Blogroll Me! How This Old Brit Sees It ...: Bush Go Home: Millions Of Americans Are Hungry ...

01 March 2006

Bush Go Home: Millions Of Americans Are Hungry ...


As George Bush bumbles & stumbles his way around Afghanistan and India -- as audaciously as always, lying his lying arse off -- several million semi-starving citizens of his own United States are saying they would be better served by him if he heeded the messages of regular people - both at home and abroad - rather than those of his [aptly named] 'puppet leader' partners in crime, and buggered off back home to put his own house in order. Peferably, pronto.

Anyone around who wants to know why?

Well, whatever. Like it or not we're going to give you at least one good reason; one extremely good reason.

There's an almost unbelievable number of American citizens going hungry.

Yep. Right now. This very day. Even as you read.

What a super-duper, super-power, eh? One appearing powerless even to provide many of it's own uber-patriotic people with enough food to fill their dinner plate. At the very least it certainly seems like a super-power patently lacking the will and strength of character and apparently the common compassion, community spirit, social conscience and/or just plain old down-home, heavens to Betsy, honest to God, none-counterfeit, Christian charity.

Perhaps George Bush really wants these unfortunate folk to simply sit down, shut the f*ck up and just be thankful for all the famous "freedoms" he's made avaiable for them to feast their faces on, eh?

Fat flaming chance of getting fat, eating "freedoms," eh? Fried or not.

But for the next few moments, forget This Old Brit's & Richard's rants, and feast you eyes on this terrible trifle -- dished up direct by our friend Tom Rushing who writes & runs the highly recommended, Current Era blog.

... but the most alarming news was in the growing number of people in Bush's fine economy who are hungry.

The Second Harvest report, using figures compiled before hurricanes Katrina and Rita, showed that 25 million Americans had been forced to get food from the organisation's network of food banks, soup kitchens and shelters in 2005, up 9 per cent from 2001.

Would you ever have imagined it? In 21st century, compassionate conservative, home of the brave and land of the free, Bushamerica?

And yes, you read it right. That sickening set of 'soup kitchen & shelters' statistics has shot up by a shameful 9 per cent, in the surprisingly short space of time elapsed since the year of our [ born-again Bush's] Lord, 2001.

And no, that increase does not include any extra, exceptional and/or extraordinary [evil or otherwise] events -- such as those horrendous hurricanes called Katrina and Rita.

What's even worse, included in Hidden Harvest's frightening figures are these.

The hungry included 9 million children (aged under 18) and 3 million elderly people.

God help them all -- poor souls.

These are human beings. They're citizens of the United States.

What form of god forsaken government gives this type of treatment out to it's own kith & kin? Moreover, to those of it's own who are most at risk and most vulnerable? Not to mention most needy. Are the pitiful plights of poor American people such as these simply part & parcel of the fabled 'American Way'? Eh?

Well, right now we'd say fabled sounds about right.

Furthermore, we two elderly English examples of humanity will tell you this, Mr President George Walker Bush -- and we'll tell you it for free. If it is The American Way, then you're welcome to it. You can keep it. Or, in the style of the old Anglo Saxon swear-word venacular -- you can stick it -- you can shove it where the sun don't shine -- sideways! With bloody big bells on, if you like.

And we don't say that lightly, since we have innumerable, assorted very good American friends.

Moy, moy bien amigos. Comprendo, el Pretzeldente?

But for now, lets get back briefly to some of the bitter nitty-gritties of such a stupendously, sickening & shameful 21st century scandal.

So, hands up who's recently read this sort of shocking snippet anywhere ? Anyone? In America?

... more than 38 million Americans lived in hungry or "food insecure" households -- an increase of 5 million since 2000.

Second Harvest questioned about 30,000 food distribution agencies as part of its survey. More than 40 per cent of them said funding problems threatened their future work.

But the statistic that stood out most was the one that said 36 per cent of people who came seeking food lived in households where at least one person worked.

It means increasing numbers of working people in the US don't earn enough for their families to eat properly.

In the fine economy of George W. Bush, that is serious food for thought.

