Category Archives: Politics

Origins Of The Right’s Misplaced Hate Of Obama.

Posted on by

I confess that I’ve long been confused about the intense (and, I believe irrational) hatred of President Obama, when it appears to me that he has been guilty of nothing more than trying to correct the problems created by the previous administration.

Upon reflection, I believe it stems from the Right’s unfailing belief in the so-called “free” market.

When the economy, led by the housing market and a lack of common-sense regulations, careened off a cliff in late 2008, the Bush administration recommended a bill to Congress that called for the US to spend billions in order to prop up the failing banks. Lacking the support of Republican leaders in Congress, the measure initially failed. But when the stock markets crashed as a result, enough Congressmen were persuaded to change their votes and the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) went into effect.

The program ultimately stabilized the markets and the economy enough to prevent the Great Recession from turning into a second Great Depresssion. Yet many Republicans were furious. They believed TARP to be a government intrusion into the infallibility of free market principles. When President Obama subsequently offered government-backed loans to General Motors and Chrysler in order to stave off the collapse of the American automobile industry, the free market Republicans and Libertarians went ballistic.

Capitalizing on an idea by a Republican strategist, groups such as the Koch-funded American FreedomWorks spent millions to rally free market believers to protest. They labeled the movement a modern day Tea Party. It turned out to be the perfect way to inspire the Republican base which was dispirited following the 2008 elections.

Teapublicans deluded themselves into believing that the Great Recession was not the fault of the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act or the Bush administration’s lax oversight of the financial industry.

They focused, instead, on President Obama’s attempts to fend off an economic Armegeddon. In addition, they convinced themselves that the national debt, which had doubled under President Bush, was now the fault of President Obama. They believed the auto bail-outs and economic stimulus were evidence that the administration was moving toward socialism. The President’s eventual signing of a bill to reform the out-of-control healthcare system added even more fuel to the torches being carried by the Tea Party.

When viewed in context, the Teapublican fears seem irrational. But when viewed through a partisan lens and slavish devotion to free market principles, regardless of their consequences, the fears are understandable, if not logical.

Moreover, this helps to explain why so many lower and middle class Americans vote against their self-interest by supporting Republican candidates determined to transfer wealth upward through tax breaks for the wealthy.

Over many years of listening to Fox News pundits and Rush-to-the-table Limbaugh, these people have become convinced that all of their problems will be solved if only we rid ourselves of government intrusion and allow Teapublican leaders to work their free market magic. Indeed, these voters are likely convinced that the only thing standing between them and unimagined riches are evil Democrats, who in their Teapublican minds, are trying to replace capitalism with socialism, or worse yet, communism or fascism.

Never mind that many of these people don’t have a clue of what any of these “isms” actually mean. Hence the Tea Party signs that read “Keep your government hands off my Medicare.”

Teapublican Lie #21.

Posted on by

“Teapublicans are pro-life.”

I guess it depends on whose life we’re talking about.

Yes, Teapublicans do protect the unborn by fighting all abortion, even if carrying the child to full-term endangers the health of the woman. But, after the child is born, as far as they’re concerned, it’s on its own. For example, Teapublicans have opposed or cut funding for stem cell research that could save lives, even if the stem cells are taken from umbilical cords after the birth of a child.

Teapublicans have opposed or cut funding for so-called “Welfare Moms” that would help to feed and house children. They have opposed funding for SCHIP, the federal program that provides healthcare to children of those living below the poverty line. They’ve opposed the extension of unemployment benefits forcing many families into homelessness. They’ve opposed programs such as Early Childhood Family Education. They’ve opposed sex education, which might result in fewer unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Indeed, they’ve opposed education in general, as evidenced by their draconian cuts to the funding of public education in virtually every “Red” state.

What Teapublicans do favor is easy access to guns which result in the homicides of more than 12,000 Americans annually. They also seem to favor war, such as the “blood for oil” wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which have killed tens of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan children, not to mention more than 4,600 US troops.

So even though Democrats favor a woman’s right to choose when it comes to her own body, tell me. Which is the true pro-life party?

A Fast And Furious Gunfight.

Posted on by

Teapublicans, especially those in Arizona, have their tea bags in a knot over a botched 2009 sting operation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives code-named “Fast and Furious.”

