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NanceGreggs

(27,815 posts)
39. I understand why you are upset.
Wed Jan 21, 2015, 02:45 AM
Jan 2015

But I don't believe that (most) posters are laughing at poor people, or what they do to survive.

I think the laughter is in response to two things:

(a) Tonight's GOP response was their opportunity to highlight what their party's plans are to address the nation's current challenges - from foreign policy to job creation, from the economy to immigration, from the protection of voting rights to the right to earn a living wage - and Ernst prattled on about bags on her shoes, a personal story that had no relevance to the SOTU - or to anything else.

(b) The hypocrisy of a GOP representative, speaking tonight on behalf of her entire party, talking about the plight of the poor - when her party would just as soon the current poor of the country wear bread-bags on their shoes, and be grateful for them - and stop looking for a "handout from the gov't" to be able to afford shoes.

I'm sorry you are upset. I truly am. But I DO understand why.

She said the bread bags were worn over her shoes. DU members who ecstatic Jan 2015 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #3
Interesting. nt ecstatic Jan 2015 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #9
How did they not get ripped to shreds, if you walked any distance? What did kids do who didn't pnwmom Jan 2015 #73
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #84
Well, you weren't wearing the plastic bags over your skate blades. What about when there wasn't smooth ice pnwmom Jan 2015 #85
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #92
I believe you were poor -- but I have my doubts about Joni Ernst. pnwmom Jan 2015 #100
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #103
I think they ARE attacking her credibility. She comes across as a very phony person, pnwmom Jan 2015 #104
Sometimes people smile pipi_k Jan 2015 #170
It isn't her poverty stories, it's that her party does all it can to SammyWinstonJack Jan 2015 #147
joni was born in 1970; her family owned a farm and a construction company. she went to ND-Dem Jan 2015 #109
Not to defend her Munificence Jan 2015 #157
+1000. Ernst is a liar and a hypocrite. She's spitting on the hardships of the poor. Paladin Jan 2015 #165
This is my reaction to her too. Skidmore Jan 2015 #110
according to the op, we can't say anything about it though, because the stories are what poor ND-Dem Jan 2015 #111
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #161
It would be funny if I mocked poor people, since I AM one NOW. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #162
Thanks for the link! nt pnwmom Jan 2015 #137
NO they weren't madokie Jan 2015 #127
I was probably older. I wore them in my shoes. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #38
That's what I remember doing...growing up rural. n/t KoKo Jan 2015 #176
Bread bags on the inside of the holey shoe over the holey socks madokie Jan 2015 #125
Bread bags = galoshes. Same concept. KMOD Jan 2015 #129
What solution did she propose during her speech… FrenchieCat Jan 2015 #2
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #5
So you care more about what a few anonymous posters say on a message board Cali_Democrat Jan 2015 #20
Ernst is anti gay, anti choice, supports privatization of Medicare, dismantling the EPA and opposes Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #158
people are mocking ernst. because she's a liar; she was never poor. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #21
I'm with you, Luminouos Animal. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #40
I think people are mocking Joni and her stepford-wife, smiling presentation, as if there was pnwmom Jan 2015 #77
No, we're mocking the lives and actions of lying, hypocritical people . . . hatrack Jan 2015 #130
Here's the point though Bettie Jan 2015 #139
Passing Keystone. lovemydog Jan 2015 #7
Taking away shoes from poor kids. Major Hogwash Jan 2015 #41
In past speeches, she's proposed to end the federal minimum wage. That'll help. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #75
Her solution is basically making it harder for poor people to survive. Ken Burch Jan 2015 #82
Right! SammyWinstonJack Jan 2015 #148
This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Jan 2015 #6
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #8
You need a hug Beaverhausen Jan 2015 #15
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #47
she was never poor. her family owned a farm and a construction company. she went to state ND-Dem Jan 2015 #23
I don't care if she was never poor. What I care about is people questioning and mocking Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #50
no one is questioning what poor people do, but what LYING POLITICIANS do, especially ones ND-Dem Jan 2015 #52
This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Jan 2015 #54
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #89
Why are you persisiting in being deliberately obtuse about DU'ers' comments re: Ernst? WinkyDink Jan 2015 #116
+1000??? Tom Ripley Jan 2015 #141
And ketchup sandwiches! polly7 Jan 2015 #144
Why her story is a lie. dimediego Jan 2015 #108
You didn't see the speech? Hissyspit Jan 2015 #55
