South Dakota GOP Candidate Likens Food Stamp Recipients to Animals

Surprisingly, I didn't see a thread about this though I first heard about it a couple of days ago.

From the Raw Story article:

A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate compared food stamp recipients to wild animals in a Facebook post.

Dr. Annette Bosworth, who is running for South Dakota’s open Senate seat against four other Republicans, shared a viral image Monday on her personal page on the social media network, reported Right Wing Watch.

The physician, who styles herself after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Steve King (R-IA), is running in third place in a recent poll, behind former South Dakota state Sen. and Gov. Mike Rounds and state Rep. Stace Nelson.

The Facebook post drew many negative comments from her followers.

“The only issue I have with this are children in families that would not eat if not for the food stamps,” said one commenter. “Children do not get to choose their parents.”

Another woman related her own experience, saying she worked one full-time job and another part-time job to pay her family’s rent and bills.

Here's the image that she shared on FB:



In typical caught-red-handed-being-a-douche-bag-what-I-really-meant-to-do-was-this fashion, Dr. Bosworth had the following to say:

"It did ruffle some feathers. It did stimulate all the way to the Washington Post, but that's good. They're talking about it, and that is the problem: that they won't talk about the issues that are really important to the patients and the people I see every day," Bosworth said.

"Was it a crude statement to begin the conversation? Yes, and if that's what it takes to begin the conversation, so be it," Bosworth said.

Predictably, other candidates are seizing on an opportunity to score points by condemning her comments.

The conversation in opposing the post is growing. In a statement to KELOLAND News, Republican Senate candidate Stace Nelson says he is "disappointed at the comments attributed to Annette Bosworth about the poor, elderly, and veterans. We should not blame them for the sad state of this nation. The blame should be on dishonest politicians that claim to be against that which is making Americans further dependent."

Bosworth says critics are taking the words in the post too literally. They should instead see it as a call to action.

source

Unfortunately, she's only the most recent in a long list of right-wing politicians and pundits to make similar if not identical comparisons.

Mary Franson, Minnesota State Representative in 2012

Isn't it ironic that the food stamp program, part of the Department of Agriculture, is pleased to be distributing the greatest amount of food stamps ever? Meanwhile, the Park Service, also part of the Department of Agriculture, asks us to please not feed the animals, because the animals may grow dependent and not learn to take care of themselves.

Rush Limbaugh, also in 2012

The same people who, if you go to a state park, will not let you feed the animals because they will become dependent, just like you were. And they won't be able to survive, just like you couldn't. And they won't be able to fend for themselves, just like you couldn't. And they won't be able to feed themselves, and they won't be able to thrive, and they will not be able to detect danger and so forth. So they know, but they want you to stay dependent. They want you to stay on welfare.

Nebraska Attorney General and GOP Senate candidate Jon Bruning in 2011

The raccoons figured out the beetles are in the bucket," Bruning said. "And its like grapes in a jar. The raccoons - they're not stupid, they're gonna do the easy way if we make it easy for them. Just like welfare recipients all across America. If we don't incent them to work, they're gonna take the easy route.

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer in 2010

“My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed,” Bauer said during a speech advocating that the government take away assistance to those who do not pass drug tests.

“You’re facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply,” Bauer added, according to a report in the Greenville News. “They will reproduce, especially ones that don’t think too much further than that. And so what you’ve got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don’t know any better.”

What's with this abhorrent trend of blaming the poor, even the working poor, for the current state of affairs? These people aren't just trying to stimulate a conversation, they're expressing their honest opinions of the poor as being a subhuman class and they feel comfortable doing so because they think that's what conservative voters want to hear.

Don't look at Wal-mart and wonder why our nation's largest private employer, owned by a few siblings whose wealth exceeds that of the bottom 42% of our country combined, won't pay people a decent wage. Don't ask why the rich are accumulating even more wealth at historic rates while the rest of us fight over the scraps. No, instead, blame the most downtrodden among us.

Ms. Bosworth, you couldn't be more wrong you repugnant creature. It is you and those like you who are the subhumans.

It could certainly be argued,

That the Welfare system rewards behavior that would otherwise socially be unacceptable.

We need to help, with out breeding dependency.

The Right, focuses on Dependency.

The left, Focuses on Help.

Unfortunately, the two sides can't get together to reason, and instead only spit Rhetoric and Hyperbole, killing any chance of compromise.

The end result, everyone suffers.

The sad part is people will vote for her cause they think shes right.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Disabled Vet, former fed officer, and my kids/wife have an EBT card. Hard times can befall anyone not rich (millionaires).

