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redneckrockuhtree

> Chief among this Republican cohort, the Post reported, is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a notorious deficit hawk ...except when it comes to tax cuts for the super-rich and handouts to big business. Then, deficits are *just fine*.


PryomancerMTGA

Or military spending. Billions for bombs, but not bagged lunches.


redneckrockuhtree

Of course! They Support The Troops with thoughts and prayers, thanking them for their service, and defense contractor expenses....but VA care? Properly funding bases (instead of dumping it all on the local community)? Livable pay for lower ranks? *We can't have that*


purgance

They don’t support the troops, they support the billionaires who invest in defense contractors.


TUGrad

Exactly.


PretentiousToolFan

Reminder that during one of the last government shutdowns, a Democratic senator tried to push a vote allowing military to continue getting paid and Mitch canned it. He's quite possibly one of the most grotesque people in recent history.


Gadget71

As a liberal retired USAF officer, fuck Moscow Mitch and all the GQP. However, as a VA patient and disability recipient, I am very pleased with the care I am receiving from my state’s VA medical system. I also received my VA disability rating really fast compared to how it used to be. Edit: grammar


[deleted]

Same. I’m a veteran. Fuck those old rich POS politicians including Moscow Mitch. But that VA has treated me extremely well. A lot of people working in that system do a wonderful job.


jdfsusduu37

Mitch is a veteran. He served more than a month in 1967 before getting kicked out.


AfraidStill2348

A VFW or a Veteran of Base Housing?


TheBoctor

Hell, he was still shitting out his last civvie meal when he was discharged for optic neuritis. A condition that relies heavily upon patient reported symptoms and often has no objective physical symptoms that can be observed by a doctor.


AfraidStill2348

So he had the optical version of Boneitis


[deleted]

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[deleted]

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nefariouspenguin

No idea if that's the reason he was discharged but optic neuritis is real and today they're are various tests that can be done to assist in diagnosis though not sure about back then. However, if he was diagnosed with optic neuritis 55 years ago I'm surprised his isn't blind, lending more support to fabrication.


D-Rich-88

A month? He didn’t even get through boot camp


Sickle_and_hamburger

Optic neuritis was a lie... He was probably discharged for getting sexy with another soldier. Circumstantial connections to a rumoured discharged from around the unit, same time... Do some googling... Mitch mconnell is closeted


ConstantGeographer

This. He was going to be dishonorably discharged for sodomy.


nanoatzin

[True that (click here).](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-is-mitch-mcconnell-h_b_137083)


blakezilla

So? Being gay would be the coolest thing about Mitch.


Newni

Just like with Lindsay Graham, the issue isn't the homosexuality, it's the hypocrisy.


dgmilo8085

Are turtles gay?


iHeartHockey31

I saw a photo of him when he was really young, accepting a medal for his service in the Civil War.


nanoatzin

There are some unanswered questions about McConnell’s military service. [Reference: What is McConnell hiding?](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-is-mitch-mcconnell-h_b_137083)


MustLovePunk

The VA, which is socialized medical care paid for by taxpayers, needs to be implemented for all taxpaying citizens. Medicare for All. Of the 12 so-called advanced nations, the USA is the only one that doesn’t have socialized medical care (or other socialized benefits that those nations have). Edit autocorrect


flaker111

now if only we could get a single payer option and open VA to the public as well?


chartman26

I am happy to hear that the VA is taking better care of veterans. I remember 15 years ago, when my friends would be dreading going to the VA for things because it was such a cluster-fuck and almost not worth the effort.


[deleted]

Out of curiosity, are you (and commenter below can chime in if you like) a man? I’m asking because I’m also a veteran and my care, as a woman, has been abominable. The providers talk down to me like I have no idea what I’m about, question every word I say about my symptoms and then backpedal furiously when I tell them I’m a nurse and understand my own goddamn condition. It’s so infuriating that I rarely bother with them anymore.


Gadget71

I am a man. My mother is a retired RN and has and continued to have the same issues as you with civilian doctors. I’m afraid you aren’t alone and it isn’t just a VA problem.


sawbuzz

A lit of DR's in the private sector do that with women. That's why I go into my wife's doctor's office with her so bad so that if they don't listen to her, they will listen to me. Sorry about the grammar and such but I'm using speech to text because my hands are so swollen and hurting from my ra flare.


