I agree with Keith

Missouri State Representative Cynthia Davis (R) is quoted speaking quite disparagingly about a summer supplemental meals program, for school children who during the academic year receive free or reduced-price lunches.

"Hunger can be a positive motivator."

While I might say something like that in a pique of anger about my own kids, who are quite well-fed thank you Lord, coming out with something like this in relation to public policy and program is reprehensible. Davis goes on to suggest that these kids should get jobs at McDonalds so they can get free food during their breaks on the job. Her biggest concern seems to be that paying for this summer meal program leads to increased taxes (reportedly the 9.7 million meals served cost about $3.5 million, which seems to me to be a not-too-bad return).

Keith Olbermann tonight called Rep. Davis today's "worst person in the world." I tend to agree.

I think Davis needs to get in front of her remarks and defend them as best she can, and then recuse herself of her public service appointments related to child welfare in the great state of Missouri. An apology of a sort that these same defenseless children can understand and relate to, along the lines of having failed them and their needs miserably would be a good start. Remarks like this in no way signal a commitment to the welfare of that state's children. They further display a warped perception of the realities of hunger in our nation and a baffling inability to construe positive means to alleviate hunger and try to secure better futures for any state's children.

Thanks to ThinkProgress for relating the same story that Olbermann reported on-air tonight.