S10.E04: TANF

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Main topic: TANF Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Also: Fox News and Dominion Voting; Tennessee anti-drag law; Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally tweet behavior; Happy International Women's Day from the men of local news; then humble beginnings of Rachael Ray

Original air date 2023.03.12

[Annber03]

OF COURSE the very same guy who's helping to push anti-drag/anti-LGBTQ+  legislation is (not so) secretly looking at and commenting on sexy photos on Instagram. Of course. It's so predictable I can't even pretend to act shocked by that revelation. Franklyn is indeed way more respectful and kind than McNally and his lot deserve. 

"There really is no upside to Trump." Gosh, it's almost like people tried to tell you this very same thing back in 2016, Tucker, you asshole. And he says all that stuff about Trump only to then turn around and play heavily edited January 6th footage to try and play down the seriousness of what happened that day, so fuck him. I hope Dominion takes the entire Fox News network down in every possible way they can. Couldn't happen to a more deserving network. 

As for the main story, er, Favre? Little tip: if you're THAT worried about your actions being discovered, maybe, I dunno, don't text about it to someone? 'Cause, yeah, not only can people track your financial transactions  but they can also track and read your texts. Even if you delete them. Just watch a few true crime shows 

There is sooooooooooo much I could say about that Mica's "alligator" BS, but I'm pretty sure everything I wanted to say would get me in trouble on this board. Suffice to say I was yelling a few choice words at the screen, though. And that album. I just. There are no words. None. Just. WHAT? 

My family has been there with the, "You make too much to be eligible for this assistance." Well, that's news to my family, who's literally trying to figure out which bills to pay this week, but okay. Feel free to come sit in our house and look over our finances and see where we're just too flush with cash, you morons. 

We're not going to even get into how utterly horrifyingly creepy the moralistic "two parent families/crisis pregnancy center/identifying the father of your child" insanity is. What if the "father" is a rapist? What if you didn't get a chance to properly see what he looked like? What then? 

As for finding work, it's not TANF-specific, but it reminds me that our governor, in her oh-so-infinite wisdom, has set it up where anyone who wants unemployment has to look for a job every week, and even if all that's available are jobs that pay significantly less than what you were getting paid before (and you were barely making it on that job as it was), you still have to apply to it to continue to get the unemployment benefits. Doesn't matter if you're unable to financially support your family, you need to do this or you'll lose any assistance being provided to you - assistance you have to literally jump through hoops to even get in the first place. 

You know. All very pro-life and Christian, that. Totally the message of Jesus. 

On a much lighter note, this is the second reference to "Tubthumping" on a show I watch this week XD. 

[JustHereForFood]

What a shock that someone who publicly preaches conservative values with a special emphasis on anti-LGBT+ rhetoric is secretly* enjoying gay content on social media. I am shocked, shocked I say!

*I had to pause, but it seemed like he was writing under his own name, complete with a title. You know, my first thought in such case would be that someone is just making fun with that screen name and it's not really the politician, but considering his reaction, he probably really was posting under his own name. What. a. moron.

And I'm not having one bit of sympathy for all of these people, like when John said it's a bit sad because they could have enjoyed their lives more if they were just open about it and instead of all the hateful laws they support would try to make their state a better place to live for everyone. Well, despite all these laws, the US at the current time is still one of the best places for LGB people (T is left out intentionally) to live, compared to some countries where they could still get killed, or other countries where they still can't get married or adopt kids. Especially for white, wealthy men with successful carrers, so nope, not feeling sorry for these politicians. They chose to live a double life, with all the benefits it gives them, so fuck them. I wouldn't really mind, everyone should live their lives as they want, what angers me is that they often are the most vicious supporters of anti-LGBT+ agenda. My theory is that they are jealous of people who decide to live their lives freely and act out of spite. I repeat, fuck them!

 

Regarding Tucker Carlson's messages, I wish I could believe that it might change the opinion of some people once they se how hypocritical all of these "reporters" are, but who am I kidding?

 

As for the main topic, not very surprised that a system designed to help those who need it the most ends up being used by people or corporations that don't really need it. Which is exactly what some have been worried about since the beginning, but since it's not people they expected to misuse it, it's probably fine, right? I wonder how is it possible, that some people don't qualify because they make "too much" and yet others who probably make more do. 

