Wow, our Brave New Bosses in the GOP-controlled General Assembly are truly a class act. I mean, nothing says “I’m a classy guy” like publicly mocking the poor.
Case in point: state Sen. Don East of Pilot Mountain. (Yes, it’s the basis for the “Mt. Pilot” references on the Andy Griffith Show.) The other day, as reported by Rob Schofield of NC Policy Watch, Sen. East co-chaired a committee meeting to consider a small, rather odd bill. The measure, sponsored by Sens. Jim Davis and Bill Rabon, would repeal a state law that lets poor people obtain a waiver for fishing license fees. Since time immemorial, the waiver has been granted to people — largely rural folks, mostly on the coast — who are so poor that they often lack the income to sufficiently feed themselves and/or their families.
As Schofield writes, “it wasn’t enough for some conservative lawmakers to discuss such a hard-hearted and miserly bill . . . — they felt compelled to yuck it up while doing so.” When one senator tried to ask — note: tried to ask — bill sponsor Sen. Davis whether the current law was intended to help poor people get food to eat, Sen. East laughed and asked, “Isn’t it true that under current law these people can still use the food stamps to buy munchies to eat when they go fishing?” HA-HA-HA-HA! That Don East, what a comedian, huh? That’s not all. East’s knee-slapper inspired the other co-chair, Sen. David Rouzer of Johnston County, to laugh and tell Sen. Davis that he didn’t have to answer all the questions asked of him. Wow, kinda like having Cheech and Chong in the legislature, huh?
I’ve written before that I think well-to-do people who make fun of the poor have stooped about as low as one can go, short of physical violence. It’s the kind of behavior you’d expect from some ignorant, hard-hearted brute whose own good fortune has led him to think it’s cool to steer clear of such normal human traits as empathy, charity or understanding. In other words, like Sens. Don East and David Rouzer. Congratulations, gentlemen, your dickish behavior has won you our Hard-Hearted Assholes of the Week Award!
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 6, 2011.
I don’t remember the last time a Republican did anything that could be even remotely construed as classy.
The one thing I hate about Grooms/CL’s political articles in general, is what I hate about all politico commentary in print/TV/online: Its all hugely skewered one way or another. You’ll never find anyone at CL badmouth a liberal, or fail to badmouth a conservative. Politics in general is nothing to do w/facts anymore, just soundbites and slant. In general I’m conservative but think that theres a plethora of buffoons on both sides of the fence and have no problem calling a republican an idiot, but CL is so one sided as to be irrelevent and no believable.
Terry: Guess you never read Citizen Servatius.
Notice there is no mention of the skinny congressman weiner dog.
If you post something from the right chances are your post will vanish anyways. The more spot on the more likely it is to go poof.
All riiiight! Frank’s back in the house – must have gotten laid off again at the plasma center. Billy Bob is Frank Griffin. Even if I didn’t already know this, I could tell by the comment: Frank is the only regular commenter here who tells writers what they should be writing about. Um, Frank Bob, you see, this post was about two guys in the North Carolina legislature. You got that? Now, do you see why Anthony Weiner’s weiner problems aren’t in the post? No? Well, it’s because Weiner isn’t in the North Carolina legislature and had nothing to do with the two guys who are. Get it now? Nah, didn’t think so. That’s OK, Billy Griffin, we’ll try another remedial post reading exercise another time. Good luck at the plasma center.