View Full Version : I don't care about the poor?
WHOA!
C'mon, even in context, he says he doesn't care about the poor or the wealthy, just the middle class.
the poor have a safety net and the rich are doing just fine.
reallly?
what about the middle class that are now poor? haha.
it just doesn't add up any way you slice it. context or not.
i do want romney to get the nomination mind you, but bad things to say!
ApatheticNoMore
2-4-12, 4:17am
I doubt any of them (well presidential candidates in both parties) really care about the poor. Frankly, I doubt the poor, those who actually live with poverty daily, are actually under the illusion that any of them really care about them (I mean even getting many types of government aid is a humilating nightmare right? maybe the poor know exactly what they think of people who need such aid). But some politicians will throw a few more bones to the poor for the time being and that is to be preferred by the poor to no bones. I don't argue with that preference.
Very little public money is actually targeted at the poor. That alone tells in real terms what real priorites are and always have been. Now some major and expensive entitlements like Social Security do reduce poverty, but they are sucessful with the electorate precisely because they aren't exclusively for the poor and the middle class benefits a lot from them.
Yea, I doubt the American electorate that isn't poor even cares about the poor to the extent it greatly affects their voting decisions. It's something to get outraged about but it is it something to really care about? Many people give to charities for the poor, I know that and don't deny it shows some concern and provides some help, but the poor are not an *electorial* issue generally. Heck, they aren't even my electorial issue, because I'm most concerned about other things.
So Romney admits what is a basic fact about the American political landscape and gets pounced on with: omg you mentioned that elephant in the room there, oh the horror, I can't believe it.
Now with much of the middle class at risk of falling into poverty, hmm the poor could actually become an issue for once, since so many may be joining their ranks.
It would also be interesting to know what Romney considers poor, since the guy is insanely wealthy. Maybe Romney is of the opinion that most of what is still the middle class is actually in his mind "poor". You earn less than 6 figures, oh how aweful, is it because they only job you can get is McDonalds?
It's a given that Romney (along with most politicians, as pointed out) doesn't care about the poor, but does anyone really believe he cares about the middle class? One thing I appreciate about the guy is that he's completely guileless and transparent.
He was talking about creating new "safety nets". The context was simply that such programs already exist for the poor and so efforts need to be concentrated in other areas. Next.
ahh much to do about nothing.
He knows - as well as those who want to make this into something it isn't - that we do have programs to aid the very poor. He is showing concern for the masses, the middle class who seem to carry the burdens of everyone.
I hate when either party picks up on a statement and twists it to demonize their competition...it is going to be a long nine months.
ApatheticNoMore
2-4-12, 3:42pm
that we do have programs to aid the very poor. He is showing concern for the masses, the middle class who seem to carry the burdens of everyone.
More government entitlement spending actually already goes to the middle class than the poor. And regardless it is still better to be the middle class than the poor.
Actually I believe he said "I'm not concerned about the poor, I'm concerned about Americans" you figure it out...
Actually I believe he said "I'm not concerned about the poor, I'm concerned about Americans" you figure it out...
Let's give him the benefit of the doubt here. I doubt he means that American poor folks are not literally Americans.
This latest kerfluffle is just the latest in a series of stupid *$&@ Romney has said. I don't fault him for sounding out of touch with middle class and poor Americans because he has never had any experience in his life remotely related to being disadvantaged financially. He can't relate because he literally cannot fathom it. And there's no reason for him to try to fathom it because his base is not at all concerned with the have nots, preferring to blame them for all their own ills.
I took him to mean that because of existing safetly nets the very poor are sort of less urgent, because they have already been addressed. The people needing things put into place now are the newly long-term unemployed, people like me with no income and no health insurance, but enough in a retirement account not to be eligible for cash assistance or medicaid.
Let's give him the benefit of the doubt here. I doubt he means that American poor folks are not literally Americans.
This latest kerfluffle is just the latest in a series of stupid *$&@ Romney has said. I don't fault him for sounding out of touch with middle class and poor Americans because he has never had any experience in his life remotely related to being disadvantaged financially. He can't relate because he literally cannot fathom it. And there's no reason for him to try to fathom it because his base is not at all concerned with the have nots, preferring to blame them for all their own ills.
I am sure the Mitt Romney has had a lot of experience working with the poor. He served as a Bishop in the LDS Church. The LDS Church has a non-paid clergy. The Bishop is called from a member of the congregation to serve for about 5 years. I have served as a counsellor to two different Bishops locally (each Bishop has two counsellors and an executive secretary to assist him with his duties).
Among the many things they are responsible for, one is caring for the poor, elderly, etc. They are in charge of distributing church funds to pay rent, utilities and other expenses they might have. They also authorize them to obtain a "food order" from the "Bishop's Storehouse" - which basically is like a small grocery store the Church maintains to feed the poor.
