If states are unable to pick up the temporary costs until the federal government eventually reopens, will the lack of that amount of money that is usually spread out across 42 million recipients across the country drive food prices up, down, or leave them unchanged?
How will widespread theft at supermarkets affect prices?
It is odd that you would assume there would be no theft increase. Survival isn’t a mark against a person’s character
Desperate times call for desperate measures
When it comes down to a basic choice of paying utilities or paying for food when both are needed it is easier to steal food than utilities
Life generally takes the path of least resistance
Certainly, I believe most people would avoid theft if possible, but when faced between dignity and survival it may be an easy choice to steal from those who are objectively price gouging
Though this is is going into a steep tangent while focusing only on theft and does not address the overall question