Fox's Bolling: “Class Warfare” Is “Emanating Out Of The White House”

Bolling: “Class Warfare” Is “Emanating Out Of The White House.” During the August 22 edition of The Five, co-host Eric Bolling said to fellow panelist Dana Perino: “All right, Dana, what about the class warfare that seems to be, I don't know, emanating out of the White House? Is it only the White House, or is it the right, too?” [Fox News, The Five, 8/22/11]

In Fact, “Class Warfare” Is “Emanating” Out Of Fox News

Fox News Complained That A Proposal To Eliminate Tax Breaks On Corporate Jets Is Unfair. After President Obama cited tax breaks for corporate jets as an example of tax loopholes that could be closed to raise revenue, Fox News personalities criticized the proposal as unfair and accused Obama of engaging in “straightforward class warfare.” [Media Matters, 6/30/11]

Fox News Decided Poverty Doesn't Exist If The Poor Own Common Household Appliances. Citing a Heritage Foundation report about the ownership of appliances among the poor in America, Fox News personalities dismissed significant hardships among the poor in securing health care, education, housing, and access to healthy food, claiming instead that a person cannot be poor if they own common household appliances. Bill O'Reilly opined: “So how can you be so poor and have all this stuff?” [Media Matters, 7/22/11]

Fox's Charles Payne Demanded That The Poor Be More Ashamed Of Their Poverty And Joblessness. Fox Business' Charles Payne complained that people “aren't embarrassed” that they need anti-poverty programs including food stamps and unemployment insurance. [Media Matters, 5/19/11]

Fox Business Pitted The “Takers” Of “Government Handouts” Against The “Makers.” After a National Bureau of Economic Research study concluded that social safety net programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, were highly effective at keeping people out of poverty, Fox Business launched a week-long series pitting the “takers” of “government handouts” against the “makers” in the economy. [Media Matters, 5/24/11]

Fox Business Hosts Warned That Increased Use Of Food Stamps During A Recession Could Lead To “Economic Dependence.” Fox Business' John Stossel and Chris Cotter warned that an increase in food stamps usage during the recession could lead to “economic dependence.” [Media Matters, 8/17/11]

Fox's Byrnes: “What's Unfair” About The Tax Code Is The Earned Income Tax Credit. Fox Business' Cheryl Casone suggested that subjecting the poor to heavier taxation was “a way to solve America's debt crisis,” while Fox' Tracy Byrnes said that “what's unfair” about the tax code is the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and middle-income Americans. [Media Matters, 6/26/10]

Fox's Varney: The Earned Income Tax Credit Is A “Welfare Scheme.” Fox Business host Stuart Varney said:

VARNEY: Whenever you've got a cash welfare system you are going to have people gaming that system. What you have not got on the screen is the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is by far the biggest cash -- I'm going to call it a welfare scheme. That is known as the most corrupt government program. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 6/15/11]