This is turning out to be the year of the symbolic vote. Yesterday's 'all for one' House Republican refusal to raise the debt ceiling, and the Democrats damned if I do, and maybe even more damned if I don't dilemma, was but the latest in the series of meaningless declarations. Most recently we were witness to the thumbs up or down vote on the Ryan plan which forced many Senators on the right to voice approval for the Medicare busting vision of Mr. Ryan. Neither of these issues had any hope of passage in both bodies of Congress, These were not attempts to legislate, but only to maneuver. The votes were intended merely for finger-pointing purposes come election time.
The 2 parties are locked into such diametrically opposed visions of how and where we govern, that governing itself becomes an exercise in futility. The freshman class of the Republican party will not be swayed by the rhetoric of the President or of any one who is a non-believer in their relentless pursuit of the destruction of government itself, and of the social and economic platform of the Democratic party. So, how do we move the rock up the hill? Simple, follow the money.
It is best that the Democrats abandon all serious discussion with their adversaries in Congress, and turn their attention to those who really control the minds of the wrong on the right. Convince the money people to advise those that do their bidding of the calamity that awaits if the world ever truly gets a sense that the threat of global chaos, by way of default by the United States on its debt obligations, has the remotest possibility of coming to fruition.
You see the money people are pragmatic. They put these new Senators and Congressmen in their seats. When the money people speak, they listen. So, make the money people do your work. Tell them what they already know. Tell them that financial doomsday is not in their best interest. Tell them to inform those under their dominion that it is their responsibility to protect the investments of the money people, that if they continue to raise the specter of default as a rational option that someone to whom we are indebted might just take them seriously, and if that occurs, then not only will our credit and our credibility be at risk, but so will the jobs of those whom they control. Tell them to inform those most obligated to them that being stupid is not always so smart.
For you see, it is not through lofty speeches and passionate defense of ideals that the Democrats will win the hearts and minds of those who vote in lock-step against them. Rather, this deadlock can only be broken, by creating the fear in their minds that those who made them, and can break them, will be displeased by the missteps they now support. Just follow the money.
3 comments:
Great idea, but I can't see it working unless both sides are credible in their affirmation that they will actually let the government default if they don't get their way, and that's a scenario that, while may actually bring about your desired effect, is even scarier than the current one...entrenchment ideology without willingness to compromise or care of the consequences (and yes, the republicans much more closely resemble that description already). It's the Cuban missile crisis all over again, except the money people have to believe that no one will blink, before they start pulling their financial support for the right-wing wingnuts. It may take a financial armeggedon to actually bankrupt the nutjobs once and for all, and from the ashes maybe we can build a saner government.
Another thing that doesn't make any sense to me...there is virtually no economic data that supports trickle-down economics (low taxes, especially on business and the rich) as a way to spur the economy so the supposed increased activity will raise the standard of living for everyone, and the taxes generated, even at the lower rates, will still be enough to fund the government and then some because GDP will be much more. That has been the Republican mantra for 30 years, it still is, and it's complete bullshit. What's worse, is that everyone knows it's bullshit, and they're still flinging it. Since "The Great Communicator" became president in 1980, we have been moving our economic policy and the loopholes in the tax code in that direction - and here has been the effect, firmly supported by 30 years of data: When adjusted for inflation, the incomes of the bottom 90% of Americans in the year 2000 has increased $0.01 per every dollar earned in 1980. That's one cent in 30 years. The top 10% of the population, however, now earn 4 inflation-adjusted dollars for ever 1980 dollar they earned! The general welfare of 90% of America has stagnated while the rich got 400% richer. I could live with the numbers if all Americans benefited and the rich benefited somewhat more, at least the rising tide would be floating all boats. But that is obviously not the case. The republican economic model is creating the new Bourgeoisie class in American wealth distribution, and leaving 9 out of 10 of us in the dust. And the data is there for everyone to see! The thing that boggles my mind is that the 90% who are stagnating continue to vote for the very people who have their boots on their collective neck. Guns and religion indeed...
Righteous indignation at the Republican destruction of America. They are bankrupt of ideas except to benefit those at the top of the food chain. Yet incredibly, so much of the underclass that is decimated by their policies, supports their positions. It says little for both sides of that equation.
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