The current Republican leadership won’t cut the military budget or make corporations and the really rich pay their fair share of taxes (or, in some cases any taxes at all!) but they demand deep budget cuts that would pretty much eviscerate programs that help the disadvantaged in this country.
The only way I can begin to understand the thinking behind the Republican strategy is by reminding myself of what Naomi Klein writes in her book, “Shock Doctrine.” I read it right after Hurricane Katrina shattered New Orleans and the Bush administration wasn’t trying to really help that city. By happenstance, I picked up Klein’s book in an airport in Europe, started reading it on the plane home and couldn’t put it down. Ah ha!!! Suddenly the whole right wing approach, not just to New Orleans, but to Iraq, Sri Lanka (post Tsunami), to new, privately incorporated cities that had started springing up around Atlanta, depriving that city of much needed taxes, suddenly made sense. Privatize everything (this is already happening!) No more safety nets or opportunities for the poor. Let the poor and lower middle class be damned. But Green Zones of affluence, comfort and safety will be privately supported.
We cannot let this happen. The American Dream must prevail.
elaine worth
This is not the Republicans. It is Obama. Jeffrey Imlett with General Electric paid 0 taxes, most of his businesses are overseas and he is suppose to be advising Obama on business. This man sold products to Iran during the Iraq war that Iran sent to Iraq to kill our troops. When Jack Welch was CEO of General Electric it was a good corporation and the stocks stayed up. Since he left and Imlett took over the corporation is going down hill so Imlett being the disease he is joined up with Obama and started getting government contracts, which are being fulfilled by setting up businesses overseas & maybe sweat shops,I don’t know that, but if not it is jobs that should be here in America. Obama hates business. He said these people that are so rich he doesn’t begrudge them for being so but just how much money do you need? I am sure he wasn’t referring to his sports guys that he is always betting on. I know he wasn’t talking about the Puppet Master, George Soro’s either? Obama has spent more money then all the other Presidents put together and don’t you see what is wrong with that? He took our taxpayers dollars and instead of helping the taxpayers he bailed out automakers and still controls 60%+ of those. He bailed out banks some of which have paid us back but he controls 60% of those. He took over college loans & I understand the pay back fee is a lot higher then it was. He is trying to force feed us a health care plan that we pay on for 10 years for 6 years of some medical help, unless we have lived a full life & are dying & it is not worth the money to save us. Don’t get upset & think I am making this up – research it yourself. 85% of Americans had health insurance that we liked with the doctors we liked and did not want to be forced onto a government run socialized health care like in Europe. Some states, all unions, all of Congress & Senate & Obama & his administration & his czars get to keep their good insurance but the rest of us he is trying to force feed us & we got a Federal Judge ruled it Unconstitutional & he is ignoring him. A Federal Judge said the oil rig people could go back to work on the oil rigs & Obama won’t acknowledge that or obey the Judges ruling which is an impeachable offense. We do not have the money to spend on all this Cap & Trade which is a bill of so called goods that Gore sold & made a fortune on it the scientists he used came out & said they lied & disappeared. Sort of like his wife, whatever happened to her after the divorce. He talked about Bill Clinton like a dog for cheating but he hurt that massage therapist that he ordered up for a message. Obama is now out on the campaign trail. We have 3 wars going, Harry Reid & Pelosi are lying to the American people when they should had the budget for this year completed last October. Now everybody wants to say the Republicans are trying to hurt people when they are trying to get us out of this horrible debt Obama put us in & Obama won’t stay here and do his job & help them to get this budget sorted out. He just wants to campaign with his billion dollars he has because he loves to spend money & stand up on a stage & impress people with all his lies coming out both sides of his mouth. Did you know George Soros is having a meeting I believe in New Hampshire tomorrow, April 8th, my Mother’s 87th birthday, my Dad had his on 1/9/11. He is suffering with shingles for 5 months now. Anyway Soro’s is meeting with 20 some bankers from all over the world. He wants to do in the US Dollar & make another money from another country the leading money of the world. That is how he makes his money is by destroying countries, downgrading their money. I do not quite understand or can explain exactly how it works but he has done it several times which is what has made him so rich. He also paid a lot of money to Media Matters & Huffington Post to try & bring down Glen Beck & Fox News. I am sure I wore you out on this one so I hope you will research some of this if not all and realize who and what is hurting our country. The UN & Obama are wanting us to all be a Global One World Order & spread the wealth. Now I do not have a lot of money, my husband works very hard & I am on oxygen but I do not want someone else’s money & I only want to give money to those I choose not spread it around or give it to Obama to spread around. I am not going to read this over for mistakes if I made them I am sorry. I am exhausted now. Allergies really make it hard to breathe & sometimes lately I am not able to breathe good & it makes me weak.
Timothy Dougherty
Hello Jane,
Seems like it has hit the fan,when the government closed because of a budget stalemate.
The credibility of the United States government is on the line. As average Americans society we have obligations to one another meaning the wealthiest among us must pay their fair share.
The loses jobs or homes, people who are terribly sick can count on the rest of us in some collective obligations to our elderly, our children. This is why we have government in the first place. We are in it together, We the People.
with love and care,
Jema Watts
Watched Naomi’s talk at Washington University, I believe is where it was, and yes she has definitely predicted what is happening in this country. Makes me sick. On my Facebook page I have countless of uninformed people posting how they want welfare recipients to be drug tested but nothing on the corporations who avoid paying taxes. What are we to do Jane? How can we educate these poor bastards?
Peace.
Jema
http://www.facebook.com/jejeweled
edward ferry
what baffles me is that republicans can get poor and disenfranchised people to vote against their best interest…
i certainly understand their strategy and the frightening vision they have for the world. but i will never understand their logic… they are surely turning this world into “pottersville” (it’s a wonderful life)
Jane
Edward, the book, “Whatever Happened to Kansas?” is helping in getting to understand this strangeness
edward ferry
funny you mention… it’s on my list, and coincidentally thomas frank is on ‘democracy now’ tonight with his new book