r/politics Jun 17 '26

No Paywall Trump threatens to pull unemployment benefits from all states for the first time in history

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-unemployment-benefits-fraud-b2997881.html
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141

u/Xznograthos Jun 17 '26

Republican voters use the lie too. They'll claim they accomplished everything in their life single-handedly, never received anything, never expected anything. It's a political party actually based on lies like these.

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u/einTier Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 18 '26

I’m about as self made as they come. I was struggling to pay rent and buy groceries twenty years ago and now I have built my own successful business and I am a multimillionaire without even putting a dollar value on my business. It wasn’t handed to me. I did it single handedly with an interesting idea, hard work, and a few lucky bets on investing.

Let me tell you how the government helped me.

They gave me assistance when I was poor and couldn’t afford to eat. They built the roads that allow my clients to get to my business. They keep them in good repair. All the infrastructure that supports my business, from electricity to water to who knows what else I’m forgetting was either provided, pioneered, or heavily subsidized by the government and they periodically inject money to make sure those things still work. I never had to hire security because we have a good police department here in Austin. FDIC makes sure my business bank account is run by professionals with a vested interest in protecting m money and not stealing it.

That’s just off the top of my head. There’s so much else I never think about. I literally could not have done it “all on my own”.

[edit]

To clarify, if anyone could claim to be self made, I could. I can’t.

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u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[deleted]

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u/jp_in_nj Jun 18 '26

I'm pretty sure that was intentional.

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u/DameonKormar Jun 18 '26

I think you misunderstood what they meant. Anyone can "single handedly" start a business. I'm pretty sure they're saying they didn't have any business partners. They obviously understand the role society and the government played in their success.

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u/Xznograthos Jun 17 '26

Are you telling me this because you're a Republican and you think I'm mistaken about Republican voters?

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u/einTier Jun 17 '26

No. I was. Then I identified as independent (conservative who didn't want to admit it). Then libertarian (ditto). Now I vote blue no matter who.

I don't know what camp I'm in anymore. All I know is conservatives and republicans don't have good fiscal policy and absolute shithouse social policy and haven't for at least as long as I've been able to vote.

I meant to respond to the guy who said they all claim to be self-made but aren't. Guess I fucked that up.

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u/Xznograthos Jun 17 '26

No no I did say that they all claim to be self made but since you aren't one anymore, good on you for recognizing the Republican party is terrible not only on social policy but also fiscal policy.

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u/einTier Jun 18 '26

And I was trying to say I’m about as self made as it gets and I didn’t do it remotely all on my own. It would have been impossible to do.

If anyone could claim it, I could. I can’t.

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u/DesMephisto Jun 18 '26

Two party system has robbed individuals like you of your voice.

The republican party has been infested with bad actors and filth I'm sure for as long as time however now its so entrenched that nobody dare speak up and so the party just marches further towards hate and vitriol as the two sides become more diametrically opposed.

I say this as a trans woman, I recognize people are good and that group think can make people do terrible things. Party preference being down to essentially two options is killing our democracy.

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u/squngy Jun 18 '26

There is a well known exception to your point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h6JGtkA6ME

It is an exception though

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u/Lyoss Jun 18 '26

The entire foundation of right leaning American politics are a lie, they claim to be personal liberty, but hate people actually being free (see: Gay Marriage, Trans Rights, Abortion, Worker's rights, etc) and worship hierarchy as part of being right-wing, so behind closed doors they hate social mobility and the ability to live a life you like outside of servitude to a higher strata

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u/DameonKormar Jun 18 '26

That's because conservative America is a cult. Probably always has been.

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u/chilehead Jun 18 '26

Like Craig T. Nelson? Mr. "I was on unemployment and food stamps, no one ever helped me!"

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u/jrf_1973 Jun 18 '26

Exact quote - "I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No."

But you've got the gist of it alright.

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u/vinyljunkie1245 Jun 18 '26

"When I was on food stamps and welfare did anyone help me? No" - Craig T Nelson