Two of the most successful American programs are also two of the most popular Socialists government programs, Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid. If you believe the polls, these two programs enjoy about 79% approval amongst all Americans. So why are Republicans so hell bent on getting rid of them?
First George Bush tried to privatize and voucherize Social Security. Bush had proposed that the payroll taxes that the government collected for Social Security be re-directed into private investment companies, this only a full two years before the Stock Market blew up. Thank god he was beat back, because if he had got his way, there would be an unprecedented number of Seniors jumping out of windows because they had lost their retirement savings.
Now we have Rep Paul Ryan (R-WI) introducing a measure in the House that was voted on by all but four Republicans, voucherizing Medicare under the guise of fiscal bankruptcy. Now Mr Ryan and his cohorts in the House are starting to feel the effects of messing around with the third rail of politics, which can only be explained by a huge dose of hubris. Mr Ryan a self avowed member of the Ayn Rand small government club, has instead found himself on the wrong side of history as I believe that Seniors will remind Mr Ryan and Republicans what the role of government is, and that is to protect the people from threats, both foreign and domestic.
Colbert on Socialism...
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Cantor Calls For Offsets For Tornado Victims
Today Eric Cantor the number two in the Republican led House said that in order for tornado victims in Joplin, MO to get the emergency funds needed to help them out, the funds would need to offset in other areas of the budget. Can you say TONE DEAF? They are still pulling bodies out of the rubble and already Republicans are pinching pennies. WTF?
Another article that explains the psychosis that Republicans in congress currently find themselves. From Politico's GLENN THRUSH & JAKE SHERMAN, Republicans refused to listen the the American people and are reaping the rewards of their hubris.
Now Republicans are actually floating Paul Ryan's name for President...Are you kidding me? Their bravado knows no bounds.
Colbert on Newt, Priceless!
Another article that explains the psychosis that Republicans in congress currently find themselves. From Politico's GLENN THRUSH & JAKE SHERMAN, Republicans refused to listen the the American people and are reaping the rewards of their hubris.
Now Republicans are actually floating Paul Ryan's name for President...Are you kidding me? Their bravado knows no bounds.
Colbert on Newt, Priceless!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Mismash Wednesday
Republicans have denied the undeniable
The Gangs OfNew York Washington DC
Rick Who?
The Torture debate continues on Colbert:
The Gangs Of
Rick Who?
“For anyone to infer my disagreement with Senator McCain’s policy position lessens my respect for his service to our country and all he had to endure is outrageous and unfortunate,” Santorum said.
When asked for a response to Santorum by the Washington Post, McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan responded, “Who?”
The Torture debate continues on Colbert:
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Republican Gang Of Six Following The Same Script As HCR
Remember how back in the summer of 2009 we had three Republican Senators in negotiations with Democrats regarding health Care Reform? But as those negotiations got strung out and the debate turned nastier the Republican members started changing the rules, moving the goal posts every time President Obama agreed to just about every line in the sand they had put out? However despite the President's willingness to drop the public option, drop the so called end of life planning (death panels), met Republicans half way on tort reform, they went a step too far by insisting that Democrats drop the health exchanges, which that and the individual mandate was a Republican idea for the previous decade?
I do and now the Republicans are playing out the Gang of Six talks in the Senate with the same script. The fact that Senator Conrad (D-ND) would fall for the same shell game that Senator Baucus did should be embarrassing and is quite disappointing. Republicans do not want a deal, they want to create a fake crisis so that they can implement their idealogical blueprint for America. Screw the poor and give all those rich job creators more money so they can create jobs, the same jobs they promised when Bush cut taxes twice in the in his first term to a tune of $4 trillion. So what did all of those job creators do with that $4trillion? Well nothing because as Republicans will tell you, they are "Uncertain" about future tax policies and are waiting for more tax cuts, that Democrats oppose.
Today, the Gang of Six s down one member as Senator Tom Coburn dropped out saying that Democrats needed to give in more in entitlements. Well this will of course compel the other Democratic members to cry foul and accuse the Republicans of not wanting to raise revenues and the whole thing will unravel in a week or so. I was certainly hopeful, but now I am just cynical again.
I am praying that the President draws his own lines in the sand and dares Republicans to push the country toward a crisis that is completely unwarranted. Because in my opinion if they throw the country into default and a double dip recession occurs, the Republican party will cease to exist as a viable political party moving forward. It will probably result in a three party system whereas Democrats when most major national elections and Republicans are stuck in the Statehouses.
