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Food Stamps For Kids

By Theresa Fritz Camoriano

We are all at least somewhat familiar with food stamps, which low income people use at the grocery store to buy food.  The food stamps enable the user to purchase the type of food he prefers to eat at the store in which he prefers to shop.  The system works relatively well, but there is some fraud, and some food stamp users make poor choices, resulting in their family receiving less than optimum nutritional value. 

One possible solution to those problems would be to replace the food stamps with a weekly supply of actual groceries.  Then, we could be sure that the people receiving the aid obtain good foods, such as spinach, dried beans and whole grain rice.  We could establish government “grocery stores” in the neighborhoods, and low income people could come and pick up their preselected supplies.  But it would be difficult to keep these government food stores stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, so the supplies would have to be canned.  And what if the children refused to eat the spinach?  What if some family members were allergic to certain foods?  What if the families preferred fresh food rather than canned food?    

The typical bureaucratic approach would be to hire more government employees, resulting in poorer service than in the private grocery stores, less selection, and much higher prices, much to the detriment of the people using the system.   Despite spending double the amount that was originally spent on food stamps, the government grocery stores never would provide the quality and variety that were available in the private grocery stores.  This should come as no surprise, since it is the rule for virtually every government monopoly – from the government monopoly Post Office to the government monopoly schools. 

It is interesting that many liberals who would complain about the lack of freedom of choice and the wastefulness of government food stores and would loudly condemn an end to food stamps (or food vouchers) are the very same people who now oppose the same “food stamp” type of freedom in the area of education.  They say that the use of education vouchers (or education stamps) to be used in the school of choice will harm the government schools.  Well, the use of food vouchers might harm government food stores too, but we don’t worry about that.  In fact, we had the good sense not to establish the government food stores in the first place, because we know that food stamp users are better off with freedom of choice.  Why should education be any different?  Is education less important than food?

If we care about the children, there can be no question that more freedom of choice for parents is better for children and will provide higher quality services and better value.  While some parents might not make great choices in how they spend their education vouchers, just as they might not make great choices in how they spend their food stamps, still, the children will be far better off with an arrangement that provides for greater freedom of choice.  

We must not make the mistake of comparing the proposed voucher system with Utopia, since Utopia does not exist.  What exists is a failed government education system that leaves a large portion of our children unprepared for a successful adult life.  These children are not even proficient readers, and they certainly are not prepared to do the types of higher level reasoning and thinking that are required for success in life.  Surely, the vast majority of parents would choose a better arrangement if they were given the choice.

The most vocal opposition to school choice comes not from people who are looking out for the best interests of children but rather from the entrenched interests that stand to lose their protected monopoly positions, such as the teachers’ unions and the people who want to control the curriculum and the minds of children.  These forces have their own agendas that are not aligned with what is best for children and their families. 

Taxpayers should not be interested in providing welfare to teachers or in controlling children's minds against the will of their parents.  To the extent that education should be provided in a welfare-type format (which many of us believe is not appropriate except perhaps for the poorest families), it certainly should be provided in a format that respects parents' choices at least as much as food stamps do.

So, the next time you hear someone rail against education vouchers, saying that vouchers will destroy public schools and encourage social division, just imagine having to obtain your clothes at a government clothing store, your food at a government grocery store, and your car at the government car dealership.  Imagine the long lines, lousy products, and lack of accountability in such a monopoly system.  And imagine how much better off children will be when they are allowed to break free from the government-controlled education system.

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