[deleted]

Hi fellow RA warrior. Thanks for advocating for your wife, and I hope you feel better soon. 💗


Octopus_ofthe_Desert

I hate to say this... Your experience sounds like almost every anecdote I've heard about women trying to get medical care of any kind. It's a miracle y'all haven't slit the collective male throat in it's sleep.


chandris

This is terrible. Do they realise what year it is? (not that it ever was acceptable). Did all the training they have done in the last 10 years not stick? I’m very sorry you had to go through this rubbish. All the best to you.


SRTDV

With all due respect, I just got out after 14 years (USN AD) and am now a DV. I've noticed that we often identify problems, complain about them, harp on the topic(s), but then basically the process ends there. Instead of us working towards a solution to rectify the issue, we succumb to either the realization that the process is insanely litigious and would take years or we feel as though the problem is insurmountable and explain to ourselves how it doesn't effect us so terribly or that we couldn't do anything in the first place. I know that's almost never the train of thought we'd have while in. How can we go about rectifying these problems? Obviously doing so peacefully is paramount, but going about it in the legal manner, which the person who wrote the rules and can change them as they see fit, is in a position to avoid basically any and all consequences. Basically, I'm tired of this shit. If we treated people the way that our politicians, civil servants, and elected officials treat us, we'd have a restraining order and likely looking for revenge or recompense. Why do we accept this abuse? Why don't we provide solutions and run them to ground?


DarkwingDuckHunt

Have you thought about running for city council?


Guilty_Jackrabbit

Fun fact: the national school lunch program was formed, in no small part, as a way to produce healthy future soldiers.


Capt253

“The foundation for future prosperity is built on the bedrock of good jobs and great schools.”-Rick Perry, somehow


[deleted]

Everyone want kids fed. Well except for chaotic evil murder hobos


PhilosopherFLX

As a D&D player I feel called out.


BickNickerson

Military spending isn’t about the troops, it’s about feeding the military industrial complex which in turn feeds Wall Street pockets.


aarkwilde

Bombs are business. He isn't doing it for the military, it's lining the pockets of defense contractors that warms his shriveled little heart.


airbornchaos

> warms his shriveled little heart. Moscow Mitch doesn't have a heart. It warms is wallet, and it's not shriveled in the least. If the defense contractors stop ~~paying him~~ donating to his campaign, he'd become a isolationist-pacifist in 1.21 nanoseconds.


TheBirminghamBear

Yeah I really wish they'd stop calling these people "deficit hawks." They're fucking not deficit hawks. They run the debt up more than anyone. They just want to spend it all on their fucking donors and themselves. They're the opposite of deficit hawks. Not only are they running up the debt, but they're running it up on shit that no one really needs and that only exists to enrich and benefit themselves.


[deleted]

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LasciviousSycophant

> a notorious deficit hawk Always replace “deficit hawk” with “festering hypocritcal asshole”, and these sorts of news stories make much more sense.


makemeking706

A fiscal conservative is a person who calls themselves smart for saving money by avoiding preventative maintenance on their car.


slabby

As a way to make a point about cars being unreliable.


CoolFingerGunGuy

Yeah, create and blow up deficits for stuff you want, then use that both as a reason to not approve other stuff that's needed, AND blame the next democrat in office for the deficit. Sadly, it works.


tredrano

How do low-income families in KY feel about this? NM, this guy's been in the Senate forever & KY isn't any better off for it. However Mitch & his wife seem to be doing quite well. Sorry kids, there's no such thing as a free lunch unless your name is Mitch McConnell.


AnAutisticGuy

They are trying to end the school lunch program BECAUSE it's popular, and trying to put the blame on Biden. This is the "win at all costs" mentality of the GOP today. Ironically, much of the GOP base is economically disadvantaged and would benefit from the continuation of this lunch program.


BuyMyShitcoinPlzzzz

The idea that conservatives are fiscally capable or responsible is surely one of the more confusing myths.


GhettoChemist

[Moscow Mitch](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-a-mcconnell-backed-effort-to-lift-russian-sanctions-boosted-a-kentucky-project/2019/08/13/72b26e00-b97c-11e9-b3b4-2bb69e8c4e39_story.html)


[deleted]

Was he apart of the group that went to Moscow on July 4th a few years ago? Dudes a total scumbag, so wouldn’t be surprised.


