Santorum tells Iowans: ‘I don’t want to make black people’s lives better’

[Guest Phailadelphia]

So...this actually happened.

 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/02/santorum-tells-iowans-i-dont-want-to-make-black-peoples-lives-better/

 

 

Speaking to Republicans in Iowa on Monday, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) said his administration would reform welfare to the point that it would offer no welfare at all.

 

After suggesting that an expansion of Medicare is really just a plot to make voters more “dependent” on Washington, Santorum added: ”I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them other people’s money.”

 

“I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn their money and provide for themselves and their families,” he added. “The best way to do that is to get the manufacturing sector of the economy rolling.”

 

One thing he likely overlooked: white Americans account for the largest percentage of welfare payments each month, mostly because they make up the largest sector of the population.

 

Welfare is defined by the government as benefits funded by tax dollars, meaning that programs like Social Security, food stamps, veterans benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment and corporate bailouts all fall under that term.

 

What Santorum seemed to focus on, as many conservatives do, is that black people are disproportionately represented in welfare statistics, along with Latinos, as both populations have much higher rates of poverty than whites.

 

According to the University of Michigan’s National Poverty Center, 27.4 percent of blacks and 26.6 percent of Hispanics were living in poverty in 2010, compared to 9.9 percent of whites. Unemployment statistics between the racial demographics are similarly skewed.

 

Despite the factually flawed nature of Santorum’s pitch on Monday, the underlying logic of his pitch is abundantly clear: census data shows that over 91 percent of Iowans are white, a community Santorum must desperately appeal to if he wants a win in Tuesday’s caucuses.

 

This video is from CBS News, broadcast Monday, January 2, 2012.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Freudian slip.

 

He makes a standard Republican talking point if he leaves out the word "black." Oops, his actual real feeling got in there.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Nothing wrong with that statement.

 

There are no black people in Iowa.

Edited January 8, 2012 by RazorStar

[BwareDWare94 723]

I don't normally side with a Republican but this is a true statement. Why should taxpayer money take care of people who don't work?

[Guest Phailadelphia]

Here's more Santorum gold:

“As the hobbits are going up Mount Doom, the Eye of Mordor is being drawn somewhere else. It’s being drawn to Iraq and it’s not being drawn to the U.S. You know what? I want to keep it on Iraq. I don’t want the Eye to come back here to the United States.”

 

I don't normally side with a Republican but this is a true statement. Why should taxpayer money take care of people who don't work?

 

Really dude? You might have a case here if the problem of welfare was exclusive to black people.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Here's more Santorum gold:

 

What's the context of that one? I'm trying to figure what on earth he could be talking about and I'm not coming up with anything.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

I don't normally side with a Republican but this is a true statement. Why should taxpayer money take care of people who don't work?

 

I agree, but the problem is Santorum is implying that this only benefits black people. Which is just wrong. I know some lazy white people collecting welfare, hell throw some hispanics in there too.

 

This issue shouldn't be about the color of people's skin, but how much they actually try and earn a living rather than mooch off the people who do.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Not a Santorum supporter. Furthest thing from it, but I really don't see how this is racist. Seems like he might have said this in response to a question. He was basically saying that instead of giving out welfare he wants to create jobs in the manufacturing sector.

[blotsfan 2,112]

Not a Santorum supporter. Furthest thing from it, but I really don't see how this is racist. Seems like he might have said this in response to a question. He was basically saying that instead of giving out welfare he wants to create jobs in the manufacturing sector.

You don't see how this is racist because you aren't very smart. Basically, it implies that the only people who need welfare are black people, when thats obviously not the case. There was no need to bring race into this, other than to try to get the Klan vote I suppose.

[WindyCitySports 407]

Not a Santorum supporter. Furthest thing from it, but I really don't see how this is racist. Seems like he might have said this in response to a question. He was basically saying that instead of giving out welfare he wants to create jobs in the manufacturing sector.

