Republicans Create A Crisis and Then Use Social Programs To Pay for the Crisis

[Yavin4]

First, they create a "deficit emergency" by cutting taxes on the wealthy. Then, they use the resulting deficit as a means to gut social programs. This allows them to seem "fiscally sane" and "sober stewards of the goverment".

This same pattern applies to military spending. They used 9/11 to start a war in Iraq, and then they use the war to maintain bloated military spending. John McCain wanted us to invade Libya, Egypt, and Syria in order to justify more military spending. Now, they want us to invade and occupy Iran which would mean even more military spending.

They are creating these emergencies because they cannot defeat social spending at the ballot box. Even with all of the propaganda by Fox and the corporate media, they still cannot convince the American people to vote against domestic spending programs such as Medicare, Social Security, and Education. They need a "deficit crisis" in order to make the arguments against social spending.

Here's my answer to the "fiscally sane": Let's return to the Clinton tax rates. Then, let's cut the defense budget down to a post-cold ware budget. Let's end the drug wars. Let's do the sensible spending first, and then let's talk about cutting social programs.

[JoePhilly]

1. That's been the GOP's plan for about 3 decades ...

They know the American people will not give up Social Security willingly, so when they have control, they try to bankrupt the country and claim that Social Security and Medicare are the reason.

They hope to scare Americans into giving up SS and Medicare freely.

On edit: This is what Grover Norqist means when he talks about shrinking government until its so small you can drown it in a bath tub.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. Any discussion of the deficit that does not put EVERYTHING on the table for discusion

is not a "serious" one IMHO. Republicans seem to only want to have a "discussion" about social spending, Medicare, Social Security, etc.

[malokvale77]

4. EVERYTHING?

Social Security should not be on the table! They stole it from the trust fund, and now they need to just pay it back.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. Everything that actually has to do with the deficit (to clarify)

n/t

[malokvale77]

8. Apology...

I'm just weary from having to constantly point this out. I'm surrounded by nimrods (Texas).

[gollygee]

6. They say they want "Shared Sacrifice"

but they define "shared" as "only people who aren't rich." Not only do rich people not have to sacrifice, they make money on everyone else's sacrifice.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. Exactly

n/t

[Scuba]

3. Slash social programs, slash social programs, slash social programs & they say WE don't have a plan.

[Uncle Joe]

9. That's their M.O.

Thanks for the thread, Yavin.

[Lucy Goosey]

10. Yup - it's disaster capitalism, and they're creating the disasters.

[hifiguy]

11. Read Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine"

if you haven't already. She lays out the entire scam in horrifying detail. It can all be traced back to that monster, Milton Friedman. Wherever his "ideas" are implemented death, suffering and police-state authoritarianism follow necessarily in their wake.