Tennessee families are feeling the squeeze. Grocery bills are higher, paychecks are stretched thinner, and parents are doing everything they can to make sure their children are fed, especially when school is out. Conservatives understand that reality, and we believe government should work for families, not against them. Trump’s economic policies are working, but it takes time for those benefits to be felt across all levels of the economy.

That is why Democrats, playing on the impatience of voters and aggressively talking down the economy for their own political advantage, are wrong to claim Republicans oppose helping children when it comes to the federal Summer EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) program. 

The issue is not compassion. The issue is control, cost, and common sense, and reining in the waste, fraud, and abuse that have long been at an epidemic level throughout the federal government.

Summer EBT is being sold as “free money” to help families buy food while school is out. What is rarely mentioned is that the program comes with significant federal strings attached. Accepting Summer EBT would require Tennessee to comply with extensive federal mandates many of which grow over time and reduce state flexibility. Even worse, Tennessee taxpayers would be responsible for roughly half of the administrative costs. That price tag could reach millions of dollars, diverting resources from programs that are already in place and working.

Democrats want to frame this as a simple choice: take the federal money or don’t care about kids. That is blatantly dishonest.

Tennessee already invests heavily in food assistance programs that target the families most in need across our counties. These programs are priced, planned, and tailored to Tennessee not Washington. They are accountable, efficient, and focused on real outcomes rather than political talking points.

Summer EBT would duplicate many of these services, creating overlap, bureaucracy, and waste. We already see large numbers of individuals, double dipping when it comes to Social Security payments, SNAP payments, and other taxpayer funded federal benefits. Implementing a second program to feed hungry kids without determining whether or not there are those who were already receiving the federal benefits, simply invites more fraud.

At a time when Tennesseans are demanding responsible budgeting and smarter government, adding another federally controlled program without adequate accounting safeguards is not the answer.

Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee conservatives have consistently supported policies that help families afford food, lower costs, and strengthen communities without surrendering control to unelected federal bureaucrats. That includes supporting local solutions, faith  based partners, and county-level programs that understand the unique needs of each region.

Yes, many Tennesseans are struggling. And yes, the government has a role to play. But the solution is not blindly accepting every federal program wrapped in good intentions. The solution is targeted, accountable assistance that helps families without growing government dependency or long-term financial obligations.

Tennessee families deserve help, not headlines generated by attention seeking democrat politicians. And families across the state deserve leaders who are willing to tell the truth, even when it’s politically inconvenient.

Scottie Hughes is a conservative commentator for national and international media outlets and is a regular contributing writer for TriStar Daily. She lives in Sumner County with her husband and their two children.