The operation, which apparently began out of frustration with the courts’ failure to adequately convict and punish those who provide guns to the Mexican drug cartels, focused on a group of “straw buyers” who purchased more than 1,500 weapons from Phoenix-area gun dealers. According to records, dozens of AK-47 type weapons would be purchased at once. The buyers would often return a few days later to buy many more weapons from the same stores. Rather than bust the buyers, ATF agents were told by supervisors to let the guns “walk” in hopes of tracking them to those who were directing the gun buys on behalf of the cartels.

When two of the weapons were later found to have been involved in the death of US Border Patrol agent, Brian Terry, there was understandable outrage.

The Teapublican-controlled Congress seized upon the story in order to embarrass the Obama administration. Congressman Darrell Issa even called for the resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder.  Yet it was Teapublican interference and policies which created the environment that led to the operation.

B. Todd Jones, who has now assumed command of the bureau is the fifth “acting director” since 2006. Thanks to Teapublican obstructionism, the 5,000-employee ATF has not had a permanent director since it was spun off from the Treasury Department in 2006. All of the people nominated by the Bush and Obama administrations to regulate the $28 billion firearms industry have been opposed by the gun rights lobby, including veteran ATF agent, Andrew Traver, whose nomination has been stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee for nearly a year.

Also, Arizona’s Teapublican-sponsored gun laws are at the very root of the weapons smuggling problem. The state’s laws, which were written by the National Rifle Association, permit any citizen who can pass a federal background check to walk into an Arizona gun shop and buy as many weapons as he or she wants. The laws are even more lax when it comes to the state’s many gun shows where there are no background checks.

Finally, the state’s laws provide little real punishment for the straw buyers. If they’re caught, they usually face charges of falsely stating that they purchased the guns for themselves, a punishment that hardly fits the crime.

Teapublican Lie #20.

Posted on by

“Teabaggers are patriots. Occupy Wall Street demonstrators are misguided thugs and revolutionaries.”

The Tea Party claimed to be a grassroots movement, but in reality, it was created by Republican strategists, financed by Republican think tanks and billionaires, and promoted and publicized by Fox News Channel, Rush-To-Judgement Limbaugh and the rest of the Republican megaphones.

The Occupy Wall Street movement, on the other hand, receives no money from millionaires and billionaires. It has no think tanks to fund it. And it has no media organizations under its control. The movement was created by a diverse group of young people fed up with the wealthy who control Congress and dictate public policy. And it’s growing.

So why are the Teapublicans now dismissing them as out-of-control rabble? Why are Teapublicans portraying them as dangerous and disrespectful? And why are Teapublicans saying “they ought to get a job?” Actually, that’s the question at the very heart of the movement. The Occupy Wall Streeters want to get a job, but feel that Teapublican policies dictated by the wealthy prevent them from any chance of success.

Instead of trying to initiate legislation that might create jobs to make the Occupy Wall Streeters go home, Teapublicans would rather spend their time denying tax hikes for millionaires and billionaires. And they are using their media megaphones to portray the movement as dangerous. On his daily radio diatribe, Glenn Beck even said, “They’re coming to kill you!”

Hmmm…think about it for a moment. Which group brought guns to their rallies and carried signs with overt threats against Congress and the President? Here’s a hint: It wasn’t the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators.

A Look Into The Future of Teapublican Budget Cuts.

Posted on by

Despite the fact that our $14 trillion debt was largely created by Teapublican presidents, now that we have a Democratic president, the Teapublican-controlled Congress is dead set on forcing enormous budget cuts at any cost.

Set aside for a moment that their primary agenda is to end regulations for their corporate masters and to starve only those departments that are contrary to their ideology (primarily the EPA and the Dept. of Education). The real concern is what such draconian cuts will do to our economy.

If you want to see a preview of the consequences, you need only to look to Greece.

As you likely know, the Greek government is in danger of default. To “cure” its ills, Germany along with the other nations that are part of the European Union, agreed to bail out Greece. But only if Greece would enact drastic spending cuts and large tax hikes.

The result? It would seem that the “cure” is in danger of killing the patient. Indeed, the cuts have put the entire European Union in recession. And the symptoms have spread to the US. Every time the European Union sneezes, our markets react.

The problem is that the new austerity measures have resulted in more Greeks losing their jobs. And without jobs, the Greeks are unable to pay the increased taxes. Many have been forced to pay taxes out of their savings (if they have savings). Many can’t pay their taxes at all. That only results in more deficits, more spending cuts, more tax increases, and so on.

