The unemployed are lazy is good politics?

[The Black Forrest]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

[Lackadaisical2]

Depends on the mental gymnastics of those inclined to vote for her. Probably not though, considering you're trying to unseat someone.

[Grave_n_idle]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

[Mostly armless]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

This^

But they'd have to be really stupid to fall for that.

[Abdju]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

This^

But they'd have to be really stupid to fall for that.

Never underestimate stupidity, my friend....

[New Wallonochia]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

Exactly. One of the more pervasive narratives on the right is that the country is made up of two kinds of people: Hard working, ambitious people with jobs (Republicans) have to support the other half, the lazy welfare queens without jobs (Democrats) who live better on government checks than the hardworking Republicans do from working.

The way they reconcile this with the fact that so many poor Republicans are unemployed is that they portray those people as simply going through a tough time and needing help, while lots of (in some versions it's most) Democrats are on unemployment because they're too lazy to work.

So yes, for their target audience it's good politics because they're hitting the enemy where it'll hurt them the most.

The worst part is that there are people who believe this in any way resembles reality.

[Mostly armless]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

This^

But they'd have to be really stupid to fall for that.

Never underestimate stupidity, my friend....

Best advice ever.

[Ashmoria]

i cant imagine that it IS good politics.

doesnt everyone know someone who is long term unemployed? especially in nevada where many thousands are unemployed through no fault of their own and with no good chance at getting any kind of job.

to give suffering people the back of your hand doesnt seem to me to be a great way to get votes.

[Grave_n_idle]

i cant imagine that it IS good politics.

doesnt everyone know someone who is long term unemployed? especially in nevada where many thousands are unemployed through no fault of their own and with no good chance at getting any kind of job.

to give suffering people the back of your hand doesnt seem to me to be a great way to get votes.

On the contrary, you can present it as clear-headed fiscal responsibility in tough times, and a stance against 'bleeding hearts' that would bankrupt the country by giving away YOUR hard-earned money.

Provided you can phrase it in a way that makes the voter feel good about him/herself - and simultaneously depersonalize the disenfranchised enough that no one identifies them with themselves (or their immediate friends) - it's politically advantageous.

[Ashmoria]

i cant imagine that it IS good politics.

doesnt everyone know someone who is long term unemployed? especially in nevada where many thousands are unemployed through no fault of their own and with no good chance at getting any kind of job.

to give suffering people the back of your hand doesnt seem to me to be a great way to get votes.

On the contrary, you can present it as clear-headed fiscal responsibility in tough times, and a stance against 'bleeding hearts' that would bankrupt the country by giving away YOUR hard-earned money.

Provided you can phrase it in a way that makes the voter feel good about him/herself - and simultaneously depersonalize the disenfranchised enough that no one identifies them with themselves (or their immediate friends) - it's politically advantageous.

i dunno. kicking people when they are down isnt the best politics.

but no one is paying attention to politics yet--there was an unemployed caller on washington journal this morning who had been shocked to find out that it was the republicans who had all voted against the extensions-- so i guess it is for the benefit of .....someone else...donors?...teaparty lunatics? ...libertarians?

[Vetalia]

God, what a moron...they don't work because there are no jobs. Right now, the average is 5+ workers per opening (and that's nationwide...Michigan, Nevada or Florida might have a different tale to tell, and to put it in perspective there were 1.7 per opening in 2007, still weaker than we had in the 90's) and people are competing against college grads and older workers for these positions. The truth is, a lot of these people looking for work gave up because many of them were in households where more than one member worked, so they basically took a hit on their living standards instead of trying.

Now, as you all know I am a far-left liberal loon but I'm going to advance a theory anyways...if we need to stoke consumption to boost the economy, does it make more sense to allow this underemployment and falling living standards to continue, or give the unemployed a new lease on life through extended benefits so they can keep spending money and hopefully help the economy recover?

The amount of money spent on these benefits is a drop in the bucket compared to the amounts blown elsewhere...if we can afford to blow $100 billion per year on endless wars (which would be equal to giving every American a nice $300 stimulus check), why can't we afford to extend unemployment to American citizens who were quite productive members of our society no more than two years ago?

[Lizardiar]

I can understand the ones of perfectly fine people, who just don't want to work. If I see that, I'll not giive a damn if they choose instead to live on handouts. If they can't work, I'll be happy to get them some food or give a little money. Help those that want to help themselves...

[SaintB]

Sadly it seems to be the way all republicans think.

[NERVUN]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

This^

But they'd have to be really stupid to fall for that.

This is Nevada, you'd be amazed, especially out in the cow counties.

That said, she got some backlash in Vegas and Reno for that and given THEY are the ones who will decide this race...

Personally, I can't stand the woman and I will vote for Reid not because I like him, but because the best thing Nevada votes have ever done is to get that woman OUT of the Legislature and I'm not about to send her to the Senate in order to inflict her on the rest of the nation.

[Siromizu]

If you don't try to get a job, you don't deserve welfare money.