I do and now the Republicans are playing out the Gang of Six talks in the Senate with the same script. The fact that Senator Conrad (D-ND) would fall for the same shell game that Senator Baucus did should be embarrassing and is quite disappointing. Republicans do not want a deal, they want to create a fake crisis so that they can implement their idealogical blueprint for America. Screw the poor and give all those rich job creators more money so they can create jobs, the same jobs they promised when Bush cut taxes twice in the in his first term to a tune of $4 trillion. So what did all of those job creators do with that $4trillion? Well nothing because as Republicans will tell you, they are "Uncertain" about future tax policies and are waiting for more tax cuts, that Democrats oppose.
Today, the Gang of Six s down one member as Senator Tom Coburn dropped out saying that Democrats needed to give in more in entitlements. Well this will of course compel the other Democratic members to cry foul and accuse the Republicans of not wanting to raise revenues and the whole thing will unravel in a week or so. I was certainly hopeful, but now I am just cynical again.
I am praying that the President draws his own lines in the sand and dares Republicans to push the country toward a crisis that is completely unwarranted. Because in my opinion if they throw the country into default and a double dip recession occurs, the Republican party will cease to exist as a viable political party moving forward. It will probably result in a three party system whereas Democrats when most major national elections and Republicans are stuck in the Statehouses.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Republicans Were For the Individual Mandate Before They Were Against It!
I have been talking a lot about Republican hypocrisy regarding anything Obama. Anything that President Obama is for, Republicans fall all over themselves to find a way to criticize or outright be against it. In regards to the individual mandate, what a lot of people don't know is that the "free rider" idea has been a Republican idea for two decades. However, even with the president taking a very centrist and pragmatic approach to health care Republicans have show them to be Hypocrites, with a capital "H".
Jim Demint, the tea party favorite in the Senate, even came out in favor of the Massachusetts plan (Romneycare) that Governor Mitt Romney passed, praising it and saying it was something that should be rolled out to the entire country. However, in a show of hubris and hypocrisy, Demint now says that Romney must repudiate his health care law. However, to his credit Romney defended his health care law, although he twisted himself in knots by inexplicably saying that his health plan was not meant to be a National plan.
Newt Gingirich a leading Republican candidate for President is another hypocrite who in the spann of less than 24 hours, was for the individual mandate, yesterday on Meet The Press, but is now against it today, saying it is unconstitutional.
From The Hill
Here is a video of Newt talking about how everyone, (ALL AMERICANS) need to be made to pay for healthcare, there needs to be very large risk pools, all things in the current healthcare law. (56:00 - 1:06:00)
More hypocrisy tomorrow!
Jim Demint, the tea party favorite in the Senate, even came out in favor of the Massachusetts plan (Romneycare) that Governor Mitt Romney passed, praising it and saying it was something that should be rolled out to the entire country. However, in a show of hubris and hypocrisy, Demint now says that Romney must repudiate his health care law. However, to his credit Romney defended his health care law, although he twisted himself in knots by inexplicably saying that his health plan was not meant to be a National plan.
Newt Gingirich a leading Republican candidate for President is another hypocrite who in the spann of less than 24 hours, was for the individual mandate, yesterday on Meet The Press, but is now against it today, saying it is unconstitutional.
From The Hill
"...during an appearance Sunday on "Meet the Press," the former House Speaker said he believes some form of coverage mandate is appropriate.Today however:
"I've said consistently we ought to have some requirement that you either have health insurance or you post a bond ... or in some way you indicate you're going to be held accountable," he said Sunday. "
"Barely 24 hours after defending an individual insurance mandate on "Meet the Press," Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said he believes the federal requirement is unconstitutional.Oh the Hypocrisy!
"I completely oppose the ObamaCare mandate," Gingrich said in a YouTube video released Monday."
Here is a video of Newt talking about how everyone, (ALL AMERICANS) need to be made to pay for healthcare, there needs to be very large risk pools, all things in the current healthcare law. (56:00 - 1:06:00)
More hypocrisy tomorrow!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Rappers Delight
For days now Fox News has been making hay over the White House's invitation of a rapper to a arts & entertainment event. John Stewart once again points out the hypocrisy and pettiness of their take.
Obama Announces New Energy Policy
Yesterday President Obama announced a new energy policy that fast tracks pending and future applications for drilling. The policy also opens up specific areas of the highly political Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR). Republicans and Democrats alike have a long running dispute over whether drilling in the reserve should be outright banned or done so in a more environmentally friendly way. It looks like the President toook pains to split the baby, in allowing some drilling but in a much more limited way than Republicans have wanted for years. Was this Pragmatism or Capitulation?
