Republican Sloth: An American Disability

Good Morning! It's Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and a good time to give up something. Let's purify the soul. If you start with the seven deadly sins as a guide, perhaps we Democrats should let go of some pride. President Obama is causing an overload lately. Let's give it a shot.

Let's see, how about Republicans? I have a suggestion for our Republican friends. How about giving up sloth? Sloth is one of the sins articulated so well by medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas.

Think about it, it's the perfect sin to describe today's modern American Republican. Yes, SLOTH!

According to the Catholic Church, sloth is the "sluggishness of the mind which neglects ... sloth is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses." Wow, I don't know about you, but for me that is the nail that hits the proverbial Republican head. It's PERFECT!

The Church was referring to the idea that life requires work, and that work leads to salvation. You can interpret "work" any way you wish, but before I'm inundated with Republicans accusing Democrats of lacking a work ethic due to their desire for government leadership, allow me to say the work I find lacking involves Republican laziness related to FACT FINDING! Besides, I totally disagree with you Republicans that Democrats are lazy. American workers are the most productive on earth.

As many of you know I audit many of their news sources, and let me tell you their leaders, radio talk shows and various psychotic FOX "News" programs have been swamped lately with even more propaganda than usual. I call them the propaganda "elitists," to borrow a word the Republicans like to use on us. Well, the elitists are out-of-control and off the scale!

I've referred to Recovery.gov as a fact checker numerous times, and I am shocked by the amount of Republican BS that's being repeated ad nausea in some kind of retarded GOP-to-media-to-constituent daisy chain, or merry-go-round when they talk to each other. They are out of control and they don't even realize it most of the time. To be blunt, it seems like some kind of sick sociological experiment, to discover just how wrong politics, parties and their constituents can get when guided by unprincipled, desperate people.

The last few weeks have been the worst ever tainted by their lies, which has spurred them to be the least cooperative opposition during a crisis in American history. Their unwillingness to acknowledge the will of the American people after the last election is striking. They seem determined to stick to their broken ideas and stunted schemes. Their leaders have been despicable, doing whatever they can to stop a true economic recovery for their own political purposes. Their only concern is the next election and power, not the American people.

You see, there is only one set of facts. We Americans can debate them all we want - as to whether we feel they will help or hurt - but the fact remains there's still only one set of them.

I have a few questions for those Republicans who love to think they're politically smart these days, but in reality parrot the hyperbole of a few fanatic media dogs. Do you ever listen to yourselves? Do you ever think how absurd you sound when you try to debate politics using today's corrupt and discredited Republican resources? Do you ever get tired of ignoring factual responses, while resting on a crutch of media ignorance? Do you ever LISTEN?

Why don't you look up just a few key facts, which just might encourage you to cut President Obama and the Democrats a little slack? Try these first:

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about how Republican presidents and congressional leaders ran up WELL OVER 90% of today's post World War II government debt, which now tops off near $11 trillion? George W. Bush himself ran up over a TRILLION in the past fiscal year alone. If it's true, which it is, doesn't it stand to reason that Democrats should be allowed an opportunity to spend government money based on their own needs and policies? It's only fair.

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about what generates actual wealth in a nation? Republican leaders, the media, and my Republican friends keep talking about how World War II spending was the real reason why America pulled itself out of the depression. They like to say that Roosevelt's policies helped the poor, but in reality they prolonged the depression. That is a LIE!

Economists know that war spending does very little to create the economic conditions for domestic growth, since most of the money is wasted on products and services that are ultimately destroyed. Economies grow based on investments that are both renewable and long-lasting. Infrastructure investment, education investment, and good government policies are what most economists and academics credit with pulling America out of the depression. The fact is Roosevelt is responsible for those conditions. The Republican talking points to the contrary are deceitful, disingenuous and ignorant.

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about why tax cuts are not enough to spur an economy, especially one mired deep in a recession or a depression? Most economists believe tax cuts spur an economy, which is why President Obama included $288 billion in tax cuts in the stimulus, HOWEVER, most economists ALSO believe that government spending and smart policies can play a vital role in stimulating an economy in crisis. The Republican talking points that criticize government efforts have no basis in reality. They are LIES! It is a fact: government has helped in the past and it can help again. The Republicans are playing politics!

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about how they themselves used the same tools of government intervention in the past to help the economy? There are many examples throughout history when Republican administrations and congressional delegations used government to help fix the economy. I'm not going to name them all, but suffice to say that Ronald Reagan (Savings & Loan Crisis - $160.1 billion, about $124.6 billion of which was directly paid for by the U.S. taxpayer) and George W. Bush (federal bailouts and guarantees totalling over $5 TRILLION) were the two most recent examples. Feel free to list your own. They used LOTS of government money to tweak the economy. If Republicans wish to be fair, they'll allow us the same tool box. Unfortunately, I suspect fairness means little to them.

Why didn't more Republicans worry about creating debt when they were in power? Don't they see their own hypocrisy and double-standard today? I guess not.

Why didn't more Republicans care about smart regulations and enforcement when they were in power? Why are they fighting it now? Don't they acknowledge the role their leaders played at creating this crisis? Why doesn't it matter to them? Why don't they question their leaders' competence more?

Why do Republicans keep saying the Democrats were responsible for our problems because they controlled congress during the last two Bush years? Are they stupid? Think about the time scale! Are they even aware how their party filibustered every significant piece of reform legislation over those two years?

Why do Republicans always believe - without question - that Democrats spend while Republicans save? The exact OPPOSITE IS TRUE! The Republicans have consistently outspent the Democrats while in power, and by their love of tax cuts are guilty of lowering their own taxes at the expense of future generations. IT'S A FACT!

