The 1994 Congressional elections that swept the Republicans into power led to a major shift in federal spending from poor rural and urban areas to the more affluent suburbs and GOP-leaning farm country. The result was an average of $612 million more in federal spending last year for congressional districts represented by Republicans.
Spending on child care food programs was slashed 80 percent; public and Indian housing grants were virtually eliminated; rental housing loans for rural areas and special benefits for disabled coal miners were cut by two-thirds; and the food stamp program was cut by a third.
Direct payments to farmers increased sevenfold during the six years of GOP rule; business and industrial loans quadrupled; home mortgage insurance went up 150 percent; and crop insurance assistance jumped by two-thirds.
The cuts in federal programs may explain how Escambia County’s poverty level has continually grown over the past decade…even though we voted heavily Republican.