Food Insecurity in Low-Income Areas Linked to Political Policies

Abstract

LET THEM EAT CAKE: THE RISE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC AREAS SINCE LYNDON B. JOHNSON’S WAR ON POVERTY A THESIS [Instructor Name] BACHELOR OF ARTS BY [University] HAMPTON, VIRGINIA MAY 2020 ABSTRACT Supermarkets and grocery stores across the country in low socioeconomic neighborhoods do not have the healthiest or highest quality of food for affordable prices. Families in these tough situations usually have to make a decision between fresh foods that may tend to be more expensive, or foods with high sugars and fats that are more affordable and are closer in proximity to their residence. The following research will discuss information relating to the evolution of food insecurity in America. It will focus on the highest level of executive leadership in America throughout the years and the impact both of America’s most dominant political parties have had on food insecurity. The time period that will be discussed is 1964 till current day. The larger overarching study is health and health impacts. The highest level of executive leadership that will be discussed is the presidential administration. The following six administrations will be examined in the study: Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, Richard Nixon’s administration, Ronald Reagan’s administration, Bill Clinton’s administration, Barack Obama’s administration, and lastly Donald Trump’s administration. Positive and negative effects of the decisions made within various presidencies will create correlations to the current situation America is struggling with today. The author will explain and apply Political Science methods and thought processes to the thesis. Conclusions will be drawn about the various administrations. Additionally, conclusions will be drawn about the two primary political parties in the United States based off the six presidencies. Recommendations are also made about how government allocation of funds can be used in a more efficiently and effectively to improve this epidemic in America. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM In 2006, Science Direct published an article by the University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Economics and the University’s Institute for Health Research and Policy. In the article the researchers analyzed current availability at the time of the study of food stores and how specific characteristics play a role such as one’s socioeconomic status and race. Research was conducted throughout the country in areas considered to be predominately white versus black and predominately Hispanic communities. The research found that low income communities have less chain supermarket grocery stores than other communities with higher socio-economic standing. Roughly seventy-five percent of the supermarket chains mentioned in the study were found to be in ‘middle income neighborhoods’. In Los Angeles County in California research was conducted in an interesting manner by comparing zip codes. Typically, what is considered non-Hispanic zip codes in the county of Los Angeles had more supermarkets per household as compared to the Hispanic zip code areas. The non–Hispanic zip codes were typically considered to be in a higher class than those Hispanic zip code areas. These rates have also proven to be true among low socio- economic communities verses high socio-economic communities. The study as a whole reveal that a subtle connection can be made between class and race. Both race and economic status are characteristics of the community. They play a role in availability to supermarkets. The study also attacks the issue that non chain grocery stores which are typically small are located in poor zip codes, these small non-chain grocery stores are usually called “corner stores or bodegas”. These small non-chain grocery stores typically lack quality nutritional food as compared to large scale grocery stores. “Corner stores” are geographically closer to low income areas. The study indicates that a majority of non- white races live in these low-income areas, traditionally. Therefore, corner stores provide easier access for people who live in these areas. The study examines zip code areas and the median income of various races which further proves that there is a connection between low-income individuals and their race/ethnicity. Looking at history can help one understand what has been done or not been done to have gotten to this point today. Looking at what was done in the past could help one figure out necessary steps and procedures to create a solution to this problem. A starting point of the past to analyze is the time period of 1964 to 1965. These specific two years is when former President Lyndon Baines Johnson established “The War on Poverty” in the United States. In Carl M. Brauer’s article titled “Kennedy, Johnson and the War on Poverty” Brauer states that the War on Poverty itself was very political. The federal government essentially was looking for a solution to reducing the poverty rate in America. Poverty in America, had been on the government’s agenda prior to the 1950s but once “rediscovered” it became a very partisan issue. Authors, various politicians and many others with influence in the world began to see the issue and drew more and more attention to it. In the mid-1950s, Senator Paul Douglas, of Illinois, proposed legislation in favor of aid to depressed areas which essentially were public works programs. Some Republicans at the time were in support of public programs but on a very small scale, traditionally Democrats were in support of public programs. Former Democratic Governor of New York, Averell Harriman, presented to the New York legislature an idea about providing funds to study poverty and its causes as well as being able to establish programs for low – income families. Another Democrat at the time who was running for president, Adlai E. Stevenson, stated “that we can abolish poverty” this mentioned in the book “Inside The War on Poverty: The Impact of Food Stamps on Birth Outcomes. On the other