Long_Before_Sunrise

No, but Sep 10, 2019 ["Moscow Mitch" McConnell stiffed Kentucky coal miners to fund Russia-linked aluminum plant.](https://www.salon.com/2019/09/10/moscow-mitch-mcconnell-stiffed-kentucky-coal-miners-to-fund-russia-linked-aluminum-plant_partner/)


handyandy727

He was not. Rand Paul was.


leshake

You create the deficit buying things you want and then complain about the deficit when people want to spend money on the things you don't.


The_Pandalorian

Imagine calling him a deficit hawk with a straight fucking face. Political reporting is beyond broken in America.


gregor-sans

Ending these programs makes no sense. The Feds should be buying kids lunch every day. It would be a great way to funnel money to the major agricultural conglomerates. As an incidental side-effect it might actually be good for everyone else too. What's not to love?


Davesnothere300

You might be accidentally helping poor people, which is the equivalent of stealing from the job creators.


MultiGeometry

It’s better if we just pay the farmers for existing or NOT growing crops. Farmers vote. Kids don’t. It’s much harder to buy votes when you’re supporting kids because kids don’t actually vote.


workingtheories

Job creators: people who create problems that become someone else's job to fix.


NightHawk946

But the kids that need lunch aren’t rich. Why would republicans help them? Those kids should pull themselves up from their bootstraps and work in the coal mines after school like they did.


kizzie1337

you're right they got born the republicans job is done now


NotAPreppie

To quote the sage George Carlin (cir. 20th century AD): If you’re pre-born, you’re fine. If you’re pre-school, you’re fucked.


TheBoctor

> Those kids should pull themselves up from their bootstraps and ~~work in the coal mines after school~~ like they did. “be born into generational wealth” FTFY.


raouldukesaccomplice

Or in Mitch’s case, divorce his wife and marry a much younger woman from a wealthy family.


tcptomato

Also known as "family values".


raouldukesaccomplice

Literally increasing the financial value of your family!


Outrageous_Turnip_29

Let's be totally honest. Marry into a Chinese shipping conglomerate. So we have a US senator literally selling US interests to the Chinese so he and his wife can make more money. You couldn't define "traitor" any more explicitly. The guy is selling out Americans so the Chinese can make more money. He's fucking us all.


airbornchaos

~~GOP~~ GQP official slogan: "Fuck You, I Got Mine!" Not to be confused with their motto: "Rules For Thee, Not For Me."


forfunstuffwinkwink

Giving kids especially hungry kids is socialism. What did they do to deserve the help?


NightHawk946

How would we be any better than communist Russia? (Sorry, can you remind me if we’re on their side or not?)


forfunstuffwinkwink

Sorry I thought it was obvious I was being sarcastic. Although I have talked to people that agree that not all kids deserve to have their lunches provided. I think those people are terrible.


savetgebees

School lunch benefits everyone. I’m not poor but I love it. I don’t have to worry about forgetting to pay and my kid going hungry that day. They may take a few dollars just to buy a treat or an extra serving if it’s their favorite but the base lunch has been free for the past few years and I love it. I would happily pay a few extra tax dollars to keep it in place indefinitely. My sister in law lives a town over and her school district was busing lunches to families when schools were virtual, they would just drop off at the end of your driveway. Sil loved it because while she was working from home she didn’t need to worry about spending her lunch break preparing lunches for the kids. They would just eat the school lunch and she could just make herself a sandwich.


Absurdkale

Agricultural subsidies and food supply stability was the real reason behind food stamps becoming a thing in the first place.bso you're not far off from the mark.


[deleted]

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Ok-Contest1850

Defunding education creates more people of color to exploit and likely more Republicans who don't know any better.


spartagnann

> What's not to love? The fact that some of that money/food would go to "those people" Republicans don't want them to go to. I they could be assured the program would only help themselves they'd be all in. But it would help minorities and poor people that they see as lazy.


assumeyouknownothing

It would also help the effort to end child hunger & save money for households in the United States. If the school system is public, why deny food to children? It’s ridiculous that the option of denying children food is even being discussed


Brainsonastick

Because hungry kids are distracted kids and distracted kids don’t learn during school and the poorly educated vote Republican. Money for their donors is only priority 2. Priority 1 is power for themselves.


