dagblog - Comments for "GOP: To Fight for the Poor"

Shredding the net into 50

NCD — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 17:15:24 +0000

In reply to The proof that the safety net

Shredding the net into 50 'experiments' by 'block granting' it to the states will, as intended by the GOP:
(1) expunge any federal culpability for what happens to the unemployed/homeless/sick/poor/disabled etc.

(2) magically create 50 complicated programs, in 50 states, that academics and the Cato Institute and the AEI can study for years. NPR/establishment media can discuss and argue the economic/tax/education/policy reasons why it all 'worked well' or 'saved money, reduced unemployment in some region of some state, while also arguing over what 'working well' means as opposed to 'failed miserably'.

Any program like this is best done national standards set by the federal government, with clear objectives and accountability.

The proof that the safety net

Aaron Carine — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 13:42:56 +0000

In reply to GOP: To Fight for the Poor

The proof that the safety net has not "failed miserably" is that the condition of the poor got worse as we destroyed the safety net (or much of it, anyway).

Good article. Rubio is off on

NCD — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 15:13:52 +0000

In reply to This Guardian piece basically

Good article. Rubio is off on the usual 'blame the government, blame the victim' meme.

The government safety net is the cause of those in it, so blow it up. Scatter it across the states as block grants, which can then be used for other purposes than what was intended (like political payback/patronage/or tax cuts). Cuts to the grants can also then be done with little political accountability at the federal level.

Rubio has been muttering this

trkingmomoe — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 15:13:26 +0000

In reply to This Guardian piece basically

Rubio has been muttering this crap for awhile here in Florida. He has been insisting the war on poverty has failed. It don't mean anything to the young people around here. I think he is after the retirees that sit and watch Fox all day. Creating jobs and raising the minimum wage is more important to most in Florida.

This Guardian piece basically

artappraiser — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 07:48:31 +0000

In reply to GOP: To Fight for the Poor

This Guardian piece basically suggests it's all trial messaging 'cause Stagnating social mobility expected to be central issue in 2014. Why right this moment? Some Dems planned in advance to use the 50th anniversary of LBJ's speech for messaging, and those with aspirations to compete had to have some comeback ready. Again, looks like trial balloons, see what might work with the necessary voter groups...nearly guaranteed private polling is to follow.