General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrom Robert Reich's FB page:
If patriotism means anything, it means sacrificing for the common good. Childless Americans pay taxes for schools so children are educated. Americans who live close to their work pay taxes for roads and bridges so those who live farther away can get to work. Americans with secure jobs pay into unemployment insurance so those who lose their jobs have some income until they find another.
And under the Affordable Care Act, healthier and wealthier Americans pay a bit more so sicker and poorer Americans dont die.
Trump and House Republicans arent patriots. They dont believe in sacrificing for the common good. They dont think were citizens with obligations to one another. To them, were just individual consumers who deserve the best deal we can get for ourselves. Its all about the art of the deal.
kentuck
(111,089 posts)SharonAnn
(13,772 posts)"And under the Affordable Care Act, (Americans who are currently healthier and wealthier) pay a bit more so sicker and poorer Americans dont die.
After all, we're all likely to become sick or injured someday. Paying for it now means that the institutions and personnel are in place for the time when we need them.
And, just because we're "wealthier" now, doesn't mean we will be in the future. Many of us have been through ups and downs in our economic situation.
ATL Ebony
(1,097 posts)What a refreshing breath of sanity.
Wounded Bear
(58,648 posts)Ligyron
(7,632 posts)onit2day
(1,201 posts)calimary
(81,238 posts)Because it REALLY stinks.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,001 posts)gelatinous cube
(50 posts)calimary
(81,238 posts)He's always a good read.
Gotta say, there've been some seriously great reads that this bastard shitgibbon has inspired. Sure is flexing the writers' muscles!
rzemanfl
(29,557 posts)DK504
(3,847 posts)The 1% think the people they put into the poor house will be able to subsidize their lifestyle. They want nothing more than servants and an "Upstairs,Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey" world back.
Until they get it they will not stop until they get it.
BadgerMom
(2,771 posts)Different Drummer
(7,614 posts)democrank
(11,094 posts)The Republicans' unprincipled, morally bankrupt leaders must be subjected to some red hot resistance from the rest of us....Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, fed-up Republicans, anyone ready and willing to stand up and be counted.
brush
(53,776 posts)dchill
(38,484 posts)brush
(53,776 posts)Stonepounder
(4,033 posts)(Yes, I know you can't impeach a Congresscritter, you can only vote him/her out.)
High crimes and misdemeanors.
Every single congressperson take a Oath which includes the phrase: "... "support and defend the Constitution."
The Constitution, in its preamble says:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Their vote was in complete and total violation of their Oath!
MyOwnPeace
(16,926 posts)that today many of the "Trumpsters" found out that "Making America Great Again" was at their physical expense. Yeah, it wasn't them "Mexicans" or "Islamists" who will pay for this, it was those that needed the "gubmint" supported health coverage that get to step up and "Make America Great Again."
And I have to believe that there is a great majority of "Trumpsters" in that group.
But:
1. Will they even realize it?
2. What will they do about it?
eyeofnewt
(146 posts)1. No
2. Nothing
USA!USA!USA! Keep on chanting GOP...it helps so much.
calimary
(81,238 posts)GOOD one!
It's a shame that these assholes have even spewed shit all over chanting for one's country.
I remember when that "USA! USA! USA!" chant made one feel inspired, thrilled, and patriotic - in a good way. It gave you muscle. First time I heard it was during that hockey game at the Olympics - the famous one between the US and the then-Soviet Union in 1980. It erupted, spontaneously, from the stands, as the American team started closing in on a win. It was FREAKIN' THRILLING!!!!! I was watching that, and I felt it right down into my bone marrow. Made me want to stand tall and feel proud and shout to the skies!
By now, though, it's been gooned. Thugged and gooned. Now, when I see or hear it, the vision that pops into my mind is a bunch of gorillas carrying on in the Primate Pavilion at the zoo.
MyOwnPeace
(16,926 posts)Funny how that chant "U-S-A" can now be used to support a non-American action (beating down someone that a former presidential candidate identified as "unworthy" - someone that shouldn't be here).
Something also about the chant itself - 3 syllables - easy to do - has a certain rhythm to it, kinda' like "Lock her up - Lock her up" does. Again, it's been gooned.
And more about the fake "patriotism" of it all - remember the BS about who could/would/should wear a stupid f**king "flag pin" on their lapel? REALLY? THAT makes you an American - someone that would/could/should uphold the ideals that this country USED to stand for? Think of the frauds that wore them. Helped us a lot, huh?
GAWD help us all!!!!
(I used that "smilie" because I DO believe in the ideals of the USA that we should be!)
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)They'll think whatever "the news they can trust" says.
Fox and rush, et al will frame it so the mouthbreathers think any Bad Stuff=libruls. At least "those other people" aren't getting my money!!!
colorado_ufo
(5,733 posts)tiptonic
(765 posts)Its all about the money they get, from the big boys. Screw the people they are suppose to work for.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Heartstrings
(7,349 posts)spanone
(135,830 posts)Alice11111
(5,730 posts)LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)bdamomma
(63,845 posts)if your're not in their club, eff you. He was right.
JudyM
(29,236 posts)This is one of their values, so we should nail them on it. Make them eat it.
It's simple, pungent and concrete, easily communicated. Let's hope it gets some legs.
JayhawkSD
(3,163 posts)Paying into an unemployment insurance pool, or building highways, are contributions to the common good. Yes, the insurance is often administered by private insurance companies, and yes, the highways are almost always built by private contractors, but that work is all done under competitive bidding and administered to assure that there is little or no fraud.
In health care there is never any competitive bidding and never any monitoring for fraud. In fact fraud is legalized to permit monopolies and price rigging, pricing practices that are pure racketeering, and a general business model that makes the Mafia look like saints. And I'm not talking about insurance companies, I'm talking about medical providers. Insurance companies are nearly as bad.
Does single payer solve the problem? No. Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid is massive.
It is absolutely not patriotic to support that group of thugs and thieves. We need a national health care system; where doctors and medical practicioners work for government salaries in government owned facilities.
We tried private fire protection. It didn't work and we went to government fire protection; where fire fighters work for government salaries from government owned facilities. We tried private police protection. It didn't work and we went to government police protection; where law enforcement works for government salaries from government owned facilities.
When something isn't working, you do it a different way. You don't just say, "Well, it will work if more people are forced to use it."
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)I've paid high school taxes for decades, despite having no kids of my own. I've paid to maintain interstates and intrastates, despite detesting travel by car myself.
The wealthy have benefited from the taxes that I paid, as have the middle class, working class, and poor.
Very good point. A government is NOT a business.
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)Yes?
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)There aren't words to express my disgust.
IronLionZion
(45,433 posts)farm subsidies, and a lot more. What would happen if liberals stopped paying taxes for corporate subsidies and defense contracts?
When your house is on fire, you don't have time for some asshole to tell you it's your own fault for having a wooden house with upholstered furniture and you should have saved up more money in a fire savings account you lazy socialist. You just want the fire truck to come and put out the damn fire.
A republican would go to a buffet to stuff their face with meat, seafood, cheese, and brownie sundaes, and then claim they shouldn't have to pay for the salad bar.
lark
(23,097 posts)It's not about the art of the deal, it's about how to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor and working class. They, like he, will do anything in the world, tell any lie, kill anyone, to reach their desired end. they don't want a deal, no way, they didn't even talk to Dems about this. They want the steal and don't care what it takes to get it.