Cory Booker plans to live off food stamps for one week

Newark Mayor Cory Booker speaks to the audience at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 4, 2012 on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. / Getty

Following an exchange on Twitter with a self-described "Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR), fighting against any and all forms of socialism/communism," Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker plans to live off food stamps for one week.

Booker's office did not immediately confirm the plans to CBS News. But this afternoon, the mayor was tweeting his plans to go forward with a week-long "food stamp challenge."

Booker, who's prolific on Twitter, on Sunday tweeted out a quote from Plutarch: "An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics." That set off a wave of discussion, including one tweet asking, "So you want to redistribute wealth???" Another respondent was "Twitwit," who at one point wrote that "nutrition is not a responsibility of the government." Booker responded, "We have a shared responsibility that kids go to school nutritionally ready 2 learn." 

Booker eventually challenged "Twitwit" to experience what people on food stamps are going through. "Lets you and I try to live on food stamps in New Jersey (high cost of living) and feed a family for a week or month. U game?" After "Twitwit" - the aforementioned Daughter of the American Revolution who identifies as an "Army Veteran, Army Daughter, Army Wife" - said yes, Booker wrote, "We will have to get a referee - DM me your number so we can see if we can work out details." He also tweeted, "Lets film it and see how we do."  

"Twitwit" said Monday she has not yet heard from the mayor. "I havent received any information from the Mayor re: the challenge..," she tweeted. But Booker appeared to be working on making arrangements. The University of Bridgeport in Connecticut already had a food stamp challenge in the works for early December, and it offered to referee for Booker and provide rules; via his Twitter account Monday afternoon, Booker asked the university to send him a phone number so he can call to get the details.  

The food stamp program is now known as "SNAP," or The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and it says it puts "healthy food on the table for more than 46 million people each month." The University of Bridgeport's "SNAP Food Challenge," which takes place from December 2-9, encourages people to "find out the challenges of living on the same budget as those who receive the SNAP Food Benefit."

The rules mandate that only $35 be spent per person for the week on food, and that all food purchased or eaten during the week be included in that total spending. The maximum SNAP benefit in Connecticut is $200 per month for a single-person household or $367 per month for a two-person household; the benefit amount varies state by state. 

[Cole0311]

As a single mother of four children; I was laid off from my job this year. We receive food stamps in the amount of $274 per month. That is for myself and three children. My oldest is a United States Marine and my youngest is Autistic. We do not qualify for any cash assistance. $274 is hardly enough to survive!!

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

House & Senate republicans should be forced to watch POOR KIDS a Frontline documentary recently aired on PBS. Children and their families are straving and struggling yet those clowns choose to use their time attacking Susan Rice instead attacking problems facing struggling Americans. They must be voted out next election. It's heartbreaking seeing so many young kids hungry, wondering where their next meal is coming from. Certainly not republicans.

[etexpat]

Actually, their worthless parent(s) should be forced to watch their own kids.

[lovinganidea]

Mayor Cory Booker is using his influence and popularity to feed the ignorance of people who have chosen not to understand the realities of the poor in this country. This "Food Stamp Challenge" is also a way to exploit people who have to live on public assistance and generate more stereotyping of this group. This "experiment" in no way addresses the real issues of poverty, nor does it show any respect for those people who are on public assistance.

Public assistance is a noble initiative and has helped millions of people who have fallen on hard times. Public assistance should not be eliminated, but our best minds should be focused on finding ways of alleviating the large dependence on public assistance.

This is a cheap publicity stunt at the expense of the poor. I truly believe it is misguided!!

[democracy8]

In what way?

[chairgal]

So wouldn't it be favorable for these "great minds" to first experience the challenges faced by those on food stamps by living that experience first hand? You know, the whole you need to walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you can know them.

[renegadeamerican]

we welcome the mayor to come to dearborn mi, were he can dine and wine and use food stamp ..while a limousine waiting outside for him..like every darn dearbornian in here

[tsigili]

What he needs to do, is give up his salary for a month, and see how easily he can keep up with his bills, without any semblance of a JOB!

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

That's what republicans should do until they pass legislation to help struggling Americans.

[Scott762]

If you can't live on $35 per person per week for a family then you're not making very good choices, simple as that.

Our family makes many delicious meals for dinner for under $5, feeds 3-5 and we have leftovers. Get yourself carbs like potatoes and rice to go along with your proteins. Have they heard of pasta??? Now if you're idea of eating is always going out including getting fast food, $35 will go fast.

[yarak07]

i got bad news for you, i have a family of 5 and spend about $180 a week in groceries, that comes out to $36 a person.
so let me ask this, if they cant afford groceries how are they living? that means they are getting money elsewhere to supplement other needs. Lets do this, choose a person getting this SNAP, and total up how much money they get from the govt, and any free stuff they get from the govt like an "obama" phone, and see how bad they really are living.
then we could really see how they are living on $35 a week.

[steveajc]

Since 2009, there has been an urban myth that Obama created a program to provide free phones to low-income Americans at taxpayer expense. There is, in fact, a government program that will provide low-income people with a free or low cost cell phone. It was started in 2008 under George W. Bush.

The idea of providing low-income individuals with subsidized phone service was originated in the Reagan administration following the break-up of AT&T in 1984. (It was expanded and formalized by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.) The program is paid for by telecommunications companies through an independent non-profit, not through tax revenue.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Steve,

Teabaggers like Yarako7 never argue the facts, they just argue.

[k9thor110]

I will not repeat what I posted, but if you care to hear my 2 cents, go to twitter @k9thor110

[GeorgeRPrice]

Two people with the Pendleton, Indiana library did a "Food Stamp Challenge" back in 2009. If the Mayor Booker and MWadeNC on Twitter go through with this they won't like what they learn.

YouTube: http://youtu.be/mW0wdlyXJBU

[californiadreaming1]

It is not a question of WHETHER someone can live on a food stamp allotment, but rather a question of WHY so many people live off of food stamp allotments.

Why do we not address why so many people are out of work and need assistance. Everyone seems to be content that unemployment is at about 8%, but that would not account for a fraction of the 46,000,000 food stamp recipients. Are they disabled? The election is over, but the math on both sides did not add up for either candidate. Clearly there are a lot more people "in need" than anyone will admit. If so - then what is the reason they are "in need"? Only then can a solution be found.

But the talk back and forth as to whether food stamps can support someone's nutritional needs are really putting the cart before the horse.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

A good starting point would be republicans stop blocking and stopping any legislation from President Obama and Democrats to revive the economy and help struggling Americans.