The Tea Party and the Ancien Regime: It's the revenue streams, stupid

[Karmadillo]

http://www.ianwelsh.net/the-tea-party-and-the-ancien-regime/

This has occasioned some comment:

The fact that many of them joined the Tea Party after losing their jobs raises questions of whether the movement can survive an improvement in the economy, with people trading protest signs for paychecks.

The economy is not going to recover enough to put most of these people back to work. The administration’s own figures show they expect this year’s job gains to be barely at the rate necessary to keep up with population increases. Indeed, it is extremely that employment will not recover before the end of this economic cycle.

This wasn’t necessary. A real, properly put together stimulus bill would have got them back to work. For example, a program to make every building in America be at least energy neutral and preferably creating energy, would have kept them usefully employed.

The bottom line in America today is that while everyone who isn’t paid not to know, knows how to fix what’s wrong with America (for example, instead of the mess called Health Care Reform, pass single payer), nothing that really fixes anything fundamental will be allowed to occur.

America is controlled by what economists call rent-seeking behaviour. Virtually everyone important has a revenue stream, and they don’t want anyone to take that revenue stream away. So pharma and insurance companies, who would have been damaged badly by single payer (they would have lost hundreds of billions) made sure that a plan to provide everyone with better health care for a third less than current costs was never even considered.

The most important game in America today is the contest for control of government, so that government can directly or indirectly give you money. Health care “reform” in which the government decided to force Americans to buy private health insurance or be fined is merely the latest (and most blatant) example. Virtually every industry, from finance to telecom to agriculture is involved in this game. It is in all their interests to make sure the game continues, but they do fight amongst each other for the spoils.

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[aquart]

1. Wish I could argue with this.

[Karmadillo]

4. It's pretty powerful and pretty sad.

nt

[Karmadillo]

2. Kick

nt

[mzclinton05]

3. Far To The Left / Far To The Right Then Jump!

Extremism is hitting hard to the right and socialism is far to the left so the GOP claims. The departure of civilization has caused a rift in congress. The center is so empty that not even baskin robbins can close the donut hole! Point of reason is that if congress can do the elecrtic slide on both sides, why can't the american people do the boogie woogie to the center? After all it's electric! by the way how is that bittery, nasty tea party sham working out for ya sarah palin? Apparently you haven't given those baggers a discount at starbucks yet!