Why We Need A Secular Social Safety Net
Every time animal husbandry enthusiast and Iowa Senate candidate Joni Ernst brayed at us that charity should take up the mission of the social safety net (so she could cut off food stamps, etc.), all I could think of was the Hobby Lobby decision and how those sincerely held religious beliefs would play out. We now have a real-life example:
“We are a Christian, faith-based organization that really does adhere to biblical standards,” executive director Dan Doty told the Star. “Our view is that it [same-sex marriage] is inappropriate. Our intent is not to shelter same-sex couples together.”
Yes, that is a Christian-run City Union Mission in Kansas City homeless shelter who normally would provide shelter for families in need. You know, as long as they are straight.
So tell us, Senator-elect Ernst, where in your Theocracy would gay families go, or is there no room at the inn?
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Tengrain
Fully caffeinated with twice the sugar, unabashedly liberal. Award-winning Americans United blogger, blogs at Mock Paper Scissors, and sometimes at Crooks and Liars.
You can follow @Tengrain on Twitter, or you might see him enjoying coffee somewhere in Seattle at any given moment of the day.
40 responses to Why We Need A Secular Social Safety Net
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mea_mark November 17th, 2014 at 19:00
The more the government helps the poor, the less the extreme right-wing religious fanatics can dictate morals to the poor and exert control over them. It is all about power and manipulation for the extreme right-wingers.
somepeoplecallmethestig November 17th, 2014 at 19:52
And the more the government handouts out, the more it controls the poor.
Carla Akins November 17th, 2014 at 20:07
Because everyone knows if you kick out the poor, homeless, mentally ill into the streets in 10-degree weather it fixes everyone – and is so Christ-like.
somepeoplecallmethestig November 17th, 2014 at 20:10
Not really sure where you got that from my post, but hey good for you.
mea_mark November 17th, 2014 at 20:21
Either he didn’t read the article or he failed to grasp what it was about. Don’t think he’s worth the effort.
Carla Akins November 17th, 2014 at 20:46
I thought of replying, then decided I didn’t care whether he got it.
Kick Frenzy November 17th, 2014 at 20:48
So is it good or bad then that Ernst is, according to you, suggesting that private charity organizations should control the poor?
(Especially when so many of those charities are based on Judeo-Christian values.)
somepeoplecallmethestig November 17th, 2014 at 20:52
I have no issue helping people hat really need help…. But I live in MA home of people with multi-EBT cards. Home of Illegal aliens living in section 8 housing. As to helping the people that are actally working or really in need of help fine with me.
Kick Frenzy November 17th, 2014 at 23:52
You just said it was all a plot to control the poor.
Now you’re cool with it (as long as it doesn’t help too much or benefit illegal aliens)?
R.J. Carter November 17th, 2014 at 21:58
Is it really a fight to control the poor? There are charities that help people without strings attached. None of them are government run.
Kick Frenzy November 17th, 2014 at 23:50
No no, I wasn’t saying that charities try to do that innately and that Ernst is also for it.
I was saying that according to him, handouts = control over people getting the handouts.
Personally, I don’t think charities try to control anyone as a standard of practice.
Nor do I think governments handouts are, first of all, just plain out and out hand outs… and secondly, they aren’t meant to control the population.
jasperjava November 18th, 2014 at 06:40
So government handouts control the poor, but poor people are lazy welfare cheats who need to be controlled?
Not sure what your point is.
mea_mark November 17th, 2014 at 20:00
The more the government helps the poor, the less the extreme right-wing religious fanatics can dictate morals to the poor and exert control over them. It is all about power and manipulation for the extreme right-wingers.
Blackadder November 17th, 2014 at 20:52
And the more the government handouts out, the more it controls the poor.
Carla Akins November 17th, 2014 at 21:07
Because everyone knows if you kick out the poor, homeless, mentally ill into the streets in 10-degree weather it fixes everyone – and is so Christ-like.
Blackadder November 17th, 2014 at 21:10
Not really sure where you got that from my post, but hey good for you.
mea_mark November 17th, 2014 at 21:21
Either he didn’t read the article or he failed to grasp what it was about. Don’t think he’s worth the effort.
Carla Akins November 17th, 2014 at 21:46
I thought of replying, then decided I didn’t care whether he got it.
Kick Frenzy November 17th, 2014 at 21:48
So is it good or bad then that Ernst is, according to you, suggesting that private charity organizations should control the poor?
(Especially when so many of those charities are based on Judeo-Christian values.)
Blackadder November 17th, 2014 at 21:52
I have no issue helping people hat really need help…. But I live in MA home of people with multi-EBT cards. Home of Illegal aliens living in section 8 housing. As to helping the people that are actally working or really in need of help fine with me.
Kick Frenzy November 18th, 2014 at 00:52
You just said it was all a plot to control the poor.
Now you’re cool with it (as long as it doesn’t help too much or benefit illegal aliens)?
R.J. Carter November 17th, 2014 at 22:58
Is it really a fight to control the poor? There are charities that help people without strings attached. None of them are government run.
