Washington State Dems: Federal Shutdown Takes Food From Half of Babies in Our State

    In an attempt to dramatize the effects of the federal government shutdown, Washington State Democrats may have revealed more about their state, and about the state of the economy under President Obama than they intended.  The Advance, official blog of the Washington State House Democrats, posted the following on Thursday:

Federal shutdown could take food from half the babies in Washington state 

Half of Washington state’s babies—and one third of all pregnant women in the state—rely on the Women, Infant and Children nutrition program. 

The program is run by the state, but the funding comes from the federal government. Which is shut down. 

Now the money that feeds those pregnant women, babies and young children will run out in a matter of days, according to the state Department of Health.... 

Almost half of all babies, one third of pregnant women, and one quarter of children under five in Washington State are on the WIC Program. 

In Washington State, WIC reaches over 195,000 women, infants, and children in 205 clinics each month and provides services to over 315,000 individuals each year. 

WIC is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and operated by the Washington State Department of Health.

    Democrats hold eight of the twelve seats that make up Washington's federal congressional delegation, and eight of nine elected statewide offices in the state are held by Democrats.  The governor of Washington State, Jay Inlsee, is a Democrat and the party holds majorities in both houses of the state legislature.


Note: A version of this article first appeared at The Weekly Standard.