And of course, with the emphasis on the right families (two parents, obviously a married heterosexual couple, even if that was not said out loud, probably also white), single parents end up screwed, as usual. But hey, good news, crisis pregnancy centers receive the funds, so there will be more single mothers who will get persuaded to continue with their pregnancy, probably with empty promises of help that will not come later. Because, logic. (Note: I am not against promising help to pregnant women who only want to have abortion due to their financial situation. I would really welcome it, because being pro-choice doesn't mean we want women to have abortions, but it would be really nice if the agenda behind that help was actually really about helping those women and their eventual babies and not, as it usually is, only about putting pressure on these women until the time they could have an abortion is over.)

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, JustHereForFood said:

And of course, with the emphasis on the right families (two parents, obviously a married heterosexual couple, even if that was not said out loud, probably also white), single parents end up screwed, as usual. But hey, good news, crisis pregnancy centers receive the funds, so there will be more single mothers who will get persuaded to continue with their pregnancy, probably with empty promises of help that will not come later. Because, logic. (Note: I am not against promising help to pregnant women who only want to have abortion due to their financial situation. I would really welcome it, because being pro-choice doesn't mean we want women to have abortions, but it would be really nice if the agenda behind that help was actually really about helping those women and their eventual babies and not, as it usually is, only about putting pressure on these women until the time they could have an abortion is over.)

Fully agreed with you on this. On the one hand we hear people say all the time that a woman shouldn't have more kids than she can afford, 'cause strain on the system and all...

...but then if she tries to actually make that decision for herself in terms of deciding whether or not to continue a pregnancy that she knows will only add to her financial struggles, nope, can't do that, she's gotta be forced to have the kid, 'cause "responsibility" and all...but of course, nobody'll help her with this baby they're forcing her to have, nope, she and her kid gotta sink or swim on their own. Oh, people will be more than happy to protect that clump of cells when it's IN her body, but after that? Tough shit. 

Yeah. Logic is not exactly the strong suit with these kinds of policies and attitudes here, no. 

[DoctorAtomic]

5 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

I had to pause, but it seemed like he was writing under his own name, complete with a title. You know, my first thought in such case would be that someone is just making fun with that screen name and it's not really the politician, but considering his reaction, he probably really was posting under his own name. What. a. moron.

The account is LtGovMcnally. He's not denying he's making the posts. This whole incident is just baffling to me. You'd think he'd deny, deny, deny; the account was hacked, etc. 

 

[JustHereForFood]

5 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Fully agreed with you on this. On the one hand we hear people say all the time that a woman shouldn't have more kids than she can afford, 'cause strain on the system and all...

...but then if she tries to actually make that decision for herself in terms of deciding whether or not to continue a pregnancy that she knows will only add to her financial struggles, nope, can't do that, she's gotta be forced to have the kid, 'cause "responsibility" and all...but of course, nobody'll help her with this baby they're forcing her to have, nope, she and her kid gotta sink or swim on their own. Oh, people will be more than happy to protect that clump of cells when it's IN her body, but after that? Tough shit. 

Yeah. Logic is not exactly the strong suit with these kinds of policies and attitudes here, no. 

But God forbid if people try to help in advance, by offering free or affordable birth control or better sex education. The same people usually fight those solutions too, even though those would probably be much less expensive and people wouldn't have to feel bad about killing a fetus. But we can't have reasonable solutions, apparently.

[Lugal]

Wow, its like a greatest hits record: the homophobic politician caught doing gay things, the rich politician comparing the poor to animals, and early 90's hip-hop.

This is why I wish I could travel more.  I would be really curious to see if the "leadership" of other countries holds their own citizens in such contempt.  They really don't believe that people deserve anything close to basic human dignity and anything approaching a decent life.  It's like they only see us as engines to drive their own profits and if we can't do that, well then, we're just not worthy of living.  Oh wait, that is how they see us.

As for Tucker et al, it reminds me of something someone said to me once:  The ones you really have to watch out for are the cynical bastards who stir up shit just so they can make a buck off of it.

