The manipulation of fear and prejudice for political gain is a recipe for disaster, it is the most severe challenge democracies face. The manipulation of fear, and the demonizing of a shadowy enemy is a classic tactic for the strangling of democracy. This has killed democracies in the past, and it was very alarming to see it's ugly head in America again.
Thank you America for stepping back from the brink of fascism. I had a feeling that we would not be so easily fooled into submission. I knew that there were certain things that America would not stand for like suppression of the freedom of speech, and our right to demand answers and accountability from the government. I had a feeling that these strengths would carry us through this radical un-American regime. And I'm happy to say we still have the will and the power to save ourselves.
We have a lot stacked against us. The bush administration broke a lot of constitutional boundaries designed to protect us. They showed no regard for checks and balances, they even flaunted the subversion of the constitution and the rule of law openly, and sadly some Americans fell for it.
This is one of the most secretive administrations in history, information control is a high priority for Bush and company, and that is very dangerous. National security was the excuse, but saving face or avoiding retribution was often the real motive. Thankfully some whistleblowers had the courage to release the information about Abu Graib, the NSA spy program, the manipulation of Iraq intelligence, and countless others.
This is also one of the most manipulative administrations in history. They are not afraid to lie in our face. to say things like "Saddam Hussein harbors terrorists. And there are al-Qaeda in Iraq" Bush conveniently left out the fact that those al-Qaeda were trying to overthrow Saddam so he couldn't possibly give them WMD. But this was one of many manipulative sales pitches. lip service to renewable energy and handouts to oil companies. He read the CIA report that the war in Iraq was making us less safe and he lied to us about it before the report was leaked. Uranium from Africa was obviously false, he lied about it.
Subverting the rule of law. Abandoning treaties like the ABM treaty, Kyoto, small arms trade limiting treaties. Calling the Geneva conventions "quaint" the list goes on. This executive branch put itself above the law, that's not how America works.
Wonton destruction of international ties, disregard for allies and other nations. I don't know about you but I wish we had some friends left in this world.
Starting another Arms Race, by trying to scare the world into submission. it doesn't work that way. You need allies, friendships make you safer because you have more people watching your back. All you fuckers who were talking about letting France and the UN dictate American foreign policy.. "oooh nobody can hold us back.. we won't let anybody tell us what to do.. we know everything.. our ideas are better than everyone else.. we don't need to have a conversation or ask for advice.. or check with people who know more about the middle east than we do..." How do you feel now? We invaded Iraq, kicked out the inspectors, and said, bombs are better, we need to kill first and look for WMD later. hey, good fucking job asshole. next time all you Bill Kristols of the world Shut The Fuck Up!!
Man did we lose a lot. We really have. What a shame we don't learn from history. It took us this long to figure stuff out.
Now we have a health care system that serves the drug companies before the people. the Medicare prescription Drug giveaway, you know the government can't negotiate for lower prices? Why not the Veterans Administration drug plan does? oh, right, corruption, line the pockets of the richest Americans.
That explains why we're giving tax breaks to the richest companies in the world, the oil and gas companies. Hello!! they're making record profits, they don't need any subsidies, or any help, they need to be taxed!
Let's spend billions on a war, where all the money goes into the pockets of defense contractors who aren't doing their job. They are charging us tax payers $80 for a case of Coca Cola! They are driving around with empty trucks because they get paid by the trip, they don't have to deliver anything.
Yea global warming doesn't exist, how come the only people who believe that crap are scientists that are paid by the energy industry or the Republican party.
and the deficit, what happened to fiscal responsibility? Bush DOUBLED the deficit in just 6 years, sending us 600 billion more in debt, way to go you fiscal conservative you.
I think the internet helped us a lot. We quickly found out if somebody was lying by doing a Google search and finding the transcript or video of the lie. Tons of concerned people were linking back and forth, pointing to official documents and mind blowing investigations. Secrecy is not so easy nowadays.
We have just overcome something big. This Republican government war drunk with power.
What does a Democratic Congress Mean
Contrary to Republican scare tactics, I don't think it is going to be payback time. I don't think the most liberal policies are going to be suddenly thrust down the throats of an unwilling electorate. and I don't think the democrats are going to be the congressional bullies. Although no matter what they do they couldn't possibly top the last 4 years of republican rule.
It boggles the mind when conservatives warn against polarizing the country. Does "you're either with us or your with the terrorists" ring a bell? how about straight party line votes in congress, and wedge issues like flag burning and gay marriage. I have the scream when republicans talk about Democrats being divisive.
