Posts Tagged Republicans
Republican Mitch McConnell’s Twisted Logic on Taxes, Economics and Deficits
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, Budget, Budget & Deficit, Budget Deficit, Conservatives, Economics, Financial Crisis, Government, How and Why We Get Screwed, Logic & Reasoning, Politics, Republicans, Senate, economy on July 24th, 2010
PARALLEL UNIVERSE by Steve Hester
Remember how “vibrant” the economy was at the end of the Bush Era?
Recall that when Bush left office in January of 2009, the U.S. budget deficit was at an historical all-time high, roughly $1.3 Trillion .
So now Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claims that the Bush Tax Cuts “increased revenue, because of the vibrancy of these tax cuts in the economy.”
What an inexplicable disconnect between his statement and the foregoing facts regarding the economic collapse brought on by the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, and the deficits a majority of Americans agree that Bush hung around Obama’s neck; deficits that were unprecedented in relation to previous Administrations. It’s patently obvious that McConnell operates from a parallel universe where the laws of basic math and logic don’t apply.
As Ezra Klein of the Washington Post so kindly put it, “it’s enough to make you very, very sad.”
What’s even more unbelievable is how McConnell and the Republicans attempt to blister Obama and the Democrats on taxes, spending and deficits, all while ignoring the most blatant evidence of what the Republicans did after inheriting Clinton’s budget surplus. To describe this behavior in terms of an hypocrisy is an understatement.
So now the country seems inclined to put these guys back in power?
That is utterly terrifying.
NOTE: the sublime painting by Steve Hester is an original watercolor for sale at this link.
Republicans’ Are Skimming Off Political Froth
Posted by Lance Haley in BP oil spill, Conservatives, Energy, Environment, Politics, Pollution, Republicans on July 20th, 2010
OIL SKIMMING BOAT
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his fellow cohorts now claim President Obama did not act quickly enough in response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. McConnell appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” this past Sunday, and based his assertions on the premise that a Republican President would have brought a multitude of oil skimmers into the Gulf much sooner.
As is typical with many Republicans, this Palin-like “common sense” retort to complex problems is far too simplistic when set against the facts.
Besides, you don’t just move hundreds of oil-skimmers away from other critical areas – like harbors and ports – where ships and oil depot facilities routinely spill untold amounts of oil into the waters, having the potential to create smaller-scale environmental disasters. Furthermore, how do they think – well actually, they obviously don’t – they could transfer hundreds of the smaller skimmers from, for instance, California to the Gulf of Mexico? Would they sail in the treacherous waters down the Pacific coast of Central America and through the Panama Canal in such small watercraft?
Not if their asses were on the line.
Are Republicans really interested in fixing this country’s problems?
Then first start by skimming all the political B.S. off your claims.
A Tragedy of the First Proportion?
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, BP oil spill, Business and Money, Campaigns, Capitalism, Energy, Environment, Government, House of Representatives, How and Why We Get Screwed, Oil, Politics, Republicans, Show Them the $$$, White House on June 17th, 2010
No, the heading of this post is not a reference to the tragic deaths of the eleven men killed from the horrific explosion and fire on that Gulf oil rig. Nor is that heading alluding to the environmental devastation being wrought upon Gulf coast region by the oil spill. And it is not even a commentary on the hardships the people of the Gulf coast are experiencing.
Quite to the contrary.
That statement was Texas Republican Representative Joe Barton’s characterization of the outcome of the meeting between BP executives and President Obama in the Oval Office on Wednesday – where BP voluntarily agreed to pay $20 Billion into a fund to cover legal claims for the oil spill. Barton seems to think that BP had no choice in the matter – describing it as a political “shakedown” – and then openly apologized to BP’s embattled CEO, Tony Hayward, as more Congressional hearings got underway this morning. Here is what Barton had to say:
“I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday . . . [it's] a tragedy of the first proportion, that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, a $20 billion shakedown.”
Furthermore, Barton attempted to insinuate that BP was denied it’s right to utilize the legal system by invoking the constitutional doctrine of “due process and fairness” - thereby concluding that BP entered the agreement under duress, thus ostensibly elevating it to the level of “a tragedy of first proportion”; at least in Barton’s obviously warped world-view.
If anything, Barton’s response is so remarkably disproportionate, it begs the question as to how he could reach such an extraordinarily nonsensical conclusion? Want a not so little clue?
M-$-O-$-N-$-E-$-Y!
Barton – who is the top Congressional recipient of almost $1.5 million in political campaign contributions from the oil industry over the past 20 years – is just another shameless Big Oil shill in Washington, who is willing to do the bidding for their interests; all while placing the interests of average Americans at the bottom of the barrel.
