The right-wingers found a new hero in its war against the poor. SpongeBob SquarePants

[applegrove]

Jobless SpongeBob nets fans on right

By LUCY MCCALMONT at Politico

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/jobless-spongebob-nets-fans-on-right-99375.html

"SNIP...................................

Eschewing the thought of unemployment benefits, SpongeBob says, “Unemployment may be fun for you, but I need to get a job.”

The episode, to air Nov. 11, garnered attention from the the Washington Times as well as the New York Post and Fox News, both of which hailed SpongeBob for immediately returning to the workforce.


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The right-wingers found a new hero in its war against the poor. SpongeBob SquarePants. That’s right. SpongeBob SquarePants. The GOP is now using the lovable cartoon sea sponge as a new way to attack the safety net,” Sharpton said during a Oct. 31 broadcast.

“So a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea doesn’t need government help. That means no one does? …[Friday] 47 million Americans will see their food stamp benefits cut. 47 million Americans. They’re not moochers,” Sharpton said, taking a swipe at Fox News’s coverage before going into a debate on cuts to food stamps.



....................................SNIP"

[AverageJoe90]

1. Grasping at straws as usual.

This here, says it all, in my honest opinion:

For their part, Nickelodeon’s President of Content, Russell Hicks said the show is tapping into the news of the moment, but did not specifically address any political leanings or ideologies within the episode.

“Like all really great cartoons, part of SpongeBob’s long-running success has been its ability to tap into the zeitgeist while still being really funny for our audience,” Hicks said. “As always, despite this momentary setback, SpongeBob’s eternal optimism prevails, which is always a great message for everyone.”

However, Dr. Alison Bryant co-founder and CEO of PlayCollective, a non-partisan group that works with clients including Nickelodeon, Disney and PBS on outreach and marketing, dismissed any political undertones in the economically-focused episode, instead saying the show is addressing real issues that the shows viewers see.

”I don’t think they’re handling political issues, I think they’re handling the reality of kids’ lives,” Bryant, who previously worked in digital research for Nickelodeon, said.

Bryant said that the recession has led to a “huge shift” in children’s programming addressing issues such as homelessness and joblessness, much like the “early aughts and mid-aughts, kids were more worried about things like —not surprisingly— terrorism and the environment.”

“Something like a ‘SpongeBob’, it’s not going to go into the full political realm and ecosystem, but you know what it can address? Is, ‘Hey! This happens! And look, this happens to SpongeBob! You’re not isolated, you’re not some kid who this is only happening to you,’” Bryant said.

[Monk06]

2. Actually it is quite fitting for GOPers to base their public policy arguments on children's cartoons

[Autumn]

3. Do they know SpongeBob SquarePants is a cartoon?

And a really piss poor one at that? Almost as piss poor a cartoon that congress is.

[Lex]

4. Cartoons, stuff they can understand.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. That's pretty funny, considering that just a few years ago

they were vilifying Spongebob for his supposedly "gay" relationship with Patrick the starfish. No, really. I'm not making that up. http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/01/21/spongebob-accused-promoting-homosexuality/

[applegrove]

6. Oh man. They have to search far and wide for new meme that

fit with their world view and are novel enough to stick in people's minds. As if going out and getting a job is a solely republican thing. But if you let them they will run with such bullshit, that they are all good and democrats are all bad (lazy).

[Nine]

7. Not realistic at all.

Real life fast food restaurants don't need to fire workers to save money. They just pay slave wages and encourage the employees to get government help to make ends meet.