Although Greece is the most extreme example of an economy in trouble, it’s not alone.

Ireland’s economy is also particularly weak. You may remember that before the global recession, Ireland was called the “Celtic Tiger” having built its reputation by luring foreign corporations (many from the US) through some of the lowest corporate taxes in the world. Indeed, Teapublicans have repeatedly cited Ireland as a model for reforming our own corporate tax structure.

One would hope that our nation could learn from these examples of what not to do. But, since Teapublicans mostly ignore anything beyond our borders (except for oil deposits), I’m not hopeful.

Another Dickish Demand.

Posted on by

Will Richard, The Dick, Cheney never take the hint and just fade into retirement?

Previous former presidents and vice presidents retired to their compounds surrounded by Secret Service (such as George W. Bush) or devoted themselves to humanitarian causes (such as Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton).  Former vice-president and presidential election winner, Al Gore, has occupied his time by trying to convince Teapublicans that science exists. 

On the other hand, The Dick keeps elbowing his way onto cable TV to push his particular brand of hate and meanness. His most recent such foray was on CNN’s State of the Union, where he said that President Obama owes the Bush administration an apology.

An apology? For what? For cleaning up the two unfunded wars started by The Dick and his puppet Bush? For cleaning up the economic disaster left behind? For cleaning up the oil and financial industries run wild? For trying to restore our nation’s stature in the world after years of violating the Geneva Conventions? For finally tracking down the leaders of Al-Qaeda?

No, according to The Dick, President Obama should take back his criticism of the Bush administration’s tactics in the war on terrorism. More specifically, The Dick wants President Obama to take back statements from his 2009 speech in Cairo, in which he said the trauma of 9/11 caused America to “act contrary to our ideals.”

It appears The Dick had his feelings hurt (yeah, I know, it’s hard to imagine that he of the bionic heart has feelings) when President Obama denounced The Dick’s “enhanced interrogation” as torture. Of course, The Dick’s waterboarding technique is specifically defined as torture by the Geneva Conventions. But, despite that inconvenient truth, The Dick claims, “We were never torturing anyone in the first place. He (Obama) said we walked away from our basic fundamental ideals. That simply wasn’t the case.”

Even The Dick’s daughter piled on the current President. “He slandered the nation,” said Liz Cheney, “and I think he owes an apology to the American people.”

Proving that you don’t have to be male to be a Dick.

Teapublican Lie #19.

Posted on by

“Solyndra is an example of the Obama administration’s runaway spending.”

Yes, the Obama administration provided a federally-backed loan of $535 million to help Solyndra create thin film solar cells. Yes, the company went bankrupt. But before you join the Teapublican-led lynch mob to hold the administration accountable, ask yourself: How much more money has been wasted on government loans and subsidies for oil companies? Have you ever heard Teapublicans complain about wasting taxpayer money on a dry well? Have you ever seen a House panel investigate loans or subsidies to carbon-based fuel companies?

But that’s different you say. There’s no certainty in finding oil.

Well, there’s no certainty that a new product will succeed, either. Fact is, the Energy Department took a chance on a company that wanted to build state-of-the-art solar cells in the US, instead of China. The Energy Department took a chance that a government-backed loan would result in more US-based jobs, less dependence on foreign oil and lower carbon emissions. Unfortunately, Solyndra failed as the result of increased competition from foreign manufacturers which are heavily subsidized by their governments. And because Congress failed to pass a comprehensive energy bill that includes alternative energy sources.

Oil production is heavily subsidized through tax breaks at virtually every stage of the exploration and extraction process. So, if the US is willing to risk hundreds of billions in exploration for gas and oil with great risk to our environment, why is it a problem for the federal government to risk taxpayer money to develop clean energy alternatives?

Could it be that the solar and wind industries don’t have lobbyists which heavily contribute to Teapublican election campaigns?

Teapublican Lie #18.

Posted on by

“The wealthiest Americans pay a disproportionate share of federal taxes.”

Seriously? That’s the crapola they want us to believe?

To counter President Obama’s plan to pay for his Jobs Act by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans, Teapublicans have gone on the offensive (Yeah, I know, they were already offensive enough) to protect the wealth of their political puppeteers. Through a series of appearances on Sunday morning talk shows, they point to data from the Tax Policy Center showing that the top 1 percent of Americans pays 38 percent of federal income taxes.

