Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It

[Tony_FLADEM]

LINDSTROM, Minn. — Ki Gulbranson owns a logo apparel shop, deals in jewelry on the side and referees youth soccer games. He makes about $39,000 a year and wants you to know that he does not need any help from the federal government.


He says that too many Americans lean on taxpayers rather than living within their means. He supports politicians who promise to cut government spending. In 2010, he printed T-shirts for the Tea Party campaign of a neighbor, Chip Cravaack, who ousted this region’s long-serving Democratic congressman.

Yet this year, as in each of the past three years, Mr. Gulbranson, 57, is counting on a payment of several thousand dollars from the federal government, a subsidy for working families called the earned-income tax credit. He has signed up his three school-age children to eat free breakfast and lunch at federal expense. And Medicare paid for his mother, 88, to have hip surgery twice.




http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/even-critics-of-safety-net-increasingly-depend-on-it.html?smid=FB-nytimes&WT.mc_id=US-E-FB-SM-LIN-ECS-021212-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click

[bulloney]

1. Mr. Gulbranson probably has a radio in his office running RW talk shows nonstop.

He likely watches Faux Snooze on TV when he's home. During the whole day, his head gets filled with anti-government rhetoric from the idiots on these media and he's convinced that the 1%ers and he are in the same boat working together. Chances are, the 1%ers are planning to throw him overboard if they can make a buck doing it.

I've seen people like him all the time. They'll rip the government and preach that we need no government programs in our lives. Then, you come to find out these types of people are among the largest recipients of government programs.

[russspeakeasy]

2. I read the article this morning and had the same response.

Reminds me of Nut Bachman.

[Doctor_J]

3. His assistance should be cut off tomorrow morning

These parasites who insist on bashing their host should not be getting a penny from those of us who contribute. I am more than happy to help provide for those in need, but when they insist on complaining about the system that is keeping them alive, they should be cut off, period. This idiot can go to the church or his teabagger pal for a handout, not the government that he detests so passionately. It would be even better if we had some Dem-leaning media to get his on the phone on the air and call on him to send back all the money he's taken.