Rohrabacher is outraged that Orange County has been building temporary shelters for the poor and homeless.
More than 1,000 people protested at the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting last month, where officials were considering a plan to relocate those who had been moved from near the river to temporary shelters in the area. That plan apparently inspired Rohrabacher to speak out, issuing a statement titled “Homeless Shelter Nonsense,” in which he complained about the homeless population insinuating that homelessness was somehow a choice.
“The chickens are coming home to roost after almost a decade of Liberal/Left control of our state and federal government,” Rohrabacher wrote. “Those chickens have ended up in Orange County.”
In the statement, Rohrabacher called “county financed homeless compounds” a “spectacle” and a “travesty.”
“As a parent who owns a modest home in an Orange County neighborhood, I join the outrage that we are assuming responsibility for homeless people, taking care of their basic needs and elongating their agony by removing the necessity to make fundamental decisions about the way they live their lives,” he said. Providing them with “a place to stay and basic sustenance,” he added, “will not change them for the better and will encourage more such people to come to Orange County.”
He actually has quite a nice house. It looks roomy and a bit rambly, and the only problem with it might be the protesters who like to hang around outside it waving signs. The spectacle in his neighborhood might be reduced if they kicked him out.
Meanwhile, here’s what an Orange County homeless shelter looks like.
Rohrabacher wants — no, he thinks the poor deserve — to live in even worse conditions than that. He’s not alone.
Rohrabacher is hardly the first to put his foot in his mouth on the topic: last week, a Republican group in Colorado apologized for a tweet and Facebook post saying that “Republicans hate poor people.”
“Out of self-respect — be a Republican,” the posts from the Alamosa Republicans read. “Democrats love poor people because they think that poor people will vote Democrat. Republicans hate poor people because they think the dignity of man is above being poor.”
You know, there are a lot of loud, indignant Christians in the Republican party. I’ve read the Bible, but I don’t think they have.
I think there is a guy in “A Christmas Carol” who succintly expresses the Republican position..
The Repubs in Colorado acidendally admitted they view the Dickensian conditions as their utopia..
Speaking of old Brits, there was a guy who had a modest proposal.
I seem to recall that a certain Louis Capet wasn’t all that fond of the poor people around his modest home either. But my memory isn’t what it used to be, and for the life of me I can’t recall how that turned out for him…
It’s all because of a weird misprint. All Republican Bibles mysteriously lacked circa Matthew 25:40. That one is something like ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’. Just a little advice on feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, not inviting the stranger into the home, etc.
It’s not the Republicans’ fault–they just missed that page.
birgerjohansson @ 2
Damn! Now you’ve made me hungry!
Dana Rohrabacher as a fundie xian and GOPer doesn’t do the truth or reality.
1. A survey in my area showed that half the homeless population were US military veterans!!!
Some of them dated all the way back to the Vietnam war.
2. They did mention that the Vietnam veteran segment was shrinking fast.
They were dying out rapidly and a lot sooner than the median lifespan of 77 years.
3. One of the key reasons for our growing homeless population is blatantly obvious.
It’s also a key part of the GOP strategy to support the ultra-rich oligarchy.
Economic inequality has been increasing for my entire life.
The US middle class is disappearing as the poor class is growing.
If Rohrabacher really wanted to know why the homeless population is growing, all he has to do is look in the mirror.
birgerjohansson @1
Scrooge was a humanitarian next to these people. His taxes paid to shelter people. In horrible inhumane conditions, yes, but the poor still had somewhere to go in his mind.
Just because no one posted the actual quote yet,
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Yeah, sounds familiar.
Rohrabacher
I join the outrage that we are assuming responsibility for homeless people, taking care of their basic needs and elongating their agony by removing the necessity to make fundamental decisions about the way they live their lives
He wants them to go away and die? Seems likely, apparentsy depressing property taxes is a capital crime in Orange County.
PZ
He actually has quite a nice house. It looks roomy and a bit rambly, and the only problem with it might be the protesters who like to hang around outside it waving signs.
No pitchforks. Sad.
@ 2 birgerjohansson
Technically Swift was Irish. The Crowns of Ireland and Great Britain were not united until 1800.
All Republican Bibles mysteriously lacked circa Matthew 25:40.
Fundies, including Republicans don’t actuall read the bible. They normally work of a set of cheatsheets or a copy of Cole’s Notes. Matthew 25:40 could be there but most Republicans would have never seen it.
Blast: actuall ==actually; of a set == off a set
The Dana Rohrabachers will always be with us.
Meanwhile would be Republican candidate for Governor of California Travis Allen wants to build state run institutions and force the homeless to live in them.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/381387-calif-gop-governor-candidate-force-homeless-people-into-mental-institutions
What the hell does that even mean?
Poor people are undignified and therefore less than human.
@ Joseph Zowghi
It means that Republicans consider poverty to be a moral failing rather than a matter of circumstance.
Rohrabacher may say what Republicans believe, but is it thought?
The rethugs remind me of some characters in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. They can recite slogans learned while sleeping, but have no idea of they mean or how to think critically about them.
I’m ashamed to live in a country where it’s considered a crime to be poor and/or homeless.
I’m ashamed to live in a country that’s perfectly willing to let people freeze, starve, or waste away from illness, all in the name of the almighty dollar. As in, “We can’t help these people, it’s too expensive.”
I’m ashamed to live in a community where people value the view of the bay, or their pristine lawns, over the health and welfare of their fellow citizens.
America, we can do better, and our homeless deserve so much better.