Maine Gov To Able-Bodied Unemployed: "Get Off The Couch And Get Yourself A Job"

Real Clear Politics ^ | May 8, 2012

[2ndDivisionVet]

(VIDEO AT LINK)

"Maine’s welfare program is cannibalizing the rest of state government. To all you able-bodied people out there get off the couch and get yourself a job," Gov. Paul LePage (R-Maine) said at the state Republican convention this past weekend....

[cripplecreek]

Here’s a crazy idea for governors across the country.

Get up off your asses and fight back against the feds who are killing jobs.

[fatnotlazy]

How cruel! *SNORT*

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Maine’s welfare program is cannibalizing the rest of state government.

Well, at least that's different from all the other state governments where pension obligations to unionized government workers leave no money for any actual government service. I wonder how the outlay for Maine's welfare program compares to their outlay for government pensions.

[faithhopecharity]

It would be even crueler if the good governor would cut off the welfare checks for the able-to-work people. Talk is cheap, let’s see some action. ( But the rhetoric is at least a positive first (tiny) step so thanks Gov for that.)

[RexBeach]

Boy, that’s hate speech, if I’ve ever heard it!

Viva LePage!

[albie]

Big guy talk. Tells them to get off the couch but won’t cut them off from their nanny state payments. That would cost him his prized Governor office and key to gov washroom.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Where in the constitution does it state that the government will provide cash payments and other valuable gifts to folks who will not work?

[Vendome]

Normally I’d agree with him but and here’s the rub:

We currently have less jobs available than we did just 4 years ago and more people have entered the “available” workforce since then.

So the squeeze is on and damned difficult.

[cripplecreek]

I’m sick of these idiots who talk tough but don’t have the courage to seize control of their constitutional authority.

[Smokin' Joe]

Dagnabbit. All those unemployment bennies must be cutting into the pension fund...

Kinda like wild-eyed government spending and crappy Federal Policy have cut into everyone else's.

[cripplecreek]

Exactly. If he’s willing to talk tough, he better be willing to openly declare that his state will no longer recognize the authority of the EPA, IRS, and a whole range of other job killing federal agencies.

[aruanan]

Maine Gov To Able-Bodied Unemployed: "Get Off The Couch And Get Yourself A Job"

Better if it had read, "Maine Gov to Mentally-Deficient, Anti-Business, Anti-Fossil Fuel, Anti-Private Property President of the United States: Get Out of Our Way So We, the People, Can Engage Our Individual and Corporate Abilities to Create Jobs so the Unemployed Can Work And Not Rely on Your Sorry Butt for a Handout."

[Lazamataz]

I like this guy already.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Where in the constitution does it state that the government will provide cash payments and other valuable gifts to folks who will not work?

Nowhere, of course. But entitlement payments are in a race with pension obligations to government workers in most states and cities - it's interesting to see a governor mention anything besides the cost of pension benefits these days.

[2ndDivisionVet]

There are some jobs out there, but it ain’t 2004, that’s for sure:

http://www.Indeed.com

http://www.Careerbuilder.com

http://www.Jobvertise.com

[impimp]

I find the Governor’s comment offensive. I am offended. He has no business telling people to get a job. It is his business to remove welfare. But it is not his business to lecture.

What about the wealthy who do not desire to work and do not need the money? Is he going to put them in labor camps?

His standing in my eyes just dropped significantly.

[dfwgator]

Yep, it’s like a drug dealer telling his customer to “Just Say No.”

[newzjunkey]

LePage better be prepared to show them were the jobs are in Maine, lest he be the ass he already sounds like.

[impimp]

I was not being sarcastic. You seem to misunderstand my post. I am offended.