The more things change the more they are the same. The old Welfare Cadillac crowd is getting started up again and the poor are once more a leisure class subsidized by the government. This is coming from Jon Taffer, who’s a reality TV host, which in this culture equates to wise man and who collected his share of PPP loan checks but that’s not mentioned. Taffer suggested, in effect, that the poor be treated like dogs — as if they’re not already? Media Matters:
JON TAFFER (GUEST): And it is a massive change in attitude, Laura. They are trying to balance, and this is their words, not mine. They are trying to balance “quality of life and work.” But you know I think to us, Laura, we worked hard to earn that quality of life. I think that’s a lot of the shift is that they’re moving the quality of life to today before they have earned it, rather than after they have earned it. It is a powerful shift.
LAURA INGRAHAM (HOST): What if we just cut off the unemployment, hunger is a pretty powerful thing. I don’t mean physical hunger, because people who truly are in need need help, but people who can work but refuse to work.
TAFFER: I have friends in the military who trains military dogs Laura, and the only feed a military dog at night, because a hungry dog is an obedient dog. Well, if we are not causing people to be hungry to work, then we are providing them with all the meals they need sitting at home.
Hit the Media Matters link and listen to this dirge, which I unfortunately can’t embed here. It is classic elitist Republicanism. The employers should be getting all the money and the breaks — as if they’re not already? Taffer says, “If you’ve got somebody getting $800 a week on unemployment and they’re living with a partner that’s making $800 a week on unemployment, that’s $83,000 a year.” I don’t know what state is paying $800 a week in unemployment. In California the maximum is $450 and in New York it’s $504, so two normal people getting paid almost twice the maximum and living it up is a phenomenon I personally have not witnessed.
Now it will not surprise you that the dog comment did not go over well and Taffer tried to walk it back. Comically, the attempted amend is as offensive as the original insult
My comment was an unfortunate attempt to express a desire for our lives to return to normal. I recognize this has been a challenging year for everyone, and I am eager for the hospitality industry to come back stronger than ever. 2 of 2
— Jon Taffer (@jontaffer) August 13, 2021
No, his comment was to disparage the social safety net, because Republicans see any kind of assistance or tax credit to low income people as charity. They have no social conscience. They live for class struggle and exploitation of the underdog.
Here’s an interesting exchange. The first commenter wants higher minimum wages and the second one is taking the part of the starving employer. If you can’t pay minimum wage to your workers you shouldn’t be in business, period.
What I love about most of these people who have “earned” their lifestyle, is that if you check into their backgrounds so many of them were born on second or third base, yet they believe that they’ve worked so hard and are so consummately deserving. They’re oblivious to how cushy they’ve had it compared to so many people. I hold two college degrees and I worked my way through both undergraduate and law school. Neither one of my parents went to college. My mother was a high school drop out, in fact. I was on unemployment from time to time and it was never some kind of cushy cakewalk.
When I became disabled, after being malpracticed by a quack, who is now operating in California on a restricted license because the good ole boy network doesn’t like to revoke medical licenses, I literally did not have enough money to eat. I was told by people who think like this guy does, “there are food banks and church giveaways.” Righto. And they have bread and refried beans. If you can find a can of sardines you have hit gold.
We all have our days. pic.twitter.com/9q9wD96PH4
— ??AREYOUBEINGSERVED #RedBerets??? (@50linesonly) August 14, 2021
I just have to post Welfare Cadillac again. It really is how these people think the world works. They have no idea.
I don’t think it’s coincidence that the cruelest, most ignorant, & morally corrupt have been born into wealth. Trump(& progeny), Marjorie ‘nazi’ Greene, matt,(I’m a drunken pedophile), gatz, little tucker Swanson food heir, Carlson, & so on. Religious hypocrites, entitled morons, & the red sheeple are self centered, greedy, aholes. That’s being nice since they’ve slaughtered children without remorse. They are fortunate however. If I were God, they all would spend eternity feeling every loss & hurt they’ve caused. Eternity. Mutherphuckers.
I heard this cant a full decade ago while I was scrambling to keep from sinking thanks to unemployment. Going through the TN unemployment process at the same time, which had gotten draconian to the point of ridiculous, just made me seethe even more. It makes me think of Raymond Shaw talking about his mom in The Manchurian Candidate, how he just sort of despised her growing up. Then she broke up his relationship with the only woman he ever loved and then he REALLY hated his mom. THAT’S where I am with these people right now.
What is really crazy to me, is that most Trumpers are working class people. They seem resentful that anyone who is not white, might get a piece of their pie. Certainly they never earned anything. (in their minds)
Most of them are making above-average amounts, too. Nice houses, fairly new cars, no problems traveling the country…but if you’re poor, too bad for you. (The most I ever got in one month, take-home, was about 3K. You don’t live fancy on that.)
Don’t help someone earning $5 an hour plus tips, or even minimum wage, who pays 2/3 of their income just for a roof over their heads, pays $5 for a pound of hamburger, $3 for a half gallon of milk, $5 for a box of cereal, $4 a gallon for gas, etc., but by god, lets give millionaires, billionaires and giant corporations, none of whom pay their fair share of taxes, PPP loans and more and more tax breaks. Those workers actually WORK for their paychecks, sometimes several jobs at a time.
I’m going to be 71 in a couple weeks and lost all my savings and investments when the banks pulled their shit in 2009. Now I have to work a part time job (can’t find full time because of my age) so supplement Social Security just to get by. I’m actually luckier than many!
On a related note, I saw a news bit earlier (would be yesterday from my current 12:45am CDT perspective) about a Jason’s Deli store in Melbourne, Florida. “Someone” thought it would be “funny” to post a very “thought-provoking” sign regarding wages.
It was not really well-received (and was taken down after people complained to the corporate HQ which got the store owner–it’s a franchise–to take down the sign).
You can read the story at http://www.yahoo.com/now/florida-deli-sparks-backlash-hiring-155700544.html but here’s the basic breakdown of what the sign said:
NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS
Min wage = mediocre person
$9/hr = 1st job, willing to learn
$10/hr = some experience, efficient
etc
The kicker is the last line:
$15/hr = Out Shines + Out Performs the owner. Does all the above.
Interestingly enough, links in the article are a bit wonky. Links to a Reddit discussion are “open” for everyone to read but links to the Jason’s Deli Facebook page require you to log in to your Facebook account (happy to admit I don’t do the FB). I wish I did have a Facebook account; I’d love to see what idiots supported the sign. From the end of the article, “However, some supported the sign, calling it realistic and noting that it provided “incentives” for people to work hard.” I’d love to know how much money these people make if they really think the sign is remotely “realistic” rather than incredibly spiteful and anti-worker. (I’m sure these people would prefer their identities be somewhat anonymous or they probably won’t frequent that particular shop–or any others–to make sure the employees don’t show their own special form of “customer appreciation.”)