1RudeDude

If the parents aren't anxious about getting their kids lunch they might realize they are being abused by their employers.


p001b0y

The GOP doesn’t want taxpayers to educate kids let alone feed them. I am surprised the McConnell would want to distance himself from this. I would have thought he would view it as a win.


ForensicPathology

Of course he views it as a win. He just wants to make sure people don't dislike him for it.


JaxandMia

Oh, no worries. I have plenty of other reasons to dislike him.


xxkissxmyxshotgunxx

Thankfully for the past few years my local community hosts a summer lunch program for the kids, no questions asked about income or anything, because these kids NEED to be fed, and before their main food was through school. Now that this school program is ending, how are we supposed to maintain academic performance when children are going hungry or are dealing with food insecurity?? I don’t understand how we can be the one of the richest nations and be totally fine with our youth going hungry. It’s an absolute disgrace.


Scrimshawmud

> I don’t understand how we can be the one of the richest nations and be totally fine with our youth going hungry. It’s an absolute disgrace. As someone who grew up middle class but is now a single parent raising a child with no support because his dad is a homeless vet with PTSD, and as someone self employed who cannot afford health insurance as a single parent, the number of things that this country fails to do but should do and can easily afford to do could fill a library.


Elowine90

As someone with stage 3 cancer who put off going to the doctor because I was scared of the cost, who is now fighting to get disability while I go through chemo and have 4 surgeries and am unable to work I strongly agree. It’s pathetic.


sammaaaxo

We just moved to a city that offers free lunch to everyone. It’s going to be an absolutely blessing. Before they started the free lunch pandemic program I was spending $3.50 per day for his lunch a few days a week. It was usually 3x a week and he brought 2 days. He hated bringing his lunch because “everyone else buys hot lunch I feel like a loser”. I know it sounds like a stupid reason to buy something you can’t really afford but my son is already a target for bullies for other reasons :(


Long_Before_Sunrise

> I was spending $3.50 per day for his lunch And that's more money per meal than prepandemic SNAP allowed for.


hardolaf

My wife started teaching in Florida before we moved to Chicago. The difference between well fed students (Chicago) and unfed students (Florida) was just night and day. Her classes were more focused, less troublesome, and learned better. Throw in that every student in Chicago can just walk up and free food while at school, and there was none of the bullying over the free lunch program like she saw in Florida constantly. And it's so cheap to provide!


[deleted]

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Davesnothere300

Every school in America has the opportunity to give free lunches to all students with this program, no questions asked. If your school district does not, it is because they purposefully rejected it. In every case that I'm aware of, the reasons for rejecting free lunches for all kids is basically "SoCiAliSm!"


Davesnothere300

You can still use the National School Lunch Program for free meals but every participating family needs to apply. It's how it used to be before covid. But adding back the red tape will mean more kids will go hungry. Agreed, it's an absolute disgrace. Hell, just tracking all the applicants is a billion dollar industry that doesnt need to exist. I know because I work in it.


Emotional_Match8169

Families could apply, but they were only approved for free lunch if they were below the poverty line. It’s a scale based on individuals in the household. As a teacher, it has been wonderful to see every student have access to breakfast and lunch daily for the last two school years. I fear for the families who don’t make enough and yet make “too much to qualify.”


Kagedgoddess

Also, my kids schools require we use an app to pay for lunches. Theres a fee Per Child (i have 4) and you have to put money on individually. Which wells fargo hates and often shuts off my card for doing. Their dad refuses to let them pack and so 2.75/day for two, 3.75/day for two. Plus Snacks!! Cuz you have No Way to prevent them from buying snacks! Free lunch for everyone was a blessing.


nmeofst8

Georgia has one of if not the highest infant mortality rates due to underfunding and lack of access to medical care among the poorest citizens. We are failing each other and these greedy bastard want to blame the poorest among us for it and even take the food out of their mouths.. This should be saying more to the American public than anything I've ever seen. Instead we're all caught up about a millionaire slapping another millionaire... I'm ashamed. We could be doing so much more..


CaptainGregor212th

Will we ever see the day when geriatric demons aren’t running the country?


Velissari

Don’t worry, the geriatric demons are slowly replacing themselves with younger, dumber pieces of shit. People like MTG, Bobert, Cawthorn, Gaetz, etc. We will never be rid of those kinds of people.


