Rep. Allen West: ‘There Is No Race Code. It’s a Fact’ That Obama Is the Food Stamp President
by Wynton Hall
In a FOX News interview on Monday, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) defended former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s contention that President Barack Obama is the best “food stamp president” America has ever seen, a charge that some Democrats have argued is laced with racial undertones.
There is no race code. It’s a fact. Since President Obama has been in the Oval Office, you’ve seen a 41 percent increase in the food stamp recipients in the United States of America. We have a president that’s making more American victims rather than victors.
Rep. West also pointed out that Mr. Obama’s failed economic policies have driven many more Americans into poverty:
We also have a 16 percent increase in Americans on the poverty roll — 6.4 million more Americans are on poverty since President Obama took office.
The Florida congressman’s comments come as Republican efforts led by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) are underway to increase oversight of the food stamp program (officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–or SNAP) amid concerns that there may be what the Wall Street Journal has dubbed a “food stamp crime wave” emerging in the United States.
Indeed, under Mr. Obama, the number of Americans now on food stamps has jumped two-thirds since Mr. Obama was elected. That means one out of every seven people in the United States now receive taxpayer-funded food stamps.
Rep. West added that he believes the Republican presidential candidates must articulate their commitment to protecting taxpayers from wasteful spending.
They’ve got to understand that the message has to be about how they’re going to defend hard-working American taxpayers and families.
In 2012, taxpayers will spend a projected $89 billion on the program. Today, a record 46 million Americans now receive food stamp. Indeed, since welfare’s creation, taxpayers have spent a staggering $16 trillion–more than the equivalent of America’s entire national debt–on public-assistance programs.
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287 Comments
Dayum!
I love it when a man calls a spade a spade and tells the truth!
Allen West is and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with. Way to skewer the left with the truth Mr. West. Keep up the good work.
Seconded
Who created this problem?
Republicans and their allies the democrats are the food stamp parties.
When choice is limited by government this is the result.
Well done, sir, well done! Allen West is the walking definition of awesome…
DO FOOD STAMPS CREATE JOBS? Oct 8, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAh5uwTT-Kg&fe...
Allen West would not recognize Republican racial dog-whistles if he were illegally discharging a firearm next to their head.
Food stamps are going to guarantee that 0'zero gets the crack cocaine vote again………………
They know who their daddy is………………
Thanks again LTC West.
This is one of the silliest things you've ever posted, are you trying to come off as a small dull child or is it natural?
It's a joke.
For all the people who complain about Obama's lack of experience and leadership, why does Allen West get elevated so much? He has served half of a congressional term and some are willing to throw his name on the Presidential ballot already. It can't be the military service, I doubt even Republicans are low enough to stoop to admiration for his brand of war-criminal thuggery.
I think he has tourettes syndrome.
He means well.
His intentions are good.
He starts out typing, and it all imediately goes to ^%^** with the stroke of a %^##$&#%^ keyboard.
%$&(%&*%&* !
^^%^%$$ !
SHlT!
Facts can be racist to progressives, that is why they are always changing them to fit their point of view. Take some LSD and maybe some of the crap the progressive left says will start to make sense.
Rep. Allen West, American Hero
Allen Bernard West was a virtual unknown entity outside the U.S. Army before he burst on the political scene in the Republican rout of 2010 when he was elected the first GOP African-American congressman from Florida in 134 years.
West is also an un-sung American hero.
Although I had read Rep. West was a conservative and Tea Party supporter, I hadn’t known anything about his military record or his outspoken and heroic sense of patriotism until recently.
The 50 year old West, who followed generations of his family in joining the Army in 1983, served for 21 years in the 325th Airborne Battalion Combat Team, the 377th Field Artillery Regiment, and the First Infantry Division among other posts, saw action in both Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2004.
Those achievements alone command the respect and admiration of every American. On the other hand . . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=12222.)
"war-criminal thuggery"
Yeah I thought it came naturally to you….
When you stoop to this level of left-wing hatred and downright slander you prove you have NO credibility and are ripe for ridicule.
This sounds like code language to me.
You think he's UPPITY and you don't like it.
%$^&&&**^$#@$%$%^&)$. ()^&%%$#%^^&?
&*%$%rt^*y&*&tyi&iyuui*
So there, dammit!
Yeahm great refutation. Those facts MAGICALLY DISAPPAEARD !!!
