Make Way Herbert Hoover : The Republicans Are Coming
- Image by Beverly & Pack via Flickr
Former President, George H. W. Bush, learned the hard way that the old mantra “It’s the economy, stupid!” was political truth. It was primarily due to problems in the economy that Bush ended up losing an almost insurmountable lead over Bill Clinton in a period of a few short months before the election. In spite of a successful military operation to throw Saddam Hussein and his Iraqi invaders out of Kuwait, Mr. Bush went on to lose his bid for re-election. Since then, most U.S. politicians have recognized that absolutely nothing is more important to voters than their own economic well being. This is why the latest jobs report, showing the unemployment rate unchanged at 9.5% in July, is like throwing raw meat to the Republicans.
Both ends of the political spectrum are lining up to spin the jobs report to suit their own agendas, and both sides are using the report to advocate for entirely different policies. Coming from the left, White House economic adviser Christina Romer said the disappointing report proves the need for more government intervention in order to revive the economy. The Obama Administration has been consistent in saying that the economic recovery is still too fragile to be cut off from government stimulus programs, and that more support will be needed to motivate employers to begin hiring. In addition, federal government support for state and local jurisdictions must to continue, in order to avoid mass-layoffs from cash-strapped state coffers. Coming from the right, House Republican Whip, Eric Cantor, insisted that the Obama Administration’s, deficit-producing stimulus programs have done little to stimulate job growth. He has called for an extension of the Bush tax cuts, claiming that keeping tax rates low will be the most effective way to produce job-creating growth in the private sector.
There is little doubt that Republicans will remember how George H. W. Bush’ presidential campaign was derailed by a faltering economy in 1992, and use the same reasoning to take down as many Democrats as possible in the upcoming, mid-term election. The danger is that many extremist right-wingers, such as Sharron Angle and Rand Paul, may get swept into power by a disgruntled electorate, hell-bent on punishing Democrats for not turning the economy around swiftly enough. At a time when the fragile American, economic recovery needs support more than ever, newly elected, right wing politicians will ensure that all progressive legislation is brought to a screeching halt. Middle class Americans, who have relied heavily on government assistance programs to keep food on the table will be thrown to the proverbial wolves.
Although the Republicans will campaign heavily against the Obama Administration’s stimulus programs, they will not able to offer the American people a viable alternative, other than the dis-credited concept of “trickle-down economics”. As the November mid-term elections rapidly approach, independent voters across the country should not be fooled into believing that the Republicans offer anything more than a return to the days of Bush-43. If, in fact, too many candidates like Angle and Rand get elected, we may be facing a return to the days of Herbert Hoover. This is a scenario that is too frightening to imagine, and certainly something we must avoid at all costs.
Rich
A republic is ruled by law. The people have representatives to the government to represent their will. In a democracy the majority rules. It’s directly run by the people. The people are at risk to be manipulated by their leaders. As stated on the program. I’m old but I’m still trying to get it right. God Bless the USA and Glen Beck and all who love this country!!
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We’ve had those magic Bush tax cuts for what, 5 years now? Where’s all the hiring?
The only thing the Bush tax cuts did was pad the bottom line of corporate execs, who continue to export jobs and sit on the cash.
God bless the USA except for people that support divisive, hateful, charlatan, ass clowns like Glenn Beck.
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Whoooooooooooo HA ! You Go Rich.
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Herbert Hoover’s tariffs made things bad but FDR’s stimulus made things worse… much like Obama’s stimulus. Can’t wait for the change of power in November.
“We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. We have just as much unemployment as when we started. … And an enormous debt to boot!”
- Henry Morgenthau (1939) FDR’s Treasury Secretary
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Reading about the potential outcome of the elections and its frightening impact on the middle class and the poor is truly scary. Perhaps if people played a game of Boggle in lieu of Monopoly, they’d vote on behalf of everyone’s well being and the environment…like, if we subtracted the ‘d’ from ‘greed’ and replaced it with an ‘n’ for ‘green’…..hmmm, job creation, healthier planet?
Yes, it’s overly simplistic, but it seems as if people panic about their piece of the pie during times of hardship and forget about the bigger picture. Glad I read your post. I like learning new things.
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Bluz,
It seems to me that keeping tax cuts for the wealthy is a real bad idea; especially when America is facing serious funding problems in Social Security, Medicare, etc. The progressive agenda that has been enacted over the last sixty years to benefit the middle class is in jeopardy because of Republican refusal to allow programs to be properly funded. Their “insidious” plan is to force programs to be “deficit funded”, and let the inevitable inflation happen. Inflation will destroy the middle class; therefore, problem solved!
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Harrison,
Okay; so you think that a “power change” in November is going to be the answer? I’d really like to see what the Republicans would do to stop the increase in the national debt, or to ensure proper funding for Social Security and Medicare, or to create jobs. Just cut taxes for the wealthy, right Harrison? Yeah, that’s bound to make the millions of unemployed, middle class American workers real, real happy.
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The Snee,
The last two years of Republican filibusters have shown that America is engaged in a “class war” more than ever before. Don’t you just love it when the “Party of No” tells us that extending unemployment comp is a bad thing because we’re all to lazy to get a job, or that tax cuts for the wealthy are good because they motivate the rich to throw the middle class a bone, or that universal health care for Americans is evil because it jeopardizes the quality of health care provided for those who can afford it?
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