side, Republicans were enjoying their time with the free enterprise system and were not concerned with the struggle of the masses. Former President John F. Kennedy, did not focus on poverty until after his first two years in office, though it was mentioned in his inaugural address multiple times as he spoke on the fight against poverty. Liberal writers at the time also drew attention to the issue of poverty. Kenneth Galbraith, a best-selling author from the 1950’s to the 2000’s, wrote a book titled The Affluent Society. In his book he addressed poverty in America and how it should be viewed as a “national disgrace”. His solution to this problem was investing in the poor and their communities in their article “Inside The War on Poverty: The Impact of Food Stamps on Birth Outcomes,” Douglas Almond, Hilary W. Hoynes and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach note how the War on Poverty had an impact on birth outcomes. This article further goes to show what the federal government did or did not do to help the American people. The article discusses how the increased birth rate improved neonatal mortality. This means that due to the legislation of food stamps infant mortality decreased and baby weight increased. Researchers found that outcomes for infants improved with the Food Stamp Program. The current day program that is implemented is the Food Stamp Program that began with former President Kennedy in the year 1961. The program began in eight different impoverished counties then in the following two years it was expanded to forty-three different counties. The research conducted by this study is very rare in the fact that it shows a positive correlation from policy implementation. As it is discussed later in the thesis, Democratic officials have been the underlying hope to close the gap between class and neglect from the federal government. Due to this struggle between class and dissension as well as differences of opinion concerning the implementation of federal policy, the extent of implementation was lackadaisical. The United States federal government has neglected its citizens in multiple ways throughout the years. This neglect includes various areas such as health care, education, water safety, and most importantly food security/nutrition. A fragment of hope was once apparent during Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. Many studies and books have been written about the issue of food security. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture by the United States Department of Agriculture, United States National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are just some organizations that have conducted studies and programs about food security and nutrition. In order to understand this developing issue context must be applied to the problem. Many have analyzed this topic from the early 1900s, the 1930s and lastly the 1960s and forward. What is so interesting about the 1960s is that this is the time period, President Lyndon B. Johnson, created the War on Poverty. Research and statistics prove that the struggle of nutrition and food security disproportionately impacts low income communities at a greater rate than any other group in the United States. Many questions are raised around 1960s food (and) nutrition, since funding for food and nutrition was doubled during this time and there was a monumental piece of legislation passed during this decade. There are many factors impacting the issue of food insecurity such as socio-economic status, employability, ethnicity, living conditions environment, and much, much more but the root cause is still an unsolved mystery. One would believe that due to the fact the United States of America, is one of the richest nations in the world, food security should not be an issue, but that simply is not true. Research has shown that roughly fifty- eight percent of food insecure households were participants in at least one if not more of three of the biggest federally funded food and nutrition programs. These three programs were the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch Program. The current state of food insecurity in America is confusing to say the least. Why has food insecurity continued to grow disproportionately impacting low socio-economic communities throughout the United States? STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Due to the lack of federal policy development and implementation since 1969, food insecurity has grown, disproportionately impacting communities of low socio-economic status due to Republican elected officials. METHODOLOGY: This study is a case study and qualitative study. This research is a case study because it reflects on previously conducted research which includes qualitative research, ethnographic, participant observation, and history. This research study takes a look at various policy development from 1964 through current day. The research will spotlight various Presidential administrations. This study will shine a spotlight on the following six Presidential administrations; the Johnson administration, Nixon administration, Reagan administration, Clinton administration, Obama administration, and the Trump administration. This study deeply analyzes the problem of food insecurity as a whole in communities of low socio-economic status and how legislation and the majority of Executive leadership have played a role in neglecting these communities. Due to this rigorous study of a singular issue and understanding how it plays a larger role in society it is a case study by definition. John Gerring identifies and defines a case study as an “intensive study of a single unit for the purpose of understanding a larger class of (similar) units.” This study analyzes other bodies of work. It takes methods such as data collection, analyzation, refocusing, and theory development and modification of the research question to identify what may be impacting factors on the research question. In researching food insecurity, data must be gathered about poor communities throughout the United States. Data also must be gathered