Once and yet again
I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned -- they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.'

`Many can't go there; and many would rather die.'

`If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, `they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.

Or Perhaps this is more apropo
The text of St. Matthew runs as follows:

* Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 3)
* Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. (Verse 4)
* Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Verse 5)
* Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. (Verse 6)
* Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Verse 7)
* Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. (Verse 8)
* Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Verse 9)
* Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 10)

Wingnuts are also really stupid...also. And what crackhead uses any of the facilities you described? Arent't they usually held up in some abandoned building? Anyway, speaking as one who is unemployed (Laid off from Merrill Lynch after they were purchased by Bank of America) I would gladly go back to work if I could just FIND A JOB! The Reich Wingers are so out of touch. I've seen idiots just like this guy posting comments on blogs saying, "These people are just looking for hand outs, sucking off unemployment." It's like they don't get that you can only get unemployment if you've been working. It's why it's called unemployment insurance. They're so afraid that you're getting something for free and that somehow it's taking something away from them. What kind of idiots are envious of those who have lost their jobs or the poor? - Republicans and Conservatives! Assholes!

He needs to pony up with his income so we can determine what he's eligible for and what services can be denied him. My guess is he makes just enough, in his own mind, to make use of all socialized services and those that make less just don't contribute enough to qualify on account of their laziness and desire to mooch off the system.

But I want to know. How much does he and his no doubt wonderful wife make in combined income? How much do they pay in taxes? How much is their contribution?

This is what I mean by the ME ME ME attitude of these wingnuts. I know people who are permanently disabled and unable to work through no fault of their own. What does he propose we do with people like that?

To a wingnut, there are only two kinds of people in the USA: hardworking, "real" Americans, and lazy, shiftless parasites.

It's amazing that this guy falls for the reductio ad absurdum and claims that poor people shouldn't be allowed access to roads, police, firefighters, etc. Can you imagine having to prove you're fully employed before entering an interstate highway?

>>>It's amazing that this guy falls for the reductio ad absurdum and claims that poor people shouldn't be allowed access to roads, police, firefighters, etc. Can you imagine having to prove you're fully employed before entering an interstate highway?

Exactly. When you boil down their "logic", this is all that's left. Rather than admit that we all deserve certain rights and privileges, he claims that unemployed people shouldn't be allowed to call the fire department when their house is burning. Crazy.

And here is where the wingnut shows his racist colors. Anyone who happens to be unemployed is choosing that route. They're not down on their luck; they didn't get laid off and lose their benefits. They're lazy, "sitting on the porch" drug addicts who are sucking on the teet of the government. Everyone knows it's such the life to collect welfare and live on Food Stamps. Remind me again what demographic is most likely to use crack?

>>>he claims that unemployed people shouldn't be allowed to call the fire department when their house is burning. Crazy.

Yeah... what if their neighbors are employed? Should the fire department just wait until the fire spreads before they act? Well thought out, wingnut. What if they were employed? Do they at least have a grace period to find a job before we cancel all their benefits as citizens?

Also, why is unemployed or poor always = crackhead in Wingnutistan?

Carl, believe it or not the average crackhead is white and suburban. It's just that you are more likely to be arrested if you're black, and more likely to receive no jail time if you're white.

But statistics be damned: the crackheads are ALL black, and all black people are crackheads, whether statistical sciences agree or not. Because the racist explanation has that ring of truthiness.

BC nailed it.

"The poor" is code for "those people."

So "those people" shouldn't be allowed on the interstates? Will we make exceptions for professional sports team members?

Just another bigoted selfservative™.

as an unemployed person how exactly am I to find a job if I can't use the roads or schools?

I interested to see if Bob has received the obligatory "I'm not raciest, I know lots of black people" response from "Conservative Mike" yet?

Conservative racists LOVE to throw that one out as if it justifies their bullshit. If not, its coming....

Of course this all falls back to the "welfare queen" BS Saint Reagan spouted!

That's why I'd hoped Lee would get a better response to this:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/968679247/conversative-nanny-state-movie

I'm in for $10.00 which is simply all I can afford right now.