It is racist because instead of saying that he is against welfare, he said that black people are the ones who receive the welfare. That's a huge stereotype and it wasn't in response to a question. I watched it on TV. He was giving a speech and flat out said that black people are on welfare, ignoring that 84% of welfare recipients in Iowa are white.

 

I think that the best summary of why Santorum is a loon is this quote:

 

"I want to go to war with China." - Rick Santorum in a 2011 debate pyramiding on Romney's theme of China's "trade cheating."

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I don't like Santorum. I don't like the welfare program or how we end up paying for others cost of living....

 

But even I know this comment is not totally legit. It's disgusting, quite honestly.

[Maverick 791]

It's racist and a generalization.

 

But to an extent, he has a valid point.

 

Just because something is racist doesn't mean it isn't true.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Ah, the famous Rick Santorum.... I've been told you should get the hell out.

[BwareDWare94 723]

I didn't make mention of "black" in my post. I said "people," meaning all. If you just take "black" out of his statement, he's absolutely right. I looked at what he meant, not how he phrased it.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Black, white, or whatever. It isn't the working class' job to take care of people who can work, but decide not to.

[CARDINAL 205]

Black, white, or whatever. It isn't the working class' job to take care of people who can work, but decide not to.

 

In most cases it's probably lazy people of all races in America that milk the benefits of the welfare system, but there are some people who do inded need the benfits that are offered by the welfare system just to get by. They need to reform the welfare system so that states have a larger responsibility in delivering the program, and the federal government to set guidelines and benchmarks for who can qualify, and if someone breaks the set out rules, guidelines, regulations, benchmarks then they need to either go to jail (for chronic repeat offenders) or pay some type of a fine / community service.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Black, white, or whatever. It isn't the working class' job to take care of people who can work, but decide not to.

 

And that is, of course, the only type of people who are on welfare.

[blotsfan 2,112]

I didn't make mention of "black" in my post. I said "people," meaning all. If you just take "black" out of his statement, he's absolutely right. I looked at what he meant, not how he phrased it.

You didn't mention "black" but he did. This discussion isn't about the welfare system. Its about how he use "black people" instead of "unemployed people" or "people on welfare." It shouldn't be hard to see how thats unacceptable.

[BwareDWare94 723]

And that is, of course, the only type of people who are on welfare.

 

I didn't say it was. But we need to reform the system so it's harder for people like this to milk it. It's as simple as that.

[BwareDWare94 723]

You didn't mention "black" but he did. This discussion isn't about the welfare system. Its about how he use "black people" instead of "unemployed people" or "people on welfare." It shouldn't be hard to see how thats unacceptable.

 

You leave black in his statement and yes, it is unacceptable. However, I did not use black or single out African Americans. I am not homophobic or racist, which Santorum is known to be. Just because he has misconceptions and bad overall character doesn't mean some of the basics of his arguments aren't valid. The welfare system gets milked (by all races). At least he's saying something about it, even if he can't phrase it without sounding like a jackass.

[Barracuda 629]

Guy makes a nice speech last night and now he just basically threw it away. People are going to be all over this.

 

 

I do agree that the welfare system does need to be restructured because many people do abuse it and it's a shame, especially to those who do acually need and could use it.

 

Just a few weeks ago I read a story about a couple living in a mansion who abused the welfare system for years. How anyone is able to get away with that for that long is amazing. It's a problem that's been going on in every entitlement program there is and I'm glad someone brings it up. How Santorum plans to fix it is not right though.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Barracuda

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Unnecessary statement by Santorum. Just proves how much of a racist douche he is. There are more than just African Americans on welfare, to not point that out and make it sound like we are the only ones on it is fucking disturbing.

[Duck Fallas 209]

We just recently had 8 YEARS of a Republican saying stupid shit, why is it shocking to hear another one doing the same thing?

 

To be fair, we have had about 200 years of politicians in general saying stupid shit.

[Maverick 791]

It wouldn't fix the welfare system completely, but I believe a decent start would be to introduce drug testing. If you fail, you don't get your money.

[blotsfan 2,112]

That wouldn't work in a practical sense. Its cheaper to give the druggies welfare money than to test everyone.