I
ishii
Guest
Gee - I wonder where everyone went who was calling this “forced starvation” and “cutting foodstamps” ?
- Status
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
I think the only thing that the republican proposal proves is that like the democrats they are the party of big government, because government spending certainly does not decrease under their proposal.
S
SamH
Guest
How many times are you going to post that?
R
Ridgerunner
Guest
I don’t think you can say spending “certainly” won’t decrease, because there is the possibility that it will.
Whatever we may think about that, or about Repubs generally, we ought to support proposals that stand any chance at all of even slowing down the gallop to a dependency state.
Personally, I see no harm in this particular Repub proposal.
I
ishii
Guest
So instead, in order to appease the .01% of the electorate 3rd party crowd, the Republicans are supposed propose all out elimination of foodstamps, entitlements, etc. ? And then they get kicked out of office. It seems the poor Republicans can’t please everyone.
This is a good start, though. Especially if they are able to make further reforms of entitlements after winning (hopefully) in 2016.
Ishii
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
They could start by being honest. If the republicans claim to favor smaller government they could start by actually advocating policies that reduce the size of government. Their actions say they support big spending, so their words need to match their actions.
How can increasing government spending be a good start at reducing government spending? Its like going on a diet by going to a buffet and only eating a little more than you ate last time and calling it a diet.
S
SaintAugustine
Guest
ad nauseum
I
ishii
Guest
You don’t understand politics, Stinkcat. If the Republicans came out and said, “we seek to abolish all entitlements” - they’d be kicked out of office. (and anything short of saying that - you’d say they’re not being honest, right?)
Baby steps, Stinkcat. Baby steps. Even a reform that starts saving a little money and requires able bodied people to work is a step in the right direction.
Ishii
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
In other words, they have to lie to get elected. Is that something that faithful Catholics should find praiseworthy?
Going to a buffet and eating a little more than you did last time is not a baby step towards a diet.
I
ishii
Guest
I think you have to do what you can. Maybe not all Republicans want to abolish entitlements or probably most don’t, entirely. Some might want to cut them and work toward a balanced budget. Just like an abortion bill that doesn’t abolish abortion but merely calls for parental notification. Again, if you understood politics, then you’d realize that nothing good can happen if you don’t have any power. Perhaps you could tell me what the Libertarian party has accomplished?
If the foodstamps bill is a step toward later, more meaningful reforms then this is indeed an important baby step. I can see that no matter what Republicans do, you will stick to your mantra of “GOP and Democrats are the same”.
Ishii
R
Ridgerunner
Guest
Dems and Repubs are manifestly not the same, and in a lot of ways.
Personally, I am not persuaded that food stamps are a really good idea at all. Granted, if their use was rigorously restricted to staple foods, that would be one thing, and might prevent people from wasting the benefit if it was simply paid in money.
But if people are readily able to use them for all kinds of non-food or for junk food, and if legislators can’t bring themselves to restrict them, then i would say the whole thing is a failure.
But even that isn’t the problem I have with some of the social welfare spending. It sometimes seems those programs are not used for the truly poor; the ones who can’t help themselves, primarily, but for people who are actually able to improve their lives if they only would. Meanwhile, the truly poor are woefully neglected.
As the beneficiaries of government handouts reach (or perhaps exceed) half the population, it is difficult for me to believe we are not close to reaching a downward spiral in which a true middle class largely disappears, leaving only the wealthy and the dependent.
And despite all of Obama’s talk about helping the middle class, I see nothing but the encouragement of middle class dependency; which is to say, the broadening of the class we will someday consider “poor, sort of”.
Perhaps that’s the point. After all, it is the Alinsky formula for social revolution, isn’t it?
Personally, I am not persuaded that food stamps are a really good idea at all. Granted, if their use was rigorously restricted to staple foods, that would be one thing, and might prevent people from wasting the benefit if it was simply paid in money.
But if people are readily able to use them for all kinds of non-food or for junk food, and if legislators can’t bring themselves to restrict them, then i would say the whole thing is a failure.
But even that isn’t the problem I have with some of the social welfare spending. It sometimes seems those programs are not used for the truly poor; the ones who can’t help themselves, primarily, but for people who are actually able to improve their lives if they only would. Meanwhile, the truly poor are woefully neglected.
As the beneficiaries of government handouts reach (or perhaps exceed) half the population, it is difficult for me to believe we are not close to reaching a downward spiral in which a true middle class largely disappears, leaving only the wealthy and the dependent.
And despite all of Obama’s talk about helping the middle class, I see nothing but the encouragement of middle class dependency; which is to say, the broadening of the class we will someday consider “poor, sort of”.
Perhaps that’s the point. After all, it is the Alinsky formula for social revolution, isn’t it?
S
stinkcat_14
Guest
To be fair I never said they were the same. I said they were both big government parties. I don’t think anyone can dispute that both parties like more government spending, despite the republican lip service to the contrary.
P
Petite
Guest
You are citing an article that is over a year old: 05/25/2012. Do you have something more recent to cite?
S
seekerz
Guest
Why is it amazing? Govt can’t create jobs remember? Jobs? Who needs plans to create them? All poor people need is more fast food joints with positions to fill, and a freeze on the minimum wage.
Jobs will self-generate while our elected officials are busy crafting junk legislation to justify their paychecks…
I
ishii
Guest
S
SamH
Guest
But the government can destroy jobs - as Obama has proven for 5 years.Why is it amazing? Govt can’t create jobs remember? Jobs? Who needs plans to create them? All poor people need is more fast food joints with positions to fill, and a freeze on the minimum wage.
I
ishii
Guest
The private sector needs to be unshackled - then we will see a strong economy and jobs. We also need anti-business politicians kicked out. One of the biggest reasons why business is not investing and hiring new workers is the uncertainty surrounding Obama and his economic policies.Why is it amazing? Govt can’t create jobs remember? Jobs? Who needs plans to create them? All poor people need is more fast food joints with positions to fill, and a freeze on the minimum wage.
Of course the whole issue of the “poor” getting past minimum wage jobs and moving up in society will depend on improvement in areas that hold them back - such as single motherhood, dependency on govt. handouts, education, etc.
Ishii
S
seekerz
Guest
You mean the do nothing, oppose everything arm of the government now don’t you?
I
ishii
Guest
No, I think SamH was saying that excessive taxation and regulation of business can destroy jobs. I would also add, Obama’s obsession with failed green energy and opposition to building new oil pipelines also prevent the creation of new jobs. Generally, liberals don’t understand how economics works. They think the government can actually manage an economy.
Ishii
S
seekerz
Guest
I guess the fact that the world is changing along with the skills needed for the job market of the future does not figure into it even one little bit…only economists seem to be taken with that weird idea. Otherwise why wouldn’t our elected officials be desperately seeking solutions to the education and training needs of our populations rather than staging Quixotic fights with windmills?
- Status