Congressman Tim Ryan makes a stand against corporate favouritism

I invite all members, right to left, to listen to the video before posting their comments:



Tim Ryan is not a perfect politician and he is from Ohio but likewise similar measures are being taken there as they are in Wisconsin. He really hits the nail on this video, the best I've seen so far considering this class warefare we have going on in this country.

Further across the midwest governor walker continues to live on his $130,000 salary (with healthcare coverage at the extense of the tax payer) while he insists to cut down more than 10% of the incomes for public wokers (conveniently not his own) and continues to insist we buckle up our belts! Right?

And what about Republicans as a whole? What else are they doing to deal with the debt in this country?

House Republicans, seeing the heavy hand of a too-big government, beg to differ. They've already voted to cut the IRS budget by $600 million this year and want bigger cuts in 2012.

Lets cut the budget out on the only real working part of government! Tax collection! And apparently, just as governor walker gave his $140 million tax cuts mostly benefitting big businesses, we had the Bush tax cuts pass few months back equating to further billions lost in tax revenue we could have spent to bring down the debt.

So the tools for the corporations and elite prefer to:

Keep shut about the income over the governor and his republican buddies,
Insist businesses don't have to hire people while telling the rest of us we need to continue cutting taxes to create jobs,
Blame the fact jobs are being shifted overseas because of american workers refusing competitive chinese wages,
Punish teachers because, well, they supposely have it easy.

I just don't understand it. We've been cutting the taxes of big businesses and the wealthy for years at the expense of the middle class under this outdated notion that prosperity and wealth will trickle down, that the jobs will come back! We spent nearly $1 trillion on high income focused tax cuts 10 years ago and the result?

In the US it is estimated that between 2001 and 2004, around two million jobs were relocated overseas. Most experts predict that off-shoring will continue to increase as companies seek to reduce costs and remain competitive.

ezinearticles.com...

Unbelievable, and the numbers continue stacking up:

But the jobs are going elsewhere. The Economic Policy Institute, a Washington think tank, says American companies have created 1.4 million jobs overseas this year, compared with less than 1 million in the U.S.

news.yahoo.com...

Middle class is being torn apart, and yet folks on the rightwing continue to blame the working man, insist on reaganomics and continue to turn a blind eye to the fact many large businesses continue ripping off us and the government.

I can understand some points made from folks. A business is not obligated to hire more people in this country, they are not obligated to give more to employees, they have the right to make choices, but that does not equate to us rewarding them everytime they move our jobs, cut wages or fire people to cut costs. Things will not get better in the country so long as we continue to protect and and reward businesses who do nothing but suck this country dry. While we are running scared from the imaginary communist Russians, the wealthy are laughing away while hording their money, including the additional millions added by tax cuts.

I am well aware there are businesses benefitting this country, in particular small businesses where these tax cuts are essential, however there are many that are ripping us off, paying off our supposed representitives, but some people are just to stubborn to see it for what it is.

reply to post by Southern Guardian


If I wasn't a paid disinfo agent, I would say that I totally agree with this Mr. Ryan.

This bill is preposterous, I don't understand how this agenda could fly under any department. I hope the protesters in Wisconsin right now are holding strong, and have enough to eat.

reply to post by Southern Guardian


Tim really did hit the nail on the head. One of the best speechs Ive heard from our politicians recently. What will happen to our youth of today with these cuts to education?

I looked up a bit of his voting record on On the issues.org and I personally like most of the issues hes voted on, epecially this one.

Voted YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq. (Jun 2008)

I have finally noticed the dynamics afoot

I did not bother to recognize that America was looted by the "producers"

and now the current action is to punish the staff several years later...

This may be advertised as an attempt to curtail government, but it is also a tidal move towards bolstering
Policies and attitudes that benefit the corporation, here and abroad. IMO budgetary concerns are best addressed
when income and expenditure are considered in unison, there is a pattern. Everything which could benefit people
as opposed to corporate person hood is tagged as being the fruits of socialism. The same news station and politicians use this same offense time and time again - there is a pattern


This board and its inherent ability
to become an extension of FOX news did not care about the pillage of the gas prices in 2008,

to examine it was socialism - as a result; this attitude protected the corporation and the costs were in essence socialized by the entirety of society

to raise concerns about the fiscal disaster which is healthcare in America - as a result; this attitude protected the corporation and the costs were in essence socialized by the entirety of society


So we can question the legitimacy of taxation, but we cannot address fixed expenses that are exorbitant and questionable in nature... as a result; this attitude protected the corporation and the costs were in essence socialized by the entirety of society

If there was a way to profit on oxygen, Americans would kill to ensure they could pay twice as much as any other nation...

