This week on “Full Frontal,” Samantha Bee covered President Obama’s plans to make diapers more affordable to low-income moms and the confusing objections posed by Republican Lawmakers. Food Stamp restrictions currently classify diapers as a luxury item, in the same category as alcohol, cigarettes, and pet food. Apparently, they think being too poor to afford food doesn’t mean you should get to “live it up” by not making your kids wallow in filthy diapers. Luckily, Bee is on the case, arguing that this is one “luxury” poor families shouldn’t have to do without:
“Diapers are like fine whiskey. They’re expensive and it’s impossible to parent effectively without them.”
Back in November, a bill was introduced by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), together with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), to create a project allowing states to provide diapers or diaper subsidy for low-income families. It has yet to come to a vote, because that would mean congress was actually doing something.
Bee points out that congress isn’t the only one to blame for the existence of this ridiculous loophole. When a similar bill was proposed in California people freaked out. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez said she received threats ranging from unseating her to sterilization amongst an entire group of people when she endorsed a bill that would grant qualifying families an $80 diaper stipend:
“This is something that is a little different that I am not used to. It’s a mix of classism, racism, sexism … really that is all combined together and it’s shocking.”
Some opponents of the California bill ‘helpfully’ suggested that the money would be better spent on offering childcare to low-income families so they could work. This completely ignores the fact that daycare facilities won’t take a child who isn’t dropped off with an adequate supply of diapers. As Bee noted:
“I guarantee you if you give a box of Huggies to a woman who spent the last six months trapped in a smelly apartment with an infant that poops in a Safeway bag she’ll get a job so fast it’ll knock the flag pin off your lapel.”
Bee ends the segment by shutting-down the good old republican standby that women should not be having babies if they can’t afford to provide for them.
“Like it or not, there are a lot of poor babies and it sounds like all you’ve got for them is the same useless advice you’re giving their mothers: Keep your legs crossed.”
h/t RawStory
Featured image via screengrab from video
