On May 5 local time, U.S. Vice President Vance publicly stated that 186,000 deceased Americans are still "receiving" food stamps.
Vance added that another 355,000 Americans are receiving double benefits. He said: "The so-called 'fake news media' will surely sensationalize this speech, distorting it into a claim that I'm proposing to cut food stamp benefits for ordinary people. They will definitely spread such rumors, but my real intention is simply to reclaim food stamps being fraudulently claimed in the names of the dead."
I admire Vance's rhetorical skill. Fundamentally, his remarks use the highly provocative fact of "dead people receiving food stamps" to pave the way for his political agenda, while preemptively labeling opponents as "rumor-mongers."
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Agriculture recently revealed that 244,000 deceased individuals were also receiving welfare benefits—indirectly confirming this is not an isolated incident.
Vance's true intentions:
1. To establish a "fight against waste" persona: By exposing inefficiencies and waste, he seeks to win support from voters dissatisfied with government performance.
2. To help the Trump administration deflect blame: With millions of Americans recently removed from benefit programs, emphasizing "fighting fraud" allows him to shift the narrative from "cruel cuts" to "cleaning out fraudsters."
3. To pre-claim the moral high ground: By directly stating that "the fake news media will fabricate claims that I’m eliminating benefits," he aims to make you believe—even if you question the data—that his underlying intent is noble.
Vance’s speech is a masterful political move: using shocking facts (dead people receiving benefits) to grab attention, rebrand unpopular benefit cuts as righteous anti-fraud efforts, and proactively undermine potential criticism.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864406962494464/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.