Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s “scary” because he’s been brainwashed into thinking that taxes and government what’s hurting him. The LACK of government programs FOR HIM is what’s hurting him. The people who avoid taxes, such as industrial farm conglomerates aided and abetted by bought and paid for congressmen are what’s hurting him.

And the welfare dig sounds like a dog whistle to me.

You are part of the problem, frankly. He doesn't need nor does he want government programs. He wants to be left alone by the government. As do many of us.
He is complaining about the WAY our tax dollars are being spent. No accountability for welfare. Our youth are dying from fentanyl and little to no effort to stop the drugs from coming to our country. Our hard earned money going to foreign countries in the BILLIONS, if not TRILLIONS, and we have people here who have no homes and no food.

He's not been "brainwashed" at all. He has lived it. He has seen the waste of tax money. He speaks for millions.

Less than 1% of the federal budget goes to foreign aid, and he is literally complaining about people who use SNAP to buy food.

Yeah. Those highly nutritious foods like fudge rounds and chips and soda.

"A 2016 report from the USDA found that sweetened beverages, like soda, are the most commonly purchased items by SNAP recipients across the U.S."

soda is cheaper than milk. It didn't use to be that way, but it is today.

And, water is cheaper than soda. So, the taxpayers foot the bill for these very unhealthy food choices, then they foot the bill for the medical help they need to deal with the results of poor nutrition. Yay!

not disputing that, but let's be honest... a lot of people, both rich and poor, don't want to just survive on water. You really think poor people shouldn't be able to drink soda if they wanted to?

And I'm not so sure water is cheaper than water. You can get a 99cent 2 liter soda bottle. A gallon of water can be like $2. And that really depends on the store and where you live.

You don't need to go to a store for water. It comes right out of your kitchen faucet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the same old, same old populism. Everything is the fault of poor people - but not poor LIKE ME - and the government.

So instead of voting for the people who have actual policies that help the average American, I'm going to vote for the people who give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and the nonworking investor class because they're the ones who REALLY understand me.

People are capable of assessing which party is most consistent with their interests.

Except they're not. Over and over again they prove that.

Example: in every poll, Americans support higher taxes on the wealthy and a wealth tax. Yet Republicans - who just won the House - continue to support cutting taxes on these people.

Look at the child tax credit - only Republicans who are in purple districts support it. Probably nothing else helps the working poor more than a healthy child tax credit, yet the supposed party of the common people opposes it? Why?
https://rollcall.com/2023/08/10/some-republicans-crack-open-door-to-child-tax-credit-compromise/

That's exactly right. A majority of Americans also want gun control, universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and reinstating Glass-Steagall. Republican politicians explicitly oppose these, yet they keep getting elected, because their constituents are more interested in contrived culture war issues and owning the libs at any costs.

And a majority of Americans want less immigration and a tougher stance on crime. Right now no party truly serves the interest of the non-affluent, and that is by design. They just get ping-ponged from party to party.

Yes. It's very clear the elite political, business, academic class is doing what it wants. That usually doesn't end well in the long term. The public wants the border controlled, but the elites do not. It doesn't matter how much they vote less illegal immigration, the elite ignore them. That's bad.

It’s because they all want a great economy. In order to have a great economy, we need people. We get people when a country has a falling birth rate by immigration.

Anonymous wrote:None of these dopes can follow the money. Wherever he lives in NC is almost certainly receiving more from the government than they pay in, and it isn’t going mostly to poor people. A lot of it is going to military bases and defense contractors, a lot is Social Security and Medicare, plus military retirement and Tricare since NC has a lot of military retirees. And the benefits that do go to poor people pay almost all the money directly to local businesses and institutions (hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, nursing homes, schools, grocery stores, and their vendors and employees), providing a lot of good jobs in the community. It’s just ridiculous how all these guys think that military contracts are private sector money but payments to hospitals are government waste. When I worked in Congress, the biggest complainers about government spending were retired military working for defense contractors and listening to Rush Limbaugh on the job.

Anonymous wrote:None of these dopes can follow the money. Wherever he lives in NC is almost certainly receiving more from the government than they pay in, and it isn’t going mostly to poor people. A lot of it is going to military bases and defense contractors, a lot is Social Security and Medicare, plus military retirement and Tricare since NC has a lot of military retirees. And the benefits that do go to poor people pay almost all the money directly to local businesses and institutions (hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, nursing homes, schools, grocery stores, and their vendors and employees), providing a lot of good jobs in the community. It’s just ridiculous how all these guys think that military contracts are private sector money but payments to hospitals are government waste. When I worked in Congress, the biggest complainers about government spending were retired military working for defense contractors and listening to Rush Limbaugh on the job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the same old, same old populism. Everything is the fault of poor people - but not poor LIKE ME - and the government.