Wife is a nurse, injured on the job saving a handicap lady from falling and smashing her head on sidewalk due to cheap employer that would not fix van's vehicle handi-lift. And the employer lied, he actually was NOT paying workers comp, unemployment etc.

So, she lost her job, doesn't qualify for workers comp, we needed a lawyer. Until the settlement, we have EBT. first time EVER we needed/asked the govt for help.

That female (not lady) candidate is a complete SCUM BAG.

originally posted by: HanzHenry


That female (not lady) candidate is a complete SCUM BAG.

Dr. Bosworth also sees patients through Preventive Health Strategies, a non-profit organization focused on providing accessible, quality health care for marginalized populations in Sioux Falls, SD.

She is currently on the Minnehaha County Drug Court Team and supports state and national governing bodies including National Drug Court Institute (NDCI) and Drug Court Initiatives (DCI), along with many other professional organizations focused on promoting recovery to achieve optimal health.

Her dedication extends beyond her time commitment to patients during and after hours. She leads medical mission trips to Haiti and has been known to actually give away the farm in support of causes that matter to her

Meaningful Medicine

Yes, clearly uncaring scum.


Its funny, how Political correctness has peppered language with these Landmines, that if you trip on them, it makes it easy for people to make snap irrational judgement about someone.

Looking over her info, looks like a small time Candidate gaining ground against incumbents.

Quick, better dig something up to dismiss her real quick.


Not like shes a Doctor that treats the underprivileged and sees the toll low income economics takes on her patients or anything right?


ETA:

I know nothing, of south Dakota, or its politics, just took some time to look up info on the candidates.

Contributions

Seems like shes definitely the outsider, contributions small, and from small business...

originally posted by: benrl
It could certainly be argued,

That the Welfare system rewards behavior that would otherwise socially be unacceptable.

We need to help, with out breeding dependency.

The Right, focuses on Dependency.

The left, Focuses on Help.

Unfortunately, the two sides can't get together to reason, and instead only spit Rhetoric and Hyperbole, killing any chance of compromise.

The end result, everyone suffers.

It could also be argued that we're suffering much more from a lack of economic opportunity than an abundance of dependency so why is the national conversation disproportionately focused by some groups on the least of many causes?

Another argument might be that a class of poor people is the inevitable result of any system in which 4 people have as much as the combined wealth of 140,000,000 (4 Waltons vs ~42% of the US population).

It would be foolish of me or anyone else to deny a degree of exploitation in any system but I sincerely believe that a large majority of lower income people, given a choice and an opportunity, would gladly work a decent paying job rather than subsist on social welfare programs.

a reply to: HanzHenry

You said it man....also people dont consider...sometimes you have to take in a family member...a sick parent...sick relative...adopt a cousin...# happens...your job or business goes under. Disabled vet and former officer myself and I once found myself in some very odd times...luckily I had a great family to lean on for a short period of time until it was all squared away.

Heck even a divorce can financially drain you...I lost almost everything I had in mine but luckily had a high paying job at the time.

People can get dependent on assistance, but most times the people don't make enough to pay all their bills and still eat. I have no problem with people collecting food stamps...... if they need it. There are a lot of part time jobs out there that do not pay a living wage. This program is not the problem, the money spent on unnecessary government contracts is the problem. When there are cuts in those programs, they always cut the ones that are necessary, the waste goes on and on. If they cut the ones that didn't matter, people would not complain, which means the agencies would be getting less money in their communities. They always cut the programs that effect the most numbers of people, that way more people back their expenditures, even the pork belly projects.

What's amazing to me is that in every example people are referred to as animals. Or every instance is compared to being in the wild having to fend for oneself. In some instances it's good to fend for one's self but not for everyday of one's life. We're supposed to be a civilized society with laws and such. That's what seperates a us from the animals in the first place. We're not animals, we're people and we should live our lives that way.

a reply to: benrl

Proper work ethics are an educational issue, and while an abusable welfare system certainly isn't helping matters, in the end it comes down to healthy cultural upbringing.

We have one of the best social systems in the world here, so if the system alone was key in conditioning the behaviour of people, we'd have to be a nation of slackers.

ETA:
I've been told before that teutonic diligence and thrift are "typical fascist attitudes" so don't even bother, I don't care.
The foreigners I met who understood this at once were soldiers though... riddle me this, ATS!!

originally posted by: theantediluvian

It could also be argued that we're suffering much more from a lack of economic opportunity than an abundance of dependency so why is the national conversation disproportionately focused by some groups on the least of many causes?

Another argument might be that a class of poor people is the inevitable result of any system in which 4 people have as much as the combined wealth of 140,000,000 (4 Waltons vs ~42% of the US population).

