Ted Kulongoski and his trip to the supermarket

The other day, the Oregonian had on its front page the headline “Can You Eat on $21 a week?”  The answer to that question is… sure, with a bit of money to spare, actually, and relatively easily.  Your diet consists of Raisin Bran, spaghetti, potatoes, and … god, I’m drawing a blank on cheap eatings of past years… pancakes.  Sandwiches aren’t too expensive to make, either.  You will note that Ramen noodles and Macaroni and cheese are thrown out of this mix, and this is because when all is said and done they make you want to vomit.
So it is with a shrug that I initially met Ted Kulongoski’s schtik of eating off the food-stamp budget of $21 for a week.  “A skinnier Kulongoski will lobby for more funding for food stamps” went one report.  Nay — a $21 diet probably has the opposite effect.  Except then we get to the part of the report where “Kulongoski draws the line at mixed peanut butter and jelly” — good, because such a food-object is horrible to comprehend.  But here it dawns on me: $21 for a household as opposed to single bachelor.

Mother.  Father.  Kid.

Okay, yes, that is indeed impossible.

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