Barton may be the only Republican brazen enough, or outright stupid enough, to say what he really thinks. I guess money and power will do that to you. Other Republicans simply insinuated that it was another Obama-style government takeover, of sorts. Their “measured responses” are just a veil for the same manner of thinking.
Meanwhile, as I am just finishing writing this post, Barton has suddenly issued a retraction of his earlier apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward – not so ironically, under duress from Republican leadership. In Barton’s mind, that is probably compounding the “tragedy of first proportion”? But even soul-less politicians have to compromise from time-to-time.
Nevertheless, don’t be fooled. After all, defending Corporate America is the primary business of the Republicans. Meanwhile, the small business owners of the Gulf Coast are cast afloat on a proverbial sea of oil, all going to Hell in a hand-basket together.
Let’s just hope the voters remember that come November.
Republicans Suddenly “Get Religion” On Financial Reform?
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, Bailouts, Banking, Business and Money, Campaign Finance Reform, Campaigns, Capitalism, Congress, Financial Crisis, Financial Terrorists, Government, How and Why We Get Screwed, Politics, Republicans, Senate, Show Them the $$$, Wall Street, White House, financial industry on April 26th, 2010
Several weeks ago Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell and Senator John Cornyn, leader of the National Republican Senatorial Committee – a principle Republican campaign fund-raising organization – flew to New York City to meet with Wall Street. Looming on the “dark horizon” was another long and bitter battle with President Obama and the Democrats over the proposed financial reform bill. It was safe to assume that Republicans would drag this one out like they did health care reform so as to impact the coming Fall mid-term elections.
True to form, McConnell and Cornyn made their pitch to the money-changers sitting in the temple – which was 25 Wall Street executives and hedge fund managers. The two powerful Senators made it very clear that in order for the Republicans to have any chance to take back control of the Senate and the House, they would need Wall Street’s assistance. As one anonymous Wall Street executive in attendance so eloquently put it, “There was no arm twisting, but they did say that we should feel uncomfortable living in any country where one party has unfettered ability to pass anything [legislation] . . . President Obama dreams up.”
I hope I don’t have to spell out what the Republicans quid pro quo was? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ . . . and lots of it.
So upon the Senator’s return to Washington, McConnell immediately announces that the Republicans are united in their oppostion to the Democrats’ financial reform bill, and they will utilize every procedural move to block the proposed regulatory-laden legislation because it will risk future tax-payer bailouts. That was just two weeks ago.
Fast forward one week, with one big freakin’ revelation about Goldman Sachs’ “gaming the system” to the $1 Billion detriment of several of their institutional clients, as well as proposals for much stronger derivatives regulation coming out of another Senate committee – and the Republicans are caught in a trap that they set for themselves.
Yet, in spite of the fact that the Republicans suddenly reversed course and were quickly backing away from supporting their Wall Street financiers, appearing more conciliatory towards President Obama and the Democrats than they have in more than 14 months, Mitch McConnell would have you believe that he has the Democrats on the ropes.
McConnell seems to think he should get credit for forcing the Democrats to negotiate. Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and author of the pending legislation, responded to McConnell’s baseless bragging, saying this:
“That is like a rooster taking credit for the sunrise.”
YEP!
UPDATE: Now after two days of filbustering and holding up floor debate on financial reform, McConnell got those Democrats to negotiate again – or was it get the voters to forget about the GOP’s siding with Wall Street by November?
SEC Diddles While Rome Burns
Posted by Lance Haley in Banking, Business and Money, Capitalism, Financial Crisis, Financial Terrorists, Government, How and Why We Get Screwed, Legal & Justice, Politics, Republicans, Senate, Show Them the $$$, U.S. District Courts, Wall Street, financial industry on April 26th, 2010
DID WATCHING PORN CAUSE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS?
This author was highly critical of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) limp-dicked response to the Bank of America bailout scandal – here, here, here, and especially HERE - which was finally settled several months ago.
Federal Judge Jed Rakoff was incensed at the SEC’s handling of that case – and he publicly admonished SEC lawyers and regulators in a series of blistering critiques at their apparently cozy relationship with BoA executives and lawyers in trying to reach a settlement in that matter. Click on the link above to read the judges comments.
At least Judge Rakoff demonstrated that he has balls, and he vicariously told the SEC in no uncertain terms that they need to grow some testicles. I guess they got the message, in light of their recent case filed against Goldman Sachs.
And speaking of SEC testicles . . .
While Bernie Madoff was screwing his investors out of $50 Billion, and Goldman Sachs was screwing the rest of the world out of whatever money remained, SEC lawyers and high-ranking officials were watching porn stars screw one another.