about legislation starting from 1964 moving forward and about various presidential administrations. This study as a whole is a case study with qualitative study aspects thereby making it a qualitative study as well. Analyzation of various pieces of legislation are done in conjunction with the analysis of various administrations. Therefore, the analysis of legislation and administration qualifies this study as a qualitative study through the means of studying multiple components. DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS: The following terms and definitions are used throughout the thesis and will create a context of understanding that will explain further concepts in the thesis. Food Security: Access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food Stamps: The most expansive of the U.S. food and nutrition programs. The program is means tested; eligibility requires satisfying income and asset tests... Benefits are an important component of the bundle of government transfers for low income families. Food Insecurity: Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain access to food. Low Socioeconomic Status: Households have little income or wealth to buffer against the negative impacts of an adverse health event (health shock) among adult household members. DELIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study include an always changing population which makes it difficult to get a real sense of the issue in America. Additionally, with the current state of the United States domestic policy regarding immigration and distrust for the government, many of the communities affected by this class issue may not feel safe in participating in research studies. Therefore, the sample size may be tainted, as well as changing definitions of nutrition, and other terminology that may make it hard to understand the spectrum of food secure individuals. Furthermore, research questions may lend themselves to unconscious biases which can lead participants to voting against their own self-interest. Also, the level to which participants comprehend the questions themselves can impact the outcome of the study. Any data or surveys contained in this thesis have been obtained from other academic sources. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: This study is important because it makes a connection and helps to understand how the federal government has failed a portion of the American fabric. It focuses on classism and how it has played a role in every institution and aspect of life, including food security. Classism related to the aspect of food security takes form in the shape of neglect and denial of the problem. This paper will explain how the federal government has neglected, disproportionately impacted, and effected individuals in their everyday life. It will show the positive and negative effects of the policies implemented throughout time and how these policies have increased food security or decreased food security throughout time. This study shows relevance of structural problems in American society, attempts to address the root cause of food insecurity, and its contributing factors. ORGANIZATION OF REMAINDER OF THE CHAPTERS The remaining chapters will cover the additional issues related to the thesis. Chapter 2 is the literature review which will discuss the sources used throughout the paper. Chapter 3 is the theoretical framework. This chapter will discuss specific concepts within a specific framework. Social choice theory is the theory utilized in this thesis. Chapter 4 is the methodology used to analyze this thesis. Chapter 5 is the qualitative data and the analysis of agricultural legislation throughout six different presidential administrations that have been implemented to either aid or reverse legislation. Chapter 6 is a summary of the whole thesis which will explain findings and results, the reader will understand what impact these institutions have had on low socio-economic communities throughout America and how republican elected officials have implemented policies that have negatively impacted these communities. Chapter 7 will include the conclusion of the thesis. Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW The purpose of this chapter is to establish an understanding of the sources in the paper. The following chapter will establish how the sources contributed to the research of the paper in its entirety. Low socio economic communities have been disproportionately disadvantaged throughout the United States throughout history. At one point in history we saw a glimpse of a bright future where poverty rates dropped and funds for the poor doubled. From January 3, 1965 to January 3,1967 there were more that forty programs put in place to help the poor people of the United States of America. These programs were a part of President Lynden B. Johnson’s Great Society which can best be described as series of public policy initiatives and various types of legislation as well as social service programs. Johnson’s main objectives were to reduce or completely eliminate issues such as crime, poverty, abolishing inequality for all and improve the environment. One of the biggest policy implementation was the Food Stamp Act which helped keep four million people out of poverty. This act shined a spotlight on the issue of hunger and food insecurity in America. Many view the Great Society as one of the greatest American legislative accomplishments establishing Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Head Start, Housing Urban Development and many more programs. Ever since the implementation of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 not much has been done to eradicate the nation of this inconvenient truth, namely; hunger and food insecurity. This issue started off as a bipartisan issue, regardless of political affiliation people could join together and combat this problem. Due to political polarization over the years, this has begun to be viewed as an issue of class rather than an American issue. In Douglas Almond, Hilary W. Hoynes, and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach’s “Inside The War on Poverty: The Impact of Food Stamps on Birth Outcomes,” they examined how the Food Stamp Program increased birth weight, and improved neonatal mortality rates. Earlier work of Hoynes and Schanzenbach is mentioned in the article as they examine in detail characteristics of these counties throughout the United States. They analyze the impact of the program on these counties and at what point in time the program was implemented. In counties with city like environments, and low socio-economic standing, typically the Food Stamp Program was implemented at an earlier date than in other communities. The article also gives background to the sub issues of food insecurity such as nutritional availability, food consumption, intake and other issue areas. Statistics and data are analyzed further such as county population, and other variables such as death data, natality, gender, birth weight, and plurality. Additionally, it defines food stamps and how it has impacted various communities. Carl M. Brauer takes a broader look at food insecurity in his article “Kennedy, Johnson and the War on Poverty.” He looks into President Johnson’s war on poverty. Brauer takes a holistic approach to analyze the root causes for the war on poverty, then he breaks down the research/explanations into three distinct approaches. The first which is mentioned is a school of thought where the influence of social science is influencing itself. Brauer mentions controversial American politician Daniel Moynihan as he believes that that was the genesis of the war on poverty. An example of this thought process is community action as essentially being the cornerstone of the war on poverty. Brauer then mentions a secondary thought process in which interest groups and politics play the main role in the war on poverty. The last approach mentioned is the cyclical theory of reform. This is when after a period of dominance reform then comes in. The United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service gives an overview of food security in America. The USDA ERS defines food security and the role the ERS plays in federal research. The research mentioned in the overview include food security in U.S. households, food security’s impact, and the relationship to public policy. It also looks at various statistics. Tammy Leonard, Amy E Hughes, and Sandi L Pruitt talk about what having a low socioeconomic status means in “Understanding How Low Socioeconomic Status Households Cope with Health Shocks: An Analysis of Multi Sector Linked Data”. The article also discusses how households manage to survive with such a low socioeconomic standing additionally it shines a spotlight on how they manage health shocks. Low-financial status (SES) families have little pay or riches to support against the negative effects of an unfriendly wellbeing occasion among grown-up family individuals. Notwithstanding, these families may utilize an assortment of other adapting techniques, for example, accepting assistance from family, companions, and social administrations. Authoritative information from a non-benefit nourishment appropriation focus, electronic restorative record (EMR) information from a security net human services framework, and openly accessible private evaluation information were connected to give knowledge into these adapting methodologies. Three expansive sorts of adapting procedures were analyzed: changes in family structure, private portability, and use of social administrations. The article analyzes various aspects of Johnson’s War on Poverty and his implementation of policy called The Great Society. Johnson believed that people should be given the necessary equipment to get themselves out of the situation of poverty. Therefore, he expanded the food stamp program, youth employment, and raised the minimum wage which all have an intersection called poverty. The Food Stamp of 1964; “A Short History of SNAP” by The USDA; Patti S. Landers’ “The Food Stamp Program: History, Nutrition Education, and Impact;” and the following Farm Bills of 1965,1970, 1981,1996, 2014,and 2018 are used to analyze The Food Stamp Program and the farm bills throughout the years. These sources are utilized in the thesis, explaining the impact of The Food Stamp Act implemented in 1964. The thesis also utilizes the various Farm bills from specific years’ part of presidential administrations. The journal article by Patti S. Landers also analyzes the impacts of SNAP known prior as the food stamp act. The article mentions the amount of participants in the program over the years and how it correlates to low – income families. Alok Bhargava, Dean Jolliffe, and Larry L. Howard speak on the various factors of food insecurity ranging from socio-economic, behavioral and environmental and how it has impacted early childhood. This study is a longitudinal study of primary school and the implications food insecurity. It looks at increases in childhood obesity and how policy has affected this issue. The authors note a positive relationship between families and nourishment. The study takes data from children in first, third, and fifth grade between the years 1999 to 2003. Some key points from the article included that households with poor emotional and physical health had high rates of food insecurity. Additionally, households with children who may be considered taller or heavier depending upon their age struggled with higher levels of food insecurity but the study showed that if children continued to eat nutritional meals in school and exercised then exacerbated childhood obesity was unlikely. The article discusses how food insecurity is impacted by many factors that may be big or small; these factors in their entirety include socio-economic status, employability, ethnicity, living conditions, environment and sub topics of those mentioned areas. In the 2016 article titled “Household Food Security in the United States in 2016” by Alisha Coleman Jensen, Matthew Rabbitt, Christian A. Gregory and Anita Singh they discuss households and food security in the United States and the tentative factors and what impacts