It’s been pretty sad to watch social media sites like Facebook and Twitter try to get into the news business. Twitter has what it calls “Twitter Moments” based on trending topics, and somehow, two sentences from Ben Shapiro’s latest (and hugely popular) podcast managed to earn their own Twitter Moment.
During Wednesday's episode of his podcast, Ben Shapiro said, "if you had to work more than one job to have a roof over your head or food on the table, you probably shouldn’t have taken the job that’s not paying you enough. That’d be a 'you' problem." https://t.co/bzR4mNlJ3p
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) August 14, 2019
Oh, look who's amplifying Media Matters if you wonder what side this site's on. @benshapiro https://t.co/E1dD7IiTRm
— Anthony Bialy (@AnthonyBialy) August 14, 2019
He’s right: The clip from Shapiro’s podcast was posted by Jason Campbell, a researcher for Media Matters for America:
Ben Shapiro: "If you had to work more than one job to have a roof over your head or food on the table, you probably shouldn't have taken the job that's not paying you enough. That'd be a you problem" pic.twitter.com/HDKSvIGBfW
— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) August 14, 2019
We’re kind of interested in what Shapiro has to say about working two jobs, because Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, for instance, always insisting that in President Trump’s economy, everyone’s working “two or three jobs.”
And if you’ll remember, about a year ago, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained away the record unemployment by claiming that it’s only because people are working two jobs — a claim that earned her a “Pants on Fire” rating from PolitiFact.
In reality, only about 5 percent of Americans work more than one job, but you don’t see a Twitter Moment about that.
The point I am making, of course, is that you cannot dictate that a job pay you what you wish it paid you. That is obvious, and why it is foolishness for politicians to claim that the economy can be structured to force your desired level of pay from a job you chose to take. https://t.co/F77kVAKI7S
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
The answer to the problem of taking a job that you feel underpays you is to (a) not take the job, as I suggest here, or (b) not live beyond your means. It is not to restructure the economy in line with your utopian view of what you deserve from others.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
This is perfectly clear in context; the comment immediately follows a line from Kamala Harris claiming that no one should have to work two jobs.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
What is this “context” of which Shapiro speaks?
And by the way, I have worked multiple jobs for most of my career.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
Ben had like 10 jobs while I was there.
I wish I were joking about that. https://t.co/IAXjHSZLVY— Señia (@ayasgirl) August 14, 2019
Ben Shapiro endorses low-wage workers collectively agreeing to withhold their labor unless employers agree to pay them a living wage https://t.co/Hhk8xBbDu2
— David Klion? (@DavidKlion) August 14, 2019
I do agree with this! I also agree that employers have no obligation to concede to such demands. https://t.co/peIUVyoc4N
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
Yeah, Ben Shapiro, why should one bother working as a public school teacher or at a nonprofit if they need a 2nd job since giving back to communities isn't lucrative? Or imagine being born into poverty & having to care not just for oneself but a child.
Let's opt for compassion. https://t.co/hfPOWxyzNN
— Miranda Yaver (@mirandayaver) August 14, 2019
It is not compassionate to pay people more than they deserve. It ensnares them in golden handcuffs and keeps them from stretching into better jobs.
Upward mobility is the only cure to poverty.
Everything else is virtue signaling. https://t.co/MfzFgU4c3x
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) August 14, 2019
I understand why someone would need two jobs. I do not believe that the economy can be or should be structured, through government force, so no one has to work two jobs. That was Harris’ point. https://t.co/QJS6YrS0tJ
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
And again, Harris has more than once picked up on AOC’s “Pants on Fire” claim that unemployment numbers can only be explained by Americans working two or three jobs and putting in 70 or 80 hours a week:
Kamala Harris slams Trump economy, low unemployment: 'They're working two and three jobs' https://t.co/LaE9wruMRX
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 8, 2019
Shaming people for being poor is a real classy move. https://t.co/lOVK0pKIY0
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) August 14, 2019
That is not the context of the comment, but you are quite good at missing the point. I would never shame someone for earning less. I am distinguishing between decisions you make and decisions others make for you. https://t.co/XgC4BmEeiI
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
Hey, look, Miss Pants on Fire Socialist weighed in too:
One of the most manipulative tactics plutocrats use is convincing people that the systemic issues we face are a character flaws instead of policy flaws.
Working people aren’t dumb or inferior; nor are they why insulin costs $300 or huge co’s pay starvation wages.
Corruption is. https://t.co/zyW2m5KIqf
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 14, 2019
Happy to host you on my show any time to discuss. One of the most manipulative tactics socialists use is suggesting that government is kinder, gentler, more generous, and more effective than the free market, which has raised hundreds of millions from abject poverty. https://t.co/hMpOt0egrv
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 14, 2019
And boom.
.@benshapiro basically says with adulthood comes responsibility and people are losing their minds https://t.co/Eb8D4Hv2EX
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) August 14, 2019
lol no thanks Twitter I think I’ll check out the actual context myself before I believe Media Matters and the disingenuous mob when it comes to anything @benshapiro or anyone Not Liberal says. pic.twitter.com/U4BtP1opfu
— Ben Shapiro Stan Account (@BridgetPhetasy) August 14, 2019
TRUST NO ONE.
— Ben Shapiro Stan Account (@BridgetPhetasy) August 14, 2019
We wonder if the “researchers” at Media Matters work two jobs to make ends meet. Getting paid to listen to Ben Shapiro’s podcast and watch Tucker Carlson sounds like a pretty sweet gig.
Related:
Smear merchants! Andrew Klavan and his son take Media Matters’ claims about The Daily Wire APART and it’s hilariously perfect https://t.co/uuAjfnJDWJ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 8, 2019
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