According to news analysis, Republicans are quite pleased with the compromise hammered out with President Obama.
But why would fiscal conservatives gladly support almost $900 billion in new deficit spending over the next two years, $140 billion of which goes directly into the pockets of the needless – those making over $250,000 per year?
Probably because they believe this bill will ensure Obama’s defeat in two years (either the economy recovers and they take credit, or the economy falters and they blame Obama), not to mention weakening the social contract started with FDR’s New Deal.
The CBO’s analysis showed that the benefit for the economy, including job creation from that marginal $140 billion tax break, will be little or nothing. And yet the GOP rejoices in helping the needless.
It appears to show that their main constituency is comprised of the top 2% of taxpayers. Guess who funded their “independent educational” media blasts in the last election? It definitely proves that their principled stand against all deficit spending is a total sham, to be discarded when there is a point to be scored.
And what is that point? That the practice of politics is still about power, and the sometimes brutal, always cynical exercise thereof (see: Caesar, Julius). This bill proves that the GOP’s fight is not so much about principles, but about setting a goal and relentlessly pursuing it.
The Senate in particular is shark-infested waters. Perhaps one day our sharks will learn to rip the opposing sharks to shreds instead of trying to appease their hunger by feeding them the defenseless fish swimming nearby.
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I know a few folks in that 2%. Family members.
It is simply inaccurate to characterize them as needless, if my anecdotal experience is any indication. They are the neediest people I know.
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That is a story as old as the Bible.
But be that as it may, the true concern is why the GOP feels that turning their back on 98% of the financially insecure is such a priority for their party.
It’s as if they feel it necessary to destroy the very principles our nation was founded upon in order to gain control of whatever ruins remain. That is what truly puzzles me.
The only reason they ever mention it is because they want to eliminate spending on poorer people, who they think don’t deserve it. But “eliminate food stamps because fuck you” doesn’t focus-test well, so instead they say we need to spend less (on minorities and poor people we don’t know personally) because of the deficit. It could as easily be “spend less on poor people because pear pimples for hairy fishnuts,” but that doesn’t focus-test well either.