See, I notice a pattern here,,, half of us are fighting to defend the ideological fiber that grants corporations free rein.... freedom, less government, anti socialism, lower taxes... all these positions seem to be targeted for the benefit of corporate personhood first and foremost, this is how these politicians translate these notions time and time again.

I do not agree with unions in some regards, but I am much more concerned about this pattern, this attack on wages of people who WORK is yet another promotion of corporate dominance, an attitude adjustment and a gross programming of conscience. Some American protects those who use America as a gambling table, I will stand with the people who do the work, the same type of work that made us great in the first place. Because there has been zero good faith, I have lost faith, I have tried reason to no avail, I am making a stand now.

That was a good speech by the Congressman.

Somehow in this country some people still hold onto the belief that if they support the rich and powerful, they themselves will be rewarded and become rich and powerful.

I think that Brad Pitt's character in Fight Club said it best:

Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy

we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.

But who are some of us getting pissed off at? Politicians? Unions? Teachers? Cops? Why? Why aren't we pissed off at the people who deserve it? Why aren't we still mad at Wall Street? Why aren't we still angry at those that continue to get richer and richer off of our labor and our suffering?

These modern day robber barons don't care what laws are passed, they make sure that laws are passed against us and for them. The politician sure does have a share in the blame, but who is it that is lining the pockets of that politician in order to make sure that his vote goes their way?

reply to post by Southern Guardian

I'm going to star and flag this post. In some ways, I'm a mere observer to this conflag, as I live in the Great White (some call it pink) North. However, our economies are linked, we have currently have folks in office who emulate the so-called free market economy...which is really a free pass to loot the middle class.

What many forget is that the post ww2 economy allowed our parents to buy and pay off homes through hard work and good times. In today's business climate, Wall Street, having destroyed the industrial sector, is now based upon getting a 'taste' of every dollar that flows through the system, so that real estate represents a huge pile of money that was sitting dormant. It also represented a power base for the middle class. A powerful middle class pushes back against oligarchs. Take away the high paying jobs, and you remove that power

I strongly feel that this whole economic crises was manufactured to get access to that middle class dough, to suck it dry and to turn the working class into serfs. I have no problem with capitalism...it created wealth and a good standard of living for us working stiffs. Corporate greed bled us dry, and is now acting like a parasite that finally attacks the host.

We are angry, and I simply marvel that we are enjoined to turn our anger towards the 'last man standing', the folks who have enjoyed a little immunity to the manufacturing crisis because so far you can't outsource a teacher to India, or a firefighter's job to China. Public sector jobs are now propping up the unions, and providing the last defence in the 'race to the bottom'...a world in which we will fight for scraps because we willingly gave up the power of organisation in the hopes that that action would bail us out.

Note to the nay-sayers...we are not meant to recover! It is not in the interests of government and corporate global interests for us to regain either our jobs or our strength. Not since we accepted a world where others make more money on our interest payments than they ever did on our productivity.

I won't drink that koolaid, and I won't blame my unionised brothers and sisters for enjoying modicum of insulation. In a world where labour is under attack by the wealthy...they are the only ones left to do the heavy lifting. I'm remain shocked at those workers who do. It's called a pecking party. Look it up.

Kudos to Ryan, and the OP as well.

Originally posted by Southern Guardian
A business is not obligated to hire more people in this country, they are not obligated to give more to employees, they have the right to make choices,

And therein lies the problem, or it is at least linked. Profit has always been a driving motive in the US economy, but I remember from my mis-spent youth that the general attitude used to be one of creating a product or service and creating the best one possible. And if money was made from it, so much the better.

Now, profit is the first, last and only driving motive. Too much wealth is wrapped up in businesses that do not care about anything but profit. They don't care about safety, or helping the community in which they are located, or quality beyond the bare minimum to keep them from being sued, or anything else but profit profit profit.

Our economic system is built on choice and freedom, or at least that's the myth, and that works fine when the attitude of the majority of wealth-holders is one of creating bigger pies, so their piece is also bigger.

When the majority of wealth-holders care only about getting as much pie as they can get their grubby hands on, at the expense of everything else, this kind of economic system doesn't work so well.

As we are having demonstrated.

Originally posted by whatukno
That was a good speech by the Congressman.

Somehow in this country some people still hold onto the belief that if they support the rich and powerful, they themselves will be rewarded and become rich and powerful.

No. That is not correct as far as I am concerned at all.

I support the right of any person to work hard, earn a living, and be able to spend their money, that they've earned, how they see fit.

I do not support the wealthy because I want to be one of them, or that I think their wealth should trickle down to me. That would be a rather socialistic viewpoint and contradictory to the democracy we are supposed to be living.

Rather, I support the rights of any American to spend their own money without government or anyone else telling them what to do with it. Period.

.

reply to post by Southern Guardian


America became a corporate oligarchy a long time ago. The people really have no representation when compared to corporate lobbyist that can influence laws and regulations on the proletariat in secret deals made on Golf courses.

To me the sad part is that so many of the citizens are completely in love with the system that enslaves them;
On the other hand it's a brilliant, though diabolical manipulation of a cultures by entities that are largely hidden by a curtain of obscene wealth and power.
Kurt Vonnegut, Orwell, Drucker, Wells and others predicted this world, decades ago.

It's a brave new world; welcome to the monkey house!

reply to post by Southern Guardian


“There’s class warfare, all right
but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning!"
I am a conscientous objector.
-Warren Buffett

The Koch Brothers and that team of Puppeteers have no need for a prosperous middle class.

When people are broke they pay the electric and heat bills first...that or they freeze to death.

Democratic iniatives to regulate the oil and energy industry...to find alternative energy...

Unions support Democrats and Unions with impovershed members have no money to contribute.

Educated masses do not benefit these people either.

Propaganda is thier tool and it works best on the uneducated.

It is a war....Here is the latest...Scott Walker threatening to shoot hostages.

Wisconsin governor tells absent senators: Return or 1,500 get laid off
edition.cnn.com...

We are all just fodder to these men.

Also for consideration:

From Walkers bill...a little discussed clause: The ability to sell off Wisconsins Utilities to private companys...no bids...no public scrutiny...any price.

16.896 Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants.
(1), the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state.
Notwithstanding ss. 196.49 and 196.80, no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant, and any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project under s. 196.49 (3) (b).
rortybomb.wordpress.com...

Walker got about 3.5 Million for his campaign from the Koch Brothers...Billionaires in the energy Industyry with pipelines and interests in Wisconsin.

Koch brothers quietly open lobbying office in downtown Madison
host.madison.com...


IT IS A WAR....and "we the people" are losing...and that includes the vast majority of the FOX viewing audience....I don't blame those folks, I blame the Koch brothers, Fox et al for feeding them BS intravaneously via carefully thought out manipulation and button pushing....and of course outright lieing.

reply to post by Southern Guardian
Tim Ryan is my congressman here in Ohio, and I won't bother watching the vid because this guy is a liberal, union loving Nancy Pelosi backing, loser. He voted FOR the cap and trade bill! His reasoning for killing thousands of jobs right now in WV and Ohio; our grandkids would thank us for it. Ryan is a career politician who has picked the wrong side, in my opinion. He's the poster boy for what's wrong with washington.

Originally posted by dillweed
reply to post by Southern Guardian

 

Tim Ryan is my congressman here in Ohio, and I won't bother watching the vid because this guy is a liberal, union loving Nancy Pelosi backing, loser.

Translation: Nah...nah...nah...da...da..da...I am not listening!!!!

Seriously, did you post just to let us know that you wouldn't watch the OP or contribute in any fashion?

What has Fox news done to the minds of people? It's the intellectual equivelant to the spooky blank faces in "the body snatchers".

It is like people are programmed to shut down thier brain and and chant...Pelosi...Obama...Socialism...

Originally posted by dillweed
reply to post by Southern Guardian

 

Tim Ryan is my congressman here in Ohio, and I won't bother watching the vid because this guy is a liberal, union loving Nancy Pelosi backing, loser. He voted FOR the cap and trade bill!

This only serves as a distraction as with many things. In detroit, we blame the fact it is in the state it is now because of Unions, instead of focusing on the crappy decisions made by private businesses themselves. We blame the fact businesses are sending jobs offshore over our level taxes despite the fact we had cut billions out of tax collection revenues, and here you are, blaming the situation in Ohio over cap and trade, a programme that was implemented in 2009, well after the result of millions of jobs that had been shifted overseas the years before. Are you willing to blame the state of this country for the last 3 decades on a law that was passed 2 years ago? That has made little impact thus far? Really? Why do you distract yourself like this?

What happens when you loose your job because of business cutting costs, after the fact your income was cut multiple times, when that job is passed on to an illegal, or shifted overseas, or maybe, maybe just merged into another position. You going to blame cap and trade for that as well?

wake up.

Originally posted by lpowell0627
No. That is not correct as far as I am concerned at all.

I support the right of any person to work hard, earn a living, and be able to spend their money, that they've earned, how they see fit.