But back to the point, I think Democrats know that a lot of people should be on their side, and they're going to show it. They aren't going to be divisive, there are so many issues ahead of things like abortion and gay marriage, they won't have time for those, nor do they want to bother calming oppositional voices. Republican citizens have been voting against their best interests for a long time. And over the past 6 years Republicans have become the party of the Super Rich, while the middle class has shrunk. The Democrats are going to go for those broadly supported yet long neglected issues that everyone agrees upon.
The democrats will work on raising the minimum wage. They got a bill to the floor but the Republicans put abolishing the estate tax on the same bill so it failed. Anyone have an estate worth over $7 million? ok none of you will pay the estate tax, only .5% of estates pay any tax whatsoever. gee sounds like a pressing issue
They will also work on Energy independence. Scary huh? too bad everyone supports that. getting rid of fat oil companies and high gas prices, sound's like a far left fringe issue to me.
They will also investigate where our tax money is being wasted. Hmm I thought that used to concern republicans.. I guess power and campaign contributions made looking after our tax dollars a non-issue, wasting tax money became a great policy when it went to their friends in the oil and pharmaceutical industries.
There will be investigations on waste and fraud in Iraq.
The Medicare Prescription Drug Plan will be amended so that the government can buy in bulk and negotiate for lower prices. Hmm saving my money.
Social Security is not in as much danger as the Republicans made you believe, small changes will be put forward eventually.
Taxes, you have to face it, the whole mantra of lower taxes is a bunch of bullshit that republicans pay lip service to. How come the middle class hasn't felt any tax relief? and how come our jobs pay less, and our money buys less than it has since the 60s? The Republicans have lowered taxes all right, on the top 1% of America. And guess what it hasn't stimulated the economy at all!!!
There is a simple equation for this economic taxation mumbo jumbo. If you want to stimulate the economy, you give money to the people who are most likely to spend it. Wow, that's not so hard, how come nobody told the president? The people most likely to spend money are Those who need new cars, a new water heater, a new roof, a paint job, a new TV, to pay off their credit card, go out to dinner for once, a new house, maybe they stop renting and buy a house, new shoes, a winter jacket, a new computer on and on. It's an indisputable fact that the middle and lower class spend money, not the richest 1%. We have given all the tax breaks to the top 1% they put it in the bank, the end. No seriously someone has $4 million in assets, you give them an extra $8,000, they might expand their business and hire new employees, but most likely it's going to the bank to earn interest. They don't really need that money, they're ok as it is, they can choose to spend it or not. Unlike you and me, who really need that new car but we can't afford it, we really need to do some home repair, and we need to buy a house and stop living paycheck to paycheck. We will spend the money, that stimulates the economy.
So eventually we're going to have to get some money into the pockets of the middle class and the working poor. We will have to raise taxes on the rich... go cry me a river, I said we're going to have to raise taxes on the rich. Sorry, the democrats won't be acting on that one any time soon, they can't cause the Republicans will manipulate it for all it's worth, "high taxes, kill jobs, hate America" you know, the usual. Bush's tax cuts will expire in 2010 but that's the best that can happen, and you know the Republicans will cry foul, even though it's the middle class that has been fouled for so long.
I just feel bad that the Democrats have to deal with Iraq, they were all lied to by Bush, and he knew it all along. Now we have a horrible mess, and those who aren't responsible will have to deal with it.
I still don't feel all that saved
Josh, I agree with you "What is good for corporations is rarely good for the average guy on the street" let's start there and protect jobs from going over seas to countries with questionable human rights records. Fact is if Americans got paid better Wal-Mart wouldn't be necessary. Funny thing, business always tries to argue that raising wages hurts the economy, but in every american state that has raised the minimum wage the economy has gotten better as a direct result, because you are doing exactly what I said, giving money to the people who are most likely to spend it. Maybe raising takes on the rich isn't necessary if you can find some other way to funnel money downward through wages and reducing expenses.
And by the way, health care is a big expense for American corporations, let's reduce their bottom line and enable them to sell for less by getting rid of the burden of healthcare. This is a big fish to fry, but the benefits are obvious. it's unfair that american corporations have to pick up the tab for healthcare. It's shocking that so few corporations are advocating for a single payer government healthcare system. Also the burden is shared by the employees who pay a premium for coverage, they would have more money in their pockets if healthcare was covered through taxes rather than out of pocket every month. I don't know what the specific solution to this is, but I'm sure we could come up with a system that pleased both you and me. We have the most expensive healthcare system but we are ranked about #25 for health. This is a problem that won't be solved without government intervention. And I'm sure we could come up with a fair solution that you and I, and rational people everywhere could agree upon.
HEELLLLL YEAAH!!!
Very nicely written... Sarcastic and Entertaining- But all so very true.
