I figured it out! Republicans are not creating a two-class system!

[Deja Q]

Although the price of necessities is going up, republicans/corporate america are doing their best to lower prices on all the cheap consumerism junk, which will in turn allow people to buy more of it and keep the economy going!!

I mean, repukes say that the cost of DVDs, computers, internet access in general, et al, are not needs but wants, surely they know that our society's economy depends that people buy and use these products and services? :shrug:

They can't have it both ways.

Okay, we all know what I said was a load of bunk, but what are they thinking when they shift taxes to the middle class, not pay taxes themselves ("An intolerable free ride" from the May 17 US News & World Report article says it all), eliminate middle class jobs by the millions and send them overseas, whine when China and other countries we send the jobs to now need more oil in order to do the work to create all the devices and plastic things we Americans are supposed to buy and use? :shrug:

What is their plan, if all of this is a plan? Is it just blind greed? There are so many factors, any ONE of which would mean the total collapse of US economy: Housing bubble bust, peak oil, Saudis pulling all their stock options and such out of our economy (Michael Moore said they've quite a chunk in our industry), foreign countries boycott us, foreign countries change prime currency rates from the Dollar to the Euro (I gather OPEC is already trying to do this), inflation in the cheap junk made in other countries for us to buy and use, and many other factors I'm not even thinking of right now but it ain't pretty... Could even one more terrorist attack do it? Hell, when Alan Greenspan sneezes, the stock market takes a huge dump. (you know him, Bush* recently praised his efforts to ensure our economy remains strong: http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/4783797.html "Sound fiscal and monetary policies have helped unleash the potential of American workers and entrepreneurs, and America's economy is now growing at the fastest rate in two decades," Bush said in a statement. "Alan Greenspan has done a superb job as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and I have great continuing confidence in his economic stewardship." Clearly, Bush*'s statement is a package of LIES that at least 3 million Americans should instantly see through (Hah, I wish, those idiots still think Bush* is working for them. :eyes: NOT! )

How will the riches of the few save even their worthless rectums if the economy turns to dust?! Have they considered that?

[whistle]

1. The republicans are worshiping the invisible hand....

...while putting the finger to most of us. There is NO PLAN, only greed and special privilege. Adam Smith reigns even though his theories were proved unworkable by the Great Depression of the 1930's. But these BushCo pricks will just keep pushing that agenda as long as they are in power and can control the outcome in their favor. Interest rates are the next thing to go up now that Bush appointed Greenspam for another 4 years.

[unblock]

2. they don't have a grand plan. they have small plans that do grand damage.

they are greedy and corrupt, first and foremost.

they want a tax cut because they want more money now.
that's it, there's no more thought to it as far as policy goes.
the rest, oh it'll boost the economy, that's all just part of the sales pitch.
it's not WHY they want the tax cut, just their EXCUSE for it.

they want a loophole for this business or deregulation for that business because THEY stand to directly profit from that decision.
that's it, there's no more thought than that as far as policy goes.
the rest, oh deregulation is good, get government of our backs, free market blabbitty blah, that's all just part of the sales pitch.
it's not WHY they want the loophole, just their EXCUSE for it.

they want a war because THEY stand to directly profit from that war.
that's it, there's no more thought than that as far as policy goes.
the rest, oh wmds, evil dictator, export democracy, blabbitty blah, that's all just part of the sales pitch.
it's not WHY they want the war, just their EXCUSE for it.

you get the idea. they don't think these things through; or, they don't believe that their small decisions to make loophole here or tax break there have big effects like putting thousands in the hospital or raising inflation or whatever.

they are the ultimate party of irresponsibility.

[PurityOfEssence]

3. Beautifully put

A manifestation of this phenomenon is their war in Iraq: they wanted it so bad, and it would give them oil, get revenge and show everybody who's boss. They simply didn't think about anything else; nothing else matters: ding-dong, the witch is dead...

Off shoring is another classic example: anyone who knows that 2/3rds of our economy is consumer spending wouldn't want to drive the po' folk even deeper into poverty. (Well, there's something else working there than just short term profits: the unquenchable need of the conservative to have much more than his neighbor. To the true conservative, it's not enough to be sated by the bounty of an extravagant feast, he has to have a starving inferior brought in to feel better than.)

There's no real plan, it's just what benefits me right now, regardless of what it does.

In a similar vein, Lenin was right: "The Capitalist will sell you the rope with which you hang him."

Great post; you hit it on the head.

[salib]

4. Well, again I feel compelled to say

They are Us. I just saw a discussion on Venezuela. In the case of such "developing countries", we are all definitely the ones who "want more money now." And ultimately have our relatively better status (wealth) because of policies that keep these developing countries down.

I see so much "talk" on this board about how repugs are the greedy and corrupt ones, how they are doing things that pure support their own short-term money-grubbing wants, etc., etc., etc. I Totally Agree! However, relative to the rest of the world (the U.S.A. only makes up < 5%), we are the fertile ground to be the world equivalent of the repugs! All of us!

I keep saying this because I think that the reason we see a large minority of the U.S.A. as the conservative "mindless followers" is because WE don't get it. We are not going to convert the top 5% of this country's wealthiest to be "liberal." Now, look at the entire world and recognize that we are not going to convince those in the top 5% that they should be "liberal." I.e., a majority of Americans could easily have their eyes open and simply be their own "greedy" selves relative to the rest of the world. From that perspective it would be easy for the * Admin to simply say "we are fighting your wars to maintain this country's standard of living that you have become so accustom to"! Is such a statement really so far from the truth?

If this is too depressing and overwhelming, well it is for me some times. Well, just to end with: keep this perspective in mind when considering haves and have-nots: we are definitely haves! Hey, I am sitting here with my laptop and definitely in the top 5%. How easy it would be to simply be a part of the petty bourgeoisie. How obvious.

[Deja Q]

5. Astute.

Very astute.

Of course, there are 95% of us looking at the 5% and wondering :WTF:. How do we allow so few to control so much? And why? Especially when they are clearly intent on reducing the standard of living that we have been accustomed to, so they can have a greater standard for themselves?

All people are selfish to an extent. But somewhere along the line, America ditched the "Also be part of society" commentary. Let's say 1980 was when the epiphany took place (not that pre-1980 was great, but the statistics have shown a gigantic skewing between the top 5% and the rest of us. People should figure it out soon...)

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I think there's a little more thought than that behind their

depredations.

Specifically, if they run the country into ruinous debt with their trillion-dollar deficits, they will make it impossible for any later Democratic admin to enact any sort of social programming because there will be no money for it. I think that was the plan behind Reagan's deficits too, but he made the mistake of not taking us far enough in. The economy in the Clinton years was strong enough to get us a large part of the way out of the hole. Bush is in the process of making sure he doesn't repeat that mistake.

[RandomKoolzip]

7. Sounds correct, but....

If that's true, and perceptable to a witness of history such as yourself, how do the republicans keep on selling themselves as the party of "fiscal responsiblity" and continue to fool a large part of the voting population? Wouldn't the truth sort of rear its head after a while?


Oh, wait, I forgot.....we're dealing with a country that thinks McDonald's is good food. My bad.