The farm bill hasn’t gone away, but it’s getting no easier to pass.

Republicans can always shock me, it seems. How on earth do they even connect dots like this?

. . . the biggest issue is the food stamp program, which is officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and makes up more than 80 percent of the spending in the farm bill.

The House Agriculture Committee bill cut the program by $20.5 billion over 10 years, about $16 billion more than the version of the farm bill that passed the Senate with 66 votes.

The House bill cuts the program mainly by limiting eligibility. First, it reduces the ability of those receiving home heating assistance to automatically qualify for food stamps.

What? If you’re warm you don’t need to eat? You can live off your fat? I’d have thought if you needed financial help to keep your home warm in winter you probably don’t have enough money to buy food without financial aid too, but apparently that isn’t obvious to the Tea Party House. Or maybe those illustrious public servants think if you’re so broke you can’t pay the utilities then you’ve failed a moral test and should be encouraged to fast in penance for your sins.

Jeebus. How can you even think this way?