Great article...I like the distinction you drew here between freedom to (the individual) and freedom from (the community). I am heartened by the fact that most people, as much as possible, are either staying home or in their immediate vicinity (see Washington Post: https://wapo.st/staying-home?tid=ss_tw). Still doesn't take away from the fact that people are having to make tough decisions between work vs. survival because our government hasn't done enough to support them during this time.
You all are doing a great job on the blog...great to read it daily. Keep it up!
Really, this is a problem of people like her (and millions upon millions) getting served a shit sandwich by the govt. $1200 doesn't go far when you can't earn anything more. Both parties are to blame (one more than the other, sure), and neoliberalism and conservative economics led us here. Pandemic + gutted infrastructure + no social safety net = a kick in the teeth for most Americans. If we had instituted a $2k/mo plan like some European countries and Canada, you'd have less fuel for this kind of shit. The government DOES suck but it's intentional. The Right Wingers don't understand that part at all.
A million times this. And the fact that all the headlines entirely ignore this and try to shame her is why this country is beyond repair. We are totally in failed state territory when literally everything is 'the other side is awful.'
Yeah, she has it better than plenty of other people, the GOP is cynically using her as a prop, but how do you expect the millions of other people in her situation to react when they see that the left has no sympathy for her?
There are plenty of trump voters deserving of sympathy, but not this grandstander. She got her loan but continued her charade. She has a mortgage, so she has assets to draw on to feed her kids absent any govt assistance. Many people denied the loan do not have such assets. Less than 9% of non Hispanic whites make less than 20000 a year in Dallas county, and those are mostly children. It is not likely this woman was speaking in good faith. Agreed the govt assistance is abominable, but this person is bullshitting.
A lot of the firearm 'debate' in the US is based around the similar big question on when individual rights (my 2nd amendment right to keep and bear Arms) overcome communal rights (all of our rights not to get randomly shot). It seems somewhat consistent to see that people who want the individual right to infringe on the health of others would also go around open carrying firearms.
Part of the problem, I think, is that we have tons of people who seem to think that others don't deserve to get additional financial aid because they won't bother to go back to work. It's just a new manifestation of the welfare queen myth. At work, I hear the Fox news gang down in accounting clucking about how are we going to pay for it and the Democrats this and that, and how no one will be back at work if they get more aid. The point IS to not go back to work, until things are safe! It's a never-ending cycle of selfishness, racism and ignorance.
Great article...I like the distinction you drew here between freedom to (the individual) and freedom from (the community). I am heartened by the fact that most people, as much as possible, are either staying home or in their immediate vicinity (see Washington Post: https://wapo.st/staying-home?tid=ss_tw). Still doesn't take away from the fact that people are having to make tough decisions between work vs. survival because our government hasn't done enough to support them during this time.
You all are doing a great job on the blog...great to read it daily. Keep it up!
Really, this is a problem of people like her (and millions upon millions) getting served a shit sandwich by the govt. $1200 doesn't go far when you can't earn anything more. Both parties are to blame (one more than the other, sure), and neoliberalism and conservative economics led us here. Pandemic + gutted infrastructure + no social safety net = a kick in the teeth for most Americans. If we had instituted a $2k/mo plan like some European countries and Canada, you'd have less fuel for this kind of shit. The government DOES suck but it's intentional. The Right Wingers don't understand that part at all.
A million times this. And the fact that all the headlines entirely ignore this and try to shame her is why this country is beyond repair. We are totally in failed state territory when literally everything is 'the other side is awful.'
Yeah, she has it better than plenty of other people, the GOP is cynically using her as a prop, but how do you expect the millions of other people in her situation to react when they see that the left has no sympathy for her?
There are plenty of trump voters deserving of sympathy, but not this grandstander. She got her loan but continued her charade. She has a mortgage, so she has assets to draw on to feed her kids absent any govt assistance. Many people denied the loan do not have such assets. Less than 9% of non Hispanic whites make less than 20000 a year in Dallas county, and those are mostly children. It is not likely this woman was speaking in good faith. Agreed the govt assistance is abominable, but this person is bullshitting.
A lot of the firearm 'debate' in the US is based around the similar big question on when individual rights (my 2nd amendment right to keep and bear Arms) overcome communal rights (all of our rights not to get randomly shot). It seems somewhat consistent to see that people who want the individual right to infringe on the health of others would also go around open carrying firearms.
Part of the problem, I think, is that we have tons of people who seem to think that others don't deserve to get additional financial aid because they won't bother to go back to work. It's just a new manifestation of the welfare queen myth. At work, I hear the Fox news gang down in accounting clucking about how are we going to pay for it and the Democrats this and that, and how no one will be back at work if they get more aid. The point IS to not go back to work, until things are safe! It's a never-ending cycle of selfishness, racism and ignorance.
"To be clear, it’s wrong to jail someone for doing what Luther did"
OK, but...is it?
That face and Justin Walker’s face today . . . Ugh