'Seek help': GOP rep buried for saying poor kids on free lunch 'sponge off of the government'

28 January

One House Republican appeared to suggest that the tens of millions of kids on free and reduced school lunch programs are moochers who should have to work to earn food.

During a Tuesday interview on CNN, host Pamela Brown interviewed Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Pa.) about President Donald Trump's new announcement that he was imposing a 90-day pause on all disbursements of federal money until agencies could ensure spending is line with Trump's agenda. The vaguely worded funding freeze — which is expected to begin at 5 PM Eastern Time and is already being challenged in court — could impact everything from Medicaid funding to food stamps and possibly even federal funding for school lunches.

McCormick — who joined Brown from Trump's Doral resort in Florida where House Republicans are having a retreat — defended Trump's decision, and suggested that kids at risk of losing their school lunch benefits could instead learn the "value" of hard work.

"You talk about school lunches? Hey, I worked my way through high school. I don't know about you, but I've worked since I was 13 years old, picking berries in a field before we had child labor laws that precluded that," said McCormick, who is 56 years old and was born well after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt introduced child labor laws in 1938. "You're telling me that kids who stay at home, instead of going to work at Burger King, McDonalds during the summer, should stay at home and get their free lunch instead of going to work? I think we need to have a top-down review."

Brown pushed back, saying his remarks were "not necessarily a fair assessment" of the roughly 30 million kids who depend free or reduced lunches in school. McCormick argued that he was "absolutely not" agreeing with Brown's characterization of his statement as saying poor kids are "just sitting at home and not working." However, he argued that the funding freeze gives agencies a chance to see how federal money was being spent.

"Who can actually go and actually produce their income?" McCormick countered. "I mean how many people got their start in fast food restaurants when they were kids, versus just a blanket rule that gives all kids lunches in high school who are capable of going out and actually getting a job and doing something that makes them have value? Thinking about their future instead of thinking about how they're going to sponge off of the government when they don't need to?"

The Georgia Republican's remarks drew strong rebuke from journalists, commentators and various experts on social media. Texas Democratic Party executive committee member Micah Erfan tweeted that Republicans wanted "tax cuts for the rich paid for by eliminating school lunches for the poor." Council on Foreign Relations member Laurie Garrett responded by posting an excerpt of Charles Dickens' "The Christmas Carol" in which Ebenezer Scrooge says he hopes the needy will die in order to "decrease the surplus population." TV producer Brittany Valenzuela quote-tweeted the clip of McCormick and wrote: "If you’re arguing against providing free FOOD FOR OUR YOUTH, you need to seek help."

"What a p—k," tennis legend Martina Navratilova tweeted. "What about 10 year olds??? They are supposed to WORK FOR THEIR LUNCH!!!!?????"

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis responded to McCormick by asserting the "Republican plan" was to "send your kindergarten[er] to afford breakfast and lunch at school." Globe and Mail editorial writer Peter Scowen called the Georgia Republican's comments part of "the new American war on empathy."

"Children are lazy and should start picking berries to pay for their school lunches is a take," author Shannon Watts tweeted.

Watch the video of McCormick's segment below, or by clicking this link.

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