Puterbac News Network and Political Discussion Thread

[Hacksaw]

According to this article, the number of people on food stamps has risen dramatically during Obama's watch. And almost 20% of Oregonians (~750,000) are using them.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/02/ ... od-stamps/

So, yeah...there's a lot of folks out there using food stamps. And I could tell you stories about how many of them are dressed and the kinds of cars I see them loading their groceries into in the parking lot. But since you would just imply, again, that I am only making shit up, I won't bother.

[TheBigMook]

I won't bother to imply anything. I call you a liar and say plainly that you are pulling shit out of your ass and serving it to us in a silver chaffing dish for brunch.

[Hacksaw]

I imagine that does make it a lot easier to dismiss facts that you don't want to face.

[Professor Tiger]

If you were really poor or working class you'd be a democrat.

I didn't say I was retarded.

I forgot to mention that, if you were black, gay, unionized, were a college professor, or journalist, or lived in Hollywood, you'd be a democrat.

[Owlman]

Still trying to figure out how Bluetick misinterpreted your claim.

[Hacksaw]

That's sad. But let me help you.

First, show me where I said "all of my neighbors" are using food stamps.

Second, show me where I said that everyone who is using food stamps is doing so fraudulently.

If you can do either one of those things, then I will stand corrected. Otherwise, 'tick is just being 'tick and you are dumb for backing him up.

[Hacksaw]

I think the problem is that I make a post documenting an observation I have made. You guys immediately have a knee-jerk reaction that presumes that I am drawing a conclusion based on what, I admit, is purely anecdotal evidence.

My only point was that, in my experience, it seems like there are a LOT of people out there using food stamps. (I later posted a news article that supported that observation, BTW.) But you guys can't accept any evidence that makes you feel less than supremely confident about your presumptions. So you presume my conclusions and start criticizing me for things I never said. That's just sad.

And, frankly, it's very unbecoming.

[Hacksaw]

Jane Fonda is still a cunt...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketc ... etnam.html

I don't think most of the people who are defending Fonda really know what she did that is so unforgiveable. She didn't just oppose the war. She went to North Vietnam and supported the communists while the war was ongoing. She posed for propaganda photos on enemy gun emplacements. And our POWs had to listen to her voice, broadcast over loudspeakers, accusing them of being war criminals, while they were being tortured (in some cases to death) by the enemy she supported.

Meanwhile, she has enriched herself personally in the country whose freedoms are secured by those she betrayed. She was young and stupid and has since expressed regret over what she views as poor judgement and a lack of maturity. But there are some offenses that "I'm sorry" just won't erase.

[GBJs]

I think the problem is that I make a post documenting an observation I have made. You guys immediately have a knee-jerk reaction that presumes that I am drawing a conclusion based on what, I admit, is purely anecdotal evidence.

Damn... I've got the same anecdotes.

[Professor Tiger]

I hear Jane is an evangelical Christian now.

[Hacksaw]

She's worse than that.

[TheBigMook]

She's worse than that.

So she married into your family?

[Big Orange Junky]

Agreed on Jane Fonda. True POS if there ever was one. Probably should have been tried for treason for what she did. I have never and will never knowingly support anything she is associated with.

[bluetick]

I haven't agreed with much of Hack's politics but I never knew him to sneer at those holding the short end of the stick. "Ridiculous"..all of those people he notices using food stamps. Where did THAT come from?

Fact is, I always figured he was somebody who gave some time to those who were down and out. And when others were taking some kind of fiendish glee over the growing unemployment numbers... I took his silence as a rebuke to that evil sort of poltical miasma.

Oh well. Maybe he just had a bad day.

[TheBigMook]

Agreed on Jane Fonda. True POS if there ever was one. Probably should have been tried for treason for what she did. I have never and will never knowingly support anything she is associated with.

You never watched TBS, CNN, TNT, etc.?

[Owlman]

I think the problem is that I make a post documenting an observation I have made.

Actually, the issue is that I just don't think your observation is a real one. Sounded more like an opinion than an actual observation.

[Owlman]

According to the Census Bureau, there are
113,104,064 households in the United States of which
10,044,402 or 9.1% of households receive food stamps.

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ST ... CONTEXT=st

[Hacksaw]

I haven't agreed with much of Hack's politics but I never knew him to sneer at those holding the short end of the stick. "Ridiculous"..all of those people he notices using food stamps. Where did THAT come from?

Fact is, I always figured he was somebody who gave some time to those who were down and out. And when others were taking some kind of fiendish glee over the growing unemployment numbers... I took his silence as a rebuke to that evil sort of poltical miasma.

Oh well. Maybe he just had a bad day.

Some people seem to have such an unrealistic and patronizing -- almost cartoonish -- view of what "poor" people are like. You listen to them and you sense condescension, superiority. Their expectations of the poor are so low, it's downright insulting. It's like they each picture themselves as Princess Di among the starving African tribes.

But this isn't Africa. And our poor are, for the most part, very capable of helping themselves. I know, because I've been there. I've known what it is like to walk past a McDonald's, smell the food and think how awesome it would be if I just had enough money to buy a small order of french fries. I've answered the bill collectors' midnight calls, threatening to have the sheriffs at my door in the morning. And I guess I still have a place in my heart where I fear going back there, if our politicians fuck the country up badly enough.

I'm sure some people don't fear that. That would explain the detached, nonchalant attitude many of them seem to have. Sure, just throw some more money at the problem. We've got plenty of it, after all. And, heck, if we don't give some of it away, just think how guilty we'll feel. We'll sleep so much better. And what could be easier than just letting the government handle it? We won't even have to break a sweat. And if it doesn't work, we'll still be okay. We tried, right? We voted for the right party. We can hold our heads up high and act all superior in front of our friends down at the country club.

[Hacksaw]

I think the problem is that I make a post documenting an observation I have made.

Actually, the issue is that I just don't think your observation is a real one. Sounded more like an opinion than an actual observation.

100% wrong.

...as per usual.

[Hacksaw]

According to the Census Bureau, there are
113,104,064 households in the United States of which
10,044,402 or 9.1% of households receive food stamps.

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ST ... CONTEXT=st

Almost 1 in 10. You sound like you think that's acceptable. It's almost double that in Oregon. Thank God for the Republican states bringing that average up, huh?