Cul posts this article today and gets my blood moving...
Shhh, Don't Say 'Poverty'By Bob Herbert
Former Senator Phil Gramm, a Republican from Texas who was known for his orneriness, once said, "We're the only nation in the world where all our poor people are fat."
That particular example of compassionate conservatism came to mind as I looked over a report from the Department of Agriculture showing that more than 12 million American families continue to struggle, and not always successfully, to feed themselves.
The 12 million families represent 11.2 percent of all U.S. households. "At some time during the year," the report said, "these households were uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food for all their members because they had insufficient money or other resources."
Of the 12 million families that worried about putting food on the table, 3.9 million had members who actually went hungry at some point last year. "The other two-thirds ... obtained enough food to avoid hunger using a variety of coping strategies," the report said, "such as eating less varied diets, participating in federal food assistance programs, or getting emergency food from community food pantries or emergency kitchens."
These are dismal statistics for a country as well-to-do as the United States. But we don't hear much about them because hunger is associated with poverty, and poverty is not even close to becoming part of our national conversation. Swift boats, yes. Sex scenes on "Monday Night Football," most definitely. The struggle of millions of Americans to feed themselves? Oh no. Let's not go there.
What does that tell you about American values?
Check out his post to read the rest.
Something must change in the fundamental structure of our country in order to conquer hunger and poverty. That thing is to subtract the concept of Greed and eradicate the sentiment of "get for self and no one else." To eliminate the senseless consumerist grip that has been embraced by society. The relentless thirst for competition and dominance. Desire. Self entitlement. Unfortunately, I don't see any of that happening in our lifetime.
Hell is greed. Without a doubt. Almost a worse fate than poverty...
Posted by Maria at November 22, 2004 09:39 PMPathetic thing is, while these conservative shitsacks spew this nonsense, imagining they're being "clever", they're oblivious to how completely ignorant they are.
I heard Al Franken play a clip by Rush the other day, Rush ignorantly using the analogy of a glass of ice water as a means of pooh-poohing global warming. What a moron... and the morons who follow along are even more pathetic.
Before that nitwit Graham runs his mouth, he needs to consult dieticians who can explain why obesity is associated with poverty (and a poor diet).
Posted by: Jim at November 23, 2004 06:17 PMThat's incredible! And this by the same people who brought us intelligent-design theory (aka creationism). I guess if you rename something it makes it sound more palatable. I wonder what "compassionate conservatism" is a renaming of?
Compassionate Conservatives is a substitute for the term "Greedy Rotten Bastards" which didn't sound as good in speeches and television ads.
"Compassionate Conservative" can also be translated to "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"