Republican Congressman Worried Sandy Relief Money Will Go Toward “Gucci Bags and Massage Parlors”
Gucci bags and massage parlors! The horrors! Is Steve King suggesting that maybe—just maybe—some of the people whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina purchased things that were not absolutely necessary according to Steve King while they worked to rebuild their lives? How dare they!
I am not suggesting that waste does not occur when billions and billions of dollars are changing hands. Of course that happens. And that is too bad. Oversight and reform are always essential when such huge amounts of money are being transferred and no one wants to feel like the funds are going to waste. But, you know what? I would much rather feel like my tax dollars are going toward helping people who are in dire need of help. If some of those dollars go to people who buy themselves a handbag or go get a massage, I would actually be just fine with that. Call me a crazy bleeding heart liberal if you must! In fact, I encourage you to do that. Because if the alternative is to be a judgmental and heartless shithead like Steve King who represents a state that has had no problem accepting billions of dollars of farm subsidies from the federal government over the years, then, yes, I’m a bleeding-heart New York liberal.
I mean, Steve King is also the sensitive, worldly guy who said earlier this year that he had not, “heard of that being a circumstance that’s been brought to me in any personal way, and I’d be open to discussion about that subject matter,” when asked if abortion should be legal when it involved the rape or incest of a twelve-year-old girl. Rape and incest? Yeah, Steve King had never heard of those things happening, but he’s pretty up to date on Gucci bags being purchased.
If you want one more reason to hate this guy, consider this. This past July, King OPPOSED an amendment that would deter dog fighting and other animal vs. animal fighting, because he liked it to boxing. So, I guess, it’s not cool to spend money on massages, but if you want to watch two pitbulls tear each others throats out? Awesome.
I have no problem with government oversight into how federal funds are spent, but I do have a problem with the condescending attitude that Steve King exemplifies but which many other Republicans—including Mitt Romney—tacitly represent. These politicians claim not to trust government, but they also clearly don’t trust the citizens of this country. And the hard truth is that the government is flawed and so are the citizens. But what they don’t seem to understand is that, at a certain point, you have to trust that, with the proper oversights in place, you can let go and know that you are doing the right thing by releasing money to people in dire need. And that this is the way that our city and this whole region and indeed our country will be able to rebuild.
And, also, Steve King? Stay the hell away from my dog and my reproductive rights. You are a scary, scary man.
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