they may have had. This article is utilized as an article to the aforementioned childhood longitudinal study article. The article discusses how food security was very high throughout the year of 2016. It points out that food insecurity decreased significantly from 2011 to 2016. The research paper discusses how fifty-eight percent of the various food insecure households throughout the United States are participants in one or more of the federally funded food and nutrition programs. The article identifies these programs. The federally funded programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch Program. Victoria Breckwich Vasquez, Dana Lanza, Susana Hennessey-Lavery, Shelley Facente, Helen Ann Halphin, and Meredith Minkler speak about policy implementation of food security in “Addressing Food Security Through Public Policy Action in a Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership”. The authors go into the framework of the efforts that have been put forth by various policy makers. It is stated that dietary choices are influenced by things such as environment, accessibility and availability of foods. An explanation of steps of the community based research partnership (CBPR) were explained in stages. The steps include the following: identify the problem, conduct the study, develop and implement plans and evaluate the outcomes. Techniques such as mapping, graphing and creating charts were used to analyze the issue and furthermore, to decide on how to pursue the issue and funding. The authors also define food insecurity and expand upon it. Government officials produced research for policy solutions. The legislation that would be promoted through the joint project was to improve on healthy choices, provide technical assistance, and increase the purchased amount of fruits and vegetables in underserved communities. In “Food store availability and neighborhood characteristics in the United States” Lisa M. Powell, Sandy Slater, Donka Mirtcheva, Yanjun Bao, Frank J. Chaloupka ,speak about the history of the issue, and how the community has an impact on the societal problem. This article is an analysis of availability of food stores in the United States and the outlet food store. The study states that low income communities have fewer supermarkets. More than half of the availability to super market access is available to the middle class, more than those of low socioeconomic status. About seventy - five percent of the middle class has access. The examination comes to an interesting conclusion that there are typically more non chain markets and grocery stores in low income neighborhoods as compared to more affluent areas. Public policy will and can improve these measures for all, this is a systemic barrier that limits access by income primarily but also by ethnicity. This study is reviewed as a multivariate analysis which give the authors more freedom in the way they examine and create the analysis of the study. The authors briefly touch on urbanization and population size and how that has played a role in food availability and access. Alison Hope Alkon who is an Assistant Professor at the University of the Pacific in the Department of Sociology and Julian Agyeman, who is a Professor and Chair of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at one the nation’s premier universities for food policy research, Tufts University, establishes what the systemic barrier is and describe the intersectionality of race, class, and sustainability in the book Cultivating Food Justice: Race, Class, and Sustainability. Within the book, themes such as unequal access, devolution in particular locations, farming relative to blacks in the south, food insecurity, dismantling racism, and food justice are touched upon. The editors speak on “food deserts” and the impact they have had on communities. Alkon and Agyeman include possible solutions to these themes by evaluating various studies. Alkon and Agyeman evaluate environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, food studies and critical race theory. They focus on disadvantaged groups such as the poor, and minority groups. This book presents guidance and presents the idea that justice for food is tethered to environmental justice. Rigorous research is taken and comprised into a manner of clear and precise understanding about how there is intersectionality between class, race, and the impact whiteness has on those areas. Realistic solutions are purposed about how to create a sustainable community for local food systems in areas typically defined as low-socioeconomic areas as well as how to further the food justice movement. The editors look at the American south, three different locations in California, and the American northeast. Dr. Patti S. Landers, in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics addresses the impacts of The Food Stamp Program in her article “The Food Stamp Program: History, Nutrition Education, and Impact”. Landers, addresses how the program has developed over time from the Great Depression till 2006. Landers speaks of the financial implications that the program has had and the positive impacts of the program. Landers mentions how future studies are required to study validation of development and evaluate implementation by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, the effectiveness of the nutrition education, and many other components of the legislation. The program is revered as “the cornerstone of the nation’s nutrition safety net” as stated by Landers. In order to understand the severity and complexity of the issue, understanding what type of study is being conducted is essential. John Gerring explains the need for a case study in his article in the American Political Science Review titled “What Is a Case Study and What Is It Good for?” Gerring goes into deep detail about a case study and how it is used. Gerring defines the term case study and speaks on how it utilizes other bodies of work. The article analyzes a case study from the view point of the discipline of political science. The article analyzes the differences between case study