So, our rant has run it's course for today -- which happens to be Ash Wednesday, in case anyone wasn't already aware. The US being such a caring kind'a Christian country & all, dontchya know?

Regardless; get thee gone, right now. Go on over to Tom for more, including an attached Australian article.





9 Comments:

Blogger Natalia said...

Actually, it makes sense for America's poor to get quite fat, because when they do eat, only high-calorie, poor quality food is often available. Then, of course, heart disease comes knocking. So even if you do have enough money to eat, you're often eating junk.

Having volunteered in one of those famous soup kitchens, I have two words for you: battered wives. 80% of the people there were women, covered in bruises, many of them with children. When they run away from home, these women often run away with nothing. But that's true of an urban center such as Charlotte, NC, and I'm sure these things vary by region, and by season.

Either way, the situation is atrocious, and as a newly-minted American, I'm pissed off as hell.

5:47 am  
Blogger enigma4ever said...

I am ashamed, and furious- and tired of this Aint' we great fucking redneck selfish hypocrites that have spiraled this country into a Hellish state..."spreading democracy" my ass. About the Soup Kitchens and Homeless shelters, what I have noticed that more and more working poor, elderly and VETS, and Children and families are falling through the cracks....and the Cracks widen daily...and the middleclass is shrinking....many , including this mom, are a paycheck away from falling into the abyss....I am still taking photos and filming...and hope to publicize this on my blog eventually . I live Urban so I see it daily and it is getting worse....Thank you for posting on this Rick...

10:39 am  
Blogger Gert said...

Some compare the US to the Roman Empire but I believe the Romans took better care of their own... and their provinces...

3:01 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The America the rest of the world isn't supposed to see, I suppose. Nor most Americans either, I wager. Is that about right, Natalia? Or do they all now, but bury their heads and pretend not to notice?

BTW, battered wives seems to be a growing problem almost everywhere. Kudos to you for the good work you do.

(Like enigma said, thanks for this post)

3:46 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cross posted with gert - with whom I agree - completely.

3:47 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Usually you don't do two posts so close together so somethngs dawned on me for the first time.

This post topic is very important. It wants hammering home into every Americans head. Ok you tried your best but look what's happened. Only five comments. Only five! But EVERYONE wants their 2 cents worth of high-politics talk on the video post.

No offense intended to anyone but it's similar to what's happening in msm. Is it that's their tyoo much going on to talk about? Or is is that too many talk about things they know they can't do much about? While ignoring things much closer to home - that they could maybe DO something about - if he were more 'active - if they so chose.

Look at the actions my generation took, and the real risks, during the Viat Nam war. They were so determined - and so BRAVE in those days. Where are their like now? Playing video games?

5:32 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ha. Exactly the same thought crossed my mind about the few posts here.

As for today's 'heroes' - there aren't many of them around - of ANY age. And that's so sad. God help the teenage group especially, as they grow a bit older - they're going to pay a terrible price for their [in the majority of cases]almost endemic apathy. They've gone 'soft' - and they are in for a very rude awakening, I think.

6:26 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes this is a very ugly reality from the world's wealthiest nation - WE DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS ABOUT OUR MOST VUNERABLE POPULATION and we continue to cut social welfare programs while still giving permanent tax cuts to the wealthy. The prevailing attitude seems to be why don't those lazy octogenerians/disabled/handicapped/children just get off their butts and get a job and support themselves and stop waiting for the 'government' to bail them out!
And while we are on the subject we seem to have an 'ass backwards' notion of charity. I was involved my daughter's girl scout troop for years and at every food drive/clothing drive we embarked upon the attitude of many was ' it's time for us to clear out our closets so we can buy more' or 'it's time to dump those cans nobody else will eat'. It used to drive me insane.

7:46 pm  
Blogger Richard said...

I suppose there's at least one comsolation. At least 'we' are not ignoring this topic and hopefully the facts & figures will be spread around that much more because of our efforts -- tiny though they be.

Except perhaps for natalia, who seems to be doing 'bigger' things right now. Welcome natalia and thanks for your input. Even more thanks - and praise - for your own pro-active efforts in this area. The world needs more like you.

12:10 am  

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