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(42,759 posts)whathehell
(29,067 posts)She KNOWS what she's talking about!
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)question everything
(47,486 posts)The problem is that so many in red states, who are dependent on government payments cannot see the connection between their votes and their bank accounts.
Will we ever be able to explain it to them, in simple terms?
WillyT
(72,631 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,978 posts)they CAN"T balance SHIT! the cut taxes and cut CIVILIZATION!
staggerleem
(469 posts)This was a strategy laid out for the party by Jude Wanniski, way back in 1976. He called it the "2 Santa Claus Theory", and it goes like this - When Democrats are in office, they play Santa Claus to the poor. They give them "gifts" of Welfare, Unemployment Insurance, Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid, and the Republicans complain about how all this spending is allegedly "bankrupting" the Government.
Wanniski said that when Republicans take control, they have to play Santa Claus to the wealthy, by cutting social safety net spending and lowering taxes on the top incomes. They're VERY good at lowering taxes. Lowering spending, not so much ... because their tendency is to simply redirect the spending into things like subsidies for industry (another" "gift" to the rich). So gov't spending does NOT decrease significantly, but gov't INCOME does, which (of course) put us further in debt.
Then, when the public realizes that they've been had by the right YET AGAIN, and vote Democrats back in, they can semi-honestly claim that we ARE bankrupt (because that's where they left us!), and that the Democrats CAN'T increase safety net spending because the money just isn't there, and the debt (that THEY ran up) is MUCH too high to even THINK about borrowing any more.
But then the Democrats do find a way to borrow more, they do increase safety net spending, giving the people who spend every nickel they can get their hands on more to spend, which stimulates the economy from the BOTTOM UP (which is really the ONLY way that's ever worked!), and things get a little better - until the right gets into control again.
They've been doing this for nearly 40 years now. When will enough of us figure it out, so they can't pull it off again?
Fla Dem
(23,690 posts)want to fool around with the Senior's medicare.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)60 Minutes will watch the Republican's backs. They will tell them it is the Democrats cutting the wasteful Medicare.
I want to see Democratic voices on my TV saying cuts to Social Security and Medicare are unacceptable. Anything less is a failure.
planetc
(7,814 posts)And her manifesto reminds me: Why aren't we pointing out just how unpatriotic companies are who offshore jobs, profits, and avoid taxes? Republicans are quick to impugn Democrats' patriotism (The Swiftboating of John Kerry still rankles with me), but we let American corporations get away with murder.
If we could attach this label to any company with a foreign tax haven, it might make them pay more attention.
maddiemom
(5,106 posts)of the the one percent and all others who've "made it" in our system to "pay it forward." Those who lead a life of luxury and have all that they and their families will ever need should be more willing to pay back to this country. There are dozens of well-received documentaries out there showing the overwhelming responses to possible adequately paying jobs when they are available. There are never enough decently paying jobs for those wanting to fill them. How are the Repugs able to sell the idea that 47% or so want to laze around at home and have their (minimal) needs taken care of ? As for John Kerry: those purple bandaids at the 2004 Republican convention were not just an insult to Kerry, but to every veteran who's been awarded a Purple Heart.
tblue37
(65,403 posts)napkinz
(17,199 posts)world wide wally
(21,744 posts)Leith
(7,809 posts)Just one slight nitpick: that 80% tax rate is a marginal tax rate, not the rate of the entire amount. Millionaires pay 0% on the first 8,000 or so, 15% on the amount to the next cut-off, 25% between the first cut-off and the next one, and so on. The 80% doesn't kick in until an income of hundreds of thousands is reached.
Sorry. Carry on.
asjr
(10,479 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Midwest, never see the opulent lifestyles of the 1%. The 1% does not choose to live in large numbers amongst the low-level Republican voters in states like Mississippi, Alabama, Indiana and Nebraska. Thus, the low-level, middle-class (if that) Republican voters in many states think that they are rich. They may sell real estate or own an apartment building, and they think the Republicans are their friends. They have no idea. That is sad.
They see the mansions and the lifestyle on TV, but it might as well be Star Wars for as little as they understand the reality of it.
classof56
(5,376 posts)Like this beautiful lady, I have seen a lot in my 77 years, but honestly never thought I'd see where the republicons have brought us. Shame on them!! As this lady says, NEVER TRUST THE REPUBLICANS. A big AMEN to that!
Courage and Peace!
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)I want to tell you. If the Democrats fail me on this issue, they can get fucked, forever.
The President has already proposed increasing the military budget. WTF? This country is fine with handing out money to foreign nations like Israel but wants to cut Real Security for American citizens? WTF?
allan01
(1,950 posts)trust them ? buwhahahahahahahahah .time for this party to get off its keyster and start emulating the greeks and the icelanders .
Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)But they seem to have dug their heels in, aligned themselves with FOX Noos, and they are firmly committed to helping the rich get richer.
Because Jesus.
And Black people.
They seem willing here in TN to let their old people suffer and their young people suffer, as long as they can vote for the guy who SAYS he's more moral than those godless librulls.
It's so sad to see a population of people so ignorant and so self-destructive.
It IS making me work that much faster to get out of here. All of the maps paint the picture of the South as collapsing economically, while the rest of the US is moving forward. I want to live in the part of the US that is moving forward, thanks.
The Confederacy may live on in their hearts and minds, but it's not ever going to help the working people, and I don't even think they care.
Because Jesus.
And Black people.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,024 posts)mountain grammy
(26,623 posts)87and liberal in Ei Paso. Running unopposed for another 4 year term on the water board. May she live forever.
Cha
(297,290 posts)onethatcares
(16,172 posts)into handbills and pasted everywhere, especially #2
House of Roberts
(5,177 posts)When you cut taxes on the working class, they keep more of their money for a year or so, until their employer figures out how to siphon off the tax cut into their own pocket, leaving the worker no better off than before the tax cut.
High taxes mean you pay more into Social Security and Medicare, for the same disposable income, if you have any at all.
ND-Dem
(4,571 posts)katmondoo
(6,457 posts)We had problems in the 50's and 60's but life was better. Along came Reagan and it has been downhill ever since.