And then we all got screwed – up the A$$!
Responding to the scandal, SEC spokesman John Nester released a statement that said, “each of the offending employees has been disciplined or is in the process of being disciplined.”
WAIT A MINUTE!?!
Doesn’t SEC Chairman Mary Shapiro realize that is exactly what these naughty boys want - punishment? Wonder if she used her bare hand, or a whip?
“Oooh, Mary baby . . . I’m a such bad boy. Pleezzze, spank me real hard. Pleeezzze?!?”
What a bunch of jack-offs – both literally and figuratively speaking.
On a final note: one of the SEC porn-watchers was a female staff accountant . An chance someone from the SEC can send me her email address and phone number? :)
P.S. To Senator Chuck Grassley and all of you other Republicans trying to use this as political fodder for undermining financial reform - this porn scandal happened on former SEC Chairman Christopher Cox’s watch. He was a Bush Republican appointee, confirmed by a Republican-controlled Senate!
Republican’s Will Repeal Health Care Reform by Supporting the “Local Ballet” and Rolling the Dice
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, 2012 Election, Campaigns, Conservatives, Cultural Issues, Culture Wars, Morality, Sex & Sexuality on April 1st, 2010
You know how Republicans get that insidiously evil “Obamacare” Health Reform Bill overturned?
First, you have to have a bit of a kick-off party at the Voyeur, as well as be willing to roll the dice again and take a walk on the wild side in West Hollywood. All to the tune of approximately $2000. And that price does not even include the $30k for hotel rooms at the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire.
I mean, this is important stuff. The future of our great country hangs in the balance. They will spare no expense in saving this country. Don’t you understand? These are Republicans. However, they do stand for fiscal restraint. So they will make sure you got your monies worth while preserving Freedom and Liberty, as well as keeping those young scantily-clad girls with whips and chains fully employed.
After all, even those girls are good Capitalists
And I do mean FULLY employed – don’t forget that these establishments are open all night, and the girls dance ’til the crack of dawn. They know they have to keep “the wheels greased” and get their ”hands a little dirty” in order to keep this broken, worthless “Socialist” economy running long enough to get a Republican back into the Whitehouse.
And surely you don’t think these good Republicans would let that opulent hotel suite go to waste on just themselves, do you? You know that in their heart-of-hearts they believe in the theory of “trickle-down” economics . . . when they spend big, everyone benefits. Besides, when it comes to some things, even a Republican has a little ”Socialist” deep down inside of him. After all, charity starts at home . . . or on the road, as the case may be.
And speaking of deep down inside . . . it’s important to educate these nice young ladies from the “ballet” with some deep and meaningful conversation regarding how Obama is ruining the economic foundations and moral fiber of this country, and then give her some $100 bills for her “lobbying” efforts, and call room service for another round of those awesome $45 Cuba Libres.
Hey, not that I object to hanging out with young, scantily-clad women. For goodness sakes, I too am a red-blooded American male. You see, the difference is that we Liberals don’t have the moral hangups most Conservatives do, and we don’t write it off or hide it. We just pay for it ourselves – WITH CASH - and then we do not have to answer to anyone!
Ummm . . . including our wives or significant others. 
P.S. As an aside, about 10 years ago while on a week-long golf junket with my Conservative buddies, I was tossed out of one these “ballet clubs”. All for a silly prank – nothing untoward or obscene. In fact, that little joint on Hilton Head Island let me back in the next night with a promise from me that I would “mind my manners” – while reminding me that they could get their license pulled for my silly antics. The dancer that I was acting up with the night before told me with a smile that I was a “very naughty boy”. I proudly laughed, and all was forgiven.
Hang All the Democrats? It May Be Too Late to Stop That, Eric Cantor . . .
Posted by Lance Haley in Anti-government sentiment, Conservatives, Cultural Issues, Government, Healthcare Reform, House of Representatives, Politics, Tea Party, crime on March 26th, 2010
OK. So many Americans are disenchanted with the direction of the country, specifically the health care legislation that was passed this week. One can disagree with policies – that is reasonable and to be expected.
So now it’s alright to threaten, intimidate and otherwise cast scurrilous invectives at our Congressional representatives – particularly by other members of Congress?
If the more civil party members of the Republicans and Tea Party (as for the latter, one has to wonder if “civil party members” isn’t an oxymoron) are sincerely interested in preserving the State of the Union, they would be well advised to tone down the rhetoric before something tragic happens that will ignite unforeseen consequences.