Assuming that data is correct, it actually disproves the Teapublicans’ point. After all, by most estimates, the top 1 percent controls more than 39 percent of the nation’s financial wealth (excluding their multi-million dollar homes, high-priced cars, etc.). Therefore, the top 1 percent is actually paying less than its share of federal taxes. And, thanks to Teapublicans, the share of income paid in taxes by the 400 richest Americans has fallen by nearly 40 percent, even as their incomes have approximately quadrupled!

It’s good to be rich. Especially in Teapublican America.

The Least Generation.

Posted on by

If the heroes of WWII were the Greatest Generation, how would you describe those who have followed in their footsteps? I’d have to say the reviews are mixed.

Take my generation of so-called Baby Boomers.  We started out by fighting for Civil Rights. When confronted with a lame and unjustified war in Vietnam, many of our generation fought despite reservations while the rest of us fought to end wars against those who never attacked our shores. A few years later, we fought to win equal rights for women. And many of us took up other noble causes such as fighting for a cleaner, safer environment.

All of that was admirable. But what have we done lately? Moreover, what has the post-boomer generation (those who are now in their 40s and 50s) done? Let’s just say they may be remembered as the Least Generation.

While the Greatest Generation believed in shared sacrifice in order to obtain lofty goals, such as overcoming the Great Depression and overthrowing despotic dictators such as Adolph Hitler, the Least Generation voted to give themselves tax cuts. While the Greatest Generation built our nation’s infrastructure with hard work and tax dollars, the Least Generation has stood idly by and watched that infrastructure crumble.

While the Greatest Generation toiled and sweat to earn a better future for their children, the Least Generation has mostly reserved its sweat for the athletic club. While the Greatest Generation fought for labor unions and workers’ rights, the Least Generation has fought to destroy them.

While the Greatest Generation scrimped and sacrificed to maintain the war effort, the Least Generation has mostly patted soldiers on the back with a very public “thank you for your service” and privately told themselves “thank God that’s not my son or daughter.”

In recent years, politicians from the Least Generation such as Michelle Bachmann and Eric Cantor have shown they’d rather play partisan politics than do what’s best for our country. They have voted to end welfare. They have cut Medicaid, public education, Early Family Childhood Education and social services while cutting taxes for millionaires and billionaires. They have fought to maintain subsidies and tax loopholes for the world’s largest and most profitable corporations while refusing to extend benefits for the unemployed.

They have voted to cut Social Security rather than raise the cap on FICA contributions for those making more than $106,800. They’ve voted to end Medicare rather than root out the causes of inflated medical costs or negotiate the cost of pharmaceuticals with manufacturers. And they were willing to risk government default rather than risk alienating their wealthy contributors by raising taxes.

Let’s hope the next generation does better. But I’m not optimistic.

Teapublican Lie #17.

Posted on by

“The federal government paid $16 each for muffins.”

Last week, Teapublican megaphone, Fox News Channel, reverberated with charges that the Department of Justice purchased muffins at $16 apiece at law enforcement conferences in Denver, Colorado.

It was a sensational story.

Teapublican bully and buffoon, Bill O’Reilly used the story to excuse the fact that he and other millionaires pay lower taxes than the middle class. In his interview on The Daily Show, he said he wouldn’t mind paying a little more taxes. But only when the federal government gets spending under control and stops wasting his money on things like $16 muffins. The only problem is that, as usual, O’Reilly is wrong.

According to Hilton Hotels where the law enforcement conferences were held, the $16 charge was actually for a full continental breakfast plus tax. Hardly the extravagant waste of taxpayer money that Fox claimed. And, of course, the alleged transgressions occurred during both the Bush and Obama administrations. (But Teapublicans conveniently ignored that fact.)

And before you make the claim that the cost is still unjustified, consider this. A large part of business and government work consists of meetings, and employees need to eat – even government employees. Additionally, $16 is hardly an outrageous sum for a meal. Have you ever ordered breakfast in a New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Washington, DC hotel? Compared to those prices, $16 for breakfast is a steal.

Of course, you’re not likely to hear the truth about “Muffingate” on Fox News Channel. But that should come as no surprise. Fox News Channel seldom tells the truth about anything.