Scrooge #1
Now that the holiday season is officially underway, let’s see how many Scrooges we can find and what political party they belong to.
First, there’s Looneytarian John Stossel who believes that homeless people have a grand get-rich-quick scam going.
Smug Sumbitch
Stossel did the kind of heavy duty investigative reporting that would do Walter Cronkite proud. Or maybe no. Stossel put on a fake beard and took his cardboard begging sign to the street for one full hour. A whole damn hour, mind you. He reports that he could quit his job and get wealthy this way. If he did as well all day as he did in that hour, he would have pocketed $90. Tax Free! Tax free, mind you!
Oh, the horrors. Stossel did some math and came up with a total of $23,000 a year. Tax freekin’ free! Just like the big oil companies.
Then he warned both his Fox News viewers that they are being “enablers” by feeding the homeless. Which is exactly what Sweet Jesus said. No, wait. I might be wrong about that.
My friend Evelyn says that being a Republican is just a political philosophy to justify greed.
Stossel says his research shows that most begged aren’t “real.”
Hasselbeck noted that “scammers” were rife among beggars, implying that panhandling is some get-rich-quick scheme engaged in by hucksters. Stossel agreed, saying that most beggars were not “for real.” Their only evidence for this claim? The fact that Stossel spent an hour undercover as a homeless person and was able to fool people into believing he was needy. An actual study of beggars, on the other hand, found that 82 percent were homeless, two in three were disabled, most earned less than $25 per day, and nearly all used the money for food.
If Stossel want hungry people to die of starvation right under his nose, that’s his problem. When he gives a political and psychological justification for it, then the American Psychiatric Association needs to get involved.
Scrooge #1 – John Damn Stossel.
Thanks to Carl for the heads up.
Speaking of “Scammers,” Stossel is scam artist Numero Uno because he gets paid boatloads of $$$ for coming up with this dreck.
What’s the difference between him and a beggar on the street? Honesty.
1I agree with your friend, Evelyn, these people have lost their humanity, their compassion and the intellectual discrimination which allows acceptance of this kind of gratuitous smear at face value. They apparently need to convince themselves that their selfishness is acceptable. How comforted they must be.
2I will see you, Stossel, and raise you one Pope Francis and his latest letter on greed! Paco has a mortal lock on just what the foxtrot is wrong with you.
There!
3Mr. Smug needs to grow a few days worth of scuzz and panhandle for a few days at a busy intersection. And NO, he won’t be allowed to go home when it gets dark either. AND he has to survive on donations.
I’d love to slap him bald.
4Great photo of Stossel—gotta love that oh-so-appropriate Ron Burgundy Wannabe look he’s got going. This guy has been right-wing trash for decades; nothing he says has any value, particularly during the holidays.
5His name should be Dick.
6Yesterday I volunteered as usual at Houston’s annual feed the poor – 20,000 plus. Most are truly poor. I helped an elderly, thin Black lady to get into the building, up the escalators and obtain a chair as her poor health made physical efforts difficult. I saw her later at a dining table and talked with her. This lady was dignified in her appearance, regardless of the old clothes, demeanor and speech.
7Sitting at the table was a middle-aged man in a wheelchair somewhat mentally impaired who wanted me to get him some candy as the little bit on the tables were gone already. Then he asked if I could get him a ride to where he sleeps; ie, by Star of Hope under a bridge there.
He heard me ask the lady if I could give her a ride home to which she said that she wanted to walk around afterwards while she was down there.
He next asked if I could get him a pair of pants, socks and shoes. I managed to get him the last pants his size, a pair of socks but no shoes as there were none without him having to wait an hour of so in line.
My friend and I got him to a bus stop as that is how he wanted to go home and gave him $10.
Points:
-this is not about how great I am; merely relating a first-person account of a few moments up close and personal with poverty.
-my neighbor helps a lot of people and doggies with her time and money even tho she struggles day-to-day herself. She said about my experience that we can not change the world to which I replied yes but how about one person at a time or voting, or speaking out knowing that we likely will get our
a$$e$ handed to us.
-Are there those who scam the system; eg, begging on street corners where it is assumed many times that these people are lazy and want to buy drugs, alcohol? I rationalized that I wouldn’t want to have to survive by that method; I don’t know how these people got there; it is my job to give and the recipients will be held accountable for what they do.