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R.- Virgina) is a case in point. Cantor has suddenly decided that he wants to weigh in on this issue ONLY after his own Congressional office back home was fired upon by an unknown gunman. Cantor is now accusing Democrats of “fanning the flames” by reporting these acts, but said NOTHING prior to this when a member of his own Republican Party used language that was beyond incendiary, to wit:
1) House Minority Leader John Boehner (not ironically, Cantor’s “boss”) said this week of fellow Ohio Congressman Steve Driehaus (D – Ohio), after Driehaus voted for the Health Care Reform Bill, “He may be a dead man. He can’t go home to the west side of Cincinnati.”
Moreover, Tea Party activists protesting on the Capitol steps spewed racist remark towards several members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and even spit on black Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver (D – MO).
Cantor, who is of Jewish decent, claims that he has been the target of racist threats and invectives since he took office. Given that fact, coupled with the history of his own people, you think he would have spoken up earlier in the week. The silence of the German people regarding the slowly fermenting racist hatred towards the Jews by members of the Nazi party in the 1930’s was an act of omission – a moral crime, in and of itself. We all know what happened next. Cantor, of all people, should understand the unintended consequences of not speaking up sooner.
Yet, only now after he became a target of this decidedly un-American behavior, was Cantor quoted as saying, “Enough is enough, it has to stop.”
Yes Mr. Cantor, you are right.
You just should have spoken up a long, long time ago.
Obama and Democrats Played Republicans on Healthcare?
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, 2012 Election, Bill O'Reilly, Campaigns, Congress, Conservatives, Dick Cheney, Economics, Glenn Beck, Government, Health Insurance Industry, Healthcare Reform, House of Representatives, Medicaid, Medicare, Politics, Populists, Sarah Palin, Senate, Tea Party, White House, economy on March 24th, 2010
Now the blame game begins about how Health Care Reform got passed.
You are just going to love this one . . .
William Saletan reports today in Slate.com that the Bipartisan Health Care Summit organized by the Whitehouse and attended by the President and party leaders on February 25, 2010 , was in fact a total ruse orchestrated by President Obama to set-up the Republicans; Saletan cites accounts from four different media outlets who quote anonymous Democratic aides that “paint a picture of deception” as follows:
“Obama never believed he could persuade Republicans. He had already decided the shape of the bill. He called the meeting to create an illusion of outreach, put Republicans on the spot, discredit their ideas, and embolden Democrats.”
Oh, Horror of Horrors! How sinister of President Obama. You know they say he is one Hell of a poker player. Republicans should have known just how shrewd and conniving this beast was when they sat down at the table with him. Obama went “all in”, and the Repubs folded. How could he do this to them?
The Republicans spent over a year trying to play Obama and the Democrats like a fiddle, and in the end, it was the Republicans who got played? Hee Hee Hee.
KARMA BABY. KARMA.
Hey Repubs: I think God does have a sense of humor.
Why the Sudden Republican Bipartisanship on One Healthcare Reform Issue? Hypocrisy Maybe?
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, 2012 Election, Campaigns, Economics, House of Representatives on February 26th, 2010
DECIDE TO BE HEALTHY . . . BUT AT WHAT COST?
On Wednesday the House Republicans finally joined the Democrats in a rare accomplishment of voting together on a bill that would repeal a sixty-five (65) year old law allowing insurance companies to have virtual monopolies (oligopolies) over health care insurance. Known as the McCarran-Ferguson Act of (1945), the former anti-trust legislation was designed to give states the power to determine which insurance companies could operate in their states, and investigate collusion by those companies to fix prices and prevent competition.
The reasoning behind repealing the former law was that proponents of the bill believe it allowed a few companies in each state to work in concert to control health insurance, given that the health insurance industry is now dominated by a handful of major players due to consolidation through mergers. Those that opposed the bill – including insurance industry companies and their industry associations – claim that the regulatory agencies in the various states that have oversight of insurance companies already limit the amount of premium increases the companies can charge customers. Of course “limit” is a relative term – particularly when the recent health insurance premiums increases demanded by insurance companies in the various states are projected to rise at alarming rates.
The problem with that argument – that state insurance commissions can adequately regulate the insurance industry – is that there is overwhelming evidence that state insurance regulatory commissions are a revolving door for insurance industry insiders. Want to guess who’s side they are on? It’s like asking the fox to guard the chicken coop.
Thus, it makes sense that Republicans went along with the repeal of the previous legislation given that recent spate of news regarding substantial increases in health care premiums. Republican leaders said that this was a just a political-motivated ploy by the Democrats in a memo circulated to their members just before the vote took place. The exact language from the memo was ”[for] political calculations, rather than substantive reasons.” So why did they then turn right around and vote for it if it was a “politically-motivated ploy”? Will Senate Republicans do the same thing?
