Jeb Bush, in response to the question "How he'd win over the black electorate?," said that "It isn't one of division and, 'Get in line, and we'll take care of you with free stuff." It's ironic that Jeb Bush states that a black person is benefitted by programs such as food stamps, unemployment benefits, welfare etc. when he himself has personally avoided at least $241,000 in taxes - talk about free stuff. I don't know if Jeb Bush would appeal to Black Voters with this comment!!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/09/30/jeb-bush-says-black-voters-get-free-stuff-so-does-he/
I do agree with the author that Bush has exploited the government for economic gain. However, I think social welfare is a system that needs to be tweaked in our country. This debate of whether the government should provide the direct relief (or as this article addresses it, "free stuff") to impoverished families has been going on for some time. Does direct relief yield the best results for bringing people out of poverty? Bush seems to be saying no. When he says "Our message is one of hope and aspiration" and "It isn't one of division", I think he trying to claim that the government's goal should be to help people bring themselves out of poverty, rather than to make poverty less burdensome.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Bush’s description of welfare programs as mere “free stuff” oversimplifies poverty and is a reflection of both his hypocrisy and his lack of sympathy to a demographic. I feel like he’s confusing his definition of “free stuff” with the corrupt aid he receives - where he receives aid from a position of privilege, these groups are getting this aid from a position of poverty. His vague description of “free stuff” in welfare programs brings images of samples from food courts or a free vacation voucher, but that’s not the case; it’s “free stuff” out of necessity of survival, not for leisure or personal benefit. While he receives governmental advantage from an already relatively safe position, impoverished families receive aid just to put them closer to that safe position. He doesn’t recognize where these marginalized groups are coming from, and there’s a big disconnect in how he perceives poverty as an issue to be resolved by simply just working harder. Furthermore, he doesn’t expand on plans directly after bringing up the issue of "free stuff" to actually promote job creation to counter this issue; rather, it seems like he’s working in the opposite direction, in supporting a tax break that works “to encourage wealthy families to buy larger houses, rather than helping poor families buy a home that wouldn't be able to afford one otherwise.” Like Dilpreet mentioned, I’m not sure that Bush recognizes the loss in black votes that will come from touting his views - maybe he simply doesn’t care about or prioritize the black people’s vote.
ReplyDeleteLooking at Dilpreet's post makes me feel like I misread the article. I don't really understand what is ironic, and it seems like Jeb Bush is saying that he will not be using the statement, 'Get in line, and we'll take care of you with free stuff,' ". This, to me, does not seem an offensive statement toward black voters, as all it seems like he is saying that he will not be offering more "free stuff" in exchange for votes. I do understand that Bush has exploited the government economic policy but it does not seem to be very relevant to the point he is making in his response. What I am understanding from Bush's response to the question of how he will attempt to win over the black electorate is that he appeals to voters as a whole, and does not specifically campaign for black voters, and will not attempt to gain votes by saying that he will exchange "free stuff" for votes. While Bush's message may not reflect his actions, it does not seem like he has something that should cause a loss in black votes.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree that Bush is a hypocrite, I also don't see how he refers to unemployment benefits as "free stuff." Government aid is given to those who are facing financial difficulty not out of laziness or racial inferiority, but as a result of poverty. They, as well as other citizens, have paid taxes that can minimally help them in their situation. I also agree with Howard that the welfare system should be improved so that socioeconomic gaps are not perpetuated with the dependence on the system. It would be nice if government actually took action toward improving conditions for those in poverty, such as funding schools and granting opportunities, so that they actually have a chance at living the American Dream later described in the article with the privilege Bush has.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how Jeb Bush is running for the republican nominee but still has tax fraud under his name. I believe that this is not good publicity for Bush's campaign. It is important that we have a honest president in office. A major problem that America faces everyday is their national debt. How can we trust a president to pay off the national debt that can't even pay their own taxes?
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