Do Republicans understand how BIG the deficit could get if we don't stimulate the economy, and HOW LONG the recession/depression could last? There are plenty of historic examples where governments did nothing, and nothing happened. Republicans love to use the Japanese stimulus packages of the nineties and their subsequent slow growth as arguments for nonintervention, but they always fail to mention that Japan's economy is driven by exports, and how stimulating that market is difficult. I say get all the facts, or don't bother.

The Republicans like to call us Democrats socialists. The facts suggest otherwise. Republicans lie to their constituents, create myths about who they are, and lie about what they did moments after doing it. They are the CON ARTIST party. A good example is their passion for the "FREE MARKET." Sure they love it, when it benefits them. Republicans are famous for PRIVATIZING THE PROFITS and SOCIALIZING THE RISK. Democrats simply acknowledge that government has a role to play. We tell the truth. We do not try to con the American people.

The list of questions goes on an on. I might even add a few over the next few days. Feel free to suggest your own. The bottom line is that most Republicans are ignoring the facts these days, while believing lies from multiple, illegitimate sources. It's time for Republicans to step up, smell the coffee, unhook the old ball and chain, and free themselves of whatever is causing them to be so brain dead these days.

I have had numerous debates with Republican friends and family recently, and they all seem to be parroting the same lies. It's getting very tiring and annoying. As I said on this blog, modern American political discourse is being steered by political and media elites, who are often LYING! I'm begging average Americans, especially Republicans, to do their research, read more, and discover what really happened in the past, and what is really happening today.

PLEASE DON'T TRUST TODAY'S POLITICAL AND MEDIA ELITE! Get up, get active, and get better informed!

Wednesday's Political Rant #1 - Michael

PS - You might want to check out how the Las Vegas Sun reacted to Gov. Jindal's Republican response slamming Las Vegas and the stimulus. The governor's pathetic response was only a small part of today's Republican propaganda machine.

The Cynical Cult of Republicanism

Good Morning Bloggers - It's amazing, but Republicans are completely ignoring the wishes of the American people, who - based on recent elections - are asking their leaders to change course and try new solutions.

Democratic attempts at compromise on the stimulus bill by eliminating programs important to Democratic constituencies meant nothing. The Republicans are playing hard-ball and rejecting everything the Democrats are trying to do.

Instead of new political solutions, today's "cult-like" Republicans are devoted to pitching the same tired old ideas of lower taxes and corporate give-aways that may represent their special interests, but have proven ineffective at growing the economy FOR THE BENEFIT OF CREATING GOOD JOBS FOR AMERICANS! Overall, multi-national, corporate growth is not enough for most of us.

To be very blunt Republicans, the majority of Americans and competent economists are tired of hearing you repeat yourselves. Get NEW IDEAS for God's sake! There's more to growing an economy than lower taxes! Unfortunately, for all of us, when the GOP failed to get their way yesterday, they took their votes and went home like pathetic brats.

I challenge those Republicans who believe their party always has the best of intentions to defend the Republican version of the stimulus package. It offered no new solutions to the problems facing Americans in the immediate future - job creation and growth!

It featured [politically and economically] untenable tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. It was nothing more than a rehashed version of what was attempted under the Bush Administration, which created few jobs and created the housing bubble-type economy that crashed. To be blunt, it was BS!

Despite history and facts, Republicans tried to claim their version would create over six million new jobs in just two years. It was an absurd claim, dismissed by most reputable economists as well as the Congressional Budget Office.

The GOP offered no immediate assistance to state and local governments that require quick help to avoid disaster, and did nothing to help Americans without jobs or prospects. The GOP is much more charitable to the Iraqis. Americans be damned! Overall, their plan was a joke!

Their childish adherence to ineffective policies of the past borders on the psychotic. Americans should now ask themselves a few questions? Do Republicans really care about creating and growing new jobs? Do Republicans care about them?

If they do, they don't show it. Why don't they try to compromise with the Democrats for the good of the country? Why don't they care about creating a united front that would signal better times, economic improvement and encourage new public spending?

Instead, Republicans are willing to allow the US government to appear conflicted, thus adding to economic uncertainty and consumer anxiety. It's already clear the Republicans are willing to allow Americans to suffer a great deal. How? Because MILLIONS OF AMERICANS NEED HELP NOW!

Democrats are listening to the American people. President Obama is listening. They are trying to respond. They know Americans will endure more debt now to save the nation, their jobs and the economy.

Despite OBVIOUS REPUBLICAN LIES that "Democrats wish to create debt," the Democrats are responding to the nation's demand for change. Republicans can chant their old tunes of "government waste" and "Democratic tax-and-spend debt" all they want, but all it does is make them look unhelpful, absurd, hypocritical, and out-of-touch.

We Americans know that Republicans created the overwhelming majority of today's debt, and that Democrats wish to lower the debt.

Just like under Clinton, Obama wants to lower the debt again once the crisis is over. The American people know that Democrats want to help Americans, while the Republicans are now famous for primarily helping the Iraqis, the industrial-military complex, and their own interests.

So, what are the Republicans really up to? It's all about taking back power! Republicans enjoyed being in power and they want it back. They want it back so bad they can taste it. It's now clear they don't give a damn about bipartisanship, and they'll do whatever they can to undermine President Obama, serve their own interests, and take back their power.

In the same way they reject science, they will reject any responsibility for the crisis and focus on scoring political points. They will force the Democrats and the American people to go it alone. They are nothing but power hungry political game players. They are pathetic, unpatriotic, unAmerican, harmful, unethical and at times downright evil in the cynical, dangerous way they behave.

I only hope that most Republican Americans see what's happening to their leadership, and act to do the right thing before it's too late. Let's all work to make 2010 another year of change.

Thursday's Political Rant #1 - Michael