and a non-case study. It looks at the strengths and weaknesses of a case study versus a non - case study. The conclusion of the article is that it was a cross research design. The United States Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry listed the official Farm Bill of 1970 called the “Agricultural Act of 1970”. This bill is utilized throughout the thesis to explain the actions of President Richard Nixon. An analysis is dawn up about the Nixon administration using the “Agricultural Act of 1970” as a piece of legislation to analyze. The Agricultural Act of 1970 and other farm bills are analyzed by Statista a company that reports statistics. Statista’s statistical report is titled “Total costs of the U.S. supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) from 1969 to 2018.” This report is used to analyze the amount spent on the SNAP sections of each Farm Bill. This helps create a context on the how much aid was given to poor communities. J. Fred Giertz and Dennis H. Sullovan wrote a journal article titled “Food Assistance in the Reagan Administration.” This journal article analyzed the 1984 Task Force on Food Assistance. The article shines a light on how the Reagan administration is one of the three Republican elected officials who are used as an example to prove Republican elected officials negatively impacted food policy development. Karen P. Stillerman wrote an article as part of the Union of Concerned Scientists. The article explains how various different presidents had an impact on the American food system. The article is titled “Presidents Who Shaped The US Food System for Better and For Worse”. The next source utilized as legislation in the thesis was A M McNamara’s “The President’s Food Safety Initiative” this source analyzed President Clinton’s Food Safety Initiative. President Obama’s “Agricultural Act of 2014”, and his “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 are all utilized in the research. The programs that are deeply analyzed are the National School Lunch Program; the School Breakfast Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; the Summer Food Service Program; and the Child and Adult Care Food Program by the UDSA. The research further explains and proves how Democratic presidential administrations have had a very positive impact on the American public in general. Democratic presidential administrations have had a very positive impact on the food system in America. Obama’s administration utilized the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act as a part of the national “Let’s Move Campaign” by First Lady Michelle. This information was recorded by the National Archives and Records Administration. The campaign targeted obesity, hunger, nutrition and physical activity. The relevance of this information is later explained in Chapter 5 in conjunction with other legislation. The last presidential administration analyzed in the thesis is the Trump administration. The legislation that will be analyzed in this legislation is sourced from Julia Haskins journal article in The Nation’s Health Journal titled “Rollbacks to School Meal Nutrition Threatening Health: Public Health Regulations under Fire.” In addition, the 2018 farm bill titled “The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018” will be analyzed. This journal article analyzes how the Trump administration reversed policies implemented by the Obama administration. Debra J. Rog and Leonard Bickman speak on other research methods in their handbook “The SAGE Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods.”. This handbook helps analyze the study from the viewpoint of being a qualitative study. It is not simply a form of scientific research but a holistic approach of looking at problems and solving them. This method is used throughout various academic disciplines. It is highly renowned in the fields of social and natural science. Rog used data collection, analyzation, refocusing methods, theory development and modification as tools of a qualitative study. This is true of the research of food insecurity and subtopics. Using this method in the study it will analyze legislation and presidential administrations and implemented policies. The qualitative study aspect looks at data, compare and contrast, and other methods. The handbook looks at research design, sampling, an in depth analysis at a qualitative study and what it is. It looks at different focus groups and analyzes them from all angles, while simultaneously looking at other studies. The United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service defines food security in their overview of “Food Security in the U.S.”. Food security is defined as “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” This source further explains the topic of food security relative to the United States. Utilization of a theoretical framework is a necessity for understanding. Mike Thelwall talked about the necessity for a theoretical framework in his article titled “Interpreting Social Science Link Analysis Research: A Theoretical Framework”. Thelwall talks about how a theoretical framework is a direct and indirect method of studying topics. It uses hypothesis and the hypothetical system. The development of a framework came about through trying to figure out how to interpret the results of social science studies and by what means can they be analyzed. In the article “Social Choice and Individual Values” the specific theory of social choice is discussed. William J. Baumol, and Kenneth J. Arrow speak about how social choice theory could be looked at as a general theory or just a way to look at things in the world or at particular problems. Essentially Baumol and Arrow are defining the theory while simultaneously illustrating the complexity of the theory. The authors state that the basic understanding of social choice can be found in the foundations of social welfare. Social welfare as explained by J. de V. Graaff is welfare economics , Graaff examines the function of welfare economics in his book titled Theoretical Welfare Economics. All theories, concepts and topics can