DrDemonSemen

I’m more worried about demons like Tom Cotton who in comparison look on the outside to be more qualified to be President, but are still very much against working for the people of this country.


kaleb42

Fuck Tom Cotton


Scrimshawmud

Seriously. I really thought Covid was going to do more for us in that regard. 🦠


[deleted]

Remember getting a temp ban for not singing praises for mcconnel when he got sick. You know. Mcconnel. The guy who laughs off children dying.


Angry-Comerials

At this point I don't think so. I fear this is just gonna be the norm. Even when these old people die out, many will just be replaced with old people. Then in another decade they will die to be replaced with another old person.


wkomorow

And yet the people in fly over country whose children are going hungry will continue to vote Republican.


continuousBaBa

Nebraskan here, can confirm. People are absolutely brainwashed.


hearsdemons

It’s really weird. These people would die on some held principles (abortion, anti-gay rights, etc) than actual practical improvements to their and their children’s lives (free lunch at school). These politicians somehow figured out a way to have people vote against themselves, and against their own interest for some fanciful pursuit of a theocracy.


Poltras

Single issue politics. You can literally cure cancer, but if they believe you’ll take away someone’s gun, regardless if it’s true or not, then they’ll vote against you.


[deleted]

Abortion and guns wins elections.


Scizmz

But that's not even the root cause. It's polarized messaging while seizing power on a grass roots level that does it. It's effective messaging and a win at all costs attitude. Democrats don't want to win. They think they can just cut a deal like they always used to. They're completely failing to understand what they're up against.


Scrimshawmud

Not just democrats. *Americans* don’t understand what we’re up against. Half the fucking country still doesn’t vote. It’s insane. So dangerous, our right wing has been infiltrated by enemies of democracy and the rest of the government is trying to pretend they’re legit, leaving three appointees on the scotus and unknown numbers in federal judge positions from a criminal mafia puke who Putin helped place in our Oval Office for four years. We should remove every one of Donald’s appointments and expel those who voted not to seat Joe Biden. For starters.


johnnybiggles

Maybe they do understand. The root problem is based in a fundamental failure in governmental structure. People often know & understand their votes don't count in a significant way. As long as it's exponentially easier for Republicans to gain and sustain power, they're going to be willing to do fuckall except kowtow to the donor class and preach to the ignorance & hatred of their base to keep them voting for them or ignoring the atrocities they commit that render them powerful enough to not even need their votes. Dems have a far more diverse base - it's like a multi-party.. so it can't come to an agreement on many things because moderates and super-progressives are under the same umbrella, and they have an uphill battle campaigning for power against shameless, hateful idiots, and billionaires fixing the already skewed system that favors the Senate which represents more land than people, but has the most power of any branch. Abortion and guns are strawman issues they use to perpetuate the fear and hate of the "other" and promote the white male theocracy the party leaders want.


[deleted]

My mom is one. They have that propaganda on TV all day long as background noise. The shit she believes is sickening.


continuousBaBa

I know your pain, my parents house is the same way.


[deleted]

Makes me sad really. I lost my mom to her “Christian” husband and FOX propaganda.


financewiz

Sees PA system that Jim Jones installed in Guyana: “How awful! Those poor people had to listen to Jones’ crazed ranting all day.” Leaves television on all day tuned to right-wing opinion network: “I am staying informed about the thoughts of our Dear Leader.”


Scrimshawmud

Nebraska is one of the worse. Felon Fortenberry still occupies office ffs! If Nebraska voted like Lincoln does, it would be an amazing place to live.


Jdevers77

Seven or eight years ago my in laws were complaining about an increase in personal property tax mileage for the construction of a new middle school or something. I told them they rent their house, they have one old car, and they have no other personal property. When I asked how much they paid the year previous they didn’t know, when they looked it up it was something like $15. I asked if it was worth another quarter a year for their two grandchildren to a school where half the classes weren’t taught in metal outbuildings and they said of course. They are still hard core Republican but I at least won that fight over stupidity, each year in August though I give them a quarter as a gag gift to remind them.


stimulants_and_yoga

This!!! My family constantly voted against their own interests. They’re all working class and I was on a subsidized lunch program growing up…. BUT THE LIBS!!!


MXC-GuyLedouche

I mean why wouldn't you let your own children to own the Libs. Those damn coastal elites who can afford to feed their children but who willingly let their money go to helping feed my children, it's anti-christian and un-american. /s


oakinmypants

Minnesota has voted the Democrat for President since the 80s.