Now, make the $16,000,000,000,000 debt diappear !!
You mean like bombing Libya without Congressional approval?
Um… what? If I had said he was ‘uppity’, you might have a point, but I didn’t. I criticized his criminal actions that resulted in the end of his military career. You made up some motivation for my dislike of him.
Come on, quit pretending like this guy is a military hero. He got drummed out for torturing somebody, I don’t care if he thinks his motivations were righteous. It’s not left-wing hatred, it’s the record of his service.
Cultism
The polarizing forced collectivism of the government's two party system has risen to the level of cultism.
Fear has been the driving force behind this insanity and the use of government by the republican and democrats to maintain their power.
Too many people treat their party as if it was God thus responsible for all the good and blameless for all the bad.
When in doubt vote them out
And save America
I’d put it more akin to drone strikes, but if you’re trying to get me to defend Obama’s foreign policy record you’re barking up the wrong tree.
What?
Col West is one of those gentleman who everyone in the military, at one time or other, has known that could stop everything with one question, and have everybody giving their shoes an unsolicited inspection.
He has a way about him of cutting the crap and getting to the point – right now!
A man, I submit, not unlike George Patton, or "Bull" Halsey.
When black people ummm sorry, when the black community realizes that the party they support is the very one that usurps individual Liberty, they will finally realize the freedom so many black people have been trying to gain. Once they realize that those they support enslaved us all, immediately after their ancestors were freed, they might actually set the race card aside to see that Liberty is right there in front of them if they push Democrats out of the way and embrace the republican form of the government. Notice I did not call for embracing the Republican party. BIG difference.
I'll say it again. and again.
PRIVILEGES OR IMMUNITIES.
O'liar has no respect for our military……….so i'm sure he harbors a deep seated disdain for Col. West.
What is the racist hand shake?
I feel left out because I don't know it.
Or like this man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sq02R3WGz0&fe...
My family received food stamp (EBT) help in January and February of 2008. I was grateful for the help. My feeling for a time was one of humilition. But I came to appreciate that my 40 plus years of working and tax paying helped to offset the cost. You can minus this posting all you want but sometimes people need help.
Allen West – Paul Ryan Dream Ticket 2012.
How's this for "code", NO MORE SPENDING!!!!
Being frightened by someone may seem torturous to *you*, but that does not make it torture to frighten someone…….
I think the bigger point over the faux food stamp president outrage is that this administration with it's destructive economic taxation and regulatory policies has forced unprecedented numbers of Americans onto food stamps and other assistance by killing jobs, continuing the erosion of housing values and needlessly increasing the costs of energy and food.
Certainly the majority need the help, but many of them would not need it if the economy had been allowed to recover properly…………..
Why would people minus that, for your telling the truth?
How very racist/Progressive of you.
Ooooh, he scared a terrorist. Oh that's so baaaad. I guess saving your fellow soldiers means nothing. Just don't scare a terrorist!
I wanna see him called a racist now…hahahahahahahahahahahaha! The truth hurts Hahahahahahahahahaha.
You used the safety net for its intended purpose – a temporary helping hand. Plus you have paid your dues. However, there are too many that are downright thieves – they buy food with the stamps, then take it back to get cash. They bilk every social system there is, all the while buying fancy cars, blinged out nails; you name it. They also complain about their free housing, all the while sitting in front of a flat screen TV. Where else but the US would the "poor" have a thousand dollar TV?
Cause he's actually led men. He's done something other than be a 'community organizer'!
Lt. Col. West has accomplishments that American's can be proud of. And unlike our President (who is supposed to be a Constitutional lawyer. He won't let us see his academic records), Col. West understands the constitution.
Cause he's actually led men. He's done something other than be a 'community organizer'!
Lt. Col. West has accomplishments that American's can be proud of. And unlike our President (who is supposed to be a Constitutional lawyer. He won't let us see his academic records), Col. West understands the constitution.
The debt your guy Obama put on our backs!
The benefits of an education:
“Gingrich would have been correct to say the number now on food aid is historically high,” according to the most recent figures looked at by FactCheck.org. More details below:
But Gingrich goes too far to say Obama has put more on the rolls than other presidents. We asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition service for month-by-month figures going back to January 2001. And they show that under President George W. Bush the number of recipients rose by nearly 14.7 million. Nothing before comes close to that.