Kick Frenzy November 18th, 2014 at 00:50
No no, I wasn’t saying that charities try to do that innately and that Ernst is also for it.
I was saying that according to him, handouts = control over people getting the handouts.
Personally, I don’t think charities try to control anyone as a standard of practice.
Nor do I think governments handouts are, first of all, just plain out and out hand outs… and secondly, they aren’t meant to control the population.
jasperjava November 18th, 2014 at 07:40
So government handouts control the poor, but poor people are lazy welfare cheats who need to be controlled?
Not sure what your point is.
Pat Padrnos November 17th, 2014 at 19:03
The last sentence says it. Apparently, there is no room at the inn. My heart goes out to all gay couples – married or not – who face such discrimination.
Pat Padrnos November 17th, 2014 at 20:03
The last sentence says it. Apparently, there is no room at the inn. My heart goes out to all gay couples – married or not – who face such discrimination.
FDRliberal November 17th, 2014 at 19:37
Joni Ernst is combination of Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin, with a bit of Louis Gohmert tossed in. In other words her Stupid Dial goes up to 11.
FDRliberal November 17th, 2014 at 20:37
Joni Ernst is combination of Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin, with a bit of Louis Gohmert tossed in. In other words her Stupid Dial goes up to 11.
R.J. Carter November 17th, 2014 at 21:56
No room at the inn? Wow, that hand weighed about, what, thirty pounds?
jasperjava November 18th, 2014 at 06:35
It says a lot about your character that you consider that phrase to be heavy-handed, but would have no trouble with withholding compassion from a gay couple in need, just because of their sexual orientation.
R.J. Carter November 17th, 2014 at 22:56
No room at the inn? Wow, that hand weighed about, what, thirty pounds?
jasperjava November 18th, 2014 at 07:35
It says a lot about your character that you consider that phrase to be heavy-handed, but would have no trouble with withholding compassion from a gay couple in need, just because of their sexual orientation.
Bunya November 18th, 2014 at 14:32
Since the GOP thinks that homosexuality leads to beastiality (ref. Rick “man on Dog” Santorum), pedophilia and a whole host of other goofy things, you’d think they’d be clamoring to make it legal. After all, most (if not all) of the republican politicians have been caught soliciting gays, having sex with animals and preying on children.
mmaynard119 November 19th, 2014 at 09:22
It never occurred to me that when Klondike Barbie talks about sheeple, she was talking about her sexual partners.
Don_Don December 7th, 2014 at 03:25
So Santorum is the GOP… lol I don’t agree w Santorum 100% of the time but I vote GOP because of the world’s largest thinkers like you on the left. At least with GOP, you know where you stand.
Bunya November 18th, 2014 at 15:32
Since the GOP thinks that homosexuality leads to beastiality (ref. Rick “man on Dog” Santorum), pedophilia and a whole host of other goofy things, you’d think they’d be clamoring to make it legal. After all, most (if not all) of the republican politicians have been caught soliciting gays, having sex with animals and preying on children.
mmaynard119 November 19th, 2014 at 10:22
It never occurred to me that when Klondike Barbie talks about sheeple, she was talking about her sexual partners.
Don_Don December 7th, 2014 at 04:25
So Santorum is the GOP… lol I don’t agree w Santorum 100% of the time but I vote GOP because of the world’s laziest thinkers like you on the left. At least with GOP, you know where you stand.
mmaynard119 November 19th, 2014 at 09:20
“We are a Christian, faith-based organization that really does adhere to biblical standards,” executive director Dan Doty told the Star. “Our view is that it [same-sex marriage] is inappropriate. Our intent is not to shelter same-sex couples together.”
Which version of the Bible and which edition of that version of the Bible are you referring? The Paul Ryan/Ayn Rand version?
The world is just coming out of a severe recession. It could have been mitigated somewhat by extending unemployment benefits and not slashing the SNAP benefits. But this idea that everyone who receives government benefits are takers and mooching off of the 1% fails to address the causes of the Great Depression and Great Recession, extreme concentrations of wealth and great disparity of wealth between the richest and poorest. Where were the “makers” in creating jobs to help offset the job losses created by financial industry bad practices and speculation?
In a country well governed poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed wealth is something to be ashamed of. -Confucius
mmaynard119 November 19th, 2014 at 10:20
“We are a Christian, faith-based organization that really does adhere to biblical standards,” executive director Dan Doty told the Star. “Our view is that it [same-sex marriage] is inappropriate. Our intent is not to shelter same-sex couples together.”
Which version of the Bible and which edition of that version of the Bible are you referring? The Paul Ryan/Ayn Rand version?
The world is just coming out of a severe recession. It could have been mitigated somewhat by extending unemployment benefits and not slashing the SNAP benefits. But this idea that everyone who receives government benefits are takers and mooching off of the 1% fails to address the causes of the Great Depression and Great Recession, extreme concentrations of wealth and great disparity of wealth between the richest and poorest. Where were the “makers” in creating jobs to help offset the job losses created by financial industry bad practices and speculation?
In a country well governed poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed wealth is something to be ashamed of. -Confucius