@dknefel.bsky.social
Past lives: writing teacher, textbook author, newspaper columnist.
Paradise is a library.
Paradise is a library.
Reposted
Here's how conservative pundits described the biggest cuts to the social safety net in modern history:
- “nobody is gutting the safety net”
- "go find a big, beautiful job”
- "everything will be OK"
- “If there are cuts [...] for people who refuse to work [...] that is super duper sad”
- “nobody is gutting the safety net”
- "go find a big, beautiful job”
- "everything will be OK"
- “If there are cuts [...] for people who refuse to work [...] that is super duper sad”
![In the hours before the bill passed, Fox News correspondent Mark Meredith derided the bill’s Democratic critics for “screaming that this is going to have a negative impact on food stamp recipients, as well as Americans relying on Medicaid.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 7/3/25]
On Fox News, Wall Street Journal editorial board member Kate Bachelder Odell called the Medicaid work requirements “pretty sensible reforms.” It’s “the same on food stamps,” she continued. “It tries to keep states from ducking out of work requirements that they have been trying to avoid and make sure that these benefits are going to people who are eligible for them.” She concluded that the bill “actually will make some progress in getting those programs under control.” [Fox News, The Journal Editorial Report, 7/5/25]
On his Triggered podcast, Donald Trump Jr. said that “as far as Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, there seems to be a lot of false information going on around that one as well from the left about the so-called cuts.” He added: “People can't just get on it, claim disability, not actually do anything, not actually have any disabilities, have you pay for them and their families and everything like that forever.” [Rumble, Triggered, 7/7/25]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:phswtsacmqfcwe26hoxdjkvq/bafkreif72gyadm7gmzvr3l5iitsbxvgpmqqani77ffh3f4wjwe6rfmxrem@jpeg)
![Fox News correspondent Aishah Hasnie said the bill makes “massive reforms to Medicaid” but repeated The Wall Street Journal editorial board’s claim that “nobody is gutting the safety net.” Fox News and The Wall Street Journal are both properties in Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 7/7/25; The Wall Street Journal, 7/4/25]
Fox News contributor and Wall Street Journal editor at large Gerard Baker said the law “only cuts the growth of Medicaid, it doesn’t even actually represent an overall cut in Medicaid over the next 10 years.” Baker also endorsed “cutting welfare spending” and said calling it “some sort of horrendous crime against the American people is just so out of line.” [Fox News, The Story With Martha MacCallum, 7/7/25]
The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro said warnings about the bill’s looming harms were overblown and mockingly added, “If there are cuts to, for example, Medicaid for people who refuse to work, then apparently that is super duper sad.” He also downplayed the difficulties of complying with the new work requirements, arguing they didn’t even amount to getting “a part-time job.” [The Daily Wire, The Ben Shapiro Show, 7/7/25]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:phswtsacmqfcwe26hoxdjkvq/bafkreiau2gtfzuumxlzzf6dunonw6tf3r6xw4lqsrvtegl42y3wxarilie@jpeg)
![On former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, correspondent Ben Bergquam said critics of the president were fearmongering by saying “the bill is going to kill people.” He continued: “It didn’t work with Medicaid because everyone realized it was a bunch of illegals that are getting kicked off.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/7/25]
Fox News contributor and former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer claimed “Medicaid spending is going up under the Big Beautiful Bill.” Fleischer had previously called for cuts to Medicaid in February and April, as Republicans were negotiating Trump’s bill. [Fox News, America Reports, 7/8/25; Media Matters, 3/4/25, 5/7/25]
Fox News host Jesse Watters said the new law meant “no more handouts — instead of handing out free health care and food stamps, Trump says: Go find a big, beautiful job.” Watters later said, “All Trump is saying is let’s stop handing out free candy to people who won’t work,” adding, “Trump’s telling them, take a deep breath — everything will be OK.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 7/9/25, 7/9/25]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:phswtsacmqfcwe26hoxdjkvq/bafkreicq46hc375cgukiwwjdbyqmgqw5azsvr5kc6hfqmfqu7t47jiwcsm@jpeg)
July 22, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Here's how conservative pundits described the biggest cuts to the social safety net in modern history:
- “nobody is gutting the safety net”
- "go find a big, beautiful job”
- "everything will be OK"
- “If there are cuts [...] for people who refuse to work [...] that is super duper sad”
- “nobody is gutting the safety net”
- "go find a big, beautiful job”
- "everything will be OK"
- “If there are cuts [...] for people who refuse to work [...] that is super duper sad”
Reposted
Instead you'd see hair-on-fire reporting highlighting every negative outcome that could even conceivably be tied to that type of program. Capital would revolt, & likely strike, & mainstream reporting would provide ideological scaffolding. (You'd get like one thinky piece about land reform in Mexico)
February 19, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Instead you'd see hair-on-fire reporting highlighting every negative outcome that could even conceivably be tied to that type of program. Capital would revolt, & likely strike, & mainstream reporting would provide ideological scaffolding. (You'd get like one thinky piece about land reform in Mexico)