Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
H/t to Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC for highlighting this editorial in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from Sunday. I used to be a regular reader of this newspaper back in its heyday. Editorial: Eight myths to chill an old-school Republican soul (excerpt):
It's sad to see what has happened to the Party of Lincoln, and for that matter, the party of lesser mortals like George H.W. Bush of Texas, Bob Dole of Kansas and Jack Danforth of Missouri. No one ever would mistake them for liberals, but they were statesmen who put country before party.
Today we have the spectacle of smart, patriotic men and women putting their brains and integrity on ice to please a party dominated by anti-intellectual social Darwinists and the plutocrats who finance and mislead them.
Consider the mythology that makes up GOP orthodoxy today. Imagine the contortions that cramp the brains and souls of men and women of intelligence and compassion who seek state and national office under the Republican banner.
• They must believe, despite the evidence of the 2008 financial collapse, that unregulated — or at most, lightly regulated — financial markets are good for America and the world.
• They must believe in the brilliantly cast conceit known as the "pro-growth agenda," in which economic growth can be attained only by reducing corporate and individual tax rates, especially among the investor class, and by freeing business from environmental rules that have cleaned up America's air and water and labor regulations that helped create America's middle class.
• Though rising health care costs are pillaging the economy, and even though health care in America is now a matter of what you can afford, Republican candidates for office must deny that health care is a basic right and resist a real attempt to change and improve the system.
• GOP candidates must scoff at scientific consensus about global warming. Blame it on human activity? Bad. Cite Noah's Ark as evidence? Good. They must express at least some doubt about the science of evolution.
• They must insist, statistics and evidence to the contrary, that most of the nation's energy needs can be met safely with more domestic oil drilling, "clean-coal" technology and greater reliance on perfectly safe nuclear power plants.
• They must believe that all 11.2 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States can be rounded up, detained, tried, repatriated and kept from returning at a reasonable cost.
• Even though there are more than four unemployed persons for every available job, GOP candidates should at least hint that unemployment benefits keep people from seeking jobs.
• They must believe that the Founding Fathers wanted to guarantee individuals the absolute right to own high-capacity, rapid-fire weapons that did not exist in the late 18th century.
By no means is this list complete. It almost makes you feel sorry for the people who pretend to believe this stuff. Almost.
And the Post-Dispatch published an editorial cartoon to accompany its editorial opinion.
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INEQUALITY in America is on trend line for
End Of Empire. We are on same path as Rome-Spain-Holland-England
Imperialist adventures all over the world and Debt. Military budget on zoom level just same as those nations. Debt taking food out of mouth of babes just as those nations.
Wealth only for a few.
1945-1980 America ranked high on Equality.
Today, at bottom of 31 rich nations.
1980-2009 Top 1% had an after tax increase in Income of 281%. Middle Class had 25%.A loss due to inflation.
10 Billionaires in 1980–51 in 1989–43 in 2009
2002–2007 Top 10% took all Income Growth.
Protests in Middle East! Not in America only due to our Safety Nets or 120,000,000 would hit the streets.
comments welcome cswinney2@triad.rr.com
olduglymeanhonest political historian
madmadmad at Inequality in America
Top 2% Tax Cut—
2% own 50% all Financial Wealth
2% get 30% all Individual Income
2% include these Incomes
9 Million have an income of 1 Million to 4000 Million
such as 4000 Million-3000 Million-2000 Million-1000 Million-500 Million-100 Million-50 Million-10 Million 1 Million
Those luckie duckies created 31,000 net new jobs in 8 years(lowest since Hoover) of Bush as they took 80% of all Income Growth
120,000,000 workers got nothing. Plus they own a itsy bitsy 7% of all financial wealth while luckie 2% own 50%.
Please Please help that 2%. Their Jets need repairs.Caviar getting low.
clarence swinney olduglymeanhonestpolitical historian lifeaholics of america
comments welcome cswinney2@triad.rr.com
madmadmad at Inequaliity in America very mad
I watched that reading by O’Donnall last night…it was perfect.My dad and I will be having this very discussion…he needs to figure out that this is NOT the GOP of old….he probably has an inkling now. He lives in FL.Unless his mind is completely gone, I’m thinking he’s starting to “get it.” By the way, have you seen this dubious distinction?http://www.acluaz.org/sites/default/files/documents/taser04_forweb.pdf Another day, another black eye.