I, like some others, have been stunned by the relatively mild reaction to House Republicans’ approval of a budget blueprint that drastically reduces Medicaid (health services for the poor and elderly); privatizes and essentially ends Medicare over a period of years, and gives an enormous tax break to the rich (a drop in the federal income tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent for households with taxable income — after deductions — of more than $373,000 a year.) It’s so bad, Rep. Tim Griffin could walk into a Head Start center and blithely defend the Republican road map slashing the program for poor children (derailed this year only by furious Democratic opposition in the Senate).

Stunning, too, has been the noisy defense of the comfort-the-rich plan from Tea Partyers, some of whom have boasted here of their own wisdom and financial acuity as they deride the less fortunate as parasitic welfare cases.

Advertisement

With that as a setup, I want to call attention to a post TAP added on our open line last night.

I went to check out a couple of those blood-sucking Entitlement Seekers for myself today. The old man left the Louisiana bottoms at 12 and spent 50 years working two jobs, factory by day; janitor by night. The woman started cleaning houses in the Heights once her youngest went off to first grade—worked for one family nigh on thirty years.

It’s their own fault they didn’t save much for retirement — foolish choices in their youth like buying World Book and Childcraft encyclopedia for their kids instead of making shrewd stock buys. The old lady should have known the various Heights Ma’ams weren’t paying Social Security. Besides, who knows how many half-days of work they missed to attend every parent-teacher conference for each of their four kids. No reason we should have to pay for their bad decisions.

Now they are in poor health—sitting around gobbling up Medicare funds and draining the Social Security trust fund. Well, not entirely — the old man still works as a janitor three hours every day, although he’s 83.

Plainly they are bloodsuckers, but it’s hard to think of them that way.

And not just because they are my parents.

Invest in the future of great journalism in Arkansas

Join the ranks of the 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts who know that the Arkansas Times is the go-to source for tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been on the front lines of the fight for truth, and with your support, we can do even more. By subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers and expand our coverage. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make a difference with your subscription or donation to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article Polling on health care, adoption Next article Native Arkie labors for workers