GOP Gov. Kasich Says There 'Seems To Be A War On The Poor'

[geek tragedy]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Offering a frank assessment of how his fellow Republicans approach the issue of poverty, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) sounded a bit more like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) than a guy who stumped for Mitt Romney.

“I’m concerned about the fact there seems to be a war on the poor,” Kasich told the New York Times in a story published Tuesday. “That if you’re poor, somehow you’re shiftless and lazy.”

“You know what?” he added. “The very people who complain ought to ask their grandparents if they worked at the W.P.A.”



Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/gop-gov-kasich-says-there-seems-to-be-a-war-on-the-poor

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Man, after seeing what's happening in Virginia, Republican governors can't put enough distance between themselves and the Teahadis fast enough.

Kasich is still gonna lose, but this will definitely help him lose by less.

[SDjack]

1. I suspect that Gov. Kasich is schizophrenic. Now he is a champion of the poor. nt

[geek tragedy]

2. He's suddenly figured out that bashing poor people offends a lot of voters.

Regardless of his sincerity, his political deathbed conversion did mean 300K Ohioans will get access to medical care due to the Medicaid expansion.

[Botany]

6. Kasich can count and he knows that even with a dirty Sec. of State ......

... he will lose in landslide if the poor turns out to vote him out of office.

[meadowlark5]

27. That's what I was just going to ask. Is he up for re-election in 2014?

They always try to change their tune when they come up for an election. Have to hide the crazy to trick people.

[du_grad]

30. Yes

The gubernatorial election in Ohio is in 2014. Ed FitzGerald seems to be the only viable Democrat running. His name is not well known yet, but I like what I've seen so far.

http://www.edfitzgeraldforohio.com/

[okaawhatever]

37. Not only that, but he's in a purple state. Let's see if a gop Governor in a dark red state will

repeat the message. I know the politics...the purple state republicans will talk about how they'll never cut SS or Medicare, they want to help the poor, blah blah and then the deep red staters will say, heck yeah we'll cut everything and kick those poor people out on their butts. Just keeping the message aligned with the voters.

[hatrack]

14. Or he's figured out that "poor people" = "majority of voters"

Yes, Governor, that's what happens after 30 years of fairy-tale bullshit, Morning In America, Prosperity Jesus and wishful thinking - a whole bunch of people who have no further stake in things continuing as they have been since 1980.

Nice fake to the left, Governor, but you're too old to be a running back..

[bobGandolf]

15. You got it!

"poor people" = "majority of voters"

[alp227]

19. Like Romney and Schwarzenegger, Kasich is a blue state Republican governor

So he has to adjust his message.

[Maeve]

21. No, he just always serves his own interests

When Blathering for Dollars is calling, he works for Fox. When he thinks he can win by kicking unions, he puts on his steel-toed boots. But when he gets to "save the state millions" or look like the compassionate conservative and get points for that, well, he's on it! In the end, Kasich will do what benefits Kasich.

[gordianot]

3. He should include the middle class or any one who is not funded by the Koch's.

[cosmicone]

4. In other news,

Dracula said blood drinking at night has become rampant ....

[marble falls]

5. There is a war on the poor, Kasich you dumbass, and you've been leading it in Ohio!

[beerandjesus]

7. Holy shit, did an American politician just mention the WPA??

I almost want to vote for him now, just because he had the courage to say "WPA"!


I'm only half-way being sarcastic. I'm not sure I recall anyone doing that in my lifetime, at least no one who's a Democrat or Republican. Obviously I know the difference between words and deeds, but my God.... I sure hope we start seeing more elected officials who can invoke FDR without pretending that he somehow extended the Great Depression!

[liberal N proud]

8. Let's not forget what he and Scotty Walker did or tried to do in their first year

I can't buy this rubbish from a right winger.

[rurallib]

9. kasich must have gotten a Halloween scare

that looked like his ratings compared to the Cooch's
Better call Chuck and Dave for some back-up bucks.

[Z_California]

10. I have a feeling

a lot of GOP politicians are busy "reinventing" themselves. This is good.

[factsarenotfair]

11. I believe that he has been influenced by his Catholic faith and Pope Francis's focus on the poor.

http://thecatholicbeat.sacredheartradio.com/2013/03/06/catholics-torn-over-kasich-healthcare-proposal/

[reddread]

12. there is damn sure a war on the homeless in California

but, who cares?

[Orsino]

13. "Frank assessment"?