Please don't be upset. This isn't an attack on poor people. It just seems to many here that Joni's story pnwmom Jan 2015 #79
Well, you could talk about her opposition to the Minimum Wage or desire to privatize Medicare Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #159
Leave Joni Ernst alone!!!! ND-Dem Jan 2015 #76
I get it. ;-) WinkyDink Jan 2015 #117
Joni Ernst: ND-Dem Jan 2015 #118
heh SammyWinstonJack Jan 2015 #149
Mostly it's people who grew up poor saying she sounds like she's bullshitting. LeftyMom Jan 2015 #10
I grew up poor. You put the bread bags on the outside of your shoes so you don't Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #12
I never knew anyone who put the bags on the outside of the shoes. Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #14
Here's her speech. lovemydog Jan 2015 #19
Thank you. n/t Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #150
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #22
i ate sugar and butter sandwiches cause my mom taught me to. and joni ernst was never poor ND-Dem Jan 2015 #27
people are not mocking poverty KT2000 Jan 2015 #57
I've seen two posts... Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #67
to be fair KT2000 Jan 2015 #72
Wrong. AngryAmish Jan 2015 #131
we weren't that well off but we weren't 'poor' -- but we ate sugar and butter sandwiches, jam ND-Dem Jan 2015 #25
Wouldn't it depend on the type of shoe? Like if they were good Sunday go to meeting Maraya1969 Jan 2015 #30
Bread bags wouldn't offer any traction and as LeftyMom wrote above, they'd wear out quickly. Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #32
Yes, they'd make your shoes slippery, Not only because they're plastic, but because you can't get ND-Dem Jan 2015 #78
We wore the breadbags pipi_k Jan 2015 #172
You're not the only person who grew up poor. LeftyMom Jan 2015 #17
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #26
"Cheap" in the sense of "of low quality" LeftyMom Jan 2015 #31
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #45
Wait, I'm getting you-don't-know-what-poor-is'd by somebody who went to private school? LeftyMom Jan 2015 #49
Your empathy is touching philosslayer Jan 2015 #56
My empathy for the far-better-off-than-we-were? LeftyMom Jan 2015 #59
You are going to win the contest any minute now. nt NCTraveler Jan 2015 #177
catholic school costs money. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #81
Not necessarily eridani Jan 2015 #124
Yep! pipi_k Jan 2015 #174
That's exactly how it was for my husband's family growing up in Philly. DawgHouse Jan 2015 #175
I guess that's why they couldn't afford shoes. SunSeeker Jan 2015 #62
We couldn't have gone if it was free- too far and no bus service, and Dad left for work hours before LeftyMom Jan 2015 #68
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #71
Why did your family make you go to such a horrible place? nt SunSeeker Jan 2015 #154
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #160
So when the nuns introduced you as a charity case they also said not to tell anyone? SunSeeker Jan 2015 #163
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #64
huh???? rbrnmw Jan 2015 #95
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #97
Wow, Luminous, I'm so sorry you had such a horrible experience there. DebJ Jan 2015 #106
No wonder you had to wear bread bags over your shoes. joshcryer Jan 2015 #122
To be fair... joshcryer Jan 2015 #123
+1000 Tom Ripley Jan 2015 #142
Most of the Roman Catholic kids in my neighborhood went to the parish school. Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #155
Thank you. lovemydog Jan 2015 #11
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #13
Thank you. progressoid Jan 2015 #16
she's a republican and they do all they can to fuck the poor Skittles Jan 2015 #28
I'd like to think that's what is happening. progressoid Jan 2015 #43
she was never poor so she has no capacity to empathize. she wants to end minimum wage, ND-Dem Jan 2015 #83
her family owned a farm and a construction business; they weren;t poor. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #46
To save for college, she worked the biscuit line at Hardee's. Mariana Jan 2015 #58
she was born in 1970, which means she started college about 1988/9. That was long past the ND-Dem Jan 2015 #60
I know all about her. She lives an hour down the road from me. progressoid Jan 2015 #61
she's using the issue of poverty while planning to kneecap the poor. i think it's entirely worthy ND-Dem Jan 2015 #65
no one is criticizing bread bags? progressoid Jan 2015 #87
I see people criticizing Ernst and making fun of ernst, Because she's a liar and deserves it. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #91
it isn't that they're making fun of her for being poor, but fishwax Jan 2015 #166
No one is mocking poverty marym625 Jan 2015 #18
She was letting a lot of people who are poor know that she knows how they feel. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #29
I know what poor is marym625 Jan 2015 #33
Of course she is a phony. You and I know that. But a lot of those who voted for her, JDPriestly Jan 2015 #37
I have not seen anyone making fun of the use of the bags marym625 Jan 2015 #42
all the more reason to spread the word that she's a BIG FAT LIAR who wants to end every ND-Dem Jan 2015 #105