Republicans cannot have it both ways. Maybe their vote is politically-motivated to ensure that they are re-elected in the November 2010 mid-term elections (yes, the one coming up this Fall)?
What a bunch of hypocrites!
Thank Goodness Obama Healthcare Reform is Dead? Caveat Emptor . . .
Posted by Lance Haley in 2010 Election, 2012 Election, Bailouts, Banking, Budget, Budget & Deficit, Budget Deficit, Business and Money, Campaigns, Capitalism, Conservatives, Economics, Financial Crisis, Financial Terrorists, Government, Healthcare Reform, How and Why We Get Screwed, Medicare, Sarah Palin, Show Them the $$$, Wall Street, Wealth Disparity & the Ultra Rich, economy, financial industry on February 12th, 2010
This is the face of the future for Republican Health Care and Social Security Reform – memorize it!
Now remember all of those terrifying Town Hall meetings in the Summer of 2009, where all you heard about on a daily basis were “Death Panels” and Medicare cuts, and Big Brother’s government bureaucrats making decisions about both the quality and quantity of health care you were going to receive?
You have nothing to worry about. Obama’s Health Care Reform is likely all but dead, and many of you will try to vote the Republicans back into power in this Fall’s mid-term elections so that they can protect you from Obama’s scary Socialist Big Government. Hip, Hip, Hooray (or is that Horror?) for their brand of Capitalism and individual freedom.
Except for one thing. The Republicans do not intend to protect you from anything (remember, that’s the point of shrinking government support). Including going broke in your retirement years from either rising health care costs, or diminishing retirement income. Think I am kidding? This is not hyperbole!
Ignore what follows at your own peril . . .
At the 2009 CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) - this is the Superbowl of Conservative power-brokers, with Glenn Beck as their 2010 Keynote Speaker - Republican Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) proposed that Medicare be completely dismantled, and replaced by a system of vouchers for seniors to purchase health insurance in the private sector.
Make no mistake about it: this will be the platform for the Republicans’ answer on how to reform health care once they are back in power. Do you doubt that? Well, Fox News reported that Ryan has been annointed as “the leader of future of the conservative movement.” That’s code for Republican Presidential nominee. He is their visionary, and here is his vision for American retirees’ Medicare and social security safety nets.
According to The Economist magazine, and an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Ryan’s “daring plan” will stimulate both the health insurance industry, as well as the health care industry, while slowing the growth of government health care spending; which is great if you are a Republican rising star like Ryan, who receives almost 40% of his political campaign contributions from health-related industries and their beneficiaries.
What’s not so great for retirees is that the CBO analysis shows why this is so great for the government and those industries: the dollar value of those vouchers you are going to get under Ryan’s plan will not rise as quickly as the projected costs of health care. Which means retirees will have higher out-of-pocket expenses as time goes on. And you can be certain that if those costs are going up, your private health insurance will also be going up at an equally rising rate – after all, they have to make a profit. That’s Capitalism. Right?
Another great thing about this plan – but not so great for retirees – is that the cost to the government will continue to grow more slowly because, as the CBO projections show, people will use less health care when they have to increasingly pay more and more out of their own pockets. Remember last summer when Sarah Palin and the Teabaggers scared you about the government rationing health care? Now you can do it to yourself!
In essence, Ryan’s Republican plan would make the government go broke more slowly than American retirees will, while temporarily keeping this growing health care crisis at bay another decade or two, and increase the profits of health-related industries along the way, forcing you to resort to receiving less and less health care as you grow older.
Don’t believe me? Do the math. It’s really that simple.
And Remember: Under the Republican Healthcare Reform Plan you will NOT even have Medicare supplemental insurance to fall back on. You wanted government out of your life . . . you got it!
So be happy you are not going to get Health Care Reform from Obama. I don’t mean to alarm you – especially after the Republicans scared you sufficiently enough to ensure health care reform would not get passed. After all, now they are free to begin selling you their notion of a “free market” alternative. Caveat emptor (“buyer beware”).
And recall the proverbial admonishment: “Be careful what you wish for . . . you just might get it.”
Happy retirement, America.
P.S. Ryan’s “free market plan” also calls for Social Security to be completely dismantled, and privatized. Surely the impact of that policy is not lost on anyone after the global financial markets collapsed for the second time in a decade – losing almost 40% of their value in both downturns, with average investment returns for the past ten (10) years of about 1%. What if your social security safety net was invested there? Hint: it’s not a “free market” proposal - the government will limit your choices on how you can invest your social security retirement. Are you really so naive as to think Wall Street won’t have their greedy fingers in that enormous financial pie? They own Washington, D.C.!