What a Mess
Well if you are watching any of the Republican presidential follies, it could not get worse. Cain blames Perry for a smear campaign which is nothing more than reporting the facts about a sexual harassment suit. Perry speaks and you wonder what buffoons live in Texas that would elect this guy. It is now clear that his governing of Texas is nothing more than a good old boy access club. Weather vane Mitt is hiding to weather the storm. He will wait till he gets a poll to tell him how he feels. Cain is done unless you really really like someone who hasn’t a clue the Chinese have nukes. What is it about the conservatives that they so love ignorance and stupidity. Must come with the territory of holding Tea Party ideas about government and taxes.
Meanwhile in Europe land, our next great Depression is spawning. Isn’t it just amazing that those crazy Greeks won’t stand for more punishment? Austerity has not worked out so well there and you would think the Republicans might take note, but that would assume they had the ability to take a note. I mean really, when you look at Greece, why would people enjoy being pushed into poverty without any near term hope? All of us can stand a little pain if the gain is in sight, but when there is just more pain in the future, wouldn’t you rebel? The lesson of history is that you have to grow out of your debt, yet we continue to punish with austerity and no growth hoping morale will improve. It is the conservative way. You know it is funny, they were really happy with Obama’s “Let’s look forward not backward” when it came to punishing Bushy law breakers and bankers, but when it comes to immigration, mortgage relief, you name it, all law breakers must be held accountable.
Ah, but back here in hopeless land, student debt grew again in 2010 (we don’t have the numbers for 2011 since it ain’t over yet). Isn’t this wonderful. Our kids are doing their best to stimulate the economy by borrowing money to get a good education and then the economy repays them by providing them with no jobs. Meanwhile the cost of education keeps on climbing. Things are just working out swimmingly as we cut our aid to kids and their colleges. See any parallels to the European adventures? Let’s invest less and grow. Well I meant that as sarcasm, but Republicans actually believe that. Although I have to admit they finally agreed that government spending does create jobs, but only if it is military spending.
But not to worry: “A study found that 280 of the biggest public companies had federal income tax bills that were little more than half the official corporate rate of 35 percent in the last three years.” So it really is true that the effective (actual) tax rate on most companies is way below what other countries pay, and they are just creating jobs hand over fist. That is what Republicans tell us if we just lower it more. But lower tax rates just means less money to invest in our country since these companies certainly are not. This all makes great sense doesn’t it? And you wonder why all the Republican Candidates are fruit loops.
Soon we will be pulled back to the “deficit” by the Deficit Commission, which of course is the “real” problem and the conventional wisdom is that Medicare and Social Security are not sustainable and must be on the chopping block. Of course they are sustainable. Social Security is good through about 2030 and if we look at raising the Social Security payroll tax on everyone, and lifting the limit on taxable income, it goes away. Raising the retirement age just punishes those who really need it and aren’t living any longer. On Medicare, ask yourself this, how do other nations do it at almost half the cost? Solve that riddle and the Medicare problem goes away. The idea that private insurance will solve the problem of our aged or infirm is just another insanity of the conservatives. It is a burden we all must partake in for the benefit of all of us.
So here we are and we are where we are. It is almost ludicrous that we have one party who thinks more of the same is a good idea, while the other party nibbles at the fringes of any real action to create jobs. Clueless and spineless. What a mess.