http://youtu.be/hw55S_fUL14?t=8m4s
A talk-show host this weekend on MSNBC, widely considered a heavily left-leaning news network, suddenly erupted into a screaming rant after one of her guests suggested Obama wasn’t acknowledging the “risks” entrepreneurs take in America’s economy.
“What is riskier than living poor in America? Seriously!” host Melissa Harris-Perry shouted on her self-titled show yesterday. “I am sick of the idea that being wealthy is risky!”
Harris-Perry was discussing welfare reform and economic class mobility with a panel of guests.
One guest, Nancy Giles, described as a “social commentator,” suggested it was public education and low-cost health care that enabled people to move out of lower economic classes.
But Monica Mehta, described as a “business/finance expert,” countered that class mobility is fueled by entrepreneurs “taking risks,” and began to imply that Obama’s “You didn’t build that” speech was indicative of anti-entrepreneurial bias.
But Mehta didn’t have the opportunity to finish her thought.
“What is riskier than living poor in America? Seriously! What in the world is riskier than being a poor person in America?” the host interrupted. “I live in a neighborhood where people are shot on my street corner. I live in a neighborhood where people have to figure out how to get their kid into school because maybe it will be a good school and maybe it won’t. I am sick of the idea that being wealthy is risky! No! There is a huge safety net that whenever you fail, we’ll catch you and catch you and catch you! Being poor is what is risky. We have to create a safety net for poor people, and when we won’t because they happen to look different from us, it is the pervasive ugliness. We cannot do that!”
Harris-Perry reportedly lives in New Orleans.
She concluded the segment by admitting she needed to “take a breath.”
Harris-Perry’s rant can be seen in the clip above, but the entire segment is viewable on YouTube.
