Liz Smith…
Takes a poke at Bill O’Reilly…
FOX NEWS emperor Bill O’Reilly tells us in Katrina’s wake that if we — Americans — depend on the United States government for any reason, we are certain to be disappointed. Always. The government of the United States cannot help you. Bill’s advice to America (to the poor of New Orleans, especially) is educate yourself and get a well-paying job. Only then can you avoid standing on a “metaphorical rooftop” when the next disaster rolls around. Bill did not give the poor any advice on how one finds a proper education or a job. Remember, the government can’t help.
Oh, Newt Gingrich told Bill — in the nicest possible way, because they are friends — that his government theory was, well . . . “un-American.”
What do people that live in public housing and displaced actually deserve from the government? Perhaps new public housing in a different location at best. Welfare is supposed to be temporary, not permanent. If anyone deserves a free house, debit card, ect., it would be those that owned or were making payments on property. It was made quite clear that if you stayed after the evacuation, you’d be on your own. What part of that is up for debate? People are lucky to get this much help. New Orleans is a disaster area, superfund sites are under water, toxic chemicals are everywhere. New Orleans is the welfare state, now everyone knows it.
Comment by Terance — September 7, 2005 @ 10:33 am
O’Reilly must have forgotten about Fats Domino who made a dollar or two in his day. He was rescued along with others who were among the invisible in the projects. Fats probably never owned his music and received no royalties as was the case with many performers of his time. Sad to say he was abused by people he though were his friends. Not all people on welfare are there because they want to be. Some just had a run of steady bad luck and never recovered.
Comment by Tom from Virginia Beach — September 7, 2005 @ 2:48 pm
Whoa, Terance is clearly out of touch just like O’Reily.
Comment by bravesfan — September 7, 2005 @ 9:15 pm