I have asked this question before and I will ask it again. Why do Republican voters, whose financial net worth is far less than one million dollars, continue to routinely vote for politicians that have nothing but unbridled contempt for those who fall far short of millionaire incomes?
Since January, 2011 the Republican Party has embarked on a radical mission to dismantle the social programs that were passed into law in the 20th Century. The GOP extremists want to return to the heyday of the reckless and irresponsible economic policies of the 1920s that led to the worst depression in U.S. history.
The social programs that were implemented in the 20th Century passed during a time in which there was a Democratic ethos of caring capitalism. By making investments in programs and initiatives for working Americans, tens of thousands of boats were lifted. Hard working folks had the opportunity to move up the ladders of education and attendant higher incomes. These investments ensured a secure future for a solid and thriving middle class America.
But today's radicals on the right want nothing to do with the caring part of capitalism or with floating any boat, for that matter. In fact, the extremists have no clue what the definition of care is.
On Friday the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to gut Medicare. It did so while giving yet more tax cuts to millionaires and by making the Bush tax cuts permanent.
Just one day after Congress concluded its fight over this year's spending, the House voted 235 to 193 to approve the fiscal blueprint for 2012 drafted by Representative Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin and chairman of the Budget Committee. Besides reconfiguring the Medicare program that now serves those 65 and older, the proposal would cut the top corporate and personal income tax rates while also overhauling the Medicaid health program for the poor.
Smokey Joe Barton continues to demonstrate that his financial friendship with big energy will lead him to say some of the craziest things one can muster in the aftermath of BP's oil spill disaster.
The Associated Press reports the following during opening testimony with BP's CEO Tony Hayward:
Facing Hayward at the witness table, the Texas Republican congressman said, "I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House" on Wednesday. Barton was referring to the agreement that President Barack Obama announced with BP for establishment of a $20 billion relief fund.
Barton's comments are indicative of the mindset that some Republicans have today that the government should take responsibility, financially and otherwise, for BP's mess. Republican House Leader John Boehner stated just a week ago that the government should also take responsibility for this environmental and economic disaster caused by BP's negligence. The GOP is apparently BP's best friend
Since President Obama has taken office Republicans have utilized scare tactics to instill fear in Americans that the government is attempting to take over every single inch of their lives. Republicans have intimated that Democrats in Congress are escalating a national debt that their Party is equally, if not more, responsible for than anyone. Some Republicans have demanded more fiscal responsibility even though under their leadership they drove the economic car into the ditch. Anything and everything that a Democrat proposes, at least according to entertainers Palin, Limbaugh, and Beck of the Republican Party, is a step toward Communism, Nazism, and whatever other "ism" they see fit to fabricate in order to galvanize extreme sentiments amongst their base.
As Rick Perry's comments were about a month ago, and John Boehner's were last week, Joe Barton's ridiculous comments and assertions are dangerous and ignorant. They are counterproductive toward efforts to recover from what British Petroleum is clearly responsible for. It's a smack in the face to the small business owners and residents along the Gulf that are grossly affected by this disaster. To stand before his colleagues, and the American people via television, and not only defend BP, but assert that the White House has engaged in mob-like tactics, is simply un-American. Moreover, to apologize to BP---the nerve to apologize to the company responsible for billions of dollars in economic damage to the Gulf Coast region, and a generation's worth of environmental damage---how dare you. Barton is not only un-American he is unfit to serve in Congress and represent the 6th Congressional District in Texas. Barton should apologize to the American people immediately. Anyone with BP's best interests in mind due to the millions of dollars in industry support they receive, and ignoring the interests of the citizens of this country, and the region in which they live, is unfit to hold public office.
Update 3: From DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan:
"While the President has worked to ensure that BP is held fully accountable to the families and small businesses of the Gulf, Republicans and Joe Barton are proving that they are only accountable to BP and the oil industry. While the President has secured a guarantee of at least $20 billion for Gulf Coast residents, Republicans and Joe Barton have lined their pockets with BP contributions. While the President has gotten BP to rightfully apologize to the American people for their reckless behavior, their inexcusable response and their insulting approach, Republicans are apologizing to BP. Republicans could not have this more backward, and it raises serious questions as to why they are on the side of BP and the oil companies instead of that of the American people. The only people Republicans and Joe Barton should be apologizing to are the people of the Gulf who they've turned their backs on to defend BP."