So instead of voting for the people who have actual policies that help the average American, I'm going to vote for the people who give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and the nonworking investor class because they're the ones who REALLY understand me.

People are capable of assessing which party is most consistent with their interests.

Except they're not. Over and over again they prove that.

Example: in every poll, Americans support higher taxes on the wealthy and a wealth tax. Yet Republicans - who just won the House - continue to support cutting taxes on these people.

Look at the child tax credit - only Republicans who are in purple districts support it. Probably nothing else helps the working poor more than a healthy child tax credit, yet the supposed party of the common people opposes it? Why?
https://rollcall.com/2023/08/10/some-republicans-crack-open-door-to-child-tax-credit-compromise/

That's exactly right. A majority of Americans also want gun control, universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and reinstating Glass-Steagall. Republican politicians explicitly oppose these, yet they keep getting elected, because their constituents are more interested in contrived culture war issues and owning the libs at any costs.

And a majority of Americans want less immigration and a tougher stance on crime. Right now no party truly serves the interest of the non-affluent, and that is by design. They just get ping-ponged from party to party.

Yes. It's very clear the elite political, business, academic class is doing what it wants. That usually doesn't end well in the long term. The public wants the border controlled, but the elites do not. It doesn't matter how much they vote less illegal immigration, the elite ignore them. That's bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s “scary” because he’s been brainwashed into thinking that taxes and government what’s hurting him. The LACK of government programs FOR HIM is what’s hurting him. The people who avoid taxes, such as industrial farm conglomerates aided and abetted by bought and paid for congressmen are what’s hurting him.

And the welfare dig sounds like a dog whistle to me.

You are part of the problem, frankly. He doesn't need nor does he want government programs. He wants to be left alone by the government. As do many of us.
He is complaining about the WAY our tax dollars are being spent. No accountability for welfare. Our youth are dying from fentanyl and little to no effort to stop the drugs from coming to our country. Our hard earned money going to foreign countries in the BILLIONS, if not TRILLIONS, and we have people here who have no homes and no food.

He's not been "brainwashed" at all. He has lived it. He has seen the waste of tax money. He speaks for millions.

Less than 1% of the federal budget goes to foreign aid, and he is literally complaining about people who use SNAP to buy food.

Yeah. Those highly nutritious foods like fudge rounds and chips and soda.

"A 2016 report from the USDA found that sweetened beverages, like soda, are the most commonly purchased items by SNAP recipients across the U.S."

soda is cheaper than milk. It didn't use to be that way, but it is today.

And, water is cheaper than soda. So, the taxpayers foot the bill for these very unhealthy food choices, then they foot the bill for the medical help they need to deal with the results of poor nutrition. Yay!

not disputing that, but let's be honest... a lot of people, both rich and poor, don't want to just survive on water. You really think poor people shouldn't be able to drink soda if they wanted to?

And I'm not so sure water is cheaper than water. You can get a 99cent 2 liter soda bottle. A gallon of water can be like $2. And that really depends on the store and where you live.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the same old, same old populism. Everything is the fault of poor people - but not poor LIKE ME - and the government.

So instead of voting for the people who have actual policies that help the average American, I'm going to vote for the people who give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and the nonworking investor class because they're the ones who REALLY understand me.

People are capable of assessing which party is most consistent with their interests.

Except they're not. Over and over again they prove that.

Example: in every poll, Americans support higher taxes on the wealthy and a wealth tax. Yet Republicans - who just won the House - continue to support cutting taxes on these people.

Look at the child tax credit - only Republicans who are in purple districts support it. Probably nothing else helps the working poor more than a healthy child tax credit, yet the supposed party of the common people opposes it? Why?
https://rollcall.com/2023/08/10/some-republicans-crack-open-door-to-child-tax-credit-compromise/

That's exactly right. A majority of Americans also want gun control, universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and reinstating Glass-Steagall. Republican politicians explicitly oppose these, yet they keep getting elected, because their constituents are more interested in contrived culture war issues and owning the libs at any costs.

And a majority of Americans want less immigration and a tougher stance on crime. Right now no party truly serves the interest of the non-affluent, and that is by design. They just get ping-ponged from party to party.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s “scary” because he’s been brainwashed into thinking that taxes and government what’s hurting him. The LACK of government programs FOR HIM is what’s hurting him. The people who avoid taxes, such as industrial farm conglomerates aided and abetted by bought and paid for congressmen are what’s hurting him.

And the welfare dig sounds like a dog whistle to me.

You are part of the problem, frankly. He doesn't need nor does he want government programs. He wants to be left alone by the government. As do many of us.
He is complaining about the WAY our tax dollars are being spent. No accountability for welfare. Our youth are dying from fentanyl and little to no effort to stop the drugs from coming to our country. Our hard earned money going to foreign countries in the BILLIONS, if not TRILLIONS, and we have people here who have no homes and no food.

