Although followers of Pop Music are singing that “It’s all
about the Bass,” for many years we have been told that “It’s all about the
economy, stupid!” Based on this week’s
election results, that is NOT true any longer.
The repudiation of our President and his administration
cannot possibly be about the economy.
When the Bush Presidency ended, the stock market had just
crashed, the auto industry was destroyed, the real estate market was destroyed,
most homeowner’s home equity was destroyed, the banking system was destroyed,
unemployment was on its way to 10%, a $7 trillion Iraq war was in full force,
crude oil had gone from $25 to $138 per barrel and Insurance costs for EVERYONE
had doubled from 2001-2008. Additionally,
President Bush had turned a budget surplus into serious deficits and took us
into a recession.
So, what has happened since then? The Dow has risen over 200% from 7949 to over
17,000. The Standard and Poor has risen
over 250%, GDP growth has gone from -5.3% to +4.2%,
unemployment has fallen to around 6% and the deficit as a % of GDP has
decreased over 70% from 9.8% to 2.9%, ands gas prices have even fallen below $3 per gallon! BUT, the Republican have been voted into control of our Congress! IT’s NOT about the economy, stupid!
Senate Republicans have blocked
every jobs bill proposed, a minimum wage increase, tax cuts for the middle
class, student loan relief, bring jobs home act, equal pay for women, getting
big money out of politics and even the violence against women act. The National GOP agenda includes tax breaks
for the rich and large corporations, cuts to Social Security, Medicare,
Medicaid and Education, denial of the reality of climate change, support for
Citizens United and the ability of the Koch Brothers and other billionaires to
buy elections and unnecessary increased military spending. But, the Republicans have regained control of
OUR Congress. It’s NOT about the
economy, stupid!
My Republican friends talk about the welfare state and the
takers in our country. Hmmm, who are the
REAL takers? Many corporations in our
industrial-military complex that pay ZERO income taxes? The oil companies that we pay billions of
dollars of tax breaks? Or the over 3000 tax filers making over $2.2 million
that pay zero taxes or the 24,000 tax filers making between $533,000 and $2.2
million that pay zero taxes. Or even the 78,000 tax filers making between
$211,000 and $533,000 that pay ZERO taxes?
It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!
Do you want to go back to where we were before Obama was
elected President? GREAT…let’s increase
unemployment by 1/3, triple the deficit, slash stock prices by more than half,
take away health care from millions (including me) that didn’t have insurance
and roll back 50 straight months of private sector job growth. Now are you happy? It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!
In 2014, the 2nd quarter GDP was at 4.6% and the
3rd quarter was at 3.5%, giving us the strongest 6-month growth
period in over 10 years. According to
the New York Times, based on current projections, the average DEFICIT through
President Obama’s 2nd term will be smaller that it was through Saint
Reagan’s 2nd term.
Incidentally, Reagan tripled the deficit and got 18 clean debt ceiling
increases…Obama cuts the deficit in half and gets compared to Hitler along with
government shutdowns. It’s NOT about the
economy, stupid!
The Republicans and FOX News (one and the same) keep telling
us that Obamacare cut $716 from Medicare.
The TRUTH is that The Affordable Care Act EXTENDED Medicare’s solvency
by 4 years by trimming $716 billion in wasteful payments to hospitals and
insurers, NOT Beneficiaries! But, then
again, Mr. Boehner and his cohorts continue to waste MY tax dollars by holding multiple votes on repealing the ACA and by trying
to sue The President although the first 2 law firms they have hired have quit
because the lawsuit is so extremely frivolous. Interesting to note that in those states that
have created state exchanges, the cost of Health care has decreased for
most. In states, such as Florida, where
our crooked Governor refuses to create an exchange, costs continue to go
up…because, that way, our Governor can reward the insurance companies that have
given him millions of dollars to get reelected.
It’s NOT about the economy,
stupid!
I know it is very confusing to my friends that tell me that
they are “fiscal Conservatives, but Liberal on Social Issues.” when I point out
facts, rather than Republican talking points.
I am not sure exactly what they hope the Republicans will do. Trickle down economics (or as President Bush,
the elder, called it…Voodoo Economics) has never worked, and will never
work. Nobody has ever been able to cite
a single reference where trickle down theory has worked. Our middle class is suffering and without a
strong middle class, we are doomed to failure.
It about job creation and a resulting strong middle class …The
Republicans have exactly NO plans to make that happen. By the way, how come Congress gets a Cost of
Living increase in pay each year, but the Minimum Wage has not moved in many
years? November 4, 2014 will go down in
history as the day that the Koch Brothers and The Walton Family successfully spent
hundreds of million of dollars to BUY our Senate, giving them FULL control of
Congress. And THAT further weakens the
middle class and decimates the working poor in our Country. It’s NOT about the
economy, stupid!
If it’s NOT about the economy, then what is it about? Immigration reform? Maybe, but the Republicans refuse to put
forth a plan. National Security? Maybe, but it was under a Republican
President that we were attacked on 9/11.
Leadership? Possibly, because OUR
President has not been able to get Congress to work with him on ANYTHING. Our support of Israel? This seems to be a major issue among many of
my friends, but no matter who the President is, we will ALWAYS support our only
true friend in the Middle East. Is it
Social Issues such as a woman’s right to choose, equal pay for women, education
spending, Equal rights for LGBT, decriminalization of Marijuana, right to die? Is it about global warming, the global
financial crisis, handling of the Ebola crisis, ISIS and other global concerns? If so, where are the Republicans plans on
those subjects? Its okay to criticize,
but show me your alternative plans! One
thing I am certain about, is that It’s NOT about the economy, stupid!
Fear and Hate are
terrible things and have no place in our National discourse. In a recent poll, one-third of Louisiana
Republicans blame President Obama for the government’s disastrous response to
Hurricane Katrina, which took place under President Bush. This is indicative of the vitriol that is
spewed and encouraged by Fox News, the Tea Party, The Koch Brothers and their
ilk. One can disagree with the policies
of OUR President…after all, our Country is founded on the principal of Free
Speech and independent thought…but the resulting fear and hate is uncalled
for. I am appalled at the level of hate
that I read daily. I have a real hard
time understanding how these people’s HATE for Obama and the Democratic agenda is based on facts and
logic.
AND THE JOURNEY
CONTINUES………..
