GOP Closing Arguments: No More Food Stamps - says Gingrich

[sinkingfeeling]

http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/the-gaggle/2010/10/05/gop-closing-arguments-no-more-food-stamps.html

Say what you will about Newt Gingrich, but the man’s record includes the Herculean comeback of Republicans in 1994, thanks partly to the "Contract With America." That's why leading Republicans and GOP candidates are looking to Gingrich as the quarterback for the 2010 campaign. So what’s he advising they do?

Vilify food stamps. Gingrich more than most people knows that Washington tends to lock itself in intensely wonkish policy squabbles--need one say more than "budget reconciliation"?--that simply don’t resonate with the rest of the country. So to make it simple, Gingrich and his political action committee are sending a "close the deal" memo to Republican candidates, spelling it out in über-simple terms. What do you want more of: paychecks or food stamps?

Never mind that targeting food stamps is a tad insensitive. It's no real surprise that with the recession, food stamp usage has spiked since 2008. The program now feeds one in eight Americans, and one in four children. In about 800 counties, even more children receive government assistance. Trying to reduce the number of people who need to take advantage of the program is a valiant goal, one worthy of, say, a congressional investigation. But turning the issue into a political point at the height of election season seems to demean the seriousness and complexity of the problem. And, since lower-income Americans are the ones who rely upon the program, pitting paychecks against food stamps is not all that different from pitting rich against poor.

[msongs]

1. "repubs want to take away your food stamps" - here is an ad for ya, dems, run with it :-0 nt

[RKP5637]

8. The dems have really bad messaging IMO. I don't know where that stems from, but

we need more marketable and sellable hard hitting messaging points. ... short easy to remember statements, maybe 10 short hard hitting points. ... maybe a list of 10 or so with a title something like "here's what you lose if Republicans win."

I know the following is not complete, but it's some of the key words. The R's tend to use short topical sentences and repeat them over and over. The dems IMO tend to ramble. Hence, for some, the R's messaging is easier to remember.

"here's what you lose if Republicans win."

- food stamps
- social security
- health care
- unions
- equality
- medicare
- fair wages
- minimum wage
- women's rights
- gay rights
- better schools
etc. etc.

[spinbaby]

16. That's a good idea

We should expand on that to add things you gain if Republicans win:

Missle defense project
No inheritance tax for billionaires
Pay-as-you-go public services
More toll roads
etc., etc. etc.

[RKP5637]

17. Excellent!!! Yep!!! n/t

[david_vincent]

2. They know perfectly well

that people getting food stamps are unlikely to vote no matter what.

[n2doc]

5. Sadly I think you are right

They are too busy surviving to get out and vote.

Hell many of them who do vote will vote repub because they've been brainwashed by hate radio. "Get that Government out of my food stamps!"

[OnionPatch]

35. Foodstamps helped my mother keep us alive when I was growing up.

And the whole experience of working for minimum wage, trying to raise a family on it, made her a huge liberal. You couldn't have kept her from the polls. She rounded up people to take along with her. To this day she hasn't missed an election.

[AuntPatsy]

24. Not always true, I know a few who recieve such aid and have always voted...

so let them continue to shove such idiotic speeches down the throat of all americans...

[peacefreak]

26. Excuse me?

Food stamps are the only thing keeping food on my table & I plan on being at my polling place first thing in the morning. Please don't paint us all with a broad brush.

[Lebam in LA]

3. I am sure all the Military Familes receiving

food stamps will appreciate this. Fight for your country, get paid so little that food stamps are needed. Brillant!! Not

[SpiralHawk]

6. Chickenhawk repubs, like Newtie, actually hate our troops and veterans

Chickenhawk Republicons wave the flag all over the damn place as if that meant something, then consistently vote AGAINST our soldiers and our veterans.

They fool no one. Republicons love their war-profiteering corporate cronies -- not our sons and daughters in uniform. They have shown this over and over and over...

