Do Republicans have a history of helping the American Middle Class?

[rdean]

I am so sick of lying liberals defending this useless pos in the WH. I was fairly ambivalent until today. Today he is sticking the knife in the back of the working man. Coal stations will be closing and the cost of electricity will do exactly what Obama said he wanted, it will skyrocket. It is also what the power companies want so Obama is helping his big business handlers.

His heritage will be one of destruction of the middle class and yet the OP wants to blame the party that has not been in power for 7 years. Well FY the ills of the country can be placed only one place with OBAMA and the party of slavery the democrats.

Hilarious. Thousands of coal miners dying from black lung disease. Hundreds of thousands of Americans sick from coal related illnesses. That's what your kind are fighting for.

Meanwhile, coal miner jobs have dropped in some states by two thirds because of the natural gas boom.

Worse, the people in Appalachia suffer because of what the coal mine owners have done to them and their land.

And ignorant right wingers who know nothing and refuse to learn defend that. Do they defend it because they don't know any better or because they are bastards and like to see people suffer? It's hard to say. Seriously, when you look at right winger policies and how they hurt so many Americans you have to wonder, "Are they just mean"?

 

[Harry Dresden]

First George W. Bush's SEC let Wall Street run a derivatives based Ponzi scheme that destroyed the world economy in 2008.

Then Republicans on the Supreme Court voted to allow unlimited secret campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision.

Then Republicans in Congress voted against infrastructure spending that would have lowered unemployment.

Then Republicans in the House shut down the government and threatened the country with default.

Why would anyone vote for a party that hates government and continually tries to damage our country?

why would anyone vote for either one of those 2 parties?....i live in California ....where i sit they both suck at Governing.....both are doing a good job at strangling this Country....

 

[Harry Dresden]

Then why do Republicans only help the wealthy?

why are the 1% still getting tons of wealth?.....just asking....

Because Republicans still control the House and are blocking higher taxes on the rich and a raise in the minimum wage.

Bernie Sanders said in a recent Playboy interview that Obama is just as much at fault at feeding these guys as any Republican has been and said its one of the biggest faults he has with the man....and many Democrats like feeding there too.....

 

[Harry Dresden]

Then why do Republicans only help the wealthy?

why are the 1% still getting tons of wealth?.....just asking....

The Golden Rule says.....he who has the gold makes the rules

The rules are set up to protect the ability of the wealthy to protect and accumulate wealth. The party of filibuster ensures that it remains that way

the rich have always made the rules.....you do realize that every Democrat in the govt telling us the way it is going to be is rich right?.....they aint much different than their rich Republican cousins....

 

[rightwinger]

why are the 1% still getting tons of wealth?.....just asking....

The Golden Rule says.....he who has the gold makes the rules

The rules are set up to protect the ability of the wealthy to protect and accumulate wealth. The party of filibuster ensures that it remains that way

the rich have always made the rules.....you do realize that every Democrat in the govt telling us the way it is going to be is rich right?.....they aint much different than their rich Republican cousins....

As a matter of fact, they are
They vote against their own wealth

 

[Chris]

For Republicans America is a platform for individual fulfillment. But here's the catch: the Individual is defined in the narrowest possible terms. Any notion of the "The Public Good" is seen as "Socialism" (socialism being anything the government does for the non-wealthy). The Free Market will fix New Orleans levees. The Free Market will effectively control the amount of derivative based risk Wall Street will take. The Free Market will get us off imported oil(rather than spending decades making terrorists stronger). The Free Market will keep our rivers clean. The Free Market will make healthcare more efficient. The Free Market won't bribe Washington in order to increase it's profit margin. We don't need to worry about "The Public Good", individual selfishness driven by short term profit is a utopian reflex.

But the world doesn't work that way. Selfishness harms society....tears it apart....destroys the world economy....spills millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.....tears a hole in the ozone...creates a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas...melts the North Polar ice cap.....creates massive deficits by giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy....

But the Republicans celebrate this selfishness. It is their core value. For them greed is good.

 

[Oldstyle]

First George W. Bush's SEC let Wall Street run a derivatives based Ponzi scheme that destroyed the world economy in 2008.

Then Republicans on the Supreme Court voted to allow unlimited secret campaign contributions in the Citizens United decision.