The government has a safety net for the poor, the LDS Church also has a safety net - he would have been directly in charge of this on his local level. So yes he has had worked directly with the poor and he has donated large amounts to the Church for the very same purpose.
Don't you think his 'local area' is kind of a rich area? I'm guessing he doesn't live just over the tracks, so to speak. Surley you aren't suggesting he is one of those evil ((gasp!)) community organizers! LOL
We know what he meant...we're just having some fun. The man really can't say anything without it sounding bad... He definitely has foot in mouth disease. He tries so hard, bless his heart, but it just comes out so wrong!
Truthfully though, he really doesn't have experience, or can even fathom really, the average wage earning life. He just can't, and they can't convince anyone he can, so they should really just stop trying. He will fail if he keeps trying to paint himself as someone he isn't, and running from who he really is and has accomplished.
We know what he meant...we're just having some fun. The man really can't say anything without it sounding bad... He definitely has foot in mouth disease...
Personally I think they all have this problem, the media just waits like hungry dogs for the next comment they can grab onto and run with! I just heard a sound bite from Pres. Obama's interview yesterday before the Super Bowl -- my jaw just dropped, he didn't just say that did he? :0!
Truthfully though, he really doesn't have experience, or can even fathom really, the average wage earning life.
Brings up kind of a curious point. Is it necessary for an elected official to have come from modest stock for them to be able to do the right thing by Joe Six Pack?
Obviously not, given the Kennedys and FDR. And Reagan came from a middle-class background.
Personally I think they all have this problem, the media just waits like hungry dogs for the next comment they can grab onto and run with!
I agree, greg. I find the way most of the media operates these days is despicable, like a pack of gossip-hungry 12-year-old girls ("Oooh, did you hear what he SAID????"), and it's one thing I would think we'd mostly all agree on, no matter our political stripe. No clue what to do about it though, especially in a country that eats up reality TV and the Kardashians. I guess I'm the real freak.
ApatheticNoMore
2-7-12, 1:02pm
I agree, greg. I find the way most of the media operates these days is despicable, like a pack of gossip-hungry 12-year-old girls ("Oooh, did you hear what he SAID????")
Hmm always assumed this pounce was being driven by the politicians (rather than the media). At the DNC: "oh boy Romney had a sentence about not caring about the poor, oh boy can we use that!". So I imagine is how paid political hacks function.
The mainstream U.S. news media is a great lie though. Pravda :). It is what maintains the whole fiction. And even when such phoney controversey is generated by the politicians, the media will run with it, because it seems readily to dance to the tune of politicians.
No clue what to do about it though, especially in a country that eats up reality TV and the Kardashians.
Yea people are too readily manipulated ... by fake controversy.
I am sure the Mitt Romney has had a lot of experience working with the poor. He served as a Bishop in the LDS Church. The LDS Church has a non-paid clergy. The Bishop is called from a member of the congregation to serve for about 5 years. I have served as a counsellor to two different Bishops locally (each Bishop has two counsellors and an executive secretary to assist him with his duties).
Among the many things they are responsible for, one is caring for the poor, elderly, etc. They are in charge of distributing church funds to pay rent, utilities and other expenses they might have. They also authorize them to obtain a "food order" from the "Bishop's Storehouse" - which basically is like a small grocery store the Church maintains to feed the poor.
The government has a safety net for the poor, the LDS Church also has a safety net - he would have been directly in charge of this on his local level. So yes he has had worked directly with the poor and he has donated large amounts to the Church for the very same purpose.
I was saying he has zero personal experience with financial struggle. I'm sure he performed his religious duties as dictated by his church.
Hmm always assumed this pounce was being driven by the politicians (rather than the media).
The whole thing, imho, is driven by profit. Remember "if it bleeds, it leads" ? Same thing with controversy. It's also why FOX exists at all -- its sensationalistic operating model, and that of every Murdoch-controlled property, is a classic example of this.
"Well, gentlemen, what can we air tonight that will polarize America even more, make them demonize 'the other side' even more, so we can boost our bottom line for Q1?"
ApatheticNoMore
2-7-12, 2:28pm
The whole thing, imho, is driven by profit.
That may be, but on a deeper level (they are huge corporations with much larger ideological interests to think about concerning thier profit than just today's sensationalism). More than just selling controvery because controversies sell. They pick which controversies you are allowed to see (or that they will cover - there is still the net, and foreign news). Something like Romney's quip about the poor, oh sure, you are allowed to see that because hey the news is Seinfield, and it is a controversy about nothing, they love that stuff, it sells well and means nothing (anything that meant something might be dangerous).
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.