It would be foolish of me or anyone else to deny a degree of exploitation in any system but I sincerely believe that a large majority of lower income people, given a choice and an opportunity, would gladly work a decent paying job rather than subsist on social welfare programs.

Some certainly would, some certainly wouldn't.

You don't plan for best case scenarios, you plan for the worst.

Compensation will always drive behavior, it is a basic fact of life.

What ever that compensation maybe, social or economic.


NOW we can argue for communism if you want and the distribution of wealth, but thats not the point of the thread (or is it).

The point was, this person RUNNING not even elected, LIKED something on face book, that though crudely, yet accurately stated a fact of human nature .

Just in a manner that was politically incorrect.




NOW if you wan't to discuss the UNFAIRNESS of the system, than by All means, Ill jump on that conversation.

As long as its reasoned and logical, with out crucifying someone for stating an unpopular opinion poorly, as that strikes me as a bit too Ad hominem and par the course for US politics.

People like to dress these things up "LOOK WHAT THE ____ IS DOING, MYSIDE IS BETTER!!!""

Both sides blow.

Attack how they said it or them, but never the issue they raised.

Its how they have led us by the nose to where we are now.

South Dakota has a much lower percentage of people on "food stamps" than the national average already. They are very strict and check up on recipients regularly and make them constantly prove they are still eligible.

What more does this evil witch doctor want?

originally posted by: ColCurious
a reply to: benrl

Proper work ethics are an educational issue, and while an abusable welfare system certainly isn't helping matters, in the end it comes down to healthy cultural upbringing.

We have one of the best social systems in the world here, so if the system alone was key in conditioning the behaviour of people, we'd have to be a nation of slackers.

I see some of the examples on here, and I match their criteria. (as to why the system sucks etc)

They don't apply to me, why?

AS you said, work ethic, that was given to me by my parents.

It is the systems job, to provide for LIFE, LIBERY, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

It is that Pursuit of happiness that I feel Welfare plays a role.

There Should be safety nets in place, to catch people when they fall.

Not Spiderwebs that lock them into place.

Education IS key, and I feel is the solution to all our societal problems.

However, we have to live in the system we created, and baring massive reform across EVERYTHING (which won't happen) Which means, WELFARE, like Health care, will be addressed in the same CLUSTER F___K that the system we have allowed to happen only seems capable of producing.

our welfare system seems to incentive's single parent hood, an Issue, which can't be addressed with out being tar and feathered by someone.


IT has to start somewhere, with something, and that first step is talking about it rationally.

Something that currently seems impossible in American Politics.

originally posted by: rickymouse
There are a lot of part time jobs out there that do not pay a living wage. This program is not the problem, the money spent on unnecessary government contracts is the problem.

3.3 TRILLION on PMC's (mercs)
yet my VA pension got a cut?

That's an old joke that's been out for ever and everybody laughs at it but knows theres a lot of truth behind it. I work and I would vote for her.

I used to support the position of the good doctor before the pointless wars in the Middle East. In my opinion giving Americans money, shelter and food is a vastly superior policy to wasting trillions on killing brown people.

This candidate has opened himself up for having to explain the most obvious hole in his analysis: there is no such thing as food-stamp-money but there is a transfer of billions of dollars between the United States government and corporate America. The poor or middle-class people on food stamps do not get money, they get points which can be turned into food, and then the points get turned into profit for the grocery stores (WalMart, other chain stores), the producers of the products (ADM, other big-food corporations), and the overhead for the operation of the program. It's literally corporate welfare which benefits the poor and actually lowers the costs for the people who use money to pay into the same corporate profits.

originally posted by: mikell
That's an old joke that's been out for ever and everybody laughs at it but knows theres a lot of truth behind it. I work and I would vote for her.

"i work" is that something t brag about now, do you wear that like a badge of honor?

does it make you think you are better than those that do not work for whatever reason?

Something else to consider is that 100% of "food stamp" money is recirculated into the local economy as opposed to the billion given away to other countries.

Food stamps represent a significant source of revenue to local retailers and many might go out of business if food stamps were suddenly cut off completely.

a reply to: benrl

I would dare to claim that I learned quite alot about the US by now, but most of the time I still don't understand what exactly is wrong with your systems.
Like healthcare for example... I don't understand how in hell your additional costs are so damn high.
I just don't get it... it's outright stupid from my POV.

I'm also not even pro-our systems, even though they seem to work better than yours.
But what I really meant to say was: cultural issues can't be fixed by any system, however good organized.

originally posted by: benrl
Education IS key, and I feel is the solution to all our societal problems.

I guess we agree?