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Friday, August 05, 2011

Millionaire America. Happy at last!

Calhoun’s Can(n)ons for August 5, 2011

Whew! That was a close one. A band of crazed Democratic socialists in Congress were threatening to reduce the country’s massive debt by both making cuts in various government programs, including Medicare and Social Security, and – horrors! –by balancing those cuts with higher taxes on the rich and super rich, until the newly elected Tea Partiers saved the day, took the country hostage and threatened to take our economy over the cliff unless Congress promised that there would be No Taxes, not even on the ultra rich.

Not wishing to see the US economy ruined, which could have triggered a world-wide crash, the weenie Dems caved. Now, you’d think that such a meek capitulation would make the average working American furious, knowing that they alone would be the ones bearing all the pain of cuts to their safety net, but, no. They were jubilant because Americans, no matter what their station in life, truly believe that they are the millionaires and billionaires that the proposed tax hikes would have affected.

Which is why they elect and re-elect representatives who are rabid Norquistian No Taxers, staunch ideologues who believe in the theory that millionaires and billionaires (like the voters) are “job creators,” and that taxes are “job killers,” even though there is little historical evidence to support either claim.

And, believing themselves to be millionaires, the American voters also don’t need or want any social safety nets either, and vote accordingly. They’re apparently convinced that they’ll never lose their jobs (don’t need any of that socialistic unemployment insurance; that’s just another government give-away). They also believe that they’ll never lose their job-related health insurance or that their health will never fail (don’t need or want any kind of national health-care reform, and certainly not some awful socialized medicine like Medicare.) Being rich, they don’t’ need it. The private market will take care of their few needs. And if it doesn’t, well, that’s no problem. They have millions. They’ll just pay the doctor and hospital out of pocket.

And as for getting old and needing some kind of “social security?” Not needed. They’re rich and will pay their own way.

And so, in the middle of a near depression, they elected lots of new cut ‘n slash Tea Partiers and re-elected their staunch oath-signing No Tax Norquistian incumbents and sent them to Congress to slash the budget and cut government programs to the bone, and/or to try to kill them altogether. And keep taxes low or zero on millionaires and billionaires (and corporations who’ve skated out of paying taxes altogether) so all those non-tax-paying “job creators” can create jobs. And if you look around you, you’ll see how well it’s worked. The corporations that were awash with hoarded money, paying out obscene bonuses to their CEO’s, and/or getting tax breaks for moving jobs off shore, have, with this latest budget deal, started hiring again. Factories are humming. Every day I can hardly lift up the newspaper, so heavy is it with “help wanted” listings from all these “job creators.” Companies are desperately opening up hiring halls in towns across America just begging people to come work. And Millionaire America is once again filling the malls and shopping centers, buying everything in sight. I can only imagine the kind of sugar plum dream retailers will have this Christmas.

All of which is great news since the recently promised cuts-only to the federal budget will mean that hundreds of thousands of federal employees are about to lose their jobs and be added to the unemployment rolls. And those federal cuts will also trickle down to add to budget woes in the states, with state employees getting even more pink-slips as well. But, not to worry. Federal, state and city workers are all millionaires, too. And all those private sector, un-taxed, cash-hoarding job-creators are ready for them! Step right up. Here’s a job application blank. Name your salary! Happy days are here again.

Talk about a win-win for Millionaire America where every man thinks he’s King Croesus and votes accordingly. And if that wasn’t enough good news, Congress, always messy and often dysfunctional at best, has now decided to make itself irrelevant. It will create a tiny new Super Congress – the Gang of 12 – that will decide what to do about the budget. Talk about Grover Norquist’s wet-dream; make government small enough to drown in a bathtub. Grover’s never been able to drown the real Congress before – it was too big. He couldn’t fit them all into his house, let alone into his bathtub. But twelve unelected people?

Ah, piece of cake.

13 comments:

Anne R. Allen said...

I'm afraid you're absolutely right. Democracy is a failed experiment because our founding fathers never envisioned a country of delusional, self-destructive morons voting away their own savings and jobs.

Maybe we should reward our new self-appointed Dictator Norquist and his Tea Partisans with a nice vacation. Say to Somalia? That's their idea of paradise isn't it? No government to get in the way of starvation, crime, and misery as far as the eye can see.

Let's not ruin their well-deserved happiness and make them return to this socialist country. Let's make that ticket one-way. I'll bet the starving Somalians will find them tasty.

Sandra Gore said...

Wonder how many of the fringe, delusional millionaires got wiped out by the market bloodbath?

Frankly, I'm too sick and horrified by the state of world affairs to render any coherent comment.

I see people plugging holes with their fingers, bailing frantically, and moving chairs around on deck while the ship heads straight for the disaster of climate change.

I tweet, Facebook, Google+, donate, forward emails with petitions, and call Senators and Congressmen in both California and Nevada while the public watches sports, reality shows and Lady Gaga. Who, by the way, is not so Gaga after all.

I'm dealing with the Arab Spring which is being crushed by brute force and seems an accurate indicator of the populist, democratic movement worldwide.

I see a grand global battle between Greek ideals (the Dems in the US) and Roman power (GOP). We all know how that turned out. We needed a idealistic, cutthroat leader like Alexander the Great, the only Greek who ever acted like a Roman. Obama, the gods bless him, is not that man. He's more like a Christ figure - and we all know how that turned out.

Sigh. Remember how hopeful we used to be? Well, at least me anyway. I believed all the 60's stuff. At least blacks, women and gays have it better today - I do believe that.

Anonymous said...

