Really, what is it about wingnuts? They love to march around with slogans about “liberty” and “freedom” on their T-shirts, but give ’em half an inch and they take a mile of everyone else’s freedom.
I thought about that the other day when I read that Scott Walker is trying to use a conservative judge to have Wisconsin’s recall law declared unconstitutional. This is how many totalitarian governments start, you know; not with tanks in the street but with people in power quietly rigging the system to keep their power. And the loyalty oath thing in Virginia is just creepy. But, hey … it’s all in the interest of “smaller government,” right?
Cough.
Steve Benen writes that the payroll tax cut is unlikely to be extended beyond March. He says this because the Republicans named to the “conference committee” are on record as being hostile to middle-class tax cuts.
Kyl, for example, was instrumental in sabotaging the super-committee process, and was described by Democratic negotiators as “walking napalm.†Crapo and Barrasso, meanwhile, are two far-right senators who’ve never demonstrated any willingness to accept concessions on anything.
What’s more, note that the House GOP leadership has already announced its conferees, most of whom have already said they don’t want a payroll-cut extension no matter what concessions Democrats are willing to make.
Very likely the plan is to blame Obama an the Dems for not cooperating on the tax cuts. And we’ll see what the Dems do about that. Will the American people continue to reward the bad behavior of Republicans in order to punish Democrats for not standing up to Republicans?
Crapo, Barrasso & Kyl – sounds like something out of an updated version of a Charles Dickens novel.
They’re the law firm that’s determined over the 12 days of Christmas to swindle the orphanage of every last pence to close it down, and put the poor children to work in Sir Col. Mandible “Newt” Kochstoker’s and his wife’s, coal mines.
In this months installment, they, and the Col. and his Mrs., all come over to the orphanage to teach the rewards of free market capitalism and a work ethic to the children by having them watch them dine on a dinner of roast goose, oysters, standing rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding, a boar’s head, turkey, ham, oysters, dressing, boiled potatoes, cranberry pie, mince pie, and plum pudding. The three attorney’s spend the entire meal toasting Sir Col. Mandible “Newt” Kochstoker and his wife, the Lady Ayn Rand, and one another, with rich claret and fine champagne.
The children watch these gluttons devour their meal while they eat their thin gruel with their fingers out of stone bowls. And “NO ‘MORE’s – no Sir!”
After their meal, Crapo, Barrasso & Kyl, and Sir Col. Mandible “Newt” Kochstoker and the Mrs., tell the orphans that if they work hard in the coal mines all 7 days for 16 hours, and show the right subservient spirit, then they too may one day have a feast like that! (If, of course, they survive the mines and don’t die first. But, they don’t tell them that. Or that the Col. and his Mrs. inherited the mines. Bwa-ha-ha!!!).
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Will Crapo, Barrasso & Kyl, and Sir Col. Mandible Kochstoker and the Lady Ayn Rand, be successful in closing down the orphanage and turning the kids into coal serfs?
Buy our next month’s magazine to continue to read this exciting series, entitled “Phony Expectations.”
I was going to go with “Bleak House” – but it’s already been taken.
If you think about what must constitute the worldview of these people, it is astounding to realize how lucky they are that cruelty and self-absorption are not commonly recognized as mental illness unless accompanied by the inability to dress oneself and a propensity to fling feces.
Frankly, the democrats should recognize the opportunity and every week offer a new populist proposal built around the 99% benefiting by the contribution of the 1%. Off the top of my head,
1) millionaire tax.
2) Close business tax loopholes
3) Wall Street transaction tax
4) Tax capital gains at earned income rates
5) End corporate welfare – no oil subsidies.
6) Tax oil exported from US refineries sent to other countries
7) Estate tax on inheritance over a high limit
8) You think of one
Every one of these proposals provides democrats with a chance to educate the press on tax and income inequality. Every week, we would make a new overture and every week have the GOP side with the 1%. Politics is theatre – and if we know what script the GOP will be reading, play to it for maximum effect.
Great ideas, Doug.
[Comment deleted. We have community standards here. You don’t get to start a comment by hurling expletives at one of the other commenters. If you want to re-phrase your comment I will consider posting it, although there are no guarantees. Please review commenting rules first. — maha]
Fletch…A second chance to make a first impression? I’d take it!
Newt walks into a bar with a beautiful cockatoo on his shoulder. The bartender says ” wow! where did you get that?” the cockatoo replies ” it started as an ungly mole on my butt, I’m afraid I’ve ignored it for too long.”
And to think, this all started with one serving of “freedom fries”.
Happy New Year maha, and maha-ites!!!
Some where, the Mayans are starting to cross the days off their calendars.
Happy New Year, friends. Re Fletch – I hate it when someone besides me is an a-hole and the stupid comment is deleted before I read it.
See you in de gulag: Don’t you mean “Kochstroker”?
Jen,
LOL!
YES!!!
Why didn’t I didn’t think of that?
I went with stoking coal, and not doing what Gov. Walker does.
I love you!
Thanks for the laugh!