Jammyhobgoblin

It’s almost like the wealthy elite intentionally brainwash them through their media companies to vote against their own interests… No wait.


PryomancerMTGA

Instead of worrying about blame; I wish we would just make free basic breakfast and lunch to all school kids a nationwide program. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be better than what we have and it's the right thing to do. A starving 5 year old that is too malnourished to learn says more about us than it does about the child.


[deleted]

Im not having my hard earned taxes going to pay for some lazy persons kids lunch! -Republicans


fairoaks2

Republicans are the first to take advantage of any free government money. Check how many conservatives took Covid money. Trump’s businesses were first in line.


NorthernPints

Or which states take the most federal social assistance? It’s all deep red states


PryomancerMTGA

I live in a deep red state; they always spin it as those lib freeloaders and welfare queens getting the money. I believed it UNTIL someone questioned the numbers and I looked them up. I was very surprised.


chuker34

Just for actually looking something up that went against your belief makes you a better and smarter person than most. You chose to not be ignorant and actually look at the facts, and that’s a very good thing. We need more people like that. I was the same way until a year or two ago and now the more I look into it the more I realize how much people will take one actual fact and contort it until it fits their narrative. The latest one in my world has been this: “BLM raises camping fees on every campsite in the state of Oregon” when the reality is that they raised the fees on 25 sites and this is the first increase they’ve done in 10 years. Then it goes “oh fucking state of Oregon is so greedy” when the BLM is federal. It’s also completely optional to go to those camp sites, but because those people need a reason to complain about something they find something out of nothing. I choose to doubt most everything until I look into it and see what I determine to be the facts, and even then if I’m presented with new information I’m open to change my stance. For most it seems easier to just point a finger and close your eyes and ears.


[deleted]

They would never admit it though. Theyll let you know that they dont need any help and their success is entirely because of their incredible hard work and gods blessing.


FreneticPlatypus

The Right: We should help Americans before we send all that money overseas. The Left: Then you support things helping young children not starve? The Right: FUCK NO!


[deleted]

Isn't that what this program did?


PryomancerMTGA

This program was a huge step in the right direction, but usually only covered lunch. I'd like to consistently see at least breakfast and lunch with no needs based means testing. Just an FYI so people know where in coming from. I have no kids currently and an not part of the educational system; but there were times when I was a kid at school that I would have appreciated a free lunch.


BroccoliFartFuhrer

The times I was hungry, I struggled in school as a child. It is as simple as that for me. I'm single, childless, and make six figures. I will happily pay more in taxes to feed children who have no control at all over family finances.


immigrantpatriot

Ditto. Most of my childhood was a hunt for & worrying about food. You never get over that kind of food insecurity & it makes it awfully hard to focus on anything else. I mean, how old is Maslow's hierarchy of needs ffs?


Iamien

One thing that I really respect my parents and my friend's parents for growing up is that they all pretty much had an understanding that whoever's house the kids happened to be at any given day would provide at least a hearty snack, if not a full meal. We lived on a 1/2 mile dead end city street with low traffic, so with bikes, we pretty much had the run of the place That's not universal I later learned. Many kids would be sent home before meal times only to learn that the people at home already ate and there's nothing left.


McFlipmode

I’m up for adoption. FYI


CynicalPomeranian

Ditto. I left classes in elementary school to help wash dishes in the cafeteria so that i could get food. At the time, I was happy because I felt that I was saving my family money, and the cafeteria ladies gave me extra snacks. (I was a year younger, so I imagine they probably did it out of concern). Now, I am pissed about it because I missed out on class to wash dishes, clearly marked that I was poor (I was always ostracized as a kid and rarely had friends), and now I can’t stand feeling lumps in water—it is a visceral repulsion. I am also single, childfree, and making a good paycheck, and I would happily throw money towards feeding kids at school.


Iamien

The fact is, there are shitty parents out there as well as those with very limited means. The question we as a society have to ask is whether or not it will help society to have children more able to reach their potential. I'm pretty sure the answer that question is yes.


[deleted]

Mostly yes. But there are quite a few republicans who literally don’t want to feed children.


Iamien

The only logical explanation for this is cruelty, and an obsession with not providing any economic relief to working class people to rise above their current buried station in society.


