Editorial

A poverty of good-will:

By Sam Sandoval

On his official website, Krayton Kerns, Montana Representative for House District #58, posted a 'blog', if you will, stating that the poor vote for politicians that keep them poor, that liberals wish to take money from the haves and give it to the have-nots and that the poor don't need government aid programs, but instead luggage to move where the jobs are. (http://kraytonkerns.org/taxes.econ/povertyasacareerchoice.htm)

People who've subjected themselves to the cancerous vitriol that is Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, or, worse yet, Ann Coulter, know they place blame solely on Democrats and liberals for keeping the poor where they are. Mr. Kerns is right there with them, protecting the wealthy corporations while providing no real solutions. In typical neo-conservative fashion, he's chosen to attack the liberals instead.

It'd be too easy to attack Mr. Kerns on his comparison of Montana and Wyomings' reservations to ghettos; this comparison is almost a conservative tradition, like cutting benefits to veterans while praising their sacrifice for this country. It'd be almost to easy to blame him for possible racism and even covert classism as well, but the rotten core to his diatribe against the poor is much more sinister.

Mr. Kerns, like many of his conservative ilk, does not wish to help anyone. There is a steadfast ideal that God only helps those that help themselves. This is not false, but instead it's misinterpretation and/or a manipulative use of it seems to dictate neo-con policies. The idea is to tell the poor that they are not worthy of aid, help or support because if they don't help themselves, they do not deserve it. In this conservative Disneyland of delusion, "universal health-care, food stamps, child care programs, energy assistance" and the myriad of programs in place to help those in need are a drain on our economy and are little more than 'hand-outs.'

It is this enterprise of punishing the disadvantaged that entices the pharmaceutical, health-care, energy and corporate entities to lobby for immunity from oversight and champions cuts in spending for social programs so that they may continue to charge what they want, as high as they want and, yes, to whom they want.

Mr. Kerns suggestion that the poor move to where the opportunities are is laughable, considering, by his example, that those who stayed during Hurricane Katrina said in a thousand different ways that they couldn't leave. Many didn't have the vehicles, gas, money or safe-haven to flee the oncoming storm. Many didn't want to leave their homes they had fought to earn and keep. Many believed our administration would help them and provide relief should the levees fail. By immolating compassion and charity, Mr. Kerns blames the victims of Hurricane Katrina and demolishes in his own soul the innate humanity instilled in all of us by the Creator.

Had Mr. Kerns lived on the Crow Reservation, or had he been Native American, he would understand that we have never been given everything; it has been marginal at best. Had he suffered no-income or lack of job-opportunity, he would be grateful for commodities, food stamps, energy-assistance, financial-aid, TANF, WEA, CHIPS...he would know that his children would have healthcare and schooling; he would know that his parents would have heat and food; and he would know that these programs would want him to succeed and get off assistance and help provide this motivation.

Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for a lifetime. Kerns is content to blame the man for not knowing how to fish and to chastise him for not having a pole of his own.

His advice instead: leave and don't bother me for help. Pack your bags and get out.

He forgets, or ignores, that during the Clinton administration, healthcare, education and energy-assistance programs were well-funded; at the same time, millions of jobs were created and the national debt slowed with an escalation in the budget surplus that, if economic policies held, would have reached 1 trillion dollars in ten years. Crime rates dropped, more families were getting off assistance and the American dollar was strengthening.

Since President Bush's despotic terms began, the national budget surplus of $237 billion in 2000 has turned to a national deficit of $258 billion in 2007 ($410 billion in 2004) and with more than $400 billion having been spent on Iraq; the number is estimated at $500 billion by the end of the year. The National Debt has shot to 8.89 trillion dollars - that's 3.2 TRILLION DOLLARS in six years. Crime rates have increased, jobs are being lost, the national debt is deepening and, yes, aid programs are being hit hard.

Kerns blames the poor for being poor and washes his hands of responsibility. It is the privilege of not being poor, of not living in the ghetto, of not living in L.A., of not being in New Orleans, of not being on a reservation - of not being of color.

Mr. Kerns is almost right in one aspect; poverty is a choice. It is the choice of the politicians and policy makers to heal our economy and provide opportunities for Americans who want to find jobs and work (and lest we also forget, it was conservatives who lobbied for tax cuts and economic policies that allowed corporations to move their factories to Mexico or overseas where labor is cheap - Siapan anyone?).

It's up to the people in power to help it's constituents get on their own feet and provide the initial boost for those who wish to succeed and contribute to American Society. Social, healthcare, childcare and energy-assistance programs aren't just to help disadvantaged Americans; it's an investment in the future and in America.

Do unto others as you have them do unto you, Mr. Kerns. Get packin'.