Can Someone Explain to me Why Republicans Support Corporate Welfare But Oppose Social Welfare Programs?

[Truth B. Told]

I don't oppose any welfare, I oppose welfare FRAUD.

[Locutus1of1]

Corporations employ people, welfare recipients don't!

[RedBad M]

They claim that corporate welfare is beneficial to the economy, because the employers are able to keep paying people paychecks.

That must be why the economy is tanking, Wall Street is plummeting and unemployment is rising...

LOL !!

[scipro3001]

Because people who lack education think businesses can exist without consumers.

They also think what should happen is, rather than the reality that the money given to multinational corporations are trickling down to China.

[Lynn D]

Corporations provide jobs. Welfare prevents them.

[Zinger!]

Its all about who is writing campaign donation checks to the GOP.

[Harry O]

Corporations provide jobs and pay taxes. To assist a corporation means creating more jobs or preserving jobs that are being threatened. More workers means more paid taxes to the government, theoretically easing the burden for us all.

[BRYAN H]

in general, the less a company has to pay in taxes, the more said company can grow their business and create jobs which in turn puts more money in the marketplace from said employees/consumers. only in theory does this work, which is obvious from the tens of millions given to COE's , whether they perform or not.

[Peaceful Paradox]

You are absolutely right and you make a valuable point.
The only Republican canidate that talks this kind of sense is Ron Paul.--- I believe in the free market, and I have faith in the free market, with absolutely no government involvement.

[Peaceful Paradox]

You make some excellent points.

I think it has to do with how you see capitalism. Capitalism is just one of many ways to run an economic system. Capitalism has been the favored system for a couple of centuries now because it's seen as creating the most good for the biggest number of people. It is the good of the people that comes first (or should). Capitalism is seen as the best way to support a rising standard of living for people.

But in the US we have changed this view subtly. Well, okay, not so subtly. We no longer think that profit is not allowed because it's good for everyone. Profit has become the highest priority in and of itself. Whether or not the greatest number of Americans do well, whether or not our standard of living rises, education improves, crime is held under control, etc. etc., we judge the success of the system on how big profits are.

So, for instance, we claim to have the greatest health care system in the world. Because it makes more profits for insurance companies than any other country's system. THEIR priority for health care is HEALTH. Ours is profit.

The Iraq War is seen as a success by Republicans because it's created great profits for Halliburton and the oil companies. Foreign aid is good because our client states spend it with US corporations, making them bigger profits. Illegal immigration is good because illegal immigrants work cheap, keeping down wages for everyone, and they don't even have the rights of real workers, so that's good for profits. Globalization is good (at least the way we're doing it) because jobs can be exported to whatever countries have the cheapest labor, which means higher profits.

So its easy to see how corporate welfare enhances profits, therefore it's good!