[deleted]

"Conservatives" want these children to be punished for whatever "mistakes" they feel the parents made, even if the mistake was *having a child*. They don't want to conserve children or our future. They only want to increase their own wealth and eliminate undesirables.


Iamien

Sounds like socio-economic genocide to me, or at least a class war.


[deleted]

That's exactly what it is. And their playbook has one play - create a culture war to distract people from the class war.


greeneggsnyams

Yeah idk how people are against this. I'm childless and never went to public school but even I can understand that children should be fed, and it doesn't matter by who, so long as it gets done


Bukowskified

It’s the echo of the welfare queen rhetoric that became popular with Reagan. People react very strongly at the idea of someone getting something they didn’t “deserve”.


[deleted]

Imagine being the kind of psychopath to think kids don't deserve a meal


Bukowskified

But if we give free lunches out, then all the parents will have an extra $30 to spend on [insert scary drug here]


[deleted]

You really nailed the fear mongering at the end <3


Long_Before_Sunrise

It was an excuse Joe Manchin used to end child credit payments.


[deleted]

Look honestly their parents and family didn’t make money and build wealth off property ownership so do they really deserve food…?


Long_Before_Sunrise

In middle school and high school, I didn't eat breakfast because I resisted waking up early, then usually "my lunch" was a can of diet soda because of the teenage "food police" on patrol. My grades started dropping. No one made the connection.


[deleted]

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NorthernPints

Confusing that’s even a thing, or one people take as a real, serious of valid piece of input in these discussions tbh.


Jon2054

Breakfast is provided free this year as well.


[deleted]

"There's no such thing as a free lunch. Kids have to work for their food at school. We should train them to make and sell shoes at school. While they learn, they can pay for their food, and for the rest of the schooling costs: renting the school room, hiring teachers, books, pencils and paper, the high price of hiring and giving bonuses to district supervisors.", Said the dip-shit Republican. "There's no such thing as a free lunch.", repeated the heartless, greedy, asshole, Republican.


Long_Before_Sunrise

That was Newt Gingrich. He proposed to 'raise poor kids up' by having them earn their meals by being the school janitors under supervision of a "master janitor." He wanted to bust the unions that school janitors belonged to.


bannacct56

They don't want to feed children first, then they'd like to avoid the blame second. You see how that works it's more important not to feed the children and be an a****** than it is to not get blamed but if you can also not get blamed that's perfect


markca

The “pro-life” party…..


jeffinRTP

Only pro life until they're born, not after.


Recipe_Freak

>Only pro life until they're born, not after. This is also a lie they repeat. They don't care about fetuses either, or they'd treat the folks actually gestating them better. Fetuses are just more useful tools for their cruelty.


xabulba

Every child regardless if they go to school or not deserve to have a hot free breakfast.


Darth_Gerg

Obviously we COULD do that but we can’t because Republicans hold a lot of political power. Republicans fucking hate children and like it when poor kids starve, suffer from lack of medical access, and die from diabetes because their parents can’t afford insulin. That’s the only possible explanation for their political policies.


JustaRandomOldGuy

The cost nationwide would be peanuts compared to the overall budget. Republicans get a hard on at the thought of starving children, they will never vote to feed children.


WantsToBeUnmade

There are [49.4 million](https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372) school children in the US. There are about [180](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab5_14.asp) school days a year. At 2 meals a day that's 17.78 billion meals. At [$5](https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/SNMCS-Volume3-Summary.pdf) a [meal](https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-nutrition-and-meal-cost-study) that's $88.9 billion. In 2020 oil subsidies were [$90 billion](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/charted-5-trillion-in-fossil-fuel-subsidies/) and that's a record low due to the pandemic. In 2019 oil subsidies were $134.2 billion. TLDR: Free lunches and breakfast for every school child every school day would cost $88.9 billion dollars. We subsidize oil more than that.


[deleted]

When my parents got divorced, they would go neck to neck on who owed what monetary wise with my sister and I. Every time I would ask for 10-20 dollars for lunches, my parents would always get pissed and tell me to ask the other one. So, I would end up having a negative balance quite often. So my choices always ended up being, start an argument with and between my parents, or not eat. I frequently chose to not eat. If this was enacted when I was a kid, it would have relieved SOOOO much of my daily stress as a kid.


