Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Defends Government Assistance Programs From GOP Scorn

October 8, 2012
By Lorelei


"When the rich benefit from a government credit or benefit, however, it isn’t seen as a form of welfare to be begrudged. It is only when the poor — who can not afford to purchase representatives to campaign vociferously on their behalf — appear to be getting a bit of a break from the government that we all — even those of us who also benefit from assistance in some form — seem to take it personally and feel resentment. We direct our ire at the people who are least capable of defending themselves or rallying any support. What’s wrong with this picture? Why do we resent help being offered to those who are in obvious need, but we don’t have a problem with those who are financially comfortable and not in need of any tax breaks getting them?"

"We need to stop denying statistics and facts, even when they don’t align with what we want desperately to believe. As long as we can delude ourselves into classifying all people receiving some form of government assistance as “Others” who don’t “deserve” help, we can pretend that we will never experience a set-back in life. We make smart choices! We are responsible! We have a good work ethic and aren’t lazy! We aren’t like Them. We will never be like Them, because we know better than They do. Their unemployment must be due to some personality defect or lack of skills or lack of effort on their part. They shouldn’t have had that many kids if they can’t afford them. They shouldn’t buy food I disapprove of if they are going to use food stamps. I’m no doctor or anything, but that person doesn’t look disabled or handicapped to me. Those people have never paid taxes into the system like I have, so they are getting “my” money…"





"I ask you: can we PLEASE try not to be such raging assholes toward the needy? I mean, seriously. Isn’t it bad enough that we have some of our politicians sneering at them without gleefully buying into it and joining in? A lack of compassion and empathy will not serve as bullet-proof protection from misfortune.

Meanwhile, the wealthy enjoy “government assistance” in the form of tax breaks and subsidies and credits and refunds, but that’s different. They are “job creators,” amirite? Our system is heavily weighted in favor of the financially comfortable as it is, and certain people within this system are increasingly eager to promote and encourage a “let them die” attitude toward the poor, all while letting the majority of us bask in the comforting fiction that we are immune to misfortune as long as we do our best and that we will never be on the wrong end of a bad situation or someone else’s callous attitude ourselves. Being cruel to the weakest and most defenseless members of society is borderline sociopathic and wrong. We are better than that."


http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/10/08/center-on-budget-and-policy-priorities-defends-government-assistance-programs-from-gop-scorn/