Empathy: everyone should try it

In a related story to a previous entry, several lawmakers are taking the Food Stamp Challenge that requires them to live on $21 per day, which is the average cost that a welfare recipient receives. Of all the members of Congress, only four are participating.

And they are serious: no meals that exceed the $21 per day limit. They can't eat any of the meals they could eat at their posh fundraisers, no fancy coffee drinks, or organic vegetables. They hope to bring awareness of the ironic hunger issue in America, the world's richest and fattest country. This awareness will hopefully lead to more funding in the food stamp budget under the Farm Bill. It will also shed some light on how unaccessible nutrious, organic food is to low-income people....which may explain the whole fat America part.

To read about their experiences and see PDF copies of their receipts, go here and here.

Kudos to one Republican and three Democrats (one from Ohio!) for walking a mile and talking the talk.