"The Congress of the United States left town this week very proud of itself. It had reached an accommodation by which the Republicans agreed that they would allow the government to function in a minimal capacity over the next two years and the Democrats agreed that they would be grateful to the Republicans for doing that. And then they all wished themselves well and went home, many of them, the ones proclaiming themselves most loudly to be the followers of the Jesus Christ of the Gospels, looking forward to being able to say 'Merry Christmas' freely again, free from the liberals who have placed imaginary shackles upon their fictional freedom to keep the day in their own way." -- Esquire.com's Charles Pierce.
No extension of unemployment benefits. No restoration of food stamp funding. Meanwhile, the stock market is soaring and the income gap between the wealthiest and everyone else is widening. Once again, the right wing has succeeded in moving the goal posts when it comes to government's role "to promote the general welfare" as stated in the Constitution.
BONUS: Blood not boiling yet? Read this article by Jimmy Williams at US News. Here's a sample:
According to the Cato Institute, we the American people subsidize corporate America to the tune of more than $90 billion annually, while individual people on welfare only pull down around $59 billion. I like simple math. It's easy for me to understand. Corporations are getting the better end of that bargain but I don't hear Sen. Mitch McConnell and Reps. Jack Kingston and Bill Cassidy – the latest decriers of welfare – declaring a war on the corporate CEOs (who are actually driving real Cadillacs). The hypocrisy is staggering.