Bullshit, TPM.

Kasich is a liar and grifter who got caught. There's nothing frank about a desperate ploy like this.

[grantcart]

16. Hell ask Mitt why George was on welfare, and why he valued it for people in need.

[Caeser67]

17. Seems Like

The Ghost of Christmas past has come to his room early this year.

Where the eff have you been?

Of course there's a War on the Poor.

[greatlaurel]

18. Kasich is a fraud

He is running for reelection for Governor in 2014 and he is wildly unpopular in Ohio. He also dreams of running for president in 2016. He is a right wing scam artist who never cares about anyone except his grifter pals and the right wing money men who have placed him in power.

He is really good at "redirecting" public tax dollars into private hands. For example, right before Lehman Bros collapsed he managed to get $400,000 out of the public pension funds of Ohio into Lehman Bros., somehow the right wing media overlooked this theft of public funds when he ran for governor. His privatized JobsOhio is nicknamed RobsOhio and even Michigan says at least their program has public oversight http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/10/23/even-michigan-is-dissing-jobsohio/ unlike RobsOhio which cannot be audited to see where our tax dollars are going, while we are 47th in job growth in the country. http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/05/30/robsohio-coverup-bill-passes-senate-heads-to-kasich-for-signature/ From what little info the oublic can get most of the money given out to "create" jobs has been given to people on the JobsOhio board or to close political allies. The newest Kasich scam is $50 million dollars are being invested with his pal Kvamme by the Ohio State University in a private investment fund with no public oversight. http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/10/28/three-not-a-crowd-when-osu-moves-50-million-to-a-venture-capitalist/

Please do not fall for this crook's attempt to make himself look good with the Medicaid expansion. It is being challenged in court by other right wingers in Ohio, so Ohioans may never actually get the money while Kasich gets some good press about expanding Medicaid. It is an incredibly cynical political ploy. If the courts block it, he still gets the good press while failing to actually expand Medicaid in Ohio. Additionally, by doing it the way he has through the Ohio Controlling Board, the expansion is for only two years, just long enough for him to win reelection and start running for president.

He is also notorious for his abuses of people he considers unimportant like waitresses and police officers.

[hatrack]

25. That last item is interesting . . .

Whenever I encounter someone who treats a restaurant server or parking garage attendant or someone in a similarly "lowly" job like shit because of the job they held, I mentally brand their foreheads with the flaming "A" that shouts "Asshole!".

Kasich sounds as though he's already there.

[JEFF9K]

20. Ohio's Fox News governor, and his friends recently traded ...

... an increase in the REGRESSIVE sales tax for a cut in the PROGRESSIVE income tax!!

[gopiscrap]

22. Really? is he being genuine? doubt it!

[BadGimp]

23. did the Gov find Jesus?

[dawnie51]

24. Not buyin' it........

I live in Ohio, known Kasich since he first appeared on the scene many moons ago. He's a buffoon. He is trying desperately to distance himself from the crazies, because he is first and foremost a pragmatist, and he looks out for John Kasich. But he has supported each and every idiotic thing the Repubs have done, is a Fox News lackey, and a miserable governor. Hope to see the last of him in 2014.

[Zambero]

26. Yeah, like he cares one whit for the poor

Kasich has developed a very bad case of Cruzophobia. A sure sign that it's time for him to end his charade, throw in the towel, and start making near-term retirement plans.

[ancianita]

28. We'll be seeing this pandering all over the place through next November. They hope people forget.

[Brigid]

29. "Seems to be a war on the poor?"

There *is* a war on the poor, dumbass -- and it's been going on for decades.

[wordpix]

31. Kasich shoulda said, "The very people who complain are putting their money in

offshore tax havens so they don't have to pay taxes in the US yet they use our roads, bridges, terminals, US armed forces...."

Well he's getting at the truth but not quite there yet.

[True Blue Door]

32. +1 Humanity Point to John Kasich.

He at least proves that he can see reality. The question is whether he actually cares, or is just trying to sound reasonable while remaining a loyal servant of the Sociopath Party.

[Guilded Lilly]

33. Too little, way tooo late, pal, but...

closer and closer to the start of your campaign.

Disingenuous wretch.

[jmowreader]

34. And John Kasich is a colonel in that war

He's not smart enough to be a general or marshal, but he's got a high role in the war.

[geek tragedy]

35. Yep. nt

[Arkana]

36. He's just realizing this?

Kasich has participated in that war--and on the wrong side.