Last week the Communist Party Of the US endorsed Obama for reelection in 2012. With this endorsement he cannot fail to get the votes of many on this blog.

Sandra Gore said...

Did Spectator just accuse me of being a Communist?

Middle Ground said...

Oh, Arcani. You're adorable.

If you're going to judge one's endorsement, guess you should cross GOP darling Pat Buchanan off your list. Buchanan was endorsed several times by white nationalists.

Did they teach Racist Bullshit 101 at USC, er, I mean UNC -- er... or whatever universe you pretend that you attended? Forget birth certificates. Show us your high school diploma!

Billy Dunne said...

Interesting article by Daniel Gross. It seems we are now proud owners of a downgraded S&P credit rating, in no small part due to the sabotage of the teabag loving 'publicans:

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daniel-gross/u-credit-rating-victim-gop-sabotage-021622372.html

I'm not sure if democracy is a failed experiment, but I'm quite sure laissez-faire capitalism is. Of course, the people who are most victimized by it are the ones who champion it the loudest. Have another slice of cake you buffoons. God bless America.

Jon Arcui is funny. I always wonder what is behind those who pathologically hate Obama. (Palin and Bachmann come to mind, but there are many others, many of course with jobs at FOX). It's personal with these people. Obama has proven himself to be anything but a Communist. He's not even close to a Progressive. He's barely a Democrat. Hell, given another time in America, he would have been very comfortable as a moderate Republican. Obama the deficit hawk, who, along with his fellow Democrats, just undid 80 years of what that party stood for, and Jon Arcui and other FOX lemmings continue hating on him? You gotta wonder if maybe something else is "coloring" his, and others, opinion.

Kinda like this headline at Fox Nation, part of Fox News:

“Obama’s Hip-Hop BBQ Didn’t Create Jobs"

In reference to his birthday party I guess, complete with the requisite photos of Jay-Z, Chris Rock, and all the brothers.

I'm just saying.

Realistic1 said...

Sandra Gore says:

"Did Spectator just accuse me of being a Communist?"

Yes, yes he did. It's what he calls anyone who dares question the Republican Way. How's your stock portfolio doing today, Mr. Tea Par...I mean Spec?

Why don't you ask him from where is he sniping at everyone...Panama, isn't it, Spec? You don't even live in the US anymore, but you go on ahead and call people names from your cozy Panamanian beachfront compound while the rest of us suffer the consequences of your Tea Party pals extremist demands.

Middle Ground said...

No, Arcuni was referring to this article, not Sandra: http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-spokane/communist-party-endorses-barack-obama-for-re-election

M said...

One of you proclaimed yourself a communist one time on this blog site. You shouldn't act so surprised that someone would portray or associate you with being a communist. Or was this person just saying they were a communist being funny as Ann claimed a blogger to be in an earlier topic?
Sincerely, M

Churadogs said...

With John, it's hard to separate sature, self-parody, or being funny from being serious. I have to presume, for the most par, John actually believes the stuff he says. Which, come to think of it, actually IS pretty funny.

As for pathologic hatred of Obama. We saw the same thing with Clinton. I'm beginning to suspect there's a very interesting strain in the Republican Party now, that can be summarized as: If you're not a conservative Repub and hew to the Party/Norquistian lock-step line, you're illegitimate and must not be allowed to govern. There is no longer the concept of "the loyal opposition." There only "legitimate" elected people (Republicans) and "usurpers," who must be destroyed. It's a profoundly un-American notion which is ironically touted by people claiming to be super patriots.

M, your Joe McCarthy side is showing. If some person logs onto this site and claims to be a communist, does that mean everyone on the blog can be called a communist by association?

Meanwhile, our Rome fiddles, as Sandra points out, while the polar ice caps melt. Well, Rome ruled and Rome fell; all empires do. Perhaps it's our turn. Thanks to a lazy, clueless populace, we have self-destructed and will simply become another poorly governed banana republic. On a good note, perhaps Indian and Chinese companies will soon be outsourcing their jobs to the U.S. to take advantage of our newly created huge cheap labor pool . We may once again become the manufacturing center of the world -- non-union, cheap-labor sweatshops churning out goods for middle class Indians and Chinese and Brazillians, all with the Made in America label. "Look for the Non-Union label. . . . "

M said...

How did I imply that everyone on this site is a communist? I'm just saying that one of two people that have posted a comment on this topic, I don't remember which one, proclaimed herself to be a communist on this blog site a while back.
Sincerely, M

Sandra Gore said...

It's ok if you want to call me a Communist. It's pretty amusing as I think I'm far to the right of that spot on the political spectrum. It's a dangerous tag to put on people as it tends to make the name-caller seem like someone who doesn't much know his stuff. Sort of drags the discussion down to the lowest common denominator. I mean where do you go from that?

Churadogs said...

M, Ah, I remember now, yes, one commentor self=-identified as a "communist."

Re the Communist tag. Isn't it interesting how that word remains a "fighting word." Amazing how much negative historical power that word still has as a perjorative. I mean, Communist? That should be like calling somebody a dirty Lollard! Or You Albignesian Heretic! Or You Hittite, you! Communist is now a discredited political system that's as rare as the dodo.(In theory, it was a fine attempt at righting so much of the world's economic wrongs, but administered by humans? Turned into Animal Farm or worse, far worse.) Sadly, the witch hunting that stained this country's Constitution still is present and the word is still used as a cudgel with a negative reaction guaranteed. That and the word "socialist." They're Boogeyman words, that, yes, always drags any discussion to a halt, sadly.