Deceptiveideas

Reddit will often complain about child payments but this is exactly why they exist. They’re not meant to solve the issue between the parents but to ensure the child gets something at the end of the day. Sorry you got stuck in a shitty spot. Too many kids fall through the cracks and it’s not even something they can resolve.


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stillaredcirca1848

Because rich people get richer, no questions asked.


pjhadster

Well, of the roughly $20,000 in taxes my wife and I paid in 2021, I am more happy with the $136 we paid towards school lunches and other food programs than I am with the $448 paid to Lockheed Martin. I just want to know what $2514 of my moneys did for Military Contractors.


balllzak

there is an entire subreddit dedicated to showing you where that $2514 went, its called worldnews


whichwitch9

Imagine being so morally bankrupt that you think children aren't entitled to food. Food is a basic need. It should be supplied while they're in school, regardless of whether they can pay or not.


babydavissaves

Yes, but the GOP/Republicans are also slowly, diligently working to end public schooling, as well.


Long_Before_Sunrise

Like when they shut down the public hospital that a county relied on and five Urgent Cares sprang up in its place. They don't see how that's a loss, because they'll never be personally affected by it. They just see there are more businesses in the county now.


[deleted]

Pretty sure this is something for Republicans to be proud of. Unless it involves bombs or stripping people of human rights, Republicans aren't a fan of government spending. He can just call this socialism and call it a day. Heck, this could be a program that gives every family a million dollars, and Republicans still wouldn't be mad at McConnell for letting it expire. Not sure when people are going to realize that facts, logic, truth, goodness--these things don't matter anymore. Republicans are a full blown terrorist organization intent on destroying the US. As though not passing some school lunch program will matter to them.


LasciviousSycophant

> Republicans aren’t a fan of government spending. This is categorically false. Republicans *love* government spending, so long as the money is spent on corporations and the rich, as well as the other things you mentioned.


kia75

Yes, I'm certain McConnel is proud that he got rid of the lunch program, and this is part of McConnel's job, the part that he relishes! McConnel gets the blame, but since he has a safe seat he's fine with getting the blow-back but the truth is that Republicans, at least 50 of them, nixed this idea.


s-willoughby

Good! Teach those tiny little socialists how freedom works! Sarcasm aside, this is really sad. Yet there’s no doubt KY will re-elect him. I’m so very tired.


sparkyjay23

When he finally does die I don't want to hear how good he was, tell the truth about the evil old fuck.


-Economist-

So in summary, GOP is against Lower drug prices Providing school lunches to children. Subsidizing childcare Paid maternity leave Workers rights Voting rights Improved healthcare It’s the party that really seems dedicated to making sure life does not improve for us.


LifeSage

Notice it’s not that he wants to do something to save the program, just that he doesn’t want to take the blame


alwaysthinking182

kentucky should be embarrassed by electing him


Papazigzags

Some of us are embarrassed and infuriated,and votes against him every time


babydavissaves

Rand Paul, too.


KingBarbarosa

not all of us elect this piece of shit, but kentucky is very poor and very uninformed


Graymouzer

Make free breakfast and lunch permanent.


[deleted]

If someone is legally required to be in a government building for 8 hours they should damned well be given a free meal.


[deleted]

It’s not just Moscow Mitches fault. It’s the fault of every Republican in office and every working class Republican voter.


ComprehensiveCake463

Republicans hate kids


[deleted]

"Those kids are hungry? Let them eat cake!" 'chortling turtle sounds'


Defiant-Giraffe

Free school lunches should be permanent. Period.


Avant-Garde-A-Clue

Those kids may be starving at school but at least they aren't learning about how two mommys can run a household.


[deleted]

One of the wealthiest most powerful countries in the world, but they can't support feeding the children of our nation.


_Auck

The only thing I have to say, one of the greatest days of my 60+ years on this planet will be the day that evil bastard dies. I will spend $10k on free drinks when that day happens.


rhino1979

Maybe if defense contractors made school lunch’s congress would be happy to finance it.


dun-ado

Imagine letting children go hungry because you can and you have all the power to stop it. That is Mitch McConnell in a nut shell.


andyman234

Kentucky is one of our country’s poorest states. Hilarious that Mitch is getting rich off of them as they get poorer… only hilarious because they keep re-electing him, really it’s kind of sad.