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Forum Post: You can't disregard the poor because you think they have a safety net... and then try to cut the safety net

Posted 11 years ago on Aug. 9, 2012, 11:57 a.m. EST by TrevorMnemonic (5827)
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“Recent advertisements and statements from the campaign of Governor Romney demonize families in poverty and reflect woeful ignorance about the challenges faced by tens of millions of American families in these tough economic times,” stated Sister Simone Campbell. “Efforts to divide us by class or score political points at the expense of the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters reveal the worst side of our country’s politics.”

Romney has endorsed the House GOP budget plan authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). It was that plan, which includes deep cuts to food stamps and other safety net programs that benefit the middle class, that NETWORK’s Nuns On A Bus tour targeted, with Campbell and other sisters blasting it as “immoral” at the tour’s conclusion in Washington D.C. Romney has also proposed massive tax cuts for the rich that would likely come at the expense of lower- and middle-class families, which would see higher taxes or significant cuts to the programs they depend on.

Those policies, Campbell told us, show that Romney “doesn’t have clue” about the struggles the poor face. “The fact is, his policies shift wealth to the upper class,” she said. “Yes, it hurts the middle class, but it devastates those at the margins of our society.” If Romney were to accept their invitation, Campbell said she would take him to places like St. Augustine’s in Cleveland, where food programs “provide a hand up” to the community’s neediest members. “He thinks they’re lazy,” Campbell said, in reference to Romney’s misleading welfare reform ad. “It is hard work to keep things together when you’re poor. He doesn’t have a clue. Let him talk to them, and maybe they’ll touch his heart. And his mind too.”

5 Comments

5 Comments


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[-] 2 points by richardkentgates (3269) 11 years ago

You are fighting the argument they set in place to cover this topic. Stop responding to their narrative. Simplify the entire thing. We The People is who the system is built for. The current economic platform does not provide for We The People and so it's broken and needs to be fixed.

underpaying employers push their cost of business onto society. The self employed and employers who pay a living wage, also pay taxes to cover the cost of the safety net which is exacerbated by deadbeat employers. Low wage jobs are a drag on society and a symptom of failed business models.

The politicians have set up a one way senario with only the working class to blame for the cost of entitlements. Under that argument there is no defense and they know it.

But... there are far more aspects to wages than just the worker and wages effect the entire society.

  1. Make it a three way argument [employer>worker>society] because it takes all three of those to show a full 'cause and effect' scenario.

  2. Don't allow them to defend a system like capitalism as if it were a person because it's not a person, it's there to serve persons.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

i think the Nuns on a Bus would fully agree with a living wage.

but we still need food stamp programs and such for those who do not have a job or are disabled and can't work.

[-] 1 points by richardkentgates (3269) 11 years ago

So do I my friend.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

you're a good dude. I haven't seen as many posts from you lately. You usually post a lot of awesome stuff.

[-] 1 points by richardkentgates (3269) 11 years ago

Thx man. I spent most of the summer with my kids. Back in school now, I'll be posting more.