If you can't get a job because you are unskilled or uneducated, it's your own problem, and you don't deserve welfare money.

If you can't get a job because you are disabled or disadvantaged in some other way that is out of your control, then you deserve welfare money.

[Greed and Death]

The laws in that state require set residency, for a period of time to vote, the majority of the unemployed will not have lived in place long enough to vote.

[Grave_n_idle]

If you can't get a job because you are unskilled or uneducated, it's your own problem, and you don't deserve welfare money.

That's ridiculous. If you lack skills or education, you're not avoiding getting work - you're just not being picked up for it. Punishing someone because someone else won't hire them makes no sense.

Get them the skills. Get them the education. And if they still won't do anything with it, THEN it's their fault.

[Lacadaemon]

I guess it's good politics if you figure that the unemployed are all going to vote for your opponent anyway, but you might pick up a few votes from employed who normally vote the other way.

I don't know why the government doesn't just hire these people into WG jobs. (Instead of stupid stimulus packages, which are just porky nonsense and don't work). There is tonnes of shit that needs doing: civic beautification and such.

[NERVUN]

I guess it's good politics if you figure that the unemployed are all going to vote for your opponent anyway, but you might pick up a few votes from employed who normally vote the other way.

I don't know why the government doesn't just hire these people into WG jobs. (Instead of stupid stimulus packages, which are just porky nonsense and don't work). There is tonnes of shit that needs doing: civic beautification and such.

It'd be nice to have the CCC back...

But I think Hell will open up an icecream stand first before various political groups let it happen.

[Greed and Death]

I guess it's good politics if you figure that the unemployed are all going to vote for your opponent anyway, but you might pick up a few votes from employed who normally vote the other way.

I don't know why the government doesn't just hire these people into WG jobs. (Instead of stupid stimulus packages, which are just porky nonsense and don't work). There is tonnes of shit that needs doing: civic beautification and such.

It'd be nice to have the CCC back...

But I think Hell will open up an icecream stand first before various political groups let it happen.

I am hoping for a collapse into a mad max type world myself. I already got a metal hockey mask and a voice altering device so i can give speeches like Lord hummungus.

[Delator]

This is Nevada, you'd be amazed, especially out in the cow counties.

That said, she got some backlash in Vegas and Reno for that and given THEY are the ones who will decide this race...

Personally, I can't stand the woman and I will vote for Reid not because I like him, but because the best thing Nevada votes have ever done is to get that woman OUT of the Legislature and I'm not about to send her to the Senate in order to inflict her on the rest of the nation.

To me, the race is win/win...

Reid wins, and the Tea Party takes a hard left hook to the jaw.

Reid loses, and we could get a Senate Majority leader with a fucking spine.

What's not to like?

[The chrisman union]

An unemployed vote is still a vote, and those are votes the teabaggers won't get if they continue like this.

[Lacadaemon]

Obama could do it tomorrow if he wanted. The government is authorized to create a pool of federal jobs when the unemployment rate is > 3%. Mind you, they are also supposed to keep trade in balance too.

Actually, it's a much better idea than extending the UE bennies. One of the legitimate criticisms about extending unemployment benefits is that people find it much harder to find work again after extended separation from the work force.

[Zirconim]

So Sharron Angle wants to unseat a long term senator in a state that leads with unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies and her political campaigning involves telling people they are lazy for needing unemployment extensions?

I don't think the teabaggers are going to get far if they field people like that.

Tea Party's Sharron Angle thinks the unemployed are lazy?

Out there on the campaign trail against the unemployment extension bill is the Tea Party's Sharron Angle from Nevada. She's campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Harry Reid. Her campaign strategy? Angle has repeatedly called the unemployed "lazy" and has expressed general disdain for the benefits extension bill currently making its way through Congress.

Recently Sharron Angle told Nevada political reporter John Ralston, " The truth about it is that they keep extending these unemployment benefits to the point where people are afraid to go out and get a job because the job doesn't pay as much as the unemployment benefit does ... What has happened is this system of entitlement has caused us to have a spoilage with our ability to go out and get a job."

Nevada ranks at the top for joblessness, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Our little state of Rhode Island isn't far behind, but to have someone leading a campaign in Nevada saying that the unemployed are lazy can't be a big positive in the eyes of voters.

Best to keep your eye on the politicians campaigning in your state because come November, even if this unemployment extension passes now, that extension will be up at the end of November. Who will represent the jobless then?

http://www.examiner.com/x-39124-Provide ... loyed-lazy[*]

If you can persuade your voters you mean everyone-BUT-them, yes, it's good politics.

This^

But they'd have to be really stupid to fall for that.

I third this^^

[Lacadaemon]

I am hoping for a collapse into a mad max type world myself. I already got a metal hockey mask and a voice altering device so i can give speeches like Lord hummungus.

I have been stockpiling cans of dogfood. I will use them to trade for petrol for my ford falcon as I ride about the desert bringing justice.