GOP’S True Agenda

Tuesday, November 30, 2010.  Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said after the meeting that Senate Republicans first wanted to address the expiring tax cuts and pending spending legislation before tackling other issues. He also said the GOP remains "100 percent" against any tax increases and said they oppose any policy of leaving tax cuts in place for middle class people while raising rates for the wealthy.

Don't forget this, America, the rich and powerful run this country and the government, even though they are a very small minority of our population.  They have all the resources they need to control anyone and anything.  They are no more concerned with the future of this country than they are any other country into which they are invested.  They are not Americans in the traditional sense.  They do not live in America; they live all over the world in the most exclusive places.  They do not pledge allegiance to one country, they pledge ownership where they buy their power and influence.  We are foolish if we think that the benefactors of the tax cut extension give even a small care about our future.  When this country turns into total crap, they'll move on the next one that will afford them opportunity to rip-off their society by dodging their fiscal responsibility.

The Republicans are the party of the rich - no question about that as they again bestow undeserved wealth upon those who need it least and weaken the economy further.  The Democrats sell-out to the Republicans as is apparent in this article, and will soon lose power as their constituents abandon them for their misdeeds.  The Tea Party is a populist version of the Republican Party and, in the long-term will share the same fate.  Is another, real “third” party waiting in the wings to carry the flag of the progressive cause and represent the real majority, the middle class?

Public spending: myths vs. facts

By Walt Schafer

To hear some politicians talk, state spending is out of control and state workers are living like kings, among other myths. Let’s look at the facts.

Myth: State-government costs have ballooned in recent years relative to the state’s total economy. Facts: In 1977 state government consumed 6.6 percent of the state’s economy. In 2010 that figure was 5.6 percent.

Myth: The number of state employees has grown out of control. Facts: Thirty years ago there were 9.5 state employees per 1,000 residents. Now there are 8.9 for every 1,000 residents. In 2008, California ranked fourth lowest among all states in the ratio of state employees to state population.

Myth: State spending is at an all-time high relative to residents’ earnings. Facts: For each $100 Californians earn, the state spends $7.44. That number has been this low only four times in the past three decades.

Myth: Public schools and higher education take an ever-growing share of state taxes. Facts: Schools take only slightly more of the state budget (43.6 percent) than in 1998 (42.7 percent). Public universities’ share is slightly lower now (7.5 percent) than in 1998 (8.6 percent). Meanwhile, state prisons’ share has grown from 7 percent in 1998 to 11 percent now.

Myth: Welfare is eating up more and more of the state budget. Facts: Welfare consumed 3 percent of the state budget in 1998; that figure now is 2.4 percent.

Myth: The number of California public employees continues to grow faster than population growth. Facts: Between March 2008 and October 2009, the number of local and state employees declined by 70,000 while population increased by approximately 600,000.

Myth: State employees are not sacrificing like private-sector employees. Facts: Take-home pay for the same job classifications has declined by 44 percent over the past 15 years for California state employees (adjusting for inflation) as a result of pay cuts, increased medical insurance costs, and furloughs. Excluding furloughs, the decline has still been 30 percent.

Myth: State employees in California are no more educated than private-sector employees and, hence, should be paid no more than private-sector workers. Facts: Public employees in California are more than twice as likely to hold a college degree or more compared with private-sector employees (48 percent vs. 23 percent).

Sources: Dan Morain, Sacbee.com, May 13, 2010, and Peter Brand, Sacbee.com, July 6, 2010)

Some Conservative truth

Unemployment hit its highest national levels in the last 37 years that records have been kept in 82 or 83, over 2 years into President Reagan’s first term. 33 states also saw their highest levels of unemployment in those years.

When President Carter took office, unemployment was 7.1% and dropped to 5.8% in the middle of his term then rose back to 7.1% when he left office. President Reagan saw an increase in unemployment of over 3.5%.

Federal revenue under President Carter rose steadily and declined after the 1981 President Reagan tax cuts. Revenues dropped so fast after President Reagan’s tax cuts, he raised them in 84, rescinding 40% of his earlier cuts.

The debt tripled under President Reagan.

The debt doubled under President Bush from 2001 to 2007 WITH a republican Congress. President Bush never vetoed one spending bill in that time.

The deficits under President Bush hit all-time records only surpassed by his father. President Reagan comes in second for highest deficits.

On 1/9/09, two weeks before President Obama was inaugurated, the CBO estimated the deficits for 2009 to be $1.3 trillion. Their forecast called for trillion-plus deficits for years.

The deficit is 90% due to President Bush tax cuts and wars but more the tax cuts. Only 10% is due to the stimulus.

Nearly all economists agree that the economy would have cratered much more deeply and painfully without the stimulus.

The increase in the debt is entirely due to the President Bush policies, the recession’s effects on federal revenues and the cost of supporting the country in the recession.

Obama’s first budget did not increase spending over that of President Bush, adjusted for population and normal growth.

America’s Un-American Future

America is taking a Roman holiday.  The middle class is under attack and continues to shrink, wages and benefits are spiraling downward, energy and health costs are rising out of control, and (voter) revolution is fomenting in our ranks.  America no longer makes anything, all jobs are going offshore and Wall Street unrepentantly continues to repackage worthless debt with no value added in the face of the worst USA-lead global economic crisis in modern history.  If you design, build and otherwise make things, you are facing the prospect of vanishing work and no demand for your skills.  If you have obtained a college degree, advanced degree and professional license, your potential losses are magnified.  Other countries, like Australia and New Zealand are hungry for specialized talent.  Unfortunately, the writing on the wall tells us that we may lose the global game to attract the technical talent who build and maintain our modern world.