Takes all that judgmental responsibility off my shoulders.
I am not holier-than-thou but I truly believe that many of the fortunate consumed with self will one day be unqualified to wash and kiss the feet of these people.
I have mixed feelings about it, having spent a lot of years mingling with homeless. I am quite willing to take homeless beggars to a store and buy them food, have done so several times. I also know from experience that they share what they have. When I worked downtown at the library, my homeless friends would say “Hey, Marge! I have an extra bagel. You want it?” But they share. A three day old hard as a rock bagel. They help. Once I planted a bunch of things in an empty space at work. One of the homeless guys kept it watered every day by carrying water in a soda bottle, filled in the restroom. He also once walked me over to the Capitol at night for a Christmas caroling. I wanted someone with me. He used to have a car, a house, all that. I don’t know the details but he lost everything. And about half the homeless are veterans, homeless for whatever reason. One of my homeless friends has a business. She has a bank account. She makes jewelry and sells it at those fairs downtown. She sleeps on someone’s porch.
8Panhandling on the streets of New York — with a Fox camera crew pointing a camera at him for the whole hour. I wonder whether that had anything to do with be $90 haul he made? And the Viagra bunch that watches that kind of crap on Fox believes it. I don’t know which is more reprehensible.
9A number of years ago, a former student from my school was shot and killed. The staff wanted to collect money for his family, who we knew were struggling financially. However, it was well known that his mother had a drug and alcohol problem and we were concerned that cash would be used for that instead of helping the family. So, instead of giving the mother cash which might not be used for the children, we instead decided to buy a gift card for the local grocery chain. Problem solved, family helped and temptation eliminated.
There are many ways to help people without enabling them in their destructive behavior if we just get a little creative.
10You can find fakers, con artists, and greedy scammers in any group of people. Priests, bankers, politicians, etc. I bet John Stossel would have made a lot more than $90 in an hour if he had pretended to be any of the above, with or without a beard. As BarbinDC pointed out, there are even fake news reporters, who on top of that work for fake news networks. Talk about a scam!
11People like Stossel just turn my stomach.
Instead of money…. I used to put together plastic bags of food. It wasn’t much, and it didn’t cost much, but it was something to sustain a hungry person for a while, anyway.
A can of chicken Vienna sausage, (no can opener needed). A package of crackers and cheese, a box of raisins, and one of those boxes of juice, that you punch a straw in to drink. Whatever else I could come up with. I kept them in my car…. passed them out…. as needed.
We have “transient” homeless through our community. They sleep under the bridges. Our church has asked for, and received, blankets, quilts, tooth paste, tooth brushes, soap, you name it.
If that all make us “enablers”….. so be it.
Let me know when they get to us all….. as bad as the banks have.
12I’d rather enable a host of beggars than one asshat like Stossel or some banker (bailout).
13The last few years have kind of turned upside down the ways we look at things, haven’t they. Or else maybe made us braver. Love one another.
14Next time this pillar of virtue decides to panhandle,I hope the real needy abuse the bejeezus out of him,just like wingnuts do real poor. Hey Stossel,I see telling a rassler that what he does for a living got your clock cleaned. How about a repeat performance? Please. Pretty Please.
15A lot of the homeless men are veterans. We had a huge amount of mentally compromised people that were literally throw out onto the street thanx to Ronnie Raygun’s crap policies on the mentally ill in Calif when he was Gov.
16This asshat ( sorry Momma) needs to take his $300 haircut and custom shirts and just go away.
I would bet that this “person” has never served and a very pricey dinner yesterday.
Here’s Josh Romney’s claim to fame:
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/capitolreport/2013/11/29/romney-son-faces-praise-criticism-for-tweeting-about-helping-people-in-car-wreck/
He’s disgusting!!
17Is that how Stoessel did it?
18Turkey of the Day given to old “Scrooge #1 – John Damn Stossel” for his wasted hour. Find out where warm dinners were available? Nah. Offer rides to the homeless to enjoy the meals? Bah. Spend an hour serving meals and cleaning up? Humbug.
Instead of pocketing the money, John, think about donating it to your local food bank. Wrap your little mind around that horrible phrase, the working poor. When and if you understand that, only then should you attempt to address poverty, homelessness, and hunger.