[madrchsod]

4. blah, blah ,blah, it ain`t going to happen

[Hepburn]

7. WTF is WRONG with these people!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Let others starve????

:grr:

[RKP5637]

12. It's like we live in two countries, those that care about people and the

country, and the others that don't really give a damn about other people or the country, other than their greedy self interests. Frankly, I think many of the R's are un-American and terrorists to the way of American life.

[NickB79]

23. Starving people are willing to accept any crap job you offer them

And corporate profits will skyrocket if they can pay US workers Chinese wages.

It's all a race to the bottom, and it appears the GOP wants to strap on the jet pack to get there.

[G_j]

9. take the food away from one out every four children

:wow:

[marmar]

10. The Corporate Welfare State

nt

[RKP5637]

13. Exactly!!! "Republican = Corporate Welfare State!" n/t

[gulliver]

11. That's why I donate to Dems and will definitely vote in Nov.

These Republicans are out of their minds. They screwed up the country for eight years and they have the chutzpah to be angry at the poor. They need their asses kicked.

[RKP5637]

14. +1000 +++ n/t

[rocktivity]

15. No more Gingrich - says Rocktivty n/t

x(
rocktivity

[Bitwit1234]

18. You should say....UNEMPLOYED Americans

blocking assistance for you to receive unemployment checks, the republicans now want to do away with food stamps. Of course the Democrats are so dumb they don't take advantage of the stupid republican rants. One wants to make them take drug tests, as if they were ALL drug addicts and now this creep wants to take away their last lifeline. What Democrats need is someone willing to go out on a limb and tell the country just what a bunch of aholes republicans are.

[JustAnotherGen]

19. Wow

We really are going back to 1994 aren't we? Only they are reneging on THEIR welfare reform . . . ie TANF.

You know - when I run into so-called "Christian" Republicans that challenge my Democratic belief system or are trying to *roll eyes* convert me I've always thrown back: Yep! I'm a Leftist and I'm completely unapologetic about it.

Now if this is their meme? I'm going to add, "Oh! And on that food stamp thingamajig . . . that child you'd like to starve? What if Jesus came back like that?" And walk away.

[EC]

20. He may find out that this time around there are too many

on food stamps that will resent this...I've noticed more people here that are considered middle income (or were before getting laid-off or cut back in hours) that are now using them...so he may find his war on the poor is also a war on the middle ...

[Historic NY]

21. that equals starving people, ginrich is an opportunist who eats very well. on other misery.

[lenegal]

22. Why doesn't this fucker just die like Lee Atwater did?

NT

[Historic NY]

25. never underestimate the power of prayer.

[HuckleB]

27. How did Dubious say it, "Fool me six times..."?

[Rex]

28. You are a cold one, Mr. Gingrich.

Why is it that Repukes always want the poor to suffer and never try and really fix the problem, only make it worse? Newt is worth about as much as a warm pitcher of spit, minus the pitcher. Only a larcenous toad like Newt would have the balls to declare hunting season on food stamps as winter comes along.

He would let homeless people die in the streets from the cold and probably kick their dead bodies and spit on them.

[Mimosa]

29. A WHOLE LOT of ELDERLY people rely on Food Stamps

Let Gingrich tell them they should go hungry.

[Terra Alta]

34. I work in a big box/grocery store

and I've noticed quite a few elderly people using food stamps. Gingrich has never had to see how the other side lives... oh how I wish for him to have to suffer some misfortune and have to end up on food stamps.. I bet that would change his tune real quick!

[Initech]

30. God forbid this motherfucker ever becomes president.

[RainDog]

31. what do you expect from a man who cheated on and left his wife when she had cancer?

this man is a wart on the ass of humanity.

He has nothing of value to bring to American society. Sad, but true - look at his life if you want to know the measure of that man.

(psst... he has a teeeeeny tiny... moral center.)

[Swamp Rat]

32. NO MORE FOOD FOR THE POOR!!!.... AND DIE QUICKLY!!!

[opihimoimoi]

36. The dude is a sad excuse of a human...pathetic and selfish beyond pale...he spouts nothing positive

[Terra Alta]

33. So, Newtie

What do you expect these people -- especially the children and the elderly -- to do once you take away their food stamps... STARVE?? How will they survive? :grr: