Mouthful of Politics

The Truth About Taxes and Republican Pandering

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Another Installment in the "Mouthful of Right-Wing Drivel" Series

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driv - el: 

1. saliva flowing from the mouth, or mucus from the nose; slaver.
2. childish, silly, or meaningless talk or thinking; nonsense; twaddle.
3. to talk childishly or idiotically.

In this series, I shed some light on the drivel that often comes from the fringe right-wing of American politics. The lies are out there, and I mean to expose them.

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Let the Pandering Begin

Every election cycle, we hear the same predictable mantra from Republican politicians: "I promise not to raise taxes!" or "I will lower your taxes!" Doesn't it sound peachy? Unfortunately, in making these pledges, economic realities are often conveniently ignored.

Our nation has an enormous budget deficit, record debt (up to 9.4 trillion dollars and counting), deflated currency, and is still in the midst of a costly war. In spite of these facts, John McCain and the Republican Party think we should decrease the government's revenue stream even further.

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A Simple Formula

Let me emphasize this for anyone in the rear seats, and for those on the right:

We need to have as much money coming in as we have going out, or our debt will continue to grow.

Please reread the above statement as many times as necessary until it sinks in.

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Our incoming revenue comes from taxes. It's that simple.

Now, where is this money spent?

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Government Spending

Are there issues with government waste, corruption, and pork barrel spending? Certainly.

Does this mean our government as a whole does not legitimately need our tax dollars? Of course not.

Among other things, our tax dollars pay for:

• Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Homeland Security.. the big DoD.
• Veteran's Affairs
• Social Security
• Public Schools
• Police Departments
• Fire Departments
• Post Offices
• Courts and Prisons
• Maintaining our Roads, Bridges, and Transportation Infrastructure

These areas all require funding, and they should never be shortchanged.

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The Bottom Line

Given the state of our economy, it makes sense to reverse the excessive tax breaks and loopholes now in place for the wealthiest Americans. Even Warren Buffett, the world's richest man, thinks that these tax breaks are hurting our economy.

The long-term health of our nation should always be the determining factor when resolving whether to increase or decrease tax revenue. Blanket promises to lower taxes, regardless of economic realities, can only be perceived as blatant pandering or plain ignorance.

Package it any way you like, but drivel is drivel.

The Gas Price Blame Game

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The First Installment of the "Mouthful of RIght-Wing Drivel" Series

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driv - el:

1. saliva flowing from the mouth, or mucus from the nose; slaver.
2. childish, silly, or meaningless talk or thinking; nonsense; twaddle.
3. to talk childishly or idiotically.

In this series, I shed some light on the drivel that so frequently comes from those on the fringe right-wing of American politics. The lies are out there, and I mean to expose them.

.

The Gas Price Blame Game

I found an article this morning, on a right-wing website, entitled "Morning Bell: Liberals Want Americans to Suffer at the Pump." If I had been drinking coffee at the time, I would have spit it out.

Since Democrats took control of Congress two years ago, gas prices have shot up by more than a dollar. Because of this, the article argues, rising gas prices must be their fault.

And it gets even better. The final paragraph states:

"This is the energy policy Pelosi and Schumer are forcing on the American people: punishing poor and rural Americans with high gas prices so wealthy San Franciscans and New Yorkers can take Alaskan cruises to see their precious polar bears."

Oh, where to begin.

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Wiping the Drivel

Congress has done nothing to impact the price of oil over the past 16 years, and during all but two of those years, Republicans held sway.

Gas prices have been soaring for four well-known reasons:

• Worldwide demand for oil has risen, especially in places like China and India.
• OPEC refuses to increase oil production, which would help to drive prices back down.
• The shrinking value of the American dollar is inflating the price of gas and other goods.
• Price manipulation by greedy oil speculators.

Now, let's read that last paragraph again.

"This is the energy policy Pelosi and Schumer are forcing on the American people: punishing poor and rural Americans with high gas prices so wealthy San Franciscans and New Yorkers can take Alaskan cruises to see their precious polar bears."

The Democratic party, the party of civil rights, welfare, social security, universal health care, and champion to a shrinking middle class, wants to punish poor Americans? And the Republican party, with its support of special tax breaks and loopholes for the wealthiest Americans, the party of trickle down economics, is looking out for the poorest of Americans? That's novel.

Next, the names of two strongly Democratic cities were evoked to somehow imply that Democratic policies only favor the wealthy. Is there any logic to that whatsoever?

Finally, about the bears. The "precious polar bears" are at risk of extinction because of global warming. Unfortunately, there are still some closed-minded people on the right who don't believe in global warming, so they also fail to acknowledge the truth about these animals.

Who needs facts or science when you have right wing talking points? Maybe some people just don't like polar bears.

Since taking office, the Bush administration has appointed more lobbyists to important governmental positions than any other administration in recent memory, perhaps ever. Before Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, some industries actually wrote the legislation which now affects them. Does anyone remember the $1.5 billion dollar giveaway to the oil industry, Halliburton, and Sugar Land, Texas?

More recently, the current head of the EPA and former director of drug development company Hazelton Laboratories, Stephen L. Johnson, is attempting to block the efforts of 17 states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy. This stance doesn't help poor Americans, but it's consistent with Bush policy over the past seven and a half years. Oil industry interests have been well protected during that time.

Package it any way you like, but drivel is drivel.