19Marcia, took a break between baking etc. to click on your link. What the flamin’ hell? The only way anyone can smile like that next to a horrible car wreck is to actually believe it is all just another day in paradise! If this kid ever runs for so much as dog catcher, he is toast!
20On TPM, police officer’s reaction to Romney’s presence at the accident: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mitt-romney-s-son-claims-he-rescued-four-people-after-car-crashed-into-home
21(I know this is off-topic from the Stossel story, but Stossel and Romney Jr. seem to be the same sort of @$$hat.)
Romney tells Fake News he doesn’t want recognition for doing what everyone should do in a similar situation. I will remember that. The next time I witness a crash,the victims are gonna have to wait until I figure out how to take a selfie and post it so as not to get recognition. Thanks for the best laugh today,Marcia in Co.
22Maggie … I know!! It looks more like Josh Romney is in a junkyard rather then at an accident scene … photo op is what it looks like to me.
23Two turkeys and a for shame to Josh for his selfish selfie. Dude was born in 1975, which means his age is ~38, while he is tweeting like a not too bright adolescent. BTW Josh, learn to use the red-eye feature. You look a touch satanic with those red eyes glowing in the dark.
24So what if you’re “scammed” out of a dollar or so… the good karma you get for being a decent human being is priceless.
25I want to find all ninety of those folks who gave Stossel a buck and file a class action lawsuit against him for fraud.
26I got yelled at by a friend of mine cuz it looked to me like Josh Romney was having just another day in paradise. Well, maybe she was right. Maybe its what I didn’t say, such as, why the h e double hockey stix is this all about him? There was less description of the accident victims than there was of his “participation” in this incident. Is this the way his momma and daddy raised him? I been on the scene of accidents and rendered aid and then skeedaddled. It wasn’t at all important for the rest of the world to know what I did when. And I especially was not anxious to get my name and pix out in public. Momma would never approve of a “glory hog.”
27I’d say exactly what I think of John Stossel but then Momma would have to wash my mouth out with soap.
28That Stossel Guy was (as MY OWN Momma would have said) a Sick Son of a Seahorse! To spend ONE hour capitalizing on the poor so he had stuff to blab on Faux ‘news’?
Personally, I donate to the foodbanks (easier via the Internet since I don’t get out that much). Yesterday we shared our turkey & ham and ALL the trimmings with a poor guy down the street (yeah, he got both drumsticks too). My Sis makes the best turkey on the planet, cooking all night at a low heat. Bet it was the best turk he’s ever tasted in his life. He also got a full pumpkin pie in the midst, he loves his ‘sweets’. And we don’t have to eat the leftovers forever.
But a couple weeks ago, Sis had to go to the emergency room for a procedure when I couldn’t go, my feet are giving problems so I can’t go downstairs at times. Serious emergency. That “poor'” guy traveled with her & insisted on staying with her several hours and then came back with her in another taxi that I insisted on buying, and then he walked her dogs for us.
My point is that oftentimes, the poor do their dang-est to be generous where they can. Unlike the self righteous on that faux ‘news’ panel. That was so tasteless & ugly IMO. Wish I hadn’t watched that YT, it’s going to be sticking in my craw.
29I had a friend, a long time ago, who thought folks went to the overnight homeless shelters for the free coats. We are no longer friends.
30My sons had a high school history teacher whose worldview was shaped by John Stossel. So much so that they were forced to watch videos of Stossel’s journalistic magnificence at least once per week. There was no discussion afterward as to the validity of Stossel’s opinions; they were told that all Stossel reported were the facts. We had many good discussions about Stossel’s facts and how he was as full of it as he is full of himself.
31His face reminds me of a man that used to beg on one of the busy corners–he may have been a vet–hard to say–his leg was gone –very little thigh left from how the pants were neatly trimmed, and he was on crutches. He had at the beginning a grim chin up position, but as time went on, his very beautiful face became gaunt, his eyes died, and the daily chores became too much…I don’t know what happened to him, as my own journey of physical pain and disability twists my body beyond human, I struggle to stay compassionate towards others and fight major depression daily…it’s hard to keep band width open when just typing with one thumb–had recent surgery on my other hand so down to one thumb…and choosing to be grateful gets hard sometimes…you guys make me laugh out loud and that is a huge gift!
