Class Warfare Poll of the Day

The Kaplan Daily/Pew Research has a new poll out showing that Americans, to the extent they see "class warfare" going on, think Rethugs are favoring the "haves" while Obama is favoring the "have nots" by significant margins. Polls have also shown that even self-identified Rethugs favor taxing the rich more equitably. So, the answer to the question for the average American "Who is on your side?" seems like a no-brainer. For the Rethugs, who have long used the "us versus them" style of campaigning and governing, this can't be the way they want to see the 2012 election framed.

All the more reason to frame it that way.

The Anti-Jobs Bill

The crap sandwich that passed the House yesterday and is expected to pass the Senate today will have a negative effect on job creation and growth, according to the CEO of one of the largest bond investment firms. Not surprising to anyone who has taken an introductory course in economics -- which most Beltway media villagers apparently haven't -- when in a recession, and the private sector and consumers aren't spending, the last resort is the government. Thus, when the government cuts spending, money is taken out of the economy, jobs are lost, and consumers and the private sector still aren't spending.

As we've noted earlier, the hostage-taking tactics of the far right are being rewarded, and when you reward bad behavior, expect more bad behavior and hostage-taking down the road.

A Modest Proposal

In today's Kaplan Daily, there's an interesting article about the antipathy of many in the fine State of Oklahoma toward federal spending. The feeling is summed up by lawyer John Hager, who says "I'm not sure what they [the feds] do has a big impact on my life." The article goes on to present a few facts about the relationship between the federal government and Oklahoma:

-- Oklahoma gets back $1.35 for every $1 its residents and businesses pay in Federal taxes;

-- 7% of the Oklahoma City region's workers are federal employees (more than double the national average), and Federal spending on highways, an FAA center and Tinker Air Force Base employs 20,000 civilians, pumping millions into the prosperous Oklahoma economy;

-- Oklahoma is the most Republican state in the Union (Obama didn't carry a single county), with Rethugs holding 70% of the State's legislative seats.

With all this in mind, and the fervent desire of teabaggers and small gummint ideologues everywhere to defund the federal government, Hackwhackers proposes that we start with Oklahoma: the rugged individuals who go about their lives in blissful ignorance of the benefits they take advantage of while simultaneously railing against federal spending should be the first to step forward as the patriots they (think they) are and take an immediate cut in federal spending, to bring their 1:1.35 tax/spend ratio into perfect balance. How about it Oklahomans?

(Image: Two of the many boobs residing in Oklahoma)

Tunnel Vision

On Thursday, New Jersey Rethug Gov. Chris Christie canceled the largest public works project in the nation, the rail tunnel under the Hudson River to New York City. After a firestorm of criticism, He's now reconsidering the decision. Paul Krugman has a great take on Christie's move, and what it represents about the current political climate.

(Image: He needs to tighten his own belt before he cancels any more projects)

Obama: Leave the Driving to Us!

Hilarious clip of the President knocking the Rethugs' failed economic policies with what we hope will be the campaign theme for Democrats for the 2010 mid-terms.

Rethugonomics

Remember Rethug Golden Boy Rep. Paul Ryan (Rethug-'Sconsin) and his budget roadmap, which was touted as the Rethug alternative to the Obama budget? Well seems like the budget whiz kid's numbers add up to... ballooning deficits, higher taxes on the middle class, and slashing entitlements. Well done, whiz! Now, we'll patiently wait to see the story on the evening news casts and Kaplan Daily.

(Photo: Little Paulie Ryan -- math just wasn't his specialty)

Wanker Monday at Kaplan Daily

After reading Charles Lane's most recent anti-labor screed on "job killers," is should come as no surprise that he's a member of the Kaplan Daily's editorial board (you know, the same one that's always opposed to public union activity -- teachers are a pet peeve). Yes, it's the gummint and those damn greedy minimum-wage workers and unions that are the job killers, not the fat cat bankers who won't loosen up credit for small business and consumer lending! Asshole.

Another wanker sharing the op/ed page today is Robert "Not Paul" Samuelson whose "thinking" on health care reform miraculously mirrors Missy McConnell's and can be condensed to this:

"To attack costs first would be politically challenging. It would require admitting that all good things are not possible simultaneously and that the uninsured already receive much medical care." (my emphasis)

Also, asshole.

GDP Numbers

Today's report on the GDP for the second quarter is showing a 1% decline, better than expected and far better than the 6.4% decline in the first quarter. Some economists are already saying this is the best sign yet that the economy has bottomed out and recovery is on the horizon.

President Obama, in a statement, was cautiously optimistic - crediting the stimulus package and other measures taken in the past 6 months, but saying he wouldn't rest until everyone who was looking for a job found one.

