Last month, 24 state attorneys general wrote the U.S. Department of Agriculture criticizing USDA’s proposal to begin closing what might be the biggest and most perverse loophole in the food stamp program. These attorneys general have a unique vantage point at the intersection of law enforcement and public policy—but on this issue, they’re completely wrong.
The loophole, broad-based categorical eligibility, or BBCE, has given benefits to 5 million recipients who are ineligible under federal guidelines, including some millionaires.
It’s worth noting that the attorneys general who write to criticize efforts to eliminate this rule are all Democrats. They also claim to have a common commitment to “serving the public interest and promoting the rule of law.” But everything they outline is contrary to both objectives. USDA’s proposal, on the other hand, serves both.
