. “We’re gonna stand firm and get a farm bill that includes work requirements for people—able-bodied Americans—on food stamps so we get people back into the workforce and back enjoying the dignity of work,” Pence told the crowd gathered at an old hangar near McConnell Air Force Base. “We’re going to do it.”
He’s probably wrong. The evidence that the new work requirements will hurt more than they help is mounting. And the fight over their inclusion. Facing opposition from within their party, House Republicans can’t muscle the bill through on their own. Even if Republicans keep control of the House after the midterms——it’s likely they’ll end up caving to the Senate and cut the stricter provisions entirely.