Rep. John Carter's $300 thousand income disclosure problem might impair the House Republican leadership's plan to paint Democrats as ethically challenged. The centerpiece of the plan was for Carter to lead the attack against Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY).
As recently as Monday, Politico reported that they hoped to exploit Rangel's dilemma for "maximum political advantage."
Convinced that Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) is on the ropes because of a tangle of ethical issues, House GOP leaders are debating whether to aggressively press for his removal as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee or try to drag out the controversy as long as possible for maximum political advantage.
House GOP leaders tapped Carter to introduce a resolution to strip Rangel of his Ways and Means Committee chairmanship on Oct. 7. Moments after Democrats defeated the resolution, Carter told Politico he wanted another chance.
It was so very naive and silly of me to suggest that the GOP should step up and take responsibility, as any adult would do, by calling a halt to the brown shirt shout downs at town hall meetings on healthcare reform.
Silly, silly me. That won't happen. Never. Ever. Even if hell freezes over and the entire country is in the throes of death, the answer remains to be no, never, in your dreams, not even if hell freezes over.
Despite GOP cries for freedom, its flag waving, its prominence of lapel wearing flag pins, its highly orchestrated scenarios of patriotism and noble words about freedom, the GOP's behavior has nothing to do with any of the principles mentioned above.
Actions speak louder than words. Shouting down and shutting out the questions and opinions that fellow Americans want to ask and share with their elected representative is:
anti-democratic,
anti-patriotic and
anti-American.
When political rhetoric goes over the top, inaction by a party's leadership is the same as blind acquiescence.
According to former right wing Republican and evangelical Christian leader, Frank Schaeffer, the GOP, its conservative pundits and the self-serving corporate sharks in the healthcare industry know no bounds in pulling off what is best for them.
For right wing Republicans, conservative pundits, the corporate sharks and their now enabled fruit loop nut jobs, it is a fight to the death.
Before you or someone you know gives their hard earned dollars to former Senator Coleman, you need to know why his "campaign" needs the money. It's not about partisan control like Senator Richard Burr or others would like you to believe.
Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) - who continues to contest election results that appear to have Democrat Al Franken winning the Senate seat by a whisker - is asking the Federal Election Commission for permission to use campaign funds for legal fees related to allegations that a supporter funneled payoffs through Coleman's wife.
Coleman's year-end campaign filings showed he had already spent close to $300,000 in legal fees, and his legal team has since expanded to include several of the Gopher State's best-known criminal defense attorneys.
Just prior to last year's election, Paul McKim alleged that longtime Coleman friend and supporter Nasser Kazeminy funneled a $75,000 payment to Coleman through Deep Marine Technology, a company primarily owned by Kazeminy. McKim is the former CEO of the company.
McKim alleged that at Kazeminy's direction, the company made payments to an insurance broker in Minneapolis that employed Coleman's wife, Laurie, despite the fact that the insurance company never provided any services to Deep Marine. McKim alleged that the only purpose of the payment was to provide cash assistance to the Colemans.
A second suit among shareholders in Delaware contains essentially the same allegations.
The Roll Call article highlight's the continued ridiculousness of the Republican brand. This isn't a total surprise. It's not completely uncommon for a formerly elected Senator facing legal question to ask others to help pay for his court fight. What is truly odd about this situation is 11 Republican leaders are joining Coleman's campaign to encourage American's to donate to Coleman's failed U.S. Senate campaign in order to assist a legal fight.
The list of advocates includes Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, House Republican John Boehner, RNC Chairman Michael Steele, and our very own Junior Senator John Cornyn as head of the NRSC.
As the Washington Independent points out, "if your donating to Norm Coleman, you might see your dollars sucked into a defense fund for a lawsuit that has a bit less to do with control of the Senate than the former senator's challenges of the results of the 2008 election."
Best case scenario, these 11 Republicans are being hypocrites by asking every vote to be counted in Minnesota while we inch closer to voter suppression legislation in Texas. Worst case scenario, they are misrepresenting the fact and helping raise money for Coleman to pay legal bills unrelated to the November election.