The Rethugs? Oh, yeah: "Blah blah stimulus a failure...blah blah... Obama's a socialist... blah blah... we're not sure where he was born...blah blah... Eek! Obamacare!...blah blah..."

"The Bailout is a Bargain"

In today's Wall Street Journal (!) on-line, David Weidner makes a strong case for why, regarding the Wall Street bailout, the teabaggers were getting their Depends in a knot for no reason (btw, we don't assume that the bailout was the main reason the cranks were teabagging; more like general anti-Obama rage). If they didn't have this to cry about, you know it would be something else (the fascist takeover of America, the re-education camps, the DHS alert on right-wing extremist violence, etc., etc.). Waaaaa!

(Photo: teabagger not (?) acting his age)

News Item for Teabaggers

"...[N]ew data showed that the federal income tax burden is already hovering near its lowest level in three decades for all but the wealthiest Americans." WaPo news item, p. A12, 4/16/09.

The Congressional Budget Office, which provided the data, estimated that the average family paid barely 9 percent of its earnings in federal taxes in 2006. This trend is continuing under President Obama's recently enacted middle class tax cut, which cut taxes for approximately 95% of American families. Obama has vowed to continue these tax relief measures in the future. So, what the teabaggers are concerned about is really the fact that their upper income tax rate is going up 3% (!), back to where it was in the Clinton boom years. Boo-effing-hoo!

Quote of the Week

"Debt payment during an economic crisis is like water conservation during a house fire -- it worsens the condition. When the economy begins to rebound, we can return to paying down the debt." -- Kristie Greco, spokeswoman for Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) commenting on South Carolina Gov. Mark "Junkman" Sanford's comment that the stimulus money provided for education in his state should be used first to pay down the state's debt. On Friday, wannabe Rethug presidential 2012 fodder Sanford was the last governor to back off his previous stand against accepting Federal economic recovery aid.

(Photo: via The Palmetto Scoop)

April Fools, Those Rethugs!

Just when you thought the Rethugs were just a bunch of angry, reactionary, nasty, lying, sad sacks of bile, they show they have a sense of humor!

April Fools Day gag #1: The GOP Fudgeit! Gut Medicare and provide a multi-trillion dollar windfall to the wealthiest Americans! Yeah, that's the ticket! Hee-hee!

April Fools Day gag #2: Rethugs win in NY-20! (Except that, Democrat Murphy is leading Rethug Tedisco with absentee ballots yet to be counted.) Maybe the Rethugs can arrange another Brooks Brothers riot (we hear a lot of hedge fund managers are looking for work) to assure "all the [Rethuglican] votes are counted!" Yuk-yuk!

April Fools Day gag #3: "Joe" (not his real name) "the plumber" (he's not a plumber either) talks EFCA! The brain and chief ideas man for the Rethugs, the aforementioned "Joe," ran into some problems trying to 'splain the Employee Free Choice Act, and gets heckled by some real working class people. Faux Joe the Rethug Schmo!

(Image: Rethug minority leader and chief jokester Boehner -- what a clown!)

Look Who's Defending The AIG Bonuses: Rethugs!

It didn't take long for the Rethuglican elite to come to the defense of the corporate pirates that wrecked AIG and who are pocketing millions in bonuses. Given the choice of siding with the taxpayers or the mega-millionaires, these wingers went with their buds. Take Rethuglican Dear Leader Pills Limpballs ("he who must be obeyed"), who said that "peasants with their pitchforks" were surrounding AIG headquarters. Peasants! Pills, you need to be more subtle with your class warfare than that. Granted what you spend per year in Oxycontin would support three middle class families, but you have to be more "populist" with your Dittohead audience who might be some of those "peasants." Then there's CNBC's Rick "the Dick" Santelli and Rethuglican Senator John "Smile" Kyl, who think the millions given in undeserved bonuses are not worthy of attention and that the issue is being demagogued. Finally, we have former White House Press Suckertary Dana "If My Lips Are Moving I'm Lying" Perino, who also wants to call off the dogs, and let her "middle class" buddies in the Hamptons continue the lifestyle to which they've become accustomed.

Maybe next we can hear from Joe (not his name) the Plumber (not really a plumber), Rethuglican philosopher.

Bushville, USA

A growing number of "Bushvilles" are sprouting around the country (the image here is the one in Sacramento, California). There are others in Nevada, Florida, and coming to a community near you.

As you reflect on that, reflect on this: it's said that Wall Street only responds to two things -- fear and greed. Hmmm. That seems to be in tune with the Rethug ethos and philosophy of government. What a coincidence.