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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Jeb Bush’s ‘free stuff’ argument about black voters is so off-the-mark
By Philip Bump September 25
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush made a weird comment during a town hall meeting in South Carolina on Thursday night. Responding to a question about how the Republican Party could win black votes, Bush said that "[o]ur message is one of hope and aspiration. It isn't one of division and get in line and we'll take care of you with free stuff."
The comment was odd in part because it echoed remarks made by Mitt Romney in 2012 that prompted a strong backlash. It's similar to Romney's famous "47 percent" remarks, but also, as our Sean Sullivan notes, is precisely the language Romney used at a separate fundraising event that year. Even if Bush thinks that the Democrats win votes by giving "free stuff" to black voters, it's not a smart thing to say.
But he also shouldn't think that, because there's no evidence that it's true.
1. More whites than blacks receive food stamps
It's not clear what "free stuff" Bush was referring to, but it's safe to assume that food stamps, properly known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is one of them. According to 2012 data, the plurality of SNAP households are white.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/25/why-jeb-bushs-free-stuff-argument-about-black-voters-is-so-off-the-mark/
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush made a weird comment during a town hall meeting in South Carolina on Thursday night. Responding to a question about how the Republican Party could win black votes, Bush said that "[o]ur message is one of hope and aspiration. It isn't one of division and get in line and we'll take care of you with free stuff."
The comment was odd in part because it echoed remarks made by Mitt Romney in 2012 that prompted a strong backlash. It's similar to Romney's famous "47 percent" remarks, but also, as our Sean Sullivan notes, is precisely the language Romney used at a separate fundraising event that year. Even if Bush thinks that the Democrats win votes by giving "free stuff" to black voters, it's not a smart thing to say.
But he also shouldn't think that, because there's no evidence that it's true.
1. More whites than blacks receive food stamps
It's not clear what "free stuff" Bush was referring to, but it's safe to assume that food stamps, properly known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is one of them. According to 2012 data, the plurality of SNAP households are white.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/25/why-jeb-bushs-free-stuff-argument-about-black-voters-is-so-off-the-mark/
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Why Jeb Bush’s ‘free stuff’ argument about black voters is so off-the-mark (Original Post)
MrScorpio
Sep 2015
OP
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)1. Reagan was successful with his "welfare queens" idiocy ....
... which was equally untrue. Sadly, these statements resonate with a certain element within the population.
Truth (or lack thereof) has very little to do with the 'success" of these sound bites.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)2. The things that white right wingers believe about black people…
Aren't going to get us to vote for them. The sheer hostility is palpable.
And I'm sure that they think that we haven't noticed that they never say the same things about whites who vote for Democrats, wanting "free stuff." Presumably, because they think that whites who get "free stuff" are all entitled to it without question.
On the other hand, they do like to accuse those whites of being race traitors and baby killers.
It must be really miserable to live inside of a white right winger's head.