And under Obama, the increase so far has been 14.2 million. To be exact, the program has so far grown by 444,574 fewer recipients during Obama’s time in office than during Bush’s.
Other GOP candidates have made claims that African-Americans (or “blah” people) are the majority on public assistance in the United States. That’s also not true.
36 percent of those receiving food stamps are white, 22 percent were African American and 10 percent were Latino, according to the most recent Department of Agriculture report on the general characteristics of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or “food stamp” program.
No one is saying that food stamps should be eliminated. The point is that Obama's policies have left more people in poverty and more people dependent on food stamps.
they HATE him. he is a huge threat to the left.
What a fantastic speaker…he should give the keynote at the convention.
Some people do, but 1 in every 6?????? When 1 out of 6 people is fed by government, we have a leadership problem. A food stamp president.
Fact check.org is not a legit fact checking source. It was created by Obama's radical left wing Annenburg foundation is nothing but leftist propaganda. Use facts from a real source. Pathetic.
The largest part of Newts current success is hes not taking crap from the lying pinko media. Niether does Col Alan West.
Reading an article is not education. I see that you left out the point of 8 years of the Bush administration vs. 4 for Obama.
Provide proof that a Republican candidate stated that blacks are the majority on public assistance.
Here is the quote I assume you are talking about: “I don't want to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money. I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money.”
Where does it state that more blacks than whites are using public assistance. It seems you need a bit more educating!
Oscumbag no doubt considers men like Alan West and Herman Cain to be "Uncle Toms". I consider them to be great americans.
More soldiers were killed in Afghanistan while Barry was Pres__ent too, but I am sure there is some way to statistic that out to be bush's fault too.
Now, "civiliam deaths" in falujah were "extrapolated" so ummm can we DOUBLE Barry's numbers seeing as how W was in office for 8 years?
I have a 93yo friend who served in the 3rd army under Patton during ww2. He once said the George C Scott characterization of Patton was a very good one. He describes Patton as a tough bastard, but he also says Patton was the man you needed at that time.
I’m going by the military rules, not how I ‘feel’ about it
The guy wasn’t a terrorist, he was just somebody Allen West thought might have some information. He received no useful intelligence.
I realize that, I was just trying to figure out what your post had to do with mine
Isn't it funny when they try to set up a humdinger and the reaction they get is not what they expect?
I am eligible for food stamps right this minute, medicaid too.
However, my wife and I pay for medical insurance and buy our own groceries too. Why?
Because a safety net is not a place to live for decades and in this house there is a realization that SOMEBODY has to PAY for all that FREEEE stuff.
Too bad he missed………………………………….
The "government" does not have a two-party system.
The Constitution does not establish or require such.
The two-party system is a consequence of our First Past the Post voting system.
When elections are decided by single ballots with the winner take all, it is inevitable that a two-party system will develop.
To "eliminate" the two-party system, all that has to be done is change the electoral system to permit transferrable votes or something similar. Mind you, those have their issues, so it will never be an absolute panacea.
It should further be noted what will happen when the two-party system is changed to a theoretical multi-party system.
This corresponds to most Parliamentary systems. In such cases, most people think of Canada or Great Britain, which have relatively to extremely stable parliaments, that very rarely have minority or coalition governments. Naturally we will still have a separate executive, but it remains that, for the most part, countries with such stable parliaments are de facto two party systems anyway, except in very rare cases of a major shift in the political nature of the nation such as may be happening in Great Britain right now.
What people rarely consider is the case of countries without stable parliaments, where coalition governments are the norm. If people looked at countries like Belgium and the Netherlands and the problems they have had with their parliaments in recent years, Belgium not having a government for over a year, the Netherlands creating a coalition to explicitly exclude their burgeoning "Tea Party" under Geert Wilders, they might not be so eager to embrace the same sort of chaos and implicit compromise.
An NJP is essentially getting kicked out, without the shame of having a dishonorable discharge or court-martial. West could not have stayed in the military if he wanted to.
No AHO, the man he faked shooting that gun at was a DOUBLE AGENT who got caught trying to lead one of Colonel Wests platoons into a trap. The scum got caught, and gave up the info after West discharged the weapon into a gun barrel , making the fool think West was going to shoot him. To tell the truth, a George Patton or a Bull Hallsey would have, and no one would have asked questions about it. Ask how the Russians deal with traitors sometime.