Now I see why you were up all night writing this... :-)
The bottom half of Americans pay exponentially less in taxes than the top half - if the only way to make middle class people "feel it" is by taking from the rich to give to the poor I am 100% against it. Where I'm absolutely gagging to see tax reform is the so-called corporate welfare. Nobody in their right mind believes that oil companies need tax breaks, and I hope that the Democrats end it ASAP. Prepare for the oil companies to throw a fit and threaten higher gas prices, however.
When you aren't in power, you don't get to run the agenda - this is why Democrats (up until now!) have not had much of a say in having hearings and getting bills to the floor. Theres no dirty tricks involved there - if you don't run the comittees then you cannot call hearings and getting opposing legislation through is very difficult. Matt Taibbi's piece was amateurish, and the only reason why it got published in RS was because of the fierce anti-Republican rhretoric. RS is worse for having a little bit of the Beast in it.
I'm all for people having more money in their pockets, but it is wrong to rob Peter to give to Paul. Whether or not they really need the money is irrelevant - the richest pay the most taxes and as a result receive substantially more back when taxes are cut. Doing what I do for a living, however, I can tell you that the erosion of the middle class is real - I've seen it up close in 32 states.
The economy is fantastic - that is, if you have money invested in the stock market. You are incorrect about whether or not the tax cuts have stimulated the economy. If you look at the statistics, everything looks great - low unemployment, market highs, more home owners than any time in American history, etc. - much like everything else, from what I've seen with my own eyes, I don't think stats tell the whole story. Trickle down economics does work, to an extent - taxes have been cut yet receipts are high. Middle class Americans HAVE gotten more tax money back then they had previously. The economy *has* been stimulated to a great extent as a result of the tax cuts.
Where the Republicans failed, and I hope the Democrats suceed, is in protecting American jobs from going overseas and begin doing less business with countries with questionable human rights records. What is good for corporations is rarely good for the average guy on the street. The bottom line is this, who do you trust more to be benevolent to the middle class - corporations or government? Its a global economy, and similarly Americans should expect to have to compete in the global marketplace. This means, unfortunately, that unless you want to pay $30 for a white t-shirt and $130 for a pair of Levi's, Americans will have to adapt.
It is basically the Wal-Mart paradox - people love Wal-Mart, particularly in rural areas, because their money goes further. Wal-Mart achieves this by being ruthless in negotiating price, which trickles down to the manufacturers... the people I visit. The #1 controllable cost for manufacturers is labor, which is why production has been going overseas. As long as Americans want cheap stuff (and demand for cheap stuff is extraordinarily high), its going to have to be made overseas in order for people to continue paying low prices. Very few of the American manufacturers that I've visited pay extraordinarily high wages. Some places I've visited pay on average $50k a year, while others pay strictly minimum wage - in order for American companies to compete, you can guess which end of the spectrum the majority lies in if they aren't in a niche market.
I'm interested to see if Democrats have a solution for this.
Sure David, if you want a little back and forth I'm willing to oblige. We've always gotten along and I know we can learn from each other.
I don't care if ALL the issues I support are addressed, what I am happiest about is that we will no longer be unilaterally ruled by dangerous extremists. Bush and the neo-cons represent a radical regime and I'm glad Americans have woken up. I don't think it's right to shove your agenda down anybody's throat. Bush was constantly saying "HaHa Fuck You" to the democrats when he used his signing statements, and the republicans twisted people's arms to get some radical legislation passed on a party line vote. They used every dirty trick in the book to prevent democrats from having Hearings, getting bills to the floor, having a say on committee reports and etc, if you want to know how much the democrats were bullied by the Republicans I'd like you the Read Matt Taibbi's piece in Rolling Stone, "The Worst Congress Ever" :::link::: Matt did a lot of research and interviews, there are some amazing stories told by congress people about republican bullying. I'm happy to end that era.
This is my position on Democracy. I don't believe in any particular team, I believe that if you have a diverse group of people rationally discussing how to handle an issue, if people aren't stubborn, and are willing to see the issue from somebody else's perspective, you will get good policy. I don't think good policy comes from one team or another, it's the thoughtful democratic exchange that creates good policy. The congress isn't at a point where it can impeach bush or raise taxes, oh well, I still think we are going to have a more democratic discussion there (democratic with a small 'd') more civility, more open and honest, and that is a big deal.
PS I'd love to hear your criticisms if you get a chance. I always want to know what king of holes are left in my arguments.. it's that whole democratic exchange thing.
Actually I do have a question for you David. You say you want taxes raised, and Ajay says he wants impeachment. Have you been watching what Pelosi, et al have said? Neither are going to happen, if you believe politicians anyway, so why would Liberals like yourself and Ajay cheer on policies that, at the core, you disagree with? Is it a case of, well at least we aren't run by the far right anymore?
I vehemently disagree with a lot of this rhetoric, but I'm glad that you're passionate and involved, because most young people aren't. Good for you.