I saw today's New York Post cover at the grocery store and just about lost my cool.

[Bleacher Creature]

This is pure garbage, and I say that knowing full well that the NY Post routinely publishes garbage.

[zuul]

1. The debt ceiling is about past spending -- not future spending.

Robert Reich @RBReich

The GOP doesn't want you to know this, but the debt ceiling is about past spending — not future spending. By not raising the debt ceiling, they're refusing to pay the bills they racked up under Trump (to the tune of $7 trillion). Does that sound like fiscal conservatism to you?

Link to tweet

[Caliman73]

10. Fiscal conservatism is a joke.

It isn't about how much you spend with conservatives, it is about WHAT you spend it on. Similarly, it isn't about the size of government but about the FUNCTION of government.

Conservatives do not give one shit about spending trillions of dollars on weaponry and war to further their capitalist ventures. Nor do they care about depriving government of trillions of dollars through tax cuts for the wealthy. The money only seems to become important when the project involves helping poor, working class, and middle class people. Anything that actually tries to reach the ideal of "providing for the general welfare" is anathema to conservatives. If the poor, working, and middle classes were worthy, they would have been born rich!!

As I said, the size of government, contrary to conservative talking points, is irrelevant. They have ABSOLUTELY NO problem growing the surveillance state, the military, and beefing up local law enforcement in the states to enforce "moral conduct" among the masses. They are fine and would be fine with funding a bunch of narcs to follow people around and interfere in their sex lives and reproductive choices (Except the wealthy mind you, they are exempt). When they complain about the size of government, they are actually complaining about the power of government to interfere with the exploitation of the poor by the rich. They do not want a government strong (big) enough to keep private power in check because that interferes with the "natural order" and hierarchy that is ordained by god.

[Backseat Driver]

11. Spot on! Thank you!

[Caliman73]

12. Thanks. It needs to be repeated over and over.

People take for granted that conservatives are for "fiscal responsibility" and want "small government", also that they are "strong on defense" and "support law enforcement". None of that is true, at least not true as it is portrayed.

The fiscal responsibility and small government, I already talked about. "Strong on Defense" is another fallacy that is taken as a truism, yet we have at the very least, 3 conservative presidents, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush Jr. who had double dealings that were likely illegal acts, putting our national security at risk, all the while touting their strength. Nixon scuttled peace talks with Vietnam in 1968, extending the war another 5 years. Reagan sold weapons illegally to Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism. Bush Jr. lied us into two wars that cost thousands of American lives, trillions of dollars, and countless Iraqi and Afghan lives. "Supporting Law Enforcement" is also spurious. They certainly support when law enforcement maintains the "natural order" by keeping minorities in their place, but actually try to enforce the laws equitably and go after White Supremacists and insurrectionists and you see the limits of conservative support of law enforcement.

Bottom line is that Republicans/Conservatives stand for one overarching idea, that there is a natural hierarchy to society where wealthy, White, Protestant Christian men should be in charge, and that anything done to preserve that structure is acceptable, while anything done to challenge the structure is wrong and should be eliminated.

[smirkymonkey]

16. +1000

[wryter2000]

2. Jesus on a trailer hitch

When I see garbage like that at the supermarket, I turn it around so people see the back. I don't know if the employees go back and fix my mischief.

That is really beyond belief.

[spanone]

3. Such BULLSHIT

[abqtommy]

4. It's way past time for us to Roast The Post!

[secondwind]

5. Does anyone ever tell the nut jobs that these bills are over a 10-year period?

[PortTack]

6. When I see those, I turn them around!

[zuul]

13. Me too.

[PortTack]

18. Let's start a trend!!

[Buns_of_Fire]

7. Does that sound like fiscal conservatism?

No, but it sounds like the way tfg operates.

[twin_ghost]

8. Everytime there is a Democratic President the conservative pull this stunt.

If Trump was still in office then they would quietly approve it. Don't worry at the last minute conservatives will approve an extension of the debt ceiling.

[kskiska]

9. The Post has long been a right-wing paper.

[pwb]

14. Did you turn it over?

I do sometimes. That crap is fox in print.

[RainCaster]

15. No difference between the Post & Inquirer

Did you read the article about Alien Boy?

[Shermann]

17. "Plot" in that context is what is known as a "weasel word"

So there is at least one useful factoid to be garnered from this.