Then Republicans in Congress voted against infrastructure spending that would have lowered unemployment.

Then Republicans in the House shut down the government and threatened the country with default.

Why would anyone vote for a party that hates government and continually tries to damage our country?

Correct me if I'm wrong Chris...but wasn't it George W. Bush that was warning about the impending financial bubble and Democrats like Christopher Dodd an Barney Frank that pooh poohed that and said everything was fine?

Funny how you liberals never had a problem with unlimited contributions from unions to elect liberal politicians who then turned around and gave sweetheart deals back to the unions with taxpayer money. That's fine...but God help us all if other Americans want to spend THEIR money to support conservative candidates!

Infrastructure spending? You mean like the spending on "shovel ready jobs" that was in the 870 billion dollar Obama Stimulus? The jobs that never materialized? Not only Republicans didn't vote for that...Democrats in tough reelection races didn't vote for it either. Why? Because it was a fiasco the first time they tried it and it would have be a fiasco the second time they tried it.

The government shutdown was fully as much the fault of Democrats refusing to compromise as it was the GOP. Barry and the Dems were more than happy to see the shutdown because they were confident that the main stream media would blame it on the Republicans.

Why would anyone vote for someone who believes in smaller government and less wasteful spending? Because it's the only REAL solution to the mess we're in? Duh?

 

[Oldstyle]

For Republicans America is a platform for individual fulfillment. But here's the catch: the Individual is defined in the narrowest possible terms. Any notion of the "The Public Good" is seen as "Socialism" (socialism being anything the government does for the non-wealthy). The Free Market will fix New Orleans levees. The Free Market will effectively control the amount of derivative based risk Wall Street will take. The Free Market will get us off imported oil(rather than spending decades making terrorists stronger). The Free Market will keep our rivers clean. The Free Market will make healthcare more efficient. The Free Market won't bribe Washington in order to increase it's profit margin. We don't need to worry about "The Public Good", individual selfishness driven by short term profit is a utopian reflex.

But the world doesn't work that way. Selfishness harms society....tears it apart....destroys the world economy....spills millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.....tears a hole in the ozone...creates a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas...melts the North Polar ice cap.....creates massive deficits by giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy....

But the Republicans celebrate this selfishness. It is their core value. For them greed is good.

The reason the levees didn't work in New Orleans isn't because of a failure of free markets. The reason the levees failed was because the taxpayer money that was poured into Louisiana for just that purpose ended up going into the pockets of local politicians. Where is Ray Nagin these days, Chris? That's why things didn't work in New Orleans! The Democrats that were running the city were corrupt. They were more worried about lining their own pockets than they were about doing right by the people who live in that city.

One of the reason those millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf was that environmental regulations pushed drilling operations out into deep water and away from shore despite an almost spotless safety record of shallow water drillers. So when the well head blows up...it's so deep that they can't get a cap on it for weeks. One more example of good intentions running head first into reality.

 

[Oldstyle]

You idiots keep trying to make being successful a "sin" and then you can't understand why those with the capital to create jobs here don't create them for you!

 

[Erand7899]

For Republicans America is a platform for individual fulfillment. But here's the catch: the Individual is defined in the narrowest possible terms. Any notion of the "The Public Good" is seen as "Socialism" (socialism being anything the government does for the non-wealthy). The Free Market will fix New Orleans levees. The Free Market will effectively control the amount of derivative based risk Wall Street will take. The Free Market will get us off imported oil(rather than spending decades making terrorists stronger). The Free Market will keep our rivers clean. The Free Market will make healthcare more efficient. The Free Market won't bribe Washington in order to increase it's profit margin. We don't need to worry about "The Public Good", individual selfishness driven by short term profit is a utopian reflex.

But the world doesn't work that way. Selfishness harms society....tears it apart....destroys the world economy....spills millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.....tears a hole in the ozone...creates a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas...melts the North Polar ice cap.....creates massive deficits by giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy....

But the Republicans celebrate this selfishness. It is their core value. For them greed is good.