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Revisionist History
My Republican friends are incessantly parroting the notion that the President's actions over the last two years were purely political. Things like the Stimulus, Auto bailout, TARP, etc. In my view this is lazy thinking and only serves the lowest common denominator in our debate.
What really burns me is that most of the actions which were taken over the past two years were either started by George W Bush or had similarly been done by previous Republican Presidents including the conservatives hero, Ronald Reagan.
However, my Republican friends keep insisting that the President bailed out the auto companies to help his union buddies? This could not be further from reality. It was reported quite broadly that if GM & Chrysler went down, the supplier network would have went down, which would have taken Ford down with them. The resulting Tsunami would have wiped out not only the thousands of jobs from union workers, but an additional 3 million jobs that made up the supplier networks, dealers, supporting, and symbiotic businesses (restaurants, dry cleaners, diners, etc) in those communities.
History Lesson:
What really burns me is that most of the actions which were taken over the past two years were either started by George W Bush or had similarly been done by previous Republican Presidents including the conservatives hero, Ronald Reagan.
However, my Republican friends keep insisting that the President bailed out the auto companies to help his union buddies? This could not be further from reality. It was reported quite broadly that if GM & Chrysler went down, the supplier network would have went down, which would have taken Ford down with them. The resulting Tsunami would have wiped out not only the thousands of jobs from union workers, but an additional 3 million jobs that made up the supplier networks, dealers, supporting, and symbiotic businesses (restaurants, dry cleaners, diners, etc) in those communities.
History Lesson:
- Which President signed the TARP legislation into law?
- Who was the first President to bail out a private company with taxpayer monies?
- Who was the first President to bail out a automotive company?
- Which President Bush or Obama, that first signed legislation to bail out GM & Chrysler?
- George Bush $700 Billion
- Ronald Reagan who did it twice, bailing out Chrysler and the Savings & Loan institutions
- Ronald Reagan, Chrysler Corp 1980
- George W Bush, $17 Billion in loan guarantees to GM and Chrysler
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
What's Good For The Goose?
Well now that Republicans in the house have stuck their necks out on ending Medicare, they are demanding that Democrats stop attacking them on the issue. If it wasn't so funny it would be sad!
Republicans last fall were relentless in their attacks on Democrats for cutting $500 billion waste from Medicare. They won many seats by attacking the health care plan. Now that the tables have been turned, they are cravenly demanding why can't everyone just get along?
From the WashingtonPost.com
Unbelievable
Republicans last fall were relentless in their attacks on Democrats for cutting $500 billion waste from Medicare. They won many seats by attacking the health care plan. Now that the tables have been turned, they are cravenly demanding why can't everyone just get along?
From the WashingtonPost.com
Led by Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), ten House Republican freshmen held a news conference outside the Capitol Wednesday morning at which they denounced Democrats for honing in on Medicare in an onslaught of attacks on their party.
Unbelievable
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
It's Just A Matter Of Time
Folks, I think I have the House Republicans about figured out. As they start to lose public opinion on one issue, they pull a Boehner and up the rhetoric.
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The Republican position on debt reduction gets more and more confusing everyday. We have Eric Cantor saying that Medicare is off the table and Boehner today saying no way, its still in play? Whatever position the House has on Medicare it is coming increasingly clear that Senate Republicans are running away fast. Senate conservatives have come up with their own plan to balance the budget, but stays away from Medicare and Social Security, while giving a very optimistic take on future revenues and growth.
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How's that Trump for President 2012 workin' out for ya? Ever since the self-described smartest, most successful ma in the world came out talking birther talk and the President smacked him down by releasing the long form BC and bringing Osama Bin laden to justice, Trump's numbers have fallen like a rock. He was never really a serious candidate, was he?
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Just for fun!
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The Republican position on debt reduction gets more and more confusing everyday. We have Eric Cantor saying that Medicare is off the table and Boehner today saying no way, its still in play? Whatever position the House has on Medicare it is coming increasingly clear that Senate Republicans are running away fast. Senate conservatives have come up with their own plan to balance the budget, but stays away from Medicare and Social Security, while giving a very optimistic take on future revenues and growth.
...........................................................................................................
How's that Trump for President 2012 workin' out for ya? Ever since the self-described smartest, most successful ma in the world came out talking birther talk and the President smacked him down by releasing the long form BC and bringing Osama Bin laden to justice, Trump's numbers have fallen like a rock. He was never really a serious candidate, was he?
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Just for fun!
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