In a world where the economy sucks and the ethics of society are crumbling, it’s hard to encourage a child to work when they don’t have to. People already have it rough, but a particular Republican politician, namely Georgia Congressman Rich McCormick, believes that kids should have it rougher. He claims that kids getting free meals at school should go to work at Burger King or McDonald’s, per NBC. “Before I was even 13 years old, I was picking berries in the field, before child labor laws that precluded that. I was a paper boy, and when I was in high school, I worked my entire way through,” he boasts.
Essentially, the Georgia congressman goes by the mentality: “I had to suffer through it, and they should too.” In essence, the concept of working hard to make isn’t wrong; in fact, it’s very admirable and even inspiring. But McCormick is imposing this way of thinking on people, kids no less, especially when there are plenty of people in the States today who could really use a free meal. POTUS, with all his subpar decisions, hasn’t been making life for Americans easier, so why make it harder for children?
Everyone would agree they want the next generation to be hard-working and have the fortitude to take our country to the next level. But a boomer politician blatantly attacking kids and spouting things like “getting a job and doing something that makes them have value” or “they’re going to sponge out the government when they don’t need to” isn’t what children need to hear. At least, that’s what plenty of users on Reddit think, as thousands slam the Georgia congressman for his rather tasteless comments. One Redditor wrote:
“They want poor kids to sacrifice their education and chance for social mobility or not eat? Hmm, I think the kids who need those summer lunches…actually do need them. They already don’t get enough and I will never be against finding a way to feed poor children.”
Another chimes in about how Republicans are supporting ICE’s recent abhorrent actions across the country. “They want them to work the fields…. They need more low educated low skilled workers to replace the illegal workforce they are kidnapping from the streets and putting in concentration camps. And they need future GOP voters..” Plenty more commenters strongly opposed McCormick, with some even pointing out that he hasn’t earned his position honestly. Whatever the case, children should work by choice; forcing it on them likely won’t result in an ideal outcome.