Yep, you support giving them billions in tax cuts while they shift jobs overseas and contribute nothing else to this nation? That is what you support right? Because that was the point of the thread. I already made it clear regarding the right of private businesses to made decisions with their personal earnings. I further added that it is irresponsible to reward for decisions that do more harm than good to this country. Meanwhile our debt is climbing, we want to tell the working man to buckle up and pay up, but we want to cut the wealthy slack. That does not make sense to me.

“There’s class warfare, all right
but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning!"
I am a conscientous objector.
-Warren Buffett

reply to post by maybereal11


See, it seems to me, many on this board think its the other way around. That somehow it is in fact the working class waging the war. Just shows the power of propaganda. That teachers, firemen etc are taking the blame for the financial crisis. Its a successful ruse, one that is quite obvious in the UK too, normally peddled by the right wing press.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr

“There’s class warfare, all right
but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning!"
I am a conscientous objector.
-Warren Buffett

reply to post by maybereal11

 

See, it seems to me, many on this board think its the other way around. That somehow it is in fact the working class waging the war. Just shows the power of propaganda. That teachers, firemen etc are taking the blame for the financial crisis. Its a successful ruse, one that is quite obvious in the UK too, normally peddled by the right wing press.

I used to have a deep faith in the intelligence of the American people....lately I think...Give me 400 million to spend in a media campaign and in less than a year I bet I can convince half the country that thier own mothers are communists and should be rounded up.

Give me another 4 Million and I could get a law passed to do it.

reply to post by Southern Guardian


One of your best posts/threads SG. Honestly....I don't know what I can even add to that because I pretty much agree with everything you posted.

It's absolutely class warfare....middle class being tricked by the billionaires/corporations into destroying themselves.

It's so blatantly apparent to me that I don't understand why everyone doesn't see it.

When they talk about spending cuts...it's only about cuts that helps the middle class and the poor...yet billionaires still get their contracts, subsidies, and tax breaks. They could have taken a 1 percent increase and it would take care of many of these problems....THEY DON'T WANT TO.

I actually made a thread to similar to this one before I took a look at this one.

We are eating each other.

The middle class is in full cannibalistic mode right now.

It's easy for Conservatives to go after the unions because they usually back Democrats.....but just wait.

Soon cons will see their "help" slashed as well...the "illusion" that only liberals are the ones getting any kind of government money is a complete lie.

Originally posted by Southern Guardian
Things will not get better in the country so long as we continue to protect and and reward businesses who do nothing but suck this country dry. While we are running scared from the imaginary communist Russians, ...

I am well aware there are businesses benefitting this country, in particular small businesses where these tax cuts are essential, however there are many that are ripping us off, paying off our supposed representitives,

Mr. Ryan speaks from his heart, not his pocketbook.

Not only have the businesses sucked this country dry, but their boosters would prefer to suck the air from around those who would speak out, muting discourse to silent screams and shouts. Their boosters prefer Orwellian doublethink to rational thought. Their boosters prefer authoritarian action to free, right, and just action.

American capitalism was not wrecked from without but from within, not by terrorists but by politicians beholden to the lucre dropped in their coffers, politicians who used, then turned against, their voters.

reply to post by Southern Guardian


SG...here you go again.. :shk:


Just kidding.

Further across the midwest governor walker continues to live on his $130,000 salary (with healthcare coverage at the extense of the tax payer) while he insists to cut down more than 10% of the incomes for public wokers (conveniently not his own) and continues to insist we buckle up our belts! Right?

Leaders use to lead by example.

reply to post by whatukno


I forgot to post that I liked your Fight Club quote.

My favorite movie quote has been from Network (1976)

Arthur Jensen: [calmly] Am I getting through to you, Mr. Beale? You get up on your little twenty-one inch screen and howl about America and democracy. There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT&T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those *are* the nations of the world today. What do you think the Russians talk about in their councils of state, Karl Marx? They get out their linear programming charts, statistical decision theories, minimax solutions, and compute the price-cost probabilities of their transactions and investments, just like we do. We no longer live in a world of nations and ideologies, Mr. Beale. The world is a college of corporations, inexorably determined by the immutable bylaws of business. The world is a business, Mr. Beale. It has been since man crawled out of the slime. And our children will live, Mr. Beale, to see that... perfect world... in which there's no war or famine, oppression or brutality. One vast and ecumenical holding company, for whom all men will work to serve a common profit, in which all men will hold a share of stock. All necessities provided, all anxieties tranquilized, all boredom amused. And I have chosen you, Mr. Beale, to preach this evangel.

Howard Beale: Why me?

Arthur Jensen: Because you're on television, dummy. Sixty million people watch you every night of the week, Monday through Friday.