Now, when I put two and two together, I get four. But if you were to believe the Republican Party, you would have to say that two plus two equals three
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By Rocky Boschert
Guest Commentary
On October 25 in the Daily Beast, these facts were written about the Republican Party:
“Companies that received money from the much-reviled federal bailout - also known as Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) - are now giving to the politicians who attacked their rescue. The 23 companies with political action committees that received at least $1 billion in TARP funds gave a total of $1.4 million to candidates in September. These companies include GM, J.P. Morgan, and Citigroup. Despite the fact that only three Republicans voted for the bill in the Senate, most of the money is going to Republican candidates. GM gave $5,000 to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who opposed the bailout of GM and Chrysler. TARP was passed under George W. Bush.”
After reading this, I would like to ask the conservative voters out there: “Don’t you ever wonder why you have the same economic values as rich people, when your chances of ever being rich are almost zero? I also ask you: “Don't you think that maybe all the TARP hypocrisy of the Republican Party, as described above, may just show that you are a little too easily manipulated by your right wing corporate idols like Steve Forbes, Larry Kudlow, or even Dave Ramsey?
And if you could take a minute to read this Wikipedia definition of what a plutocracy is, does this description of what constitutes a corporate state ring any bells?
“The influence the wealthy minority of the population has over the political arena includes campaign contributions, as well as bribing to achieve corporate objectives (profits) by essentially any form of manipulation of the government. Buyers of media properties shape public perception of political issues (see: fourth estate). We see an explosion of wealthy individuals and organizations exerting financial pressure on governments to pass favorable legislation. Plutocracies permit partisan organizations to raise funds for politicians, and it is well-known that political parties accept significant donations from various individuals (either directly or through corporate or advocacy groups). These donations may be part of a cronyist or patronage system. Some describe these donations as bribes, although legally they are not unless a quid pro quo exists.”
Now, when I put two and two together, I get four. But if you were to believe the Republican Party, you would have to say that two plus two equals three. So, I ask: “Why are you conservative voters again falling for the same misinformation and bogus free markets rhetoric put forth by the failed big business Republican Party political machine? Wasn’t eight years of Bush/Cheney/Boehner/McConnell enough to show you that the Republican Party is completely void of fresh economic solutions?
And, you, Joe Six Pack. What are the chances of you ever being rich? Yes, almost none. So why are you sacrificing your own financial security – as well as your critical thinking – for the rich Republican (or Democratic) plutocrats who only see your social security and health care premiums as another pool of your money to pilfer, while making you think they are looking out for your family’s interests?
And why, Tea Partiers, do you wish to dismantle the few remaining regulatory agencies that provide the anti-monopoly consumer & industrial safety laws and regulations we still need? What about your children and grandchildren? Are they going to have any of your leaders around to help protect them from the corporate criminals like BP, Massey Energy, and some of the Wall Street bankers, who are shaking your hand while they are killing your spouse or poisoning your children?
Local Voters, National Fears
On the national level, Obama has had only two years to try and repair eight years of mostly incompetent Republican leadership. And yes, he clearly has made two big mistakes domestically: One, he focused on health care instead of creating jobs; and second, his inexperience let the Clinton liberal corporatists who control the US Treasury further enrich their crony CEO friends on Wall Street – and so far has changed little of the greedy corrupt culture there.
But after Tuesday, it will be good to have a Republican majority US House of Representatives again. Why? Because maybe then voters with such an unbelievable short term memory will see AGAIN that the Republican Party hasn’t changed for the better. In fact, they are worse, i.e., further to the right and even more out of touch with valid solutions.
Thank you, Hays County
As voters, we do the best we can in local elections. I believe the politicians who run for local and state office from Hays County are basically good people. But they have a job to do. And for most of them, their job is not to represent the citizens who voted for them. It is to make money for the people who got them in office – while sacrificing as little of their own integrity and community grace as possible.
At the national level, and to some degree the state level, it no longer matters if you vote Republican, Democrat, or Independent. The big business plutocrats will continue to control the US and state economies until voters see we no longer live in an economic democracy.
Fortunately, voters have more control over our local economy and how our elections affect our personal finances. But I still thank God every day we don’t have a Sharon Angle running for office in Hays County.
10 comments:
I tend to agree with what Rocky says and I am finding it more difficult to vote for candidates of ANY party, locally and nationally, knowing that they will without hesitation jump into the great political money laundering cesspool once elected. Money has become the great god. The great American electorate is seemingly clueless. It is sad.
Thanks for the story, Mr. Boschert. Your criticisms of the Republican Party are straight-on. I might have added promising us a $4.3 Trillion dollar debt each year if they take power, and continued refusal to acknowledge our Bill of Right (PATRIOT Act) as evidence. Great perspective... Thank you.
You went shockingly light on the Democratic Party, but maybe you felt it too obvious to belabor the issue. Obama has spent two years doing all the same things Bush was doing AND he and Congress finally passed the Republican's old health care package. Hard workers.
My message to D&R party loyalists... Your party is corrupt, and the money that controls it doesn't care about you no matter how hard you work for them in your precinct, county or state.
