Former GOP Congressman J.C. Watts: ‘Social programs’ are the ‘new slavery.’

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/04/15/jcwatts-new-slavery/

Former GOP Congressman J.C. Watts: ‘Social programs’ are the ‘new slavery.’


Over the weekend, former Republican congressman J.C. Watts gave a speech at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference, and later sat down for interviews. Speaking to KARN News Radio’s Dave Elswick, Watts explained that he believes “social programs” are equivalent to a “new slavery.” Watts — who left Congress to become a lobbyist, businessman, and board member to several corporations — said that government programs that “aren’t improving people’s lives or getting them into a life of productivity” are akin to the type of chattel slavery forced upon African Americans in the United States:



Watch it at link~

Watts’ whitewashing of slavery as something equivalent to giving “an allowance” without requisite chores is the latest example of right-wing Republicans trying to diminish the history and relevancy of American slavery. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) omitted slavery from a Confederate history month proclamation, telling reporters that slavery wasn’t a “significant” part of the Civil War. Though McDonnell eventually backtracked and apologized, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) said the slavery omission “doesn’t amount to diddly.”

Ooops.

spot on

Steele now has JC's old job

but I can't because you're absolutely right!

I think I'd have to start sniffing glue to start understanding Watt's "logic".

still clowning for your repub masters, after they dissed you so badly you quit Congress. To equate social programs with slavery is beyond the pale, you disingenuous bastard! :grr: (That should be the new Hobson's Law.)

Being a member of a party that prides itself on cutting said programs while giving tax and other breaks to the rich gives you so much credibility. :eyes:

that J.C. was purchased by five oil men (they paid his debts and helped keep him and his family out of jail) and then ran him for Congress.

On the other hand, I ran into him in the Atlanta airport during his last congressional term. We were both connecting through Atlanta to Oklahoma City. I introduced myself and told him I was an OU grad and although I had not lived in Oklahoma for some time, I had been in the stadium for all of his home games. Then I went on to give him a really hard time about his voting record and the fact he was a Republican. We actually have a lot of mutual friends.

He seem to thoroughly enjoy the exchange and had me bumped to first class so we could continue our discussion/argument. He was actually very pleasant and charming - which pissed me off because I wanted to hate him.

He has no moral core. He is, and always has been, just a puppet.

If Watts wants to use a parent/child relationship as a government/citizen social program analogy, free medical care, education, shelter, food, clothing, transportation and entertainment would be in the Bill of Rights.

Cutting the grass, taking the trash out or keeping your room clean doesn't come within light years of that value exchange.

Dependent on the child's capabilities, this disproportionate exchange of value doesn't occur because the child does something, it's done because the parent has the power, wealth and obligation; legal and/or moral.

The child may be able to do some chore during childhood, in the future by taking care of their parents in old age or never.

Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.