Of course, undoubtedly, there are druggies and various other ne'er do wells that have learned to "play the system", but it pales in comparison to the hand-outs and all costs associated with things such as the S&L crisis (think Neil Bush), and the current mess created largely by deregulation (think Reagan, GHW Bush, and GW Bush).

Or the idea that GW Bush's Medicare reform shit included an expansion of Medicare Advantage plans that are allowed by law to cost 11% more in taxpayer funding than traditional Medicare!

Or how about the true greatest Ponzi scheme of all time! Increasing payments to the Social Security trust fund but using those funds to pay for tax cuts for the mega-wealthy!

Bob you can't reason with these people. They don't give a flip about humanity. You are my favorite blogger. Keep up the great blogging!

The other *funny* side of this person's argument is this: Does he really want to live in a community where the poor and sick line the streets? While walking into his local Wal*Mart Supercenter does he wish to be troubled by beggars who've lost their homes and may be sick with all manner of disease(s)?

Additionally does this person not understand that we're already paying for these "undesirables" healthcare anyway? When they go the the ER, they will not be turned away, they'll receive treatment, which is one of the reasons hospital stays are so expensive- everyone who can pay is paying for those who cannot. Unless, of course, the hospital just dumps the poor folks out onto the street.

Evidently this guy has never lost a job or been laid off, or gotten his insurance cancelled due to a chronic disease or unable to find a job. So isn't he just a special guy??

And when these so called cackheads step out their door, are the police going to be there to take a blood test to make sure he can't use the roads?

This guy is some kind of crack head himself. God FORBID he might lose his job or get his insurance cancelled. I wait for that day.

I wonder if he is a veteran? You know, fighting for our freedom and all? Just what is HE doing for our country? Oh wait-I forgot-it's all about HIM. HIS INSURANCE, HIS FAMILY, HIS WELL BEING.

And obviously he's just way to stupid to figure out he's paying for-with his terrific health insurance-millions of CEO salaries.

WHAT. A. MORON.

Why the hell do wingnuts assume that everyone who is unemployed is choosing not to work? The vast majority of jobless people will have been made redundant and not have voluntarily quit, and they do not find scraping a living on welfare remotely fun or tenable for the longterm, and most would be working except it's VIRTUALLY FRICKING IMPOSSIBLE to find a job right now thanks to their hero George W Bush!

These people make me so angry - their selfishness and utter lack of compassion obviously come from them never wanting for anything or suffering at all in their comfy, cozy little lives. It's all ME ME ME with them.

Bob, keep us posted on your conversations with this lunatic and people like him. Enormously entertaining.

Here's a question to ask:

Exactly how badly must someone have screwed up their life such that they don't deserve to have their life saved from a serious injury or illness? How badly must they have managed their personal finances such that it's OK for them to go into lifelong, staggering debt because they don't want to die from that injury or illness?

Just goes to prove my assertion that you can't reason with unreasonable people. It's an impossibility.

I agree with Zirgar.

Note to self: it's illegal to stab people for being stupid!!!

This just makes me mad and sad.

These wing-nut sickos actually believe this stuff.

My sister (only sibling) is one. She's way conservative but doesn't work. Only marries rich guys; then stays with them even though their abusive and she hates them 'cause of the money. Sad. She actually believed Obama had to birth certificate 'cause "someone said so"! HELP!

Like Zirgar said, "You can't reason with unreasonable peole."

Some days I just get really, really sad about all the right-wing hatred, bigotry, hypocrisy and entitlement.

Today is one of those days.

PS: Bob. I, too, put a few coins in the jar. Senior on a fixed income, but I'll always give what I can. I appreciate being able to come here and say what I'm feeling. And read intelligent responses. Thanks, Bob!

I really messed up one of my paragraphs in my above post!! WOW!

Not that is matters, but anyone who reads it might think I'm in need of medication. grins.

My sister (only sibling)is a huge wing nut. She's way conservative but doesn't work. She's almost 60, and basically never has! (Long story)! She marries rich guys that support her (her house in AZ right now is valued at over 1mil). Then she stays with the rich guys because of the money even though they're abusive. She's told me numerous times that she hates her current husband, #3. Sad. She actually believes Obama had NO birth certificate 'cause "someone said so"! HELP.

Just needed to re-write that - just in case.