FIVE - In this Sept. 27, 1967, file photo President Lyndon B. Johnson reaches for a pen to sign the Food Stamp bill in Washington. Food stamps look ripe for the picking, politically speaking. Through five years and counting of economic distress, the food aid program has swollen up like a summer tomato. It grew to $78 billion last year, more than double its size when the recession began in late 2007. That makes it a juicy target for conservative Republicans seeking to trim spending and pare back government. But to many Democrats, food stamps are a major element of the country’s commitment to help citizens struggling to meet basic needs. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)