tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post6541411871455946355..comments2024-03-27T03:00:27.024-04:00Comments on Facts & other stubborn things: Cheap Shot on Romney and "Very Poor"Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-44609932269434972562012-02-02T13:43:44.072-05:002012-02-02T13:43:44.072-05:00Im not willing to give romney credit for this one ...Im not willing to give romney credit for this one statement any more than I'm willing to give paul credit for wanting to leave Afghanistan. Within the matrix of who these guys are and who they are pandering to one can only assume they are right for the wrong reasons.Andrew Bossiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353842153288646125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-15189552553836144412012-02-02T13:36:23.418-05:002012-02-02T13:36:23.418-05:00I simply think that when you quote the entire pass...I simply think that when you quote the entire passage rather than the one sentence, it's clear he's not saying they're "perfectly fine".<br /><br />Don't get me wrong - I recognize why this isn't good enough and why it frustrates people. I just don't think we should turn it into something it wasn't. We also should marvel at the fact that he could even acknowledge what he did acknowledge. He clearly thinks there is an important and legitimate role for a social safety net. Do you know any other leading GOP candidates that thinks that?Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-34791125669273523562012-02-02T13:30:42.249-05:002012-02-02T13:30:42.249-05:00Is there any data on these programs and their succ...Is there any data on these programs and their success? I have been under the impression that all TANF does is getting people off of welfare.<br /><br />I just think Romney's statment was a slightly less offensive version of calling obama the food stamps president. The idea that the very poor are perfectly fine given rising poverty rates and stagnating employment is absurd and so we dont need to worry about them is absurd. There is still a lot of dog whistling in there even if it is more subtle than Newt.Andrew Bossiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353842153288646125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-38423074606666643122012-02-02T11:05:42.191-05:002012-02-02T11:05:42.191-05:00It's about time I'm criticized for what I ...It's about time I'm criticized for what I say about a Republican other than Ron Paul!<br /><br />I believe I noted in the post I don't think Romney is up to the task.<br /><br />This is far too expansive a claim: <i>"You do realize tweaking those programs while increasing the chance people wont be trapped in a cycle of poverty because of "perverse incentives" it increases the already high probability the poor will be trapped in a cycle of poverty because those programs don't actually help people get out of poverty."</i><br /><br />TANF job subsidies, for example, are fantastic way of disrupting these perverse incentives and helping people get out of poverty. We can look at various demand side subsidies like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit too. Those demand-side policies are a particular favorite of mine.<br /><br />But you're right - others just propose cutting the program itself as a way of eliminating the perverse incentives. That's obviously no solution.<br /><br />This hasn't turned into a Romney campaign blog - <i>obviously</i>. I'm simply noting that:<br /><br />1. He didn't really say what people are acting like he said, and<br />2. What he did say demonstrates he's much better than the other GOP candidates.Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-72415268899641022612012-02-02T10:53:13.918-05:002012-02-02T10:53:13.918-05:00You do realize tweaking those programs while incre...You do realize tweaking those programs while increasing the chance people wont be trapped in a cycle of poverty because of "perverse incentives" it increases the already high probability the poor will be trapped in a cycle of poverty because those programs don't actually help people get out of poverty.<br /><br />The idea that this country takes the problems of the "very poor" seriously is nonsense.<br /><br />Romney also downplayed the seriousness of poverty by acting as though you could lump the very poor in with the rich as only 5% or 10% of the population. Poverty rates are at 16% and rising.<br /><br />I think you could be accused of "the soft bigotry of low expectations" by congratulating Romney on paying lip service to the idea of a social safety net.<br /><br />Notice there is no actual plan there. It seems safe to assume any Romney driven repair to the saftey net will have a whole lot more to do with making sure people don't game the system. I doubt Romneys repairs will focus much on actually getting people educated and getting people jobs that are worth having.Andrew Bossiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353842153288646125noreply@blogger.com