Why don't you create yourself a strawman, fill it with BS, and then skillfully tear it apart. Liberal/socialists are extremely good at that. The all or nothing approach to debate. If you are not for big, uncontrollable, liberty killing government, then you must be against all government. If you don't care for socialism, then you must be for unfettered free market capitalism. If you don't like government taking your hard earned money, and then giving it to some layabout to buy drugs with, then you must be opposed to public welfare.

Well Chris, conservatives do like government. We like local government taking care of the local infrastructure, enforcing the laws, suppling fire and police protection, and doing all the things that local government is supposed to do. We pay taxes to our local government to provide those services.

We like state governments, and we pay taxes and fees for state government to see to all of the infrastructure needs of the state, and take care of the people who live in the state.

We also like the federal government, but not the federal government that you like. We like the federal government that is engaged in the things that the federal government was designed to do. We want that government to be prudent with the money we supply them with. Don't throw it around to friends and campaign contributors, or buy into bankrupt solar panel companies. We want a federal government that respects the states' right to see to the needs of their people, and develop their resources, like any other soverign state. In other words, we like the federal government that our founders designed.

 

[Billy000]

When will republicans understand they can't win arguments based on facts?

 

[Avatar4321]

For Republicans America is a platform for individual fulfillment. But here's the catch: the Individual is defined in the narrowest possible terms. Any notion of the "The Public Good" is seen as "Socialism" (socialism being anything the government does for the non-wealthy). The Free Market will fix New Orleans levees. The Free Market will effectively control the amount of derivative based risk Wall Street will take. The Free Market will get us off imported oil(rather than spending decades making terrorists stronger). The Free Market will keep our rivers clean. The Free Market will make healthcare more efficient. The Free Market won't bribe Washington in order to increase it's profit margin. We don't need to worry about "The Public Good", individual selfishness driven by short term profit is a utopian reflex.

But the world doesn't work that way. Selfishness harms society....tears it apart....destroys the world economy....spills millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.....tears a hole in the ozone...creates a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas...melts the North Polar ice cap.....creates massive deficits by giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy....

But the Republicans celebrate this selfishness. It is their core value. For them greed is good.

Men and women of virtue working for their self interest help the common good. Every person who can govern themselves becomes a blessing to others in society by first not being someone who drains others, but who can contribute.

You seem to think the problems of society are going to be fixed on a societal, national, or global level. They aren't. They can't be. There can't be a top down solution to the worlds problems. They have to be solved at an individual level.

 

[Avatar4321]

When will republicans understand they can't win arguments based on facts?

When that becomes true. Until then, we'll keep trying to educate you.

 

[Oldstyle]

You know what, Billy? If this was 2008...BEFORE the start of the Obama Administration you might have a point! You could talk about the "failures" of George W. Bush and how the innate brilliance of Barack Obama was going to be a game changer!

But this ISN'T 2008 and an Obama Presidency is no longer some vague notion about Hope & Change! Progressives came into power controlling the House...the Senate...and the Oval Office. What did they give the country with all of those things? The ACA...probably the most badly written piece of legislation in the history of the country. The Obama Stimulus...something that was supposed to create jobs and stimulate the economy but was handled so badly by you progressives that you had to invent a new statistic...job saved or created...to hide how few jobs you actually created. Then there is the constant stream of scandals from this group of incompetents. From Fast & Furious...through Benghazi...the IRS...the James Rosen wiretaps...Solyndra...the VA...and now this latest cluster fuck...a one for five trade that got us a soldier who appears to have gone AWOL in return for five high level terrorists who after a years vacation in Qatar will be right back to doing what they do best...killing Americans!

Shit, Billy...you're right...how CAN a conservative make an argument against THAT kind of record!!! (eye-roll)

 

[Flopper]

Absolutely. The earned income credit, no child left behind the prescription drug plan all of dubious value but the intent was to help the middle/lower class.

Conservatives More Liberal Givers

Bush tax cuts helped the middle class more then anyone else.

The idea of a Medicare drug benefit may have been to help seniors but the real purpose of the legislation was to increase drug company revenues. For most seniors, it would be cheaper to purchase the drugs through Canada.

One of the worse aspects of the Republican law was to stop bundling. Health care companies used to be able to group together and buy in bulk. Republicans stopped that. So an HMO for example, can only buy what it expects to use. This caused prices to skyrocket. But that only applies to America (GOP loves to screw over Americans). Other countries can still buy from US companies in bulk. That's why it's cheaper to buy from them even when they add the cost of a middle man.

