The Republican Sole Jobs Initiative – Extend Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich

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The stimulus has created or saved 2 million jobs since initiated. This includes a lot of highway construction and maintenance visible across the country, and tens of thousands of state workers in states crushed by the Great Recession. Republicans, who just got swept back into control of the House of Representatives, and numerous governorships, propose to cancel remaining stimulus, stop any future stimulus, and replace it with extending Bush tax cuts for the rich.

That's their ONLY idea, so far, for "creating jobs."

Oh – but they have a great plan for shedding alleged "job killers" in the administration's agenda. Forget about climate change (its a liberal academic conspiracy), education reform (send them all – except children of the rich, of course – to Sunday School seven days a week, a bit like Pakistan). Energy independence or efficiency (who cares about the Gulf, or reliance on MidEast oil?). Environmental regulation – worried about cancer or poison or mine disasters? Think again – worry about starving to death from no work and no unemployment extensions instead.

That's the corporate message, repackaged as "fighting job killers." And, of course, repeal healthcare reform and return to 50 million uninsured, and another 50 million under-insured ("insured", but sky-high deductibles and co-pays mean you can't afford to get sick). Oh – yes – I know we heard about those "death panels" and "big cuts in Medicare" but the bottom line is: the insurance companies must be paid before you get care. Who needs a death panel when who gets care and who does not will be determined by wealth? Simple. Just remember – any national care solution is "a job killer." So strange then that Japanese, German and Korean car makers put US auto companies nearly out of business while carrying the burden of such a "job killer."

But let the rich keep their tax cut and we are told by Boehner and McConnell that a gazillion jobs will magically "trickle down from Jackson Hole," as Frank Rich wrote this week. Its hard not to wander in to profane vocabularies when considering the monstrous scale of fraud Republicans, with the help of some "Blue Dogs," who are now gone from Congress, have perpetrated on the public. They spent $100+ million gilding this fraud with golden lies, coarse racism, and platinum bull-water (comes out of a bull).

The truth is the tax cut will provide no jobs until consumers – that's workers! – ability to buy returns. Give a business owner a million dollars a day in "incentives" – if no one is coming in the store, there will be not be a single job.

The truth is that 14.8 million were officially unemployed in September, 2010. Take away 2 million stimulus jobs, and you get 16.8 million "officially" unemployed. Pass the tax giveaway – there will still be 16.8 million unemployed. Obama has offered compromise after compromise seeking to cut the taxes for incomes under $250,000, without cuts to the rich being made permanent. But the Republicans will have none of it. Their concern about budgets is a complete con job. They want the same situation as exists now, or worse, when 2012 comes around and will flirt with fascism to take back the white house.Former President Bush had the most cynical quip of all – "why work so hard to keep the tax on the rich – they will find a way not to pay it anyway!"

The truth is that for youth – frankly there is no future at the current time. If SDS could be reborn again and shut down every campus and high school in the country in protest, tomorrow would not be too soon.

The truth is that older workers who lost billions in private pensions and 401K plans will be desperate to hold on to their jobs against the hordes of new unemployed lining up to take their jobs at minimum wage and lower, if these foolish Republican servants of finance, insurance, energy, defense and agribusiness corporations get their way. Retired workers will be fighting with the young for the crumbs unless solidarity becomes the watchword. Next will be slashing social security too.

The truth is that an all out attack on the remaining rights of workers to organize into unions and to defend themselves in politics is coming.

The truth is that these corporations have chosen to the path to hell over a more civil, balanced and sustainable future. But though they ride in a golden coach, the people CAN rise up and block them. And turn around. It is doubtful that a single democratic institution of our land is not in jeopardy if we do not ALL get off our butt, organize and prepare to defend ourselves. But – a wonderful old Bolshevik named Joe Figuerido from West Coast longshore once proclaimed: "If the working people even sneeze in unison – the temples of Wall Street will tumble!"

Photo by AFL-CIO

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  • The primary issue is the theft and corruption of law. When lawmakers can be bought, they will be bought. Our first and most expensive entitlement is paid to congress, in the form of bribes, while one grimy hand washes the other in filth.

    That the entire tax code is beyond the grasp of any single human being, fully accessible only by the wealthy with teams of accountants, speaks for itself.

    Posted by John, 08/19/2011 8:13pm (13 years ago)

  • david:

    your ancestors escaped from what was, without question, the most developed form of CAPITALISM at that time. your descendants have had their expectations betrayed, generation after generatiion, by that same but more advanced capitalist system.
    there is nothing communist in what you describe as being your oppression/repression concerning your property. that is capitalism, and you need to name it for what it is.

    if you haven't read marx and engel's communist manifesto, you're in for a treat. the two hottest pens in europe in the 19th century writing about the ancestors of today's rule-makers, bankers who steal mortgages, and other characters who will come jumping straight out of the pages, and assume the form of some folks with whom you're all too familiar. the manifesto is as combative as you are, and you might be shocked! shocked! at how familiar things are. and this is the dangerous part:it might just drive you to look for the local oregonian reds[i hear they even have a website] to find out how to join, and thereby pool your energy.....and your justified beef....in a direction that will help to foist these scoundrels upon the dustbin of history.

    Posted by gary hicks, 12/04/2010 2:24am (14 years ago)

  • I have voted republican for the last several years not because I am one but because I wish to oppose public control of my life. I am tired of persons other than myself deciding on what and when I will spend my earnings. I am tired of public "officials" thru manipulation of regulations and other matters deciding when I can work and earn. I am a free American who's fathers came here from England around 1850 to escape from others deciding all of the important things in their lives. On my farm I cannot grow any crop at a profit. Because I must first meet government regulations about what I can grow. I spent seven years perfecting a tobacco that I can grow here in my cool climate but as a vary small producer I cannot meet all of the government tax controls. I cannot grow beets to convert to sugar for alcohol fuel because of government regulations due to the fact that I might make drinkable alcohol outside of tax laws. I cannot divide my property due to local land use regulations. I think that all government interference should be opposed. This especially includes communism. it includes all forms of MOB RULE. I have spent the last 28 years of my life on this property trying to turn it into a comfortable retirement for wife and myself and I will sell it at a loss due to "public control" of how land is used. Truth is tht I am too old to be a soldier now but if I had a chance I would fight to the death to oppose communism, liberalism, or any of the other "isms" that take away a persons rights and give it to a greater authority. I doubt that my comments will be allowed to be posted but if they are then I recommend to you the reader to oppose all forms of MOB RULE including communism. Sincerely David in Oregon

    Posted by farmrdave, 11/15/2010 9:06pm (14 years ago)

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