Food stamp usage is up 100% under the Obama administration. Some of that can be blamed on a weak economy and high unemployment, yes, but that's a simple answer to a complex problem. 

Funding is up for the program and they are now, too, actively seeking people to take part. 

“Throw a Great Party. Host social events where people mix and mingle,” the agency advises. “Make it fun by having activities, games, food, and entertainment, and provide information about SNAP. Putting SNAP information in a game format like BINGO, crossword puzzles, or even a ‘true/false’ quiz is fun and helps get your message across in a memorable way.”

The agency’s most recent outreach effort targets California, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and the New York metro area with radio ads.

The ads have been running since March and are scheduled to continue through the end of June — at a cost of $2.5 million — $3 million, CNN Money reported Monday.

To be fair, this began under the Bush administration in 2004 and ramped up under Obama. The output of "compassionate conservativism." It's code for expanding government handouts because of good intentions with full knowledge that it sets a bad precedent. 

The reason is simple: Once you're on you don't want to get off. And they're getting younger, too. New data shows that 1 in 4 kids are receiving SNAP assistance. 

There used to be a stigma attached to these government stamps. My father's family was poor and he tells me about the shame the felt in being forced to use them. And now the entire family has found good jobs--all 10 kids--and they are in better places because they didn't want to be in a position where they had to be reliant on anyone to survive. 

The hand up has become a hand out. Which would be fine but when you're redistributing to do it--forcing people to be charitable in a broken, bloated, fraud-laden system--it will only result in perpetuation. Some is fine, little is better, none is ideal.