We already knew that food stamp use was growing because of the prolonged, sluggish recovery, but the Christian Science Monitorprovides this handy chart to show exactly how dramatic the increase in need has been. More than 15 percent new recipients were added compared to last year. It's amazing, and illogical, that, given this need, there isn't more support for increasing food stamp benefits, which are uniquely stimulative. Of course, lawmakers are busy raiding any slight increases in food stamp funding instead.Meanwhile, the conservative news site The Daily Calleris shocked, shocked, to learn that you can use food stamps to buy all manner of food. The government, apparently, doesn't restrict you from purchasing an $18-per-pound swordfish steak from Whole Foods. But that kind of discovery, like almost everything else in the "debate" over food stamp use, is the sort of ridiculous one that comes from a person who's never been hungry. -- Monica Potts
