Welcome to Conservatism Whoopi Goldberg

Not that she realizes she did this, but Ms. Goldberg made the conservative talking point about the welfare system during a discussion with Dr. Ben Carson on The View yesterday.  

"As a former welfare mother, very few people want to be on welfare. Very few want to walk with their kids and take food stamps. Most people would rather work. I don't feel bad about being a welfare mother because I contribute as an American - that's what we do. And because the welfare system is so bizarre, you can't work, they don't allow you to work because they take the money from you. So if we fix the system so that it doesn't hurt the people, maybe it'll get better."

How long have conservatives been saying this?  For decades that is how long.  Now I will concede the point that some on the right disparage people who take from entitlement programs.  I am not among them.  I go after the system, not the people themselves.  The system is broken.  It isn't designed to help people.  It entraps them therefore keeping them in poverty.  

As long as the system stays the way it is currently set up we will continue to have the same problems plaguing it.  For instance the food stamps program is currently set up so that if you make even one dollar above the max amount you lose everything.  That tells people that taking a better job that pays $100 more per month is actually going to cost you everything you get in food stamps.  If your food bill is over that amount, which the prices of groceries today being what they are, you can't afford to buy food.  

The only true answer to help people find their way off entitlement programs is to pro-rate the benefits.  This way a person who can slowly move their way up the ladder in the workforce isn't afraid of taking that better paying position. Today they are.  

On this Whoppi and I agree.  The problem is most liberals say you are dissing the poor when you talk about these things.  You are trying to starve poor children.  You hate minorities.  Or whatever other insult they will hurl at you that particular day.  I am not against all entitlement programs.  I think safety nets are necessary when people hit hard times.  What I don't like is a system that doesn't give you a way out once you hit those hard times.  

I believe that people should be able to find better jobs without the fear of homelessness or lack of food.  But the current system isn't designed to do that.  

I doubt that Ms. Goldberg realizes that she has a conservative view point on the welfare system, but she does.  Welcome to the right Whoopi.   I know you don't think you belong here, but your view point is more conservative than you think.  

@JonahNRO The Tyranny of Cliches A Book Review

The Tyranny of Cliches by Jonah Goldberg

I just finished up with the book today and I have to say it was a treat.  This is his second book, the first being Liberal Fascism.  Unlike Liberal Fascism this is an easier read.  Not to say that I didn't like his first book, but it was a very heavy topic.  This book is written in a more fun fashion and you get to see more clearly the humor that is usually accompanied in his pieces on National Review Online.  

He takes 24 clichés that we hear ad nauseam from the left and disseminates them bit by bit.  Among the topics are Dogma, Dissent, Ten Guilty Men, and No Labels.  I would have to say one of my favorites is The Catholic Church.  

He takes apart the notion from the left about the evils of the church since its inception.  He talks about the truth of the crusades, the inquisitions that swept Europe and the calls for the "Martin Luther of Islam".  It is highly likely what you think you know about this period in human history is exactly wrong.  The history has been hijacked and turned into something that it is not.  Shocker, I know.   

In a related by different chapter is the notion of "Social Justice"; one of my pet peeves that is constantly thrown in our faces as conservatives.  He goes into the history of how this began in the Catholic Church and what it originally meant.  Again, not at all what it has been portrayed as.  It too was hijacked by Marxist theology in order to justify the means towards an end.  That end being a more socialist worldview.  

The best part of this book is that contains useful and easy to remember facts that you can have at your disposal.  I am a big believer in understanding our history and how things came about.  We, as a society, are woefully ignorant of it.  We allow ourselves to be taken in by talking points and have no real grasp on what led us to the place in history that we find ourselves in.  I do have to say that I was disappointed to read his defense of The Patriot Act.  Seriously, Jonah?  There is no reason in the world that they need that many days to get in front of judge.  But other than that, it is a good read that I believe you will find informative, enjoyable, and at times downright witty.  

If you have not read Liberal Fascism I recommend that you purchase both.  As they will both give you some important history lessons that will score big in debating with liberals.  

For the tweeters out there, if you are not following him, you don't know what you are missing. @JonahNRO

Both books are available on Amazon.  Please feel free to use the widget on the left.  After all, a girl has to eat.  

Jonah Goldberg Pays Tribute to his Friend Andrew Breitbart

Jonah has known Andrew Breitbart longer and better than most of us.  He is still in shock and is mourning his friend and colleague.

Jonah Goldberg of NRO

Jonah Goldberg was given a journalist award at CPAC yesterday.  Sadly, he was unable to make the conference due to the accidental death of brother Joshua.  Say a prayer for the Goldberg family. 

Rich Lowry came to accept the award on his behalf.  Under the circumstances it was a very funny speech.  I can't find an embeddable video, so here is the link that allow you to watch.  You will enjoy some of the stories, and he makes some very important points about American exceptionalism. 

http://video.cpac.org/video/show/rich-lowry-2011

RIP Joshua and I hope that his wife finds some comfort in her time of sorrow.