Allen West for V.P.
PA LEEZ and THANK YOU !
Is it still racist to point out others' racism?
I don't understand why military service is seen as de facto proof of leadership (and even then, only for Republicans).
Hey, hey, its pretzel day for conservatives!
Not only have they conflated two of Gingrich's confused talking points, as you can see above from anonymous, they've also got the facts wrong. What a day for "those people"!
Not only is Gingrich wrong for stating Obama has put more people on food stamps than anyone (thank you anonymous), he is also shooting himself in the Republican foot. Its true, a lot of people, too many, have gone on food stamps in the last 3 years. But I wonder, why is that? It could be because we entered the worst recession since the Great Depression due to 3 decades of Republican-style economic policies, right as Obama took office. Or is it because of CRA? ha, ha, ha Good politics if it works for Newt, but its a double-edged sword.
Secondly, it is not Newt's comment about food stamp President that is racist. Its the fact he singles out blacks, and wants, specifically blacks, to get a job instead of taking welfare. But hey, its good politics in the south, let it not be said Republicans adore the "southern strategy". But again, it could be turned against Newt.
Newt's biggest enemy seems to be the education of voters.
Why oh why aren't YOU running for President? Love your honesty Col. West. Keep it up!
You took the long way around the barn just to spin.
Gerrymandering
Honest, just, and equitable representation. Must be the goal of our republic or it is only a corporate counterfeit where liberty and justice is only for those who can pay the extortion.
Our service members die and are maimed in the name of our republic, but do they die for a myth, or a stolen promise?
It is the parties that have stolen our freedom through gerrymandering, closed primary system at tax payer expense, party identification on our registration and ballot and other laws to numerous too count.
It is the illusion of a two party system that has silenced the voice of the people in fact it is a one party rule on the district level. This one party system enslaves the voter and excludes and alienates a vast segments of our population that they no longer feel that participation in the system amounts to representation. This system of gerrymandering has so perverted the election process that this is not government of representation of the people but of those who benefit from the government.
More
OMG! You have to apologize to my co-workers. My response was too audible upon reading your words. That is AWESOME.
Um, you do mean, Dream Ticket 2012 for Obama, right?
Actually, the reaction shows thinking people that maybe, just maybe, conservatives still have some thinking ability themselves, and compassion, left over from their tea party finger banging.
And I think you're absolutely right Ashrak:
"Because a safety net is not a place to live for decades and in this house there is a realization that SOMEBODY has to PAY for all that FREEEE stuff. "
Amen to that.
Wow. You are so in tune with reality.
I'm curious. Which of Obama's policies have left more people in poverty and more people dependent on food stamps?
No, I just laid out critical facts that you want to ignore because it would upset your ideological rants.
There are many ways to count votes.
First Past the Post is one of them.
That form leads to a two party system.
Other forms lead to complex multi-party systems that require legislative coalitions that can upset government function and representative fairness in many ways.
If you want to advocate for another way of counting votes then say what system you prefer and debate it openly rather than hiding behind buzzwords and pretense.
If not then you are being just as dishonest if not moreso than the parties you are attacking.
Tell me something BZ – is there anything you can't opine on in a brilliantly eloquent manner?
Thats a very fair point. I do have the utmost respect for West's military career and sacrifice to our country. But, he has no place in politics, or any profession dealing with citizens for that matter.
Its a by-product of being in this place.
I was far from done i will deal with your spin one point at a time
Your problem is gerrymandering an evil act a coup of the peoples voice
Gerrymandering is districts designed as road kill to kill the voice and the ability of the people to influence their neighbors to redress grievances with their government. Today districts are set up to re-elect a party denying by act of government real representation.
It was the polarizing forced collectivism of the two/one(republican/democrat) government party system that created and elected BO and will elect another. In this case re-elect BO.
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Provide proof that Newt singled out blacks.
And Obama has put more people on food stamps during his first 3 years vs. any other presidents first term. Hows that?
So it is Republican policies that caused the recession? Try facts next!
http://factcheck.org/2008/10/who-caused-the-econo...
Provide proof that Newt singled out blacks.
And Obama has put more people on food stamps during his first 3 years vs. any other presidents first term. Hows that?