They don't care about you. And somewhere inside, you know this.
Until Tuesday, I'm focused getting the following people elected...
Bert Cobb - Hays County Judge
Kathie Glass - Governor
Jason Isaac - State Rep
Dave Newman - San Marcos City Council
(doing what I can for a others, too)
I believe these people do care about you, and they're willing to take a fundamentally different approach than what we've seen in the last several decades, and I'm pretty sure we'll find it a more life-honoring and more spirit-honoring approach. That gets my support.
If we start putting people like these in office, the parties will either give us more of them, or collapse in upon themselves. Either way is fine by me.
And after the elections, We, The People, have to be educated and active enough to have influence in any event. We either exercise our power, or we lose it.
You must be confused. You are posting this article on a website that is pro-Republican party in Hays County. Wait. Maybe instead - its the others on this website that are confused...
I think all of you are drinking from the Jim Jones Kool-Aid fountain. Only the day before the election do we get some commentary related to the national scene's connection to the local scene? And then from the Rock-Meister? Come on Rocky, your liberal mantra is too easy to read through, you throw a few of your Dem buddies under the bus to make your opinion look valid, much like Peter likes to throw a few Dems under the bus to make us think he is a Republican.
Your carping on the Republicans is none the better than that which Dems like to call the American vitality of the Clinton years, which fails to remember was controlled by a Republican Congress which actually passed the legislation that got us out of a hole that had been overseen by forty years of a Democratically controlled Congress, and mostly Republican Presidents.
No, what you and Peter (Stern) fail to mention is that the Federal government, no matter who is in charge, never fails to run up a tab on the public's (i.e., taxpayer's) money. They fail, as you surely realize as well deep down within your daishiki-wearing soul, that using other people's money for the political agenda of your party (you pick the party) is criminal and should result in what has happened with rising of the Tea Party. The same thing happened on the Left four years ago (or six) with the MoveOn.org people who called the Emperor's hand on his lack of clothing. Now the same is happening on the Right with these patriots calling out Obama to clothe himself with the patriotism of the American people, and quit his bigoted and hateful language of the Democratic Party against others in this country.
I'm with Sam Brannon at least on candidates Cobb and Isaac. Already voted for them. The choice wasn't too hard. Here's hoping they knock a couple out of the ballpark Tuesday!
Sam: I was light on the Democrats because the largest pile of current hypocritical political rhetoric is coming from the Republican Party. The Dems have shown, even under Obama, the same plutocratic tendencies, but with a slightly better understanding of the corporate totalitarianism we are facing as a nation (although it is even hard to discern their BS from the truth).
Anonymous 2: I am limited by space and word count, otherwise I would have clarified that the original Tea Party outrage is the result of first Bush and then Obama unceremoniously catering to the corporate rich in their solutions to the economic meltdown. But since then, the Tea Party has become puppets of the right wing plutocrats with their very dangerous anti-regulatory position. We already had BP and Massey Energy coal mines, what else do you need to see the pattern here?
Sir, you need to take a hard look at why you attack Peter Stern and myself for not being fooled by the manipulative two party elitism that treats American voters like fools. We do, in fact, live in a two-party corporate controlled plutocracy, not a representative democracy, at least at the national and state level. If you can't see it, you will continue to blame the wrong people and institutions - and continue to be angry and frustrated.
Btw, I wear a dashiki (note the correct spelling) because they are great for hot weather and I love jazz - not because I want to be a black liberal in white skin.
Also, Anon 2, your Fox News/American Enterprise Institute/Club for growth revisionist history of the Clinton years is unbecoming to you, as you appear to be an intelligent conservative.
The Federal Reserve Board and the US Treasury - who works for the Wall Street Government Sachs cabal (i.e corporate plutocracy) controls the US economy. Not the president, not the senate, not the house of reps.
Your selective interpretation of economic causation is bad for your health. I know, I did it for many years mindlessly believing the lies I heard on CNBC everyday.
Rocky, if nothing you are fun. Dashiki it is. The statement sounded good, no pun or intention of meaning you to be a black liberal in white skin.
I'll continue to rag on those that I think are deserving, but your skin (no matter the color) at least doesn't appear to be as thin as Peter's.
Last Anon: I try to have fun in spite of the complete lack of control I have over politics and our deceptive economic system. Keep taking your jabs. A little political pugilism is good for the mind.
And if I could play sax like Coltrane or trumpet like Miles, I probably would trade in my white skin for the soul tan.
I wish more people would roll with the punches without the thick skin. I give as good as I take. Instead of whining, I just as soon prefer to poke stylistically the shortcomings of all, and apply a little healthy dose of skepticism. Maybe even satire might be a fitting description of the random postings I place around this blog. I know it keeps Peter and his folks pretty well riled up. I know when I get to them when they jump in with the insults. One of my favorites is "fossil-head". What the hell is a "fossil-head" anyway? Anyway, Rocky, you have good game. Touche'. Good jazz, cold beer, and hot political talk, what else do we need during a football season when the Cowboys are 1-5 (or 1-6) and the Longhorns are 4-4? Politics never disappoint.
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