There are few lies Republicans will not tell to demonize the poor, as justification for cutting off the needy to give bigger tax cuts and subsidies to the greedy. Many of those lies are quite absurd, like this one. Those lazy, good for nothing [minority implied] wastrels are cashing their federal benefits and running to the strip club for a lap dance. They are so serious about propagandizing US voters with this BS, that they are actually trying to pass a law to prevent their made-up complaint.
The GOP is cultivating a staggeringly disdainful view of Americans who are struggling to get by in the wake of the Great Recession. Seeking to gut the social safety net programs on which an increasing number of Americans rely, Republicans have demonized the poor as dependent, lazy drug-users who pilfer Uncle Sam for trips to Hawaii. In that vein, House Republicans are bringing a bill to the floor today to ensure that low-income Americans don’t use federal benefits to pay for “lap dances.”
The bill’s sponsor Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-LA) says he’s trying to close a “strip-club loophole” which allows beneficiaries of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program use state-issued debit cards at strip clubs, casinos, and liquor stores. “It’s pretty rampant around the country,” he insists.
Naturally, no one thinks adult entertainment is an appropriate use for TANF funds. But as Center for American Progress Action Fund’s Melissa Boteach notes, the use of funds at strip clubs, liquor stores, and casinos is hardly a “pressing national crisis,” but rather a politically valuable message for the GOP, regardless of its veracity, because it’s useful to the GOP to paint vulnerable Americans as “delinquent and criminally inclined“… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Think Progress>
On the other hand, maybe I’m being to quick to dismiss the Republicans’ absurd claims. After all, when it comes to strip clubs, I have to admit that they are a Republican area of expertise, as this Rachel Maddow video from March 2010 reveals.
In addition, the strip clubs and other adult “entertainers” in Tampa, FL are drooling in anticipation of the Republican convention this fall, as Cenk Uygur explains.
When I lived in Phoenix in the 1970s, I had a friend, who was a call girl. It was not a professional relationship. She explained to me that when Republicans came to town for meetings, especially Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians, the local girls had to import friends from Las Vegas, because the locals could not handle the huge increase in business.
In light of all the above, isn’t accusing needy people of this the epitome of hypocrisy?
19 Responses to “GOP "Stripping" Benefits”
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Nameless, I keep shooting by your RNC logo and expect the elephant to be doing the pole dance!
That’s the incident covered in Rachel’s video. I have that logo! 🙂
Why not? they’ve never had any trouble telling sick poor people to f’ing DIE while they rush off to Walter Reed anytime they let a foul-smelling fart.
“In light of all the above, isn’t accusing needy people of this the epitome of hypocrisy?”
Typical Republicans and Tea-Baggies….
JR, you’re so right and you have a wonderful way with words! LMAO!
I could not agree more!
Boustany’s district just got eliminated due to population decrease in Louisiana. He’s coming up with something to attract voters. He’ll be running against another Republican from that district (Jeff Landry, who took that seat in 2010). Now the two will be competing over who can be the most conservative, of course.
I love it when too goose-steppers fight over the same turf. Sadly we have the same situation with Kaptur and Kucinich in Ohio.
Oh no! They found my secrect stash of Food Stamp money ($18 a month) for my trip to Hawaii!
We’ll never tell! 😉
Anything to make those “others” look lazy, immoral, cheating, untrustworthy, averse to employment, shiftless, and ignorant……as opposed to those on the RIGHT (running for office, I might add) who are selfish, immoral, cheating, beholden to lobbyists, lying, tax-dodging, shiftless, angry, using the populace for their own personal political gain, and definitely untrustworthy.
Others……….nonwhites Right Wing……………..white fundamentalists But you already knew that.
Very well said, Judi. You have them pegged.
OK – so I guess boys will be boys regardless of party – although it’s the hypocrisy – and the desire, as you say to paint the needy as a sex-obsessed, food stamp abusing, entitlement grabbing, alcoholic group of parasites on the society that troubles me most! Get out your magnified make up mirrors and let’s see if he who is without sin can cast the first stone! I haven’t got a mote in my eye that’s quite so blinding!
Exactly, Lee. It’s not that they are doing it. It is that they are doing it and condemning others for doing it.
what is the difference these days ;; Repig=Hypocrisy — sickening sometimes– the $2000 strip club — 4 months worth of food for 4 families–
Where do you shop, Phyllis? I don’t see how any family can eat on $125/mo.
“. . . Seeking to gut the social safety net programs on which an increasing an increasing number of Americans rely, . . .” — but didn’t Mr Flip-flop Rmoney promise to fix the holes in the safety net for the poor when he was trying to decide whether he cared about the poor or not? (read dripping with sarcasm!)
I believe several times people have referred to this as ‘projection’. The Republican/Teabaggers know what they like to do, play the horizontal mambo and other like games, but not get caught! Afterall, the self-righteous pseudo Christians think of themselves as the shining paragons of virtue and don’t want anyone to know that they are baser. Because they do it, they think everyone does, thus the projection. Accusing needy people of this IS the epitome of hypocrisy, without doubt!!!!! And the RNC and other sources have the “restaurant slips” to prove it.
Republican/Teabaggers = HYPOCRISY!!!!!
BTW TC, are those your legs in the picture? How do you stand in those heels?
The Romney solution is simple Lynn. There are no holes in a vacuum.
Projection is exactly what it is.
No I snuck over to your place, peeked through your window and took that picture.