Republicans Really Think People Are Stupid

[Content Note: Class warfare.]

So, I'm reading this article in which conservative commentator S.E. Cupp (who is also the author of a book titled Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media's Attack on Christianity, lol) interviews Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and he says that the Republican Party needs to communicate that they don't want to cut programs; they want to reform them.

Whether talking about entitlement reform, food stamps, unemployment benefits or social programs, his one word mantra? Emphasize "reform."

"The mistake I think we often make is," he continued, "if we're the party of no, and we're the party of austerity, the people of this country want more. The difference is, the left offers them more government, more benefits, more assistance. We should offer them more freedom, more opportunity, more prosperity."

Sure. Because "more freedom, more opportunity, more prosperity" is not inextricably linked, especially for the lower classes, to "more government, more benefits, more assistance." More freedom and opportunity and prosperity happen by a magical combination of lower tax rates for corporations, bootstraps, and pixie dust.

Later, he says, on raising the minimum wage:

"It is a cheap political stunt that may be well-intentioned by some, but it has an incredibly buzz saw type effect on the economy. And it's nothing more than a photo-op to pretend that people are doing something about creating jobs."

Yep, just bury that shit beneath the word "reform," buddy. See how that works out for you.

I mean, this is the sort of thinking we're dealing with: Someone who imagines that there is a better way to "more freedom, more opportunity, more prosperity" for the working poor than raising their wages. That raising their wages is just a "cheap political stunt" and a "photo-op." That entrenching poverty among the working poor doesn't have "an incredibly buzz saw type effect on the economy" (whatever the fuck that means). That maintaining the status quo after decades of wage stagnation is somehow "reform."

Jesus fucking Jones.