The Republicans running for president and vice-president talk trash and lies, and from what I see of Republican politicians all around the country, there are few who are willing to stand up to Tea Party politics and call them for the trash and lies that they are. The concept of the common good, that we are all in these tough times together and that we should bear each other's burdens and help those who are most in need is lost in the noise of cries for a balanced budget - a budget that will be balanced on the backs of those who have the least and not by those who are rich in the world's goods.
At least once or twice a week people I know whine to me about undeserving freeloaders who get food stamps and SSI checks. No doubt there are cheaters amongst them, but what kind of high living can you do on food stamps and SSI checks? I think of the rich, like the Republican candidate for president, who pays an average of 14% tax on his vast yearly income, while mid-income people pay a higher percentage. I think of the banks and financial institutions bailed out by the feds that, in turn, gave millions in salaries and bonuses to their top people, and the cheaters for food stamps and SSI checks seem like very small potatoes. Sure, stop the cheaters, but let's set our priorities aright and get the rich guys and the corporations off the dole first.
And why was the Romney tax returns story allowed to die? What about his 2009 tax returns? 2009 was the year of the amnesty when people with secret bank accounts in Switzerland had to own the accounts before their names were revealed to the IRS, whereupon they may have been subject to criminal prosecution for tax avoidance. Did Romney take the amnesty? He made public two years of tax returns, 2010 and 2011, but he asked Ryan for five years of tax returns. What is Romney hiding?
H/T to the goddess at First Draft and others for the picture.
Romeny is hiding the fact that he is an empty suit. The only thing in it is blind ambition for power and prestige. He's pathetic.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I'm hoarse from arguing about cheaters getting food stamps and SSI checks. Get the cheaters, but by golly, get the rich and the corporations who are on welfare, too, and get them first.
ReplyDeleteI fear that not enough voters get that Romney is a pathetic empty suit. I meet working class people around here who think Romney is on their side.
The rules are different for the Rmoney class ... because they can afford to buy the rules by which they prefer to live. His "legal" taxes delivered by elected officials dependent on campaign contributions. His vulture capitalist "harvesting" of profits from businesses made possible by the ERISA law of 1974 which was created to protect the pensions of workers(at a fraction of the original value), but which he and his ilk turn into an excuse to load on debt which eventually kills otherwise sound companies, but never mind they say, the insurance will cover the theft of pension funds and futures for those workers, the bankruptcy courts will "protect" creditors (at a fraction of original value), while his kind walk away flicking the last bits of conscience and decency from the shoulders of their ever so fancy suits ...all "legal" ... yet nothing even vaguely just for those who work below the disdainful gaze of the inheritors of privilege. Do they not see that desperate masses are not good for business? Surely they must see that, if nothing else, from behind the walls of their gated, insecure, stunted lives? All that talk of fear they do cannot be just for show. Maybe they read Job and see themselves, the 1%, constantly on the verge of losing it all for no apparent reason and think the only thing to do is acquire more and more and more ... without ever getting to the end of the Job story ... sad.
ReplyDeleteThe overseas money may not have been legal, but the depositors were in no danger of being discovered in their illegal activities so long as the foreign banks kept their accounts secret. Other countries may now be considering disclosure. What kind of patriotism do the very wealthy exhibit when they don't disclose income that may be subject to taxes? I suppose those who do not run for office don't care, but candidates for public office should be called to account.
DeleteYou have to wonder if the wealthy who don't want to pay their fair share care at all about what kind of country we are. The US can't prosper if only the rich investor class, the stock market, the securities markets, and the oil companies are making money, though some seem to think it's possible.
IOKIYAR. That is all. Ask the press. Romney did the Gish Gallop on the president and he was portrayed as a forceful manly man. Biden laughed at Ryan and was portrayed as unhinged and bizarre. The press can't even make itself call Romney's "misstatements" lies.
ReplyDeleteBex, I know. There's always the damned equivalency by the MSM, whether the two sides are equally deceptive or crazy, or not. The press, with a few exceptions, have become pretty well useless.
DeleteTelling it like it is. Let's hope Obama doesn't freeze in the headlights this next time around.
ReplyDeleteI still can't figure out what happened to Obama in the debate. He could not do worse next time...at least, I hope not.
DeleteI understad your tirade, Grandma. A few weeks ago for first time I had a holiday in the south of France and so had a look at St Tropez, a play gorund of the mega-rich. And in the harbour were many large yachts, about 150ft long and 5 decks high (some American). But out in the bay were ones who couldn't get into the harbour - and they were huge! And it dawned on me that for those who lived in this sort of world and that owned this sort of materiel, a bad recession means that you might have to sell the second yacht, or that your young daughter's first car will be BMW and not the Maserati she really wants.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, they aren't like me and you. Charley F-B.
Charley, sometimes I just have to rant. The billionaires and multi-millionaires who see themselves as persecuted and under siege are not like the rest of us. Hey guys, give us a break...please. I'm not getting out the crying towel for you.
DeleteWorld's most expensive cocktail will set you back $8,824. Report from a newspaper in a country (Pakistan) where the median monthly income is a little over $500 USD.
ReplyDeleteie - one cocktail costs roughly 17 times the median monthly wage.
DeleteI think we can safely label the cocktail and its price excessive. One would hope that those who drink receive $8,824 worth of satisfaction, although I can't think how that could possibly be so. Perhaps the greatest satisfaction will be in the bragging rights.
Delete"Edunt et vomant" - "They have eaten and let them vomit". - Seneca
DeleteWhat is the Latin for, "They have drunk"?
Deletebibunt, as I recall.
DeleteWell then, "Bibunt et vomant".
DeleteI think one reason so many people buy the idea that the system isn't rigged against them is that they want to hold on to the dream that they or their children can be rich like Romney. In fact upward mobility is less likely here than in many other countries
ReplyDeleteIn fact upward mobility is less likely here than in many other countries
DeleteQuite true, but it's hard to let go of dreams. How many people put their hopes for future riches in winning the lottery? There's the saying that goes around that Romney was born on third base and thinks he hit a home run. A person whose parents are wealthy is much more likely to be end up wealthy. That is the fact.