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“It seems that Bauer was comparing the poor to vermin, but all he’s saying is that we shouldn’t feed strays or otherwise. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind taking the poor to a farm up-state where they can be happy and chase rabbits.” (Comedy Central)

South Carolina Lt. Governor Andre Bauer recently made comments about welfare during a town hall meeting that has sent the media into a frenzy. Bauer compared people on welfare to stray animals, saying that the problem gets worse when humans or stray animals are given free food.

We’re looking at perspectives from POLITICO, FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, the Miami Herald, and CBS News.

In an interview with Politico, Bauer admits that he knows his comments will affect his run for governor, but he knows that he brought up an important issue.
 
“‘There will be people who will have a different impression of Andre Bauer because of things that they heard that were taken out of context or things I’ve never said before,’ Bauer said. ‘But there is an undercurrent of people that are fed up. And maybe I didn’t use the right verbiage, but they want this discussion.’”

In an interview with FOXnews.com, a political science professor from Clemson University’s Strom Thurmond Institute gives his interpretation of comments Bauer made.
 
“‘There are many people who legitimately need that assistance,’ ... ‘He's not only saying that they (welfare recipients) are dependent, but that they're undeserving.’”                                          

In an interview with CNN, the Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University looked beyond the Lt. Governor’s comments to the underlying issue of welfare.

“Look, welfare reform was built around the idea of personal responsibility, so he’s onto something there. He’s certainly tapping into that strain. You know, the bill that was actually signed by Bill Clinton, who ran on ending welfare as we know it, was called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Getting in on this notion of ending dependency on government, breaking the cycle, he’s onto something there, it’s just that it’s utterly inelegant the way he expressed himself, but it will resonate with some of his voters.”

On MSNBC, The State newspaper reporter Leroy Chapman weighs the effect Bauer’s comments will have with his Republican base.

“He’s got a lot of people responding to this, and this has become a big question about whether or not this helps or hurts him in a Republican primary. What he’s really targeting is the idea of entitlements. He says he wants to rethink them. He gives his own story about growing up poor. Those things play well with a lot of the Republican base in the state.”

A Winthrop University political science professor and pollster, saw Bauer’s comments as a plus for his base in an interview with The Miami Herald, citing that Republican voters understand his message.

“That message ‘has been a staple’ of social conservatives and evangelicals who believe personal responsibility is a key both to salvation and success, Huffmon said. Subsidizing people with social welfare takes away the incentive to be responsible...”            


CBS News points out that while Bauer is against welfare, he himself came from a poor family and wants the citizens of South Carolina to make successful choices without relying on government programs.
 
“Bauer said Monday that he regrets his choice of words but that government should expect welfare recipients to try to better themselves. He wants to require them to take drug tests and attend parent-teacher conferences if they have children in school. A child of divorce who benefited from free lunches himself, Bauer insisted he wasn't bad-mouthing people laid off from work in the recession or advocating taking food from children, but rather emphasizing the need to break the cycle of dependency. ‘Do I wish I’d used a different metaphor? Of course I do,’ the 40-year-old said. ‘I didn’t intend to offend anyone.’”
                                                                        
So, what do you think? Will the Lt. Governor’s comments help or hurt him politically?  And is it time to abandon politically correct speaking, when talking about tough social issues?

Writer: Brandon Twitchell

Producer: Newsy Staff