[andromeda331]

I'm glad John mentioned Farve stealing 5 million from Wellfare. I had hoped that story would be much bigger when it happened but of course not. Who cares that he stole millions from the needy and has faced zero consequences. I wish the rest was a surprise but it really isn't. Wow, people with jobs and corporations could take as much as they want. Heaven forbid it actually goes to the people that needed it. Like all the stimulus and other funds to help people struggling with Covid 19 went to people who weren't struggling or corporations. Then listen to politicians bitching about the people who actually need it and making it harder for them to get it. Hey maybe if say 5million went to the actually people in Mississippi struggling it probably would have helped a lot of them. if not most of them. 

I feel for the families that need the money but make too much to qualify. One of my mom's best friends worked for social services so many families she had to deny because they made too much and most of them were really struggling. So many she wanted to approve because they really needed the money. She ended up quitting because she couldn't take it anymore. 

Of course all they end up offering people are just "inspirational words". Wouldn't want to actually help. Might actually make a lot of lives better. 

 

I wish John had looked it to how many of the deadbeat fathers were hunted down to pay child support? I'll bet zero. While we're at it. How many politicans are up to date on their child support? 

Edited March 14, 2023 by andromeda331

[smittykins]

16 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

But God forbid if people try to help in advance, by offering free or affordable birth control or better sex education. The same people usually fight those solutions too, even though those would probably be much less expensive and people wouldn't have to feel bad about killing a fetus. But we can't have reasonable solutions, apparently.

Of course not. The tramp should have kept her legs closed. /s

In the classic words of George Carlin, “If you’re preborn, you’re fine; if you’re preschool, you’re fucked.”

[peeayebee]

8 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I'm glad John mentioned Farve stealing 5 million from Wellfare. I had hoped that story would be much bigger when it happened but of course not.

Right. I read about this way back, so when John brought it up I was surprised, thinking that it was already well-known.

Interesting that Aid to Dependent Children was acceptable until black Americans started getting it.

[khyber]

21 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

But God forbid if people try to help in advance, by offering free or affordable birth control or better sex education. The same people usually fight those solutions too, even though those would probably be much less expensive and people wouldn't have to feel bad about killing a fetus. But we can't have reasonable solutions, apparently.

 

5 hours ago, smittykins said:

Of course not. The tramp should have kept her legs closed. /s

In the classic words of George Carlin, “If you’re preborn, you’re fine; if you’re preschool, you’re fucked.”

I once had a long conversation with the group that stands outside our local PP and pickets on abortion days.  I brought up the issues of focusing on free long term birth control and also male responsibility. It was clear from their answers that they were only focused on the jezebels and how they needed to be forced to give birth. 

[Lantern7]

Depressing to see another would-have-been benefit used as a piggy bank for the less-than-hopeless. And yeah, Brett Favre should be dragged over the coals, but that rarely happens. Deadspin named him the number two biggest idiot of 2022 for the bullshit he's done, but it's not enough.

On 3/12/2023 at 11:40 PM, Annber03 said:

As for the main story, er, Favre? Little tip: if you're THAT worried about your actions being discovered, maybe, I dunno, don't text about it to someone? 'Cause, yeah, not only can people track your financial transactions  but they can also track and read your texts. Even if you delete them. Just watch a few true crime shows

Brett should have stopped texting years ago. It's mentioned in the link.

John getting down to a motivational song was funny. I'd say it was GIF-worthy.

[possibilities]

Back in the 1980s there was a local feminist group where I lived, that had a practice of calling the anti-abortion activists in the area every time they had a pregnant person or new mother who needed help. They would tell them the story and describe what she needed (food, diapers, rent money, whatever) and ask them to make a donation or take it on as an on-going sponsorship. They figured that either they will get the stuff they need, or the conversation will force the folks to admit on the record and in public that they don't care about babies after all.

I loved these women. I thought they were geniuses. They were cheerful about it, and approached like they obviously expected the group to want to pitch in. I don't know what % of the time they actually got what was needed, but they made it part of their routine to keep asking. The member of the group who told me about it was laughing happily when describing the situation. I wish I could remember her name because even though it was decades ago, still remember her and I'd love to talk with her about it and find out how it all turned out.

 

Edited March 27, 2023 by possibilities