Twitter just obliterated a Republican Congressman for accusing poor people of being lazy

[TexasTowelie]

Perhaps the most odious part of modern American conservatism is the sanctimonious bootstraps-and-grit fantasies they constantly invoke to condescendingly excuse their utter disdain for anybody who isn’t pouring money into their campaign war chests.

Sadly, the noble ideals of the American Dream have been twisted and perverted for a most heinous task. They now function as a convenient way to shift blame for the deliberate cruelty of today’s exploitative and abusive political economy away from the wealth-hoarding oligarchs that control access to the majority of society’s resources back on to the victims of said capitalistic excess.

That insidious narrative was put on full display this afternoon when Rep. Stephen Meeks (R-AR) took to Twitter to engage in some preposterous and delusional poor-shaming.

Being poor in America is a personal choice, unless there are mitigating circumstances.

A homeless man can go to school, get a job driving a truck making $70k per year and in 20 years become a millionaire.

In America you can work hard and change your future – if you chose. https://t.co/lFGqZA53ao

— Rep. Stephen Meeks (@RepStephenMeeks) November 17, 2018

It’s their own fault, cry the Republicans. It’s their fault that that wages have been stagnant for decades while worker productivity skyrockets. It’s their fault that nearly all the jobs created since the recession are part-time, insecure gig economy or contract jobs that deny workers the stability and the security they need.

Read more: https://washingtonpress.com/2018/11/17/a-republican-congressman-just-tried-to-blame-poor-americans-for-their-own-poverty-and-it-immediately-backfired-2/

[underpants]

1. $70,000 x 20 IS $1,400,000

Minus taxes and if you lived in the truck yes you could be a millionaire

[angstlessk]

2. If you live in the truck it means you own the truck..

and all the expenses required to operate same, so deduct about $10,000+ per year from that seventy..licenses, fees, fuel, tolls, repairs, etc, etc, etc.

I doubt he paid cash for the truck..since he was just homeless, so truck loan??? $2,000 per month = $24,000 per year

then there's that nasty requirement for food..since there is no kitchen in the truck, you must eat all meals out..there's another $7,000+ per year ($20.00 per day to eat 3 meals out 365 day/year)

Have no idea what a truck stop charges for showers, but I bet they ain't free! Twice a week minimum @ $10.00??? Another $1,000 or so per year?

Of course clothes/shoes are a small budget item...maybe $1,500 per year.

Not sure what else would be required...OH...the student loan from 'truck drivin skool'!

Wonder how much of that $70,000 is left after all that minus taxes deducted? Self employed pay BOTH sides of SS & Medicare..

1,000,000 / 20 years = $50,000 per year...poor guy's outta luck!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. How does a homeless man afford to go to truck driving school?

It costs $3,000 - $7,000. If he can't even afford a place to live he probably can't come up with several thousand dollars to go to truck driving school.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

6. Anyone know how much a CDL costs these days ?

Is it the same from state-to-state ? Is going to a school and graduating a requirement in the US ?

It's not an easy life. Schedules can be really tight (if you work for someone else) and I have heard that delays can cost the driver. The insurance is high. The cost of gas can be an issue. Weather can work against the driver. It seems there can be a lot of contributing factors that create obstacles to this kind of livelihood.

Plus - and maybe I see more of this because of where I live - that the big rigs get pulled over by state troopers a LOT.

All this aside, saying that this is a way toward making millions is something only the delusional will believe.

[mwooldri]

8. Some trucking companies will train...

... in exchange for work for 1-2 years. So out of pocket you can get a class A CDL for $0 out of pocket.

[deurbano]

4. Gotta love Wikipedia. Already, at the bottom of his page:

"Meeks' solution to homelessness crisis in America is for the homeless to drive trucks until they become millionaires."

He's not just accusing poor people of being lazy. Apparently ALL non-millionaire Americans are slackers.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

7. Then why does almost EVERY big rig on the Interstate

have a sign on the back that says "Now Hiring." If trucking is the way to making millions, I would think there would be NO vacancies.

[CaptYossarian]

5. He's totally out of touch with reality.

A homeless person would only be able to put the shelter as their address on a job application. Most employers would recognize the address and not hire them. This Congressman, like most, only spends "quality time" (fellatio) with wealthy donors.