How Long Is the Invisible Breadline

http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/34snapmonthly.htm

Looking at these numbers I see a @50% increase since 2008 (from around 30-31M to 44-47M) in persons receiving SNAP---which is the new name for Food Stamps.
So calling Obama the Food Stamp President is probably not doing any violence to the truth.  Also, by these numbers, you've got on the order of 15% or so of the population receiving food stamps.  That is one really long bread line.  It's far less visible than the Depression version, of course, and even less invisible than when food stamps were actually stamps rather than EBT, but it is no less real.
It is impossible, in my view, to square such a massive increase in SNAP with any narrative that the economy is in a meaningful recovery, especially if you combine this view with the view of the number of Americans actually presently employed and ignore such bogus numbers as U3. (For these numbers, search for Population Employment Ratio).




SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM


(Data as of April 30, 2012)

Fiscal PARTICIPATION BENEFIT AVERAGE MONTHLY BENEFIT

Year Persons Households COSTS Per Person Per Household

ANNUAL SUMMARY

FY 2011 44,708,726 21,072,113 71,813,402,544 133.85 284.00

FY 2010 40,301,878 18,618,436 64,704,450,126 133.79 289.61

FY 2009 33,489,975 15,232,115 50,359,917,015 125.31 275.51

MONTHLY DATA

FY 2009

Oct 2008 30,841,790 13,900,815 3,697,627,592 119.89 266.00

Nov 2008 30,884,729 13,963,078 3,561,221,137 115.31 255.05

Dec 2008 31,567,037 14,284,026 3,648,865,577 115.59 255.45

Jan 2009 31,983,716 14,499,693 3,633,188,682 113.60 250.57

Feb 2009 32,332,622 14,677,736 3,703,673,185 114.55 252.33

Mar 2009 32,928,433 14,982,155 3,776,012,112 114.67 252.03

Apr 2009 33,524,074 15,269,505 4,499,580,155 134.22 294.68

May 2009 34,171,518 15,578,702 4,596,450,757 134.51 295.05

Jun 2009 34,882,031 15,916,305 4,675,320,239 134.03 293.74

Jul 2009 35,602,939 16,259,749 4,779,752,451 134.25 293.96

Aug 2009 36,241,857 16,560,753 4,851,752,501 133.87 292.97

Sep 2009 36,918,948 16,892,857 4,936,472,627 133.71 292.22

FY 2010

Oct 2009 37,672,818 17,253,466 5,070,759,256 134.60 293.90

Nov 2009 38,184,306 17,516,954 5,107,066,778 133.75 291.55

Dec 2009 38,979,289 17,886,438 5,244,898,952 134.56 293.23

Jan 2010 39,431,128 18,118,005 5,253,958,400 133.24 289.99

Feb 2010 39,588,993 18,242,903 5,287,836,749 133.57 289.86

Mar 2010 40,120,254 18,532,065 5,375,721,434 133.99 290.08

Apr 2010 40,430,679 18,696,485 5,390,405,728 133.32 288.31

May 2010 40,801,591 18,894,549 5,450,290,971 133.58 288.46

Jun 2010 41,275,687 19,143,572 5,503,801,482 133.34 287.50

Jul 2010 41,836,469 19,435,457 5,601,253,390 133.88 288.20

Aug 2010 42,389,926 19,721,947 5,677,253,633 133.93 287.86

Sep 2010 42,911,396 19,979,385 5,741,203,353 133.79 287.36

FY 2011

Oct 2010 43,201,052 20,183,177 5,778,525,983 133.76 286.30

Nov 2010 43,596,084 20,404,895 5,810,737,592 133.29 284.77

Dec 2010 44,082,361 20,668,184 5,889,655,092 133.61 284.96

Jan 2011 44,187,874 20,748,799 5,868,438,404 132.81 282.83

Feb 2011 44,199,479 20,791,408 5,889,268,903 133.24 283.25

Mar 2011 44,587,275 21,045,909 5,983,950,234 134.21 284.33

Apr 2011 44,647,781 21,071,176 5,949,815,789 133.26 282.37

May 2011 45,410,683 21,435,915 6,121,457,837 134.80 285.57

Jun 2011 45,183,927 21,394,401 6,039,397,710 133.66 282.29

Jul 2011 45,345,473 21,458,822 6,087,831,755 134.25 283.70

Aug 2011 45,794,474 21,723,850 6,131,029,980 133.88 282.23

Sep 2011 46,268,250 21,938,820 6,263,293,265 135.37 285.49

FY 2012

*Oct 2011 46,224,775 21,969,100 6,235,255,578 134.89 283.82

*Nov 2011 46,286,314 22,027,321 6,208,449,452 134.13 281.85

Dec 2011 46,514,155 22,162,774 6,217,746,266 133.67 280.55

Jan 2012 46,449,737 22,188,732 6,152,100,362 132.45 277.26

Feb 2012 46,326,352 22,155,497 6,160,543,658 132.98 278.06