He's not been "brainwashed" at all. He has lived it. He has seen the waste of tax money. He speaks for millions.

Anonymous wrote:Oh please. You people. This song SCARES you? There is no call to arms, no violence discussed, even obliquely.

Meanwhile, let's look at the #1 streamed rap song this week. And I'm a fan of rap, which is how I instantly knew to do some literary
comparison.

Fukumean, by Gunna, is #1. Here's a brief excerpt, which I am forced to make redactions so that it isn't blocked immediately by the filters:

[Verse]
F-- you mean?
Young Gunna Wunna, they workin' my nerves
I'm about to pour up some syrup
F-- this b-- like a perv'
Smack from the back, grab her perm
Ice, the berg, uh, shi--' on all you lil' turds
Can't take that d!ck, wait your turn
In my own lane, we can't merge
Suck with no hands, you can learn
Let's see how much you can earn



This is the top one on SoundCloud right now. Now, imagine if a country singer were to produce something analogous.

I could easily go out and find a rap song glorifying violence or with an anti-government bent. I run listening to rap and can vouch that it's themes are not exactly a monument to progressive values.

When I hear all this anger about country music, I can't help but think that you really just dislike the audience, and the audience makes you afraid, and you need to try to justify it by pretending that song about working class woes is a coded call to arms. It's art. Relax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the same old, same old populism. Everything is the fault of poor people - but not poor LIKE ME - and the government.

So instead of voting for the people who have actual policies that help the average American, I'm going to vote for the people who give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and the nonworking investor class because they're the ones who REALLY understand me.

People are capable of assessing which party is most consistent with their interests.

Except they're not. Over and over again they prove that.

Example: in every poll, Americans support higher taxes on the wealthy and a wealth tax. Yet Republicans - who just won the House - continue to support cutting taxes on these people.

Look at the child tax credit - only Republicans who are in purple districts support it. Probably nothing else helps the working poor more than a healthy child tax credit, yet the supposed party of the common people opposes it? Why?
https://rollcall.com/2023/08/10/some-republicans-crack-open-door-to-child-tax-credit-compromise/

That's exactly right. A majority of Americans also want gun control, universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and reinstating Glass-Steagall. Republican politicians explicitly oppose these, yet they keep getting elected, because their constituents are more interested in contrived culture war issues and owning the libs at any costs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the same old, same old populism. Everything is the fault of poor people - but not poor LIKE ME - and the government.

So instead of voting for the people who have actual policies that help the average American, I'm going to vote for the people who give huge tax breaks to the wealthy and the nonworking investor class because they're the ones who REALLY understand me.

People are capable of assessing which party is most consistent with their interests.

Except they're not. Over and over again they prove that.

Example: in every poll, Americans support higher taxes on the wealthy and a wealth tax. Yet Republicans - who just won the House - continue to support cutting taxes on these people.

Look at the child tax credit - only Republicans who are in purple districts support it. Probably nothing else helps the working poor more than a healthy child tax credit, yet the supposed party of the common people opposes it? Why?
https://rollcall.com/2023/08/10/some-republicans-crack-open-door-to-child-tax-credit-compromise/

Anonymous wrote:Listen to this song and pay attention to the lyrics. By total coincidence, this guy was performing at a produce stand just on the mainland side of the Outer Banks yesterday (Morriss, if you know the area) as our group stopped for our week's provisions.

I have to say it was almost.... a little bit scary. It honestly felt like the beginning of something. Like a call to arms. These people felt this song in their hearts. I've been to rallys all my life as a DC native but this was something else. At one point a good chunk of the crowd was chanting "Secede! Secede! Secede!"

I have since googled the guy and it seems he is some sort of cult hero to the far right.

I don't know if something is coming but the whispers aren't so quiet.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rich+men+richomd+lyrics&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS895US895&oq=ri&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i60j69i61l2.1379j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:2346f2b7,vid:uqdJsRWN1Y4

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always laugh at these “uprisings”

People will vote republican to help lower taxes, etc.

Those tax decreases are not helping the avg person, they are helping the DCUM crowd, myself included. This song preaches about how hard life is for the middle class (which is true) but what is the solution? Lower taxes? That will further the income inequality.

Most blue collar workers should be voting democratic as they are actually trying to stick it to the “rich men”.

That's not true. And the "rich men" Oliver is referring to is the politicians.
Like Biden, for example. He's been a politician his whole life. His wife a teacher. And, yet, his net worth is around $9 million.

ok, but how will seceding help them? Do they think if only they could become their own country that politicians won't enrich themselves, and corporations won't be the won't with the real power?

Dems actually do want to help the middle class. Biden may be worth millions but he's willing to increase taxes on the wealthy, which includes him.

What are Rs trying to do to help the middle class? Take away their healthcare? Give them more access to guns? The little bit of tax decrease that the middle class would get would do not much for them in the big picture.