USDA Pulls Spanish Food Stamp Novelas But Obama Still Vulnerable on Welfare

The United States Department of Agriculture has pulled its Spanish language Novelas which encourage Food Stamp use, but the Obama Administration still faces criticism over its welfare program administration.

Mickey Kaus has the poop.

Will the GOPs take advantage of Obama’s new welfare weakness? The Obama Department of Agriculture has pulled the radio”novelas” that urged Spanish-speakers to wise up and get on the dole. (“In one of these, an individual tries to convince a friend to enroll in food stamps even though that friend declares: ‘I don’t need anyone’s help. My husband earns enough to take care of us,” says GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions, describing the novelas. “The first individual replies back: ‘When are you going to learn?’”)

Why is the USDA’s retreat significant? Because it shows the administration is sensitive, in an election year, to being perceived as dismissive of the work ethic. Like a prize fighter who winces when you hit him in a sore spot, the Obamaites have revealed their weakness. If the Republicans’ have any strategic sense they will now hit that sore spot again by making a big fuss about the Health and Human Service regulations that renege on the work requirements imposed on welfare recipients by the 1996 welfare reform law (and its successors)…

Here is the Novela that the Obama Administration pulled last Friday:

There is little doubt that Obama is vulnerable on the issue of overturning Clinton-era welfare versus not working reforms.

But, it remains to be seen if the GOP and Romney can translate the attack into an effective one = one that is not viewed as racist.