all be derived from basic understandings of human life and social interaction. Graaff speaks about maximization of the theory and how to analyze the assumptions that are made of the theory. Jerry S. Kelly looks at the theory from a different perspective. Kelly’s view point is discussed in his book Social Choice Theory: An Introduction. Kelly looks at the formulation of social choice theory. He defines the theory and shows how useful it is when attempting to make political and social decisions. He discusses how it is looks at social welfare completely instead of analyzing small aspects of the issue. He draws parallels from group decision making in its simplest form all the way to the most complex level of decision making. He discusses its use in human nature through how it is used in political systems. The theory of social choice is discussed in the following chapter. It is utilized in the following chapter by explaining voter participation and the lack thereof and how a specific section of the American public is neglected because of the lack of political participation. The Comparative Study of Electoral Systems by Hans- Dieter Klingemann is a book that draws a conclusion between the utilized theory, voter participation and the low socioeconomic communities. The author speaks on what is required for one to be politically active and how it is not attainable for poor communities. The source speaks on how citizens of presidential or parliamentary systems face diverse political decisions as do voters when casting votes in races administered by rules of relative portrayal or majority. Political pundits appear to realize how such rules impact political conduct. They immovably accept, for instance, that competitors running in majority frameworks are better known and considered more responsible to their voting demographics than applicants contending in decisions administered by corresponding portrayal. Barry Burden, Jason M. Fletcher, Pamela Herd, Bradley M. Jones, and Donald P. Moynihan talk about how unhealthy voters are less likely to show up to the polls and vote than healthy voters in their journal article titled “How Different Forms of Health Matter to Political Participation”. The source also speaks on how food insecurity is a greater contributing health factor to larger health problems. Data is analyzed and is taken into careful consideration by looking at objective measures. These measures include voting and monetary contributions. The article is primarily focused on how health impacts voting more than campaign contributions. Overall the source looks at the real world impacts of health. Therefore, employment, marriage, education, and social engagement on a large scale is analyzed. The study identifies dependent and independent variables, model strategy, and specific health factors. This takes aspects from various fields of study which include sociology, psychology, political science, and the medical field. All of the sources utilized in this section are used in the first chapter and the remaining chapters. These sources will create a context and further develop the ideas encompassed in the thesis. The sources mentioned explain the legislative actions, political theories, practices and the effect they have had on the people of the United States. The next five chapters will thoroughly explain and appropriately use these sources as an analysis. CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A theoretical framework is a method of direct and indirect research. This connects methods of direct related research and indirect related research to one another. This method takes into account for all possible mistakes or so called mishaps that occur in the political field specifically, as different theories are used to explain what is happening. The structure may really be a hypothesis. This is particularly valid for hypothesis driven research (regularly quantitative) that is endeavoring to test the legitimacy of existing hypotheses. Theoretical frameworks create a point of reference for understanding this thesis and research of the paper as a whole. In order to understand how these frameworks, play a role in the conducted research one must not only understand what the frameworks are, but how they function and their purpose in society. The theoretical framework of Elite Theory, as utilized in this paper, offers a guide to examine the correlation between policy makers and food insecurities, particularly in the context of poor, poverty stricken communities. In order to understand the severity and complexity of the research paper understanding what type of study is being conducted is essential. John Gerring explains the need for a case study in his article in the American Political Science Review titled “What Is a Case Study and What Is It Good for?” Gerring goes into deep detail about a case study and how it is used. Gerring defines the term case study and speaks on how it utilizes other bodies of work. The article analyzes a case study from the view point of the political science discipline. The article analyzes the differences between case study and a non-case study. It looks at the strengths and weaknesses of a case study versus a non - case study. The conclusion of the article is that it was a cross research design. Debra J. Rog and Leonard Bickman, speak to other research methods in their handbook, “The SAGE Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods.” This handbook helps analyze the study from the viewpoint of being a qualitative study. It is not simply a form of scientific research but a holistic approach of looking at problems and solving them. This method is used throughout various academic disciplines. It is highly renowned in the fields of social and natural science. Rog, used data collection, analyzation, refocusing methods, theory development and modification as tools of a qualitative study. This is true of the research of food insecurity and its subtopics. The use of this method in the study helps to analyze legislation and presidential administrations and implemented policies. The qualitative study aspect looks at...