The futility of fighting poverty
I've noticed a marked increase recently of mentions of "the poor" in the media. The sanctimonious, hand wringing leftie activists have been droning on about how we must "fight poverty like we fought apartheid".
I should point out at this stage that whenever I have been involved in charity events for the less fortunate, whether they be auctions or fundraisers, those who profess to care most about the poor are always happy to turn up and help themselves to the free food and booze provided. When you ask them to put their hands in their pockets and donate some of their own money though you generally can't see them for dust.
It's hardly surprising that the plight of the poor is so prominent at the moment. While they can be conveniently ignored for most of the time there is an election looming and although the poor may not have any money they do have a rather valuable vote. If you can persuade them to put their X next to your name on the ballot paper then you've earned yourself another five years with your snout in the trough.
By the way, this is not a criticism of SA politics in case some if you were thinking of adding some banal comment below. It's a worldwide phenomena and applies just as much in the USofA as it does here. What usually happens is that politicians profess to care deeply about the poor about three months before an election.
Then they promise free housing, education, food coupons, medical care (in fact just about everything that most people have to work all their lives to afford) with absolutely no idea how they are going to deliver on these promises.