By ,
Published May 10, 2017
I know Jon Stewart's not a big fan of this network's.
Although I have to say I'm a fan of Jon Stewart's.
Even when he rips me!
Not that I always agree with his politics. But I always marvel at how he brilliantly uses humor to make his point.
And I think he did both discussing the conservative line of attack on government handouts, which oftentimes is this network's line of attack on government handouts.
That they're out of control.
We're right about that. They are. That's not a joke. That's reality.
When one in five Americans is getting food stamps, and one out of three, some form of food assistance, that's huge. And indicates one of two things--
We've either got a lot of folks abusing the system or that many are genuinely needy, in which case, we've got a depression on our hands.
But here's where the right is wrong and Jon Stewart is r ight. Some conservatives' anecdotes make them look like "anec-dolts."
As Stewart rightly points out, they're not consistent on spending.
Bad when it's handouts for the poor, some of whom aren't so poor.
But good when it's handouts for corporations, some of whom aren't so needy.
Consistency counts.
Clarity counts.
So when Republicans say they're alarmed by this spending, they better be alarmed by all this spending.
Including spending they typically defend.
Like tax credits for oil companies who don't need it.
Or billions in perfectly legal write-offs for others who might not deserve it.
That's fair. That's balanced.
That's not red or blue.
That's green. That's money.
That shows the world you're serious and going after even the stuff your party calls sacred.
And demanding, now quite rightly, the other side do the same thing.
So, Republicans, if you say you can't find some waste in a half-trillion dollar defense budget, you ain't looking too hard.
And Democrats, if you say one in three Americans getting some form of food assistance isn't a problem, then this country's got bigger problems.
Food for thought. Think. Be consistent.
It's why I was against the bank bailouts under President Bush, and said so loudly. If the bastion of capitalism itself can benefit from a government handout, then who are they to ever question anyone getting a government handout?
It's about walking the walk. It's about meaning what you say. It's about telling the truth.
That's what bugs me about a lot of Republicans. They talk a good game.
But it's always the other guy's spending, the other guy's abuse, the other guy's waste, and fraud, and nonsense.
They can do better by first putting all on the table.
Look, no serious-thinking person believes conservatives want poor people to starve.
But Jon Stewart's right, the joke's on conservatives if it's only programs for the poor they want to cut.
Acknowledging that won't ever make them hip in Jon Stewart's eyes.
But at least it won't make them hypocrites in Americans' eyes.
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/cavuto-conservatives-need-to-be-consistent-on-spending