GOP Leader takes credit for S&P downgrade

Originally posted by Indigo5
Here in the USA, the corruption is legal and it involves a whole lot more zeros.

Simply and well put.

I think what we are witnessing today is the confluence of three decades of increasing unabashed influence peddling with the pervasive, out-of-control turn so far to the right over the decades, that reactionaries with money are wielding power.

Fred Koch was a founder of the John Birch Society. His sons, David and Charles, have carried the torch another generation, unfortunately setting fire to the country they wish to save. Here are some contemporary views of the JBS:

From "Time" 1961 (in it one can find words and phrases commonly used today, increasingly so since 2008)

"This is the kind of thing that does violence to every thing we're trying to accomplish," says one Chicago conservative who backed away from Birchism after a glimpse at The Politician. "It siphons a lot of well-meaning, respectable people off into a lunatic fringe...

The John Birch Society, a song by Michael Brown:
Oh, we're meetin' at the courthouse at eight o'clock tonight
You just walk in the door and take the first turn to the right
Be careful when you get there, we hate to be bereft
But we're taking down the names of everybody turning left

Oh, we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Here to save our country from a communistic plot
Join the John Birch Society, help us fill the ranks
To get this movement started we need lots of tools and cranks

Now there's no one that we're certain the Kremlin doesn't touch
We think that Westbrook Pegler doth protest a bit too much
We only hail the hero from whom we got our name
We're not sure what he did but he's our hero just the same

Oh, we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Socialism is the ism dismalest of all
Join the John Birch Society, there's so much to do
Have you heard they're serving vodka at the WCTU?

Well you've heard about the agents that we've already named
Well MPA has agents that are flauntedly unashamed
We're after Rosie Clooney, we've gotten Pinkie Lee
And the day we get Red Skelton won't that be a victory

Oh we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Norman Vincent Peale may think he's kidding us along
But the John Birch Society knows he spilled the beans
He keeps on preaching brotherhood, but we know what he means

We'll teach you how to spot 'em in the cities or the sticks
For even Jasper Junction is just full of Bolsheviks
The CIA's subversive and so's the FCC
There's no one left but thee and we, and we're not sure of thee

Oh, we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Here to save our country from a communistic plot
Join the John Birch Society holding off the Reds
We'll use our hand and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads

Do you want Justice Warren for your Commissar?
Do you want Mrs. Krushchev in there with the DAR?
You cannot trust your neighbor or even next of kin
If mommie is a commie then you gotta turn her in

Oh, we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Fighting for the right to fight the right fight for the Right
Join the John Birch Society as we're marching on
And we'll all be glad to see you when we're meeting in the John
The John, the John Birch So- ci- i- teee.

Perhaps the craze for zombies and the undead is a collective subconscious realization that America is indeed in a battle with a scary ideology once thought to have been laid to rest. For this ideology is turning out to be like a crazed person who burns down their house, believing it is the only way to get rid of the pests imagined to have taken over control.

Combine this crazy influence with the GOP "long-knives out" (ATS thread Damn the country, Obama must fail), and, yes, the downfall of a great nation is assured.

reply to post by MrXYZ


I am sure the conservatives here would be shocked to learn that I own a commercial building, rent out office space, own my own business and employ 6 people. I would be directly effected by the expiration of the Bush era tax breaks I am calling for and I am a "liberal".

The conservative rhetoric of the past two years is now becoming policy and it is no longer a rhetorical or philosophical discussion. As their rhetoric becomes real the economy is convulsing.

The S & P aren't being "Liberal" when they say that revenues are required and that a "Grand Bargain" type deal is needed...They are simply being financial analysts - a capitalistic analysis that says this is what is required for the economy to recover and yet the GOP continues to ignore the pleas of market analysts while continuing to hold the pillow over the face of the fragile recovering economy..

reply to post by desert


I have researched the Kochs and know of their JB roots.

They are men looking to leave their mark on the world before they die. They are aggressively pushing to make their vision a reality and unfortunately they have the wealth to do it. They see themselves as modern day monarchs and government as a rival. They will seize power with their wealth. They own Congressmen and Govenors and many in between. They write legislation, eliminate politicians they cannot buy. They sway opinion with vast propaganda campaigns. They have an old world royal disdain for the commoner and make no bones about wanting to eliminate OSHA (Worker Safety), Unions and the minimum wage. I want them gone from this earth, but realize that they have likely mentored many in their tactics and idealogy.

Their products are all products that do well or are uneffected by economic suffering..

Oil, Coal & Gas ...Pay the electric and gas bills or freeze to death.

Plastic silverware and paper plates - Sales of these disposables go up when economies decline.

Pesticides and chemical fertilizers - As people starve they need cheaper, chemical laden foods and will pay more for it.

They profit from the world economy suffering.

From a practical perspective they need to be defunded where possible (alternative energy), FDA and USDA regulations for cancer linked pesticides etc.

A significant innovation in alternative energy would impact their money flow significantly, which is of course why they are the largest funder of anti-alternative energy and climate change skepticism propaganda in the world.

They are old-world sociopathic monarchs playing at plutocracy.

Originally posted by Indigo5
reply to post by inforeal

 

Agreed.





How dumb do they think Americans are??????

Extemely! Have you seen some of the threads around here? GOP and their supporters consistently spin everything and go so far as to rewrite history when suitable. For cryin out loud we still have people running at the mouth that Obama is from Kenya. what does that tell you?

Long as one wraps their corporate agenda in an American flag and says "Tea", it's all good.
Tea good. Union bad.
Tax loopholes good. Revenue bad
Boehner American patriot. Obama Kenyan Commie

You seeing a pattern here? Next it's going to be praying the problems away.

Originally posted by spinalremain


You seeing a pattern here? Next it's going to be praying the problems away.

Already happening Presidential candidate Rick Perry looking to Pray away the crisis.

Evangelicals gather for Gov. Perry’s day of prayer
www.washingtonpost.com...

Originally posted by Indigo5

Originally posted by spinalremain


You seeing a pattern here? Next it's going to be praying the problems away.

Already happening

Presidential candidate Rick Perry looking to Pray away the crisis.

Evangelicals gather for Gov. Perry’s day of prayer
www.washingtonpost.com...

It's a brilliant strategy...religion has ALWAYS been used to control the masses. And judging from the numbers attending, it's safe to say that there's TONS of gullible, uneducated people...sadly

reply to post by Indigo5

"Raising revenues" means ending billions in subsidies for oil companies, closing corporate loopholes that allow companies like GE to pay zero in taxes while making Billions in profits and leting tax breaks expire for those making over 250k a year.

These entities got trillions in taxpayer money during the bailout, they have not created jobs. Eliminating the special breaks they continue to recieve is the least we can do.

And if you really believe that I have a nice bridge I want to sell.... complete with a corporate sponsored troll.

REMEBER General Electric???? You know the 2nd largest company, the one with about $14 billion in profit who got another $3 billion from the US government and paid not a single dime in tax???

Well the CEO of that company, Jeffery Immelt was tapped to lead a newly created Council on Jobs and Competitiveness by OBAMA!



When ever Congress talks of TAX they mean a tax on WAGE earners. That is what has been happening for years no matter what is said. (Do I really have to tell you Congress LIES???) Now that we have the World Trade Organization and no tariffs, creative accounting will keep the USA from getting ANY tax dollars from the international corporations.

This news article points out reality!

G.E.’s Strategies Let It Avoid Taxes Altogether

...Its extraordinary success is based on an aggressive strategy that mixes fierce lobbying for tax breaks and innovative accounting that enables it to concentrate its profits offshore. G.E.’s giant tax department, led by a bow-tied former Treasury official named John Samuels, is often referred to as the world’s best tax law firm. Indeed, the company’s slogan “Imagination at Work” fits this department well. The team includes former officials not just from the Treasury, but also from the I.R.S. and virtually all the tax-writing committees in Congress....
www.nytimes.com...

This graph also points out the reality that WAGE EARNERS are paying more and more of the tax burden NOT THE RICH aka corporations

Payroll taxes are considered part of the "employment compensation package" by employers.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7a762eced0ec.gif[/atsimg]

Originally posted by crimvelvet

This graph also points out the reality that WAGE EARNERS are paying more and more of the tax burden NOT THE RICH aka corporations

Payroll taxes are considered part of the "employment compensation package" by employers.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7a762eced0ec.gif[/atsimg]

edit on 11-8-2011 by crimvelvet because: (no reason given)

Wow...that might be one of the most useless skewed graphs I have seen in a while.

I'll give you a hint...

It shows revenues as a flat 100% rather than growing.

It doesn't count for population growth..

in 1950 the US population was 152M now it 311M

So the size of the labor force has doubled...while number of corporations have shrunk as they grow larger...did you know there used to be a few hundred different auto manufacturers in the USA?

And what was your point anyways?

If I read you correctly you are simply saying that when Pres. Obama or Congressional Democrats propose closing corporate loop-holes or eliminating tax breaks for corporate jet owners or ending the billions in tax payer funded subsidies to oil companies that are already making literally billions each quarter...that they are lieing and are going to switch the legislation at the last minute to expand payroll taxes????

That when the GOP refuses any bill that would eliminate those tax breaks and subsidies....they are also lying, just playing along with the charade and are secretly protecting payroll taxes, but don't want to take credit for it?

What a bizzare claim you are making.

Everyone has been very clear and specific as to what revenues are being debated...both the GOP and the Dems.

As a matter of fact President Obama has strongly endorsed EXTENDING the payroll tax credit.

What a weird argument.

By the way - in a short term analysis of your chart absent the long term population growth...notice the expansion of payroll taxes, decrease in corporate taxes after 2000 when Bush took office? Now if that chart didn't show the misleading flat revenues you would see it even more dramtically as spending simultaneously shot through the roof with two wars and Pres. Bush's expansion of goverment.

I am sorry, but your chart and logic seem to be both from bizaro world.

Now, another GOP leader, Mitt Romney, is boasting “When I was governor, S&P rewarded Massachusetts with a credit rating upgrade..." from Romney's website

What he fails to mention is the part tax increases played in that upgrade:

Gov. Mitt Romney lobbied the credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s in 2004 to raise his state’s credit rating in part because Massachusetts had raised taxes during an economic downturn two years earlier.

source

I was watching Chris Matthews confront Pat Buchanan re Romney's boasting about the upgrade w/o mentioning how the prior tax increases helped obtain it. Pat, the ole dirty trickster from way back, chuckled and mumbled to the effect, "of course, but we wouldn't want that said." You bet, Pat, it's bad politics but good political tricks to hide the rest of the story.