Wendy A. Bach (Tennessee): Poor Support/Rich Support: (Re)Viewing the American Social Welfare State. How the rhetoric of responsibility hurts the welfare state: Clio Chang reviews The Age of Responsibility: Luck, Choice, and the Welfare State by Yascha Mounk (and more). Republicans plan massive cuts to programs for the poor: Under pressure to balance the budget and align with Trump, the House GOP has its eye on food stamps, welfare and perhaps even veterans’ benefits. Republicans still believe it’s “makers” versus “takers”: Oft-quoted sages of yore did not warn that greedy voters would doom democracy — Reagan did, and so does today’s GOP. The strange origins of the GOP ideology that rejects caring for the poor — no, that’s not what Jesus says. For Trump and G.O.P., the welfare state shouldn’t be the enemy (and a response).
Nancy LeTourneau on the GOP’s morally repugnant argument about the “undeserving sick”. Unspeakable realities block universal health coverage in America: “We cannot begin to understand Election 2016 until we acknowledge the power and reach of socialism for white people”. The Republican health-care lie is collapsing. It turns out the liberal caricature of conservatism is correct: It’s depressing — but it’s true.