One of secrets that drug companies don't want you to know is that 80% of the drugs consumed in the US are manufactured in India or China and are sold abroad at 20% to 50% of the US price. The only difference is the packaging. Very few pharmaceuticals are actually manufactured in the US. The drug companies have spent millions trying to prevent individuals from buying abroad. Bush tried to enforce a ban against individual importation. Under Obama, individuals are allowed to import drugs for their personal use in small quantities. However, the drug companies haven't given up. They are lobbying congress now for legislation. If they are successful, then I guess I'll be paying $250/mo for the drug I buy from a Canadian pharmacy for $50.

 

[rdean]

When will republicans understand they can't win arguments based on facts?

When that becomes true. Until then, we'll keep trying to educate you.

Oh we know all about "voter suppression".

 

[rdean]

You know what, Billy? If this was 2008...BEFORE the start of the Obama Administration you might have a point! You could talk about the "failures" of George W. Bush and how the innate brilliance of Barack Obama was going to be a game changer!

But this ISN'T 2008 and an Obama Presidency is no longer some vague notion about Hope & Change! Progressives came into power controlling the House...the Senate...and the Oval Office. What did they give the country with all of those things? The ACA...probably the most badly written piece of legislation in the history of the country. The Obama Stimulus...something that was supposed to create jobs and stimulate the economy but was handled so badly by you progressives that you had to invent a new statistic...job saved or created...to hide how few jobs you actually created. Then there is the constant stream of scandals from this group of incompetents. From Fast & Furious...through Benghazi...the IRS...the James Rosen wiretaps...Solyndra...the VA...and now this latest cluster fuck...a one for five trade that got us a soldier who appears to have gone AWOL in return for five high level terrorists who after a years vacation in Qatar will be right back to doing what they do best...killing Americans!

Shit, Billy...you're right...how CAN a conservative make an argument against THAT kind of record!!! (eye-roll)

I always hoped Republicans would change. Selfish mean bastards aren't good for the country.

They've changed all right. They've gotten worse.

 

[TooTall]

Capital gains was taxed as income in the late 1980's, but the tax was repealed by George Bush Sr.

What makes you think you deserve a penny of what an old man gets for selling his house? Or his stocks for that matter?

What is the difference between money made from your investments and money made from your sweat?

The money you invested came from the money you made from your sweat. You paid taxes on it before you invested it. The difference is you pay taxes on your investments if they make money and you stand a chance of losing ALL of your investment.

 

[Harry Dresden]

The Golden Rule says.....he who has the gold makes the rules

The rules are set up to protect the ability of the wealthy to protect and accumulate wealth. The party of filibuster ensures that it remains that way

the rich have always made the rules.....you do realize that every Democrat in the govt telling us the way it is going to be is rich right?.....they aint much different than their rich Republican cousins....

As a matter of fact, they are
They vote against their own wealth

yea ...and in the meantime they are mysteriously getting richer....none of those guys vote against their own wealth RW unless there is something in it for them....

 

[hadit]

From 1941 to the 1960's we had high taxes on the rich and high wages. The taxes were invested in education and infrastructure and the high wages created consumer demand. Now we have low taxes for the rich and low wages.

What is the result? 23% of total income goes to the top 1%.

70% of our economy is consumer demand. Too much money in too few hands starves the economy of demand. Stagnation is the result.

Raise the minimum wage and tax capital gains as income.

How simplistic. No one paid the high rates back in that day, because they had dozens of loopholes and ways to hide income. Liberals never seem to be able to remember that Reagan not only lowered rates, but eliminated most loopholes. I wonder why they can't seem to get that straight?

Oh, and rich democrats will NEVER allow capital gains to be taxed as income, because it would hit them. They don't want that.

Capital gains was taxed as income in the late 1980's, but the tax was repealed by George Bush Sr.

And ever since, EVERY wealthy person, democrats as well, has been taking most of his/her income in the form of capital gains. Why do you think a CEO with a base salary of $300,000/year makes $10,000,000/year? Why do you think Warren Buffet wants to raise the income tax? He does because he knows full well it won't impact him much at all, since he takes very little as regular income.