So it is Republican policies that caused the recession? Try facts next!
http://factcheck.org/2008/10/who-caused-the-econo...
So why was this 'double agent' never charged with anything and let go?
Sorry, but firing a gun next to someone's head does *not* qualify as torture.
Or are you next going to qualify shooting ranges as torture chambers?
Actually, yes, he could have. Promotions would be harder, but an NJP is not a wink/nudge boot out the door.
That statement serves as explanation for most of the misguided statements you've flooded this thread with thus far……
It's even worse. It's 8 years for Bush vs. 3 years for Obama.
Quite a bit. In which case I take the sage advice:
"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."
If I feel I do not know enough about a subject, or have nothing useful to contribute, I just remain quiet.
Not all opinions are created equal, and when I feel mine are inferior I see more of an obligation to not pester people with than to share them just because I'm so innately kewl.
While you criticize my solution, it was how we began.
I think even george washington was critical of parties or factionalism.
Factionalism is human but to use government our republic a government built for and by freedom is forced collectivism. You need to read the fed papers.
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Without a doubt.
That happened in nearly ever war we've had.
All those who were in charge at the start were good administrators, the warriors always rose up to the top when they were needed.
No, gerrymandering is not my problem, nor is it a problem of the government.
Our government does not mandate election districts be created in any particular manner, or that they continue in any particular EXCEPT for the boundaries of the States.
For the latter, you would have to usurp State authority over their borders and reassign them to "equalize" or whatever the representation of each State in both the House and Senate.
For the former, districts must be established in some fashion. In some ways the formation of districts reflects trying to choose another form of vote counting, subverting First Past the Post in favor of some kind of plurality at large or proportional system. Since you seem to hate the current system so much it would seem you would advocate for even more egregious gerrymandering to achieve your ends. Instead you are opposed to it, which again makes me want to know exactly what sort of system you are advocating.
And so, will you name that system, or will you just continue attacking the current system without ever defining the alternative you prefer?
You're alright, at least you weren't using your food stamps to purchase crack cocaine at .25 cents on the dollar.
Is it not a fact that in Obama's first 3 years more people have been added to the welfare rolls that in any other Presidents first term? How is stating a fact racist? It is you far-left losers that see race under every rock.
Gerrymandering is anti capitalism/competition
Using government so a party can pick it's voter is socialism.
This practice and alliance has given both parties immorality thus the action of one is sanctioned and approved by the other.
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What solution?
You still have not defined any; you just keep saying this one is no good.
And I have read the Federalist.
I am well aware that it contained a very distinct warning as to the dangers of factionalism.
I am also aware that it noted that the alternative to permitting factionalism was having the government prohibit true freedom of choice in election preferences, and thus factionalism was the inevitable lesser of two evils that must be endured in order to have a representative government with a general electorate.
Apparently you forgot to read that part for whatever reason.
Sorry, I just don’t believe in blind deference. I’m sure many military members learn and exhibit exemplary leadership skills, but I can’t bring myself to accept that on face-value alone, there has to be some further verification. As to the second part, look at the ‘respect’ given to Democratic servicemen like George McGovern, Jimmy Carter, John Kerry, Kos, etc.
The military considers it assault, and that's certainly illegal as part of an interrogation practice.
Gerrymandering has absolutely nothing to do with capitalism.
Political competition is not comparable to corporate competition on that level.
While I do have issues with the government supporting primary elections, let us understand that there again we face a choice between popular selection and oligarchic selection. If primaries are not supported by the government they are much more likely to be done exclusively by party leadership council with no general input at all.
Once again you are complaining about a problem without considering all the relevant factors and failing to propose a functional alternative.
Yes, you think the government "sucks" and you want to change it.
How and to what?
If you cannot answer that then your complaints are just echoes of the OWS twits with the same amount of substance and relevance.
Gerrymandering is anti capitalism/competition
Using government so a party can pick it's voter is socialism.
This practice and alliance has given both parties immorality thus the action of one is sanctioned and approved by the other.
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Ill bet the White House pukes dance a jig every time he says something like that. And hold their breath too many more black folks don't set up and start listening. The mans got to be threat to them.
Keep it up serf, your even making my cat laugh!
Vice.
With your flooding of my post with spin it will take time to answer all of your spin
So i will pick gerrymandering and stop responding to your first post. .
If he had been guilty of torture he would have been court-martialled for it.
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