Russell Brand Speaks Out Against Florida Law Banning Feeding The Homeless [Video]
Russell Brand has been abandoning comedy lately to take on more serious subject matter — or so people think. It’s difficult to say just what Russell’s True News broadcasts are inspired by, but he seems to be quite angry — and even to invoke some anger in other people. In his latest video, he attacks Florida’s recent ban on feeding the homeless.
“There’s a prevailing idea that there’s something ethically wrong with being poor, and that America’s run according to Christian values. But when people are practicing genuine Christian values, they themselves are directly prosecuted… [American businessmen] use Christianity and morality of all kind to protect their own corporate interests.”
One the recurring theme in Brand’s recent tirades on American politics are his critiques about dishonest spending. He brings this up in the video to highlight his point.
“… Let’s bear in mind that America just had midterm elections where $4 billion was spent on campaigning — which is just telling you that something’s good. But feeding the homeless? That’s illegal.”
Despite how Russell might be saying it, he is at least right that national spending for aiding the poor is a small percent of the national budget, according to PolicyMic.
“While Brand sometimes makes it hard to agree with him, he has a point: Helping the very poor is an unfortunately low national priority. Total welfare spending under the TANF program was just 0.47% of the 2012 federal budget. The Center for Budgetary and Policy Priorities reports that “states now receive 30% less in federal TANF funding than when Congress enacted the welfare law in 1996.”
Do you agree with Russell Brand’s broadcast?
[Image via YouTube]