32What Stossel neglected to mention,in his journalistic integrity,was that the rest of the Fake Noise team had their tin cups and set up beggar franchises on every corner in the area to get shopping money for the holidays. Only wingnuts and Fake Noise can make the bible’s teachings unpalatable to Americans.
33Hang in there,Elise. I’d offer prayers,but I’m not a praying person. My best wishes are yours. You are one of the truly good,decent,real Americans that are found all over that no one ever gets to hear about. Same with all posters and Mama’s crew at Juanita Jean’s. 🙂
34Mark, my condolences to your son. I used to teach a long time ago and frankly what happened to him and his classmates was akin to a pistol-whippin’! My daughter, who lives hundreds of miles away has chimed in on me with her take on Stossell: that story he did wasn’t about homeless beggers. It was all about him and how fab-u-lus he is, just like Josh R. and that damn you know what eating grin picture!
35Maybe he watched too much Trading Places.
36Tangential I know, but reminds me of when my boys were in Scouting, one of the years we participated in the Scouting for Food program in Circle 10. The Cubs went the first Satursday and delivered the bags and Scouts, who are older, picked up the filled bags the next Saturday. I worked the first Saturday so I didnt see our area until the second. It was one step above a shanty town. I asked the other adult if he noticed how dirt poor this area was the previous week. He said he had. I would not have hung bags on any of these doors, unless the bags were full.
37And almost every shanty door had a filled bag on the stoop or in the dirt next to the door.
Yeah, they’re scammers alright.
Thanks, epo! I am loved, so I try to focus there instead of my troubles…because of insurance issues I have had to be in Ca for 7 months while having various joints replaced–leaving my partner in Med school in NY–so Thanksgivakkah was celebrated separated for us as well. He is shy, and would have stayed home alone..I encouraged him to go to the “orphan” dinner that the class president held at his home…so he did.
38When we spoke about our experiences–he had a wonderful time–and laughingly said he had had dinner with Miss America–for real!
She was dating the older brother in the family, and they made it back to Syracuse in time for dinner after the NYC Macy’s day parade–she was on her float…
The best things happen if we just step out of our comfort zones–he was surprised and gladdened at his first encounter with the “beautiful people” of the world, and in this case good and kind people as well! Happy Channuakh everyone!
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/29/21674464-all-in-a-days-work-romney-son-plucks-car-wreck-victims-to-safety?lite
According to interview with NBC news,Romney claims he lifted driver’s side door and talked to occupants. Unless this car was built for European driving,the car is lying on it’s driver’s side door and Romney is lying through his teeth.
39@Platypus … Lying is what the Romney’s seem to do best!!
40Perhaps I should give an Update on our “Poor” neighbor down the street and how he liked the Thanksgiving dinner. Now, he’s a tall hefty guy, probably 6ft, 200lbs. Sis had given him enough food to share or not share with the others in the halfway house (yeah, he was upfront from the 2nd time he met Sis and the dogs). His choice whether to share, no matter to us.
He said just “had” to eat 2 dinners that Thanksgiving night, then woke up to have breakfast too. Thought he would eat the pumpkin pie for dinner the next day. He loved it!
He was a foster kid, beaten by the system. Sis is teaching him as they go along “no, don’t use your foodstamps for a $12 steak (but it’s been cured 3wks since he’s into health stuff, Sis says trust me it’s ALL been cured I used to work in a meat processing plant!) So, as she convinced him to go with chicken thighs that would give him protein for 3days instead. She’s teaching him and I give her a High Five! He’s a little slow but nice & nobody’s ever tried to teach him before. He does remember the one present he got for Christmas (HUH???) a bra & slip at age 13. He may be bi, but that seems ‘off’ to us.
We’ve not had him in the house before, but he’s never done anything untoward. So he’s coming for Christmas Dinner with us and the niece and Aunt Kath is buying everyone movie tickets (his choice) to the Hobbit Movie.
41I should add, that now he comes to check with Kid Sis for her input on any meat he buys with his foodstamps. ‘Yes there is a coupon on that, but this other one will give you more for your money’.
Kid is learning, better yet WILLING TO LEARN!
42