Republicans Feast on “Economic” Sour Grapes
Over the course of the last three years, Americans have very consistently told pollsters that the “number 1″ issue facing the country is how to improve the domestic economy. In fact, most of the woes being experienced by Americans, such as unemployment, mortgage foreclosure, and loss of pension funds, are due to an economy that went into a tailspin in 2008, and never quite recovered. Other issues, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the burgeoning national debt, and the dependence on foreign oil, have paled in comparison to the importance of restoring the country’s economic power and prominence. The Republican presidential candidates, being well aware of America‘s “hot button”, have made political hay out of pummeling the Obama Administration for the sluggish economy, and have taken great delight in watching the economy continue to struggle. Undoubtedly, Senator McConnell, Speaker Boehner and the rest of the 
Republican leadership have prayed long and hard that the American public will keep on suffering, at least through the November presidential election. After all, the Republican’s have worked tirelessly over the last few years to filibuster and block every legislative initiative offered by the Obama Administration that could have possibly assisted the middle class.
According to the latest news reported by Todd Haggerty, from the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Republican leadership may be frustrated in their desire for a continuation of bad economic times. Many states, such as Michigan, Illinois and Ohio are now showing unexpected increases in both income tax and sales tax revenues. Seventeen states, in all, have exceeded their expected level of personal income tax collections, and eighteen addition states have shown higher than expected levels of sales tax collections. More importantly, the federal government reported an increase of six percent in tax revenues in 2011, with even greater increases anticipated for 2012. The higher level of revenues at both the state and federal levels clearly indicate that America is heading in the right direction, and that the recession is finally coming to an end. When combined with a record of twenty-two months in a row of continuous job growth, and a significant increase in the value of U.S. stocks, the news could not be better for the Obama Administration and for the American people.
The return of prosperity, and the upswing in the economy have proven to be very problematic issues for Romney, Gingrich and Santorum, who have been counting on a pessimistic electorate to sweep one of them into the White House in 2012. When Romney was recently asked to comment on the favorable employment trends, he simply lowered his head, grumbled a little bit, and said the economy improved “in spite” of Obama’s policies, and not “because” of Obama’s policies. Rather than rejoicing in America’s renewed prosperity, Romney chose to savor the flavor of “sour grapes”. For the sake of my fellow countrymen, and for the sake of future generations of Americans, I sincerely hope that Romney, along with all of the Republican leadership, enjoy a nightly cocktail of continued sour grapes.
Rich
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They have resorted to spinning the economic news any way they can to maintain the narrative. If the economy continues to improve and they don’t change the narrative it’s likely lights out for the eventual “weak” Republican presidential nominee.
David,
We are already seeing the “narrative” change with Santorum’s anti-birth control ravings, Gingrich’s racist-baiting comments, and Romney’s constant attacks on the President’s health care initiatives. In my opinion the statistic that matters the most is “consumer confidence”. If the index continues to improve (which it will), the electorate will feel comfortable putting Obama back in the White House for another four years.
Of course the Republicans are grousing about the improving economic news. Note all the blustering about the Clint Eastwood Super Bowl spot that said that we might not be hurtling off a cliff after all. That’s the last thing they want broadcast, especially coming from someone they consider to be one of their own.
Man, I remember the days when Republicans and Democrats — though on opposite sides of the aisle — still shared an interest in working together to keep America strong. Now all the bipartisanship does is weaken our nation. I’m glad to see some states bouncing back. I wish ALL the senators and congressmen did,too.
bluz,
Republican “gospel-makers” like Carl Rove and Rush Limbaugh see a return of optimism in America as the single biggest enemy to their right-wing causes. Even a staunch conservative such as Clint Eastwood will be thrown under the bus if he tells Americans they have something to feel good about. Bah, humbug!
Janene,
The idea of bi-partisanship went down the drain when the Republicans put ultra-conservative demagogs like McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor in positions of power. Their aim is to create class warfare across America, not to “keep America strong”.
Rich,
Your comment starkly reveals what every prominent Republican lacks:
“For the sake of my fellow countrymen, and for the sake of future generations of Americans,”
As Jim DeMint told CPAC:
“Compromise works well in this world when you have shared goals,” DeMint told the activists gathered for the four-day Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). “When you have a shared goals, you can sit down together. We don’t have shared goals with the Democrats.”
There it is baldly stated as their actions have proved all along. From the official Republican perspective, – Democrats are not their countrymen. Democrats are the opposing team in a zero sum game. I fervently hope all who are not “summer soldiers and sunshine patriots” recognize the fundamentally twisted perspective the contemporary Republican Party has and reject it soundly in November 2012.