Scores of hardworking South Carolina families struggle to make ends meet, but not one Republican presidential candidate on stage tonight offered anything resembling a viable solution to the crippling poverty that plagues much of the state. Instead, the entire GOP field chose to play a blame game, pointing fingers and shaming those in need of government assistance.
The GOP has made it clear time and time again, and tonight was no different. They’ll always put the interests of the billionaire Koch brothers ahead of those of hardworking families.
Here’s what the GOP presidential candidates have offered for lifting hardworking families out of poverty:
· Marco Rubio has repeatedly voted for the extreme Ryan budget, which adds restrictions to federal housing aid. Rubio has also claimed that people receiving welfare choose jobs with lower wages so they can remain on welfare.
· Ted Cruz has claimed that food assistance encourages “dependency,” and that President Obama has intentionally kept Americans dependent on government to keep Democrats in power.
· Jeb Bush has consistently been in favor of curtailing welfare payments and has frequently blamed absent fathers as contributors to welfare dependency, claiming that traditional marriage was the best way to break poverty.
· Donald Trump has claimed that people on welfare do not work hard enough and has lamented nearly every government assistance program – including food stamps and housing aid.
Published: Feb 13, 2016