SHE WAS NEVER POOR A DAY IN HER LIFE. SHE WANTS TO FUCK POOR PEOPLE SIX WAYS TO SUNDAY. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #48
Agreed. But that does not prevent her from letting people know she knows how they feel. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #63
She doesn't know how they feel, because she was never poor a day in her life. Rather the opposite. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #66
So instead of talking about the bread bags, let's talk about why she is wrong on other issues. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #69
I've been saying in nearly every post, she's pretending to have been poor so she can SCREW the poor. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #70
is her schtick really gonna play with most working class people? hfojvt Jan 2015 #99
She mentioned being anti-choice in her speech. You are right. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #101
If she actually knew how they feel, Art_from_Ark Jan 2015 #113
SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW THEY FEEL, SHE;S A FUCKING LIAR, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYONE ND-Dem Jan 2015 #86
I never ate sugar sandwiches, but I did put plastic bags (I don't remember whether they were JDPriestly Jan 2015 #24
I wear second hand clothes and have all my life. You don't know what poor means apparently, ND-Dem Jan 2015 #88
Yes. I know. Did not mean to say that wearing second-hand clohes means poor. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #102
I didn't see or hear Ms. Ernst's speech but I think what is being mocked here is not poor people per KingCharlemagne Jan 2015 #34
This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Jan 2015 #44
It's late and I'm tired. But I'm not getting your point(s) nor how they relate KingCharlemagne Jan 2015 #53
So, she could be making up stories for Republican advantage... joshcryer Jan 2015 #35
Thank you. She can romanticize it BECAUSE SHE WAS NEVER POOR. Her family owned a farm ND-Dem Jan 2015 #51
She wasn't poor. JaneyVee Jan 2015 #36
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #74
She;s always been part of the upper middle class AND KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT WHAT POOR ND-Dem Jan 2015 #90
This message was self-deleted by its author Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #93
sure we don't rbrnmw Jan 2015 #96
He says to the person who makes $600 a month working at a kind of sheltered workshop and can ND-Dem Jan 2015 #98
Best wishes ND-Dem. joshcryer Jan 2015 #120
Well done! Tom Ripley Jan 2015 #180
I gather you are speaking for yourself; it's best to leave it that way. YOU DON'T KNOW US. WinkyDink Jan 2015 #115
Fair point. joshcryer Jan 2015 #119
You serioulsy are dragging a post from Texasgal Jan 2015 #181
I understand why you are upset. NanceGreggs Jan 2015 #39
Maybe they are true. But that doesn't make it cool for Ernst to use them Ken Burch Jan 2015 #80
People are mocking the typical "bags to riches" myth.... Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2015 #94
Luminous Animal, I get it. I am sorry you and your family were poor. I am sorry your mom merrily Jan 2015 #107
Just catching up with the latest here BootinUp Jan 2015 #112
IDGADamn what her stories are; she's a dumb-sh*t Republican who now HATES the poor, the minimum-wage WinkyDink Jan 2015 #114
FWIW, I just recalled, we did wear grocery bags over shoes to Church. joshcryer Jan 2015 #121
Okay this is about mean nuns? ucrdem Jan 2015 #126
We were so poor that we wore bread bags over our heads to protect our hats & scarves Orrex Jan 2015 #128
I really did laugh out loud Tom Ripley Jan 2015 #143
Glad to give you a giggle Orrex Jan 2015 #153
The difference with Joni is . . . Vinca Jan 2015 #132
Every so often the average demographics of DU become pretty obvious. Nye Bevan Jan 2015 #133
+1000 Saucepan of Kerbango Jan 2015 #134
My mother grew up so poor that she and her sisters shared shoes Starry Messenger Jan 2015 #135
I didn't see her response deutsey Jan 2015 #136
So why exactly, do you think Joni told that story? Avalux Jan 2015 #138
I'm waiting for her "we had to wear barrels" story Tom Ripley Jan 2015 #140
Barrels? Your family was lucky enough to have barrels? FSogol Jan 2015 #145
Well, they were secondhand barrels... Tom Ripley Jan 2015 #146
I know where you're coming from. If people don't grow up that poor, they don't know what those who Arkansas Granny Jan 2015 #151
Good post. cyberswede Jan 2015 #156
The question is, what does any of that matter in terms of Joni Ernst's political policies and impact stevenleser Jan 2015 #169
PERFECT! Long Drive Jan 2015 #179
The difference is, her stories are lies. alarimer Jan 2015 #152
Exactly. I don't think people would be laughing if an actual poor person said this. SunSeeker Jan 2015 #164
We did it at my house too but I don't remember being poor. DawgHouse Jan 2015 #167
Her track record with the truth is not good according to politifact stevenleser Jan 2015 #168
We had some of the same experiences in my family and I'm sure a lot of us Stellar Jan 2015 #171
I'll have to go back and look at the transcript DawgHouse Jan 2015 #173
Some of the responses directed at you are unfair. NCTraveler Jan 2015 #178
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