CNN Claims Work Requirements Are Offensive to Poor People

Kevin Tober
May 28th, 2023 11:54 AM

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In the aftermath of House Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden announcing a deal in principle to raise the debt ceiling, CNN’s State of the Union brought on one of their political commentators, Ashley Allison who absurdly claimed that Congressional Republicans insisting on work requirements for those on welfare benefits are “offensive to poor people.” 

After fellow panelist and CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings praised the deal as a “big win for Kevin McCarthy and the Republicans, because where the President started and where he wound up today, miles apart. He had to come towards Kevin McCarthy,” anchor Jake Tapper turned to Allison for her take. 

 

 

“I think it's important to note that also Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare all staying safe, not being touched at all,” Allison said about the debt ceiling deal between McCarthy and Biden. 

She then made her bizarre claims about work requirements: “I think the Republicans’ obsession with work requirements are offensive to poor people, assuming that people want to be poor and don't have the fight inside of them to work hard. It's offensive and I think it will ultimately come a backlash.” 

 

 

So according to Allison, having to work for money is offensive but being lazy and receiving free money isn’t. 

She then took a cheap shot at Speaker McCarthy: “I also think though, is Kevin McCarthy going to be able to get it done in his caucus? I mean we were all sitting here at two AM in the morning seeing if he can get speaker votes, we weren't sure what concessions he made. And so can he hold his caucus together, or is he gonna have to rely on Democrats yet again so that our country doesn’t default?”

Tapper never asked her for clarification on why being required to work for federal benefits is somehow “offensive.” 

This segment on CNN was made possible by Progressive. Their information is linked.

The transcript is below: 

CNN’s State of the Union
5/28/2023
9:38:31 a.m. Eastern

JAKE TAPPER: What do you think? A lot of Progressives feel like they got sold down the river, what do you think? 

ASHLEY ALLISON: Well, I think it's important to note that also Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare all staying safe, not being touched at all. I think the Republicans’ obsession with work requirements are offensive to poor people, assuming that people want to be poor and don't have the fight inside of them to work hard. It's offensive and I think it will ultimately come a backlash. But I think the way that they were able to negotiate and protect veterans, people who are homeless is really important. I also think though, is Kevin McCarthy going to be able to get it done in his caucus? I mean we were all sitting here at two AM in the morning seeing if he can get speaker votes, we weren't sure what concessions he made. And so can he hold his caucus together, or is he gonna have to rely on Democrats yet again so that our country doesn’t default?