Tis the season for contrived conservative media outrage over the "war on Christmas" while they ironically pretend that Christians are the most derided segment of the U.S. population. Unfortunately this false war obfuscates the real war on conservative values that is currently being waged across the country.
You can see it at your local soup kitchen. It permeates the toy give away down the street. This war even infiltrates the clothes drive being held in your community. On the surface this charitable giving may seem like the right thing to do this holiday season but the reality is this is a nefarious plot being perpetrated by the lame stream media and comrade Obama to turn true patriots into bleeding heart liberals and bring down this once great nation.
This may sound farfetched but consider the important national debates we have had over the past few years.
Back in 2012 Mitt Romney said "I want individuals to have the dignity of work". If you take a close look at these so called charities almost none of them make these men, women and children work for the food, clothing and toys they receive. Everyone knows there is no dignity in receiving something for nothing yet these organizations seem to have succumbed to Obama and his free stuff society mentality.
Of course dignity of work certainly isn't the only area where these organizations have gone horribly off track. Over the past few years there have been numerous discussions and legislative actions aimed at preventing abuse of our treasured systems. These include laws making sure illegal immigrants don't receive benefits as well as voter ID laws. These organizations would be well served to consider implementing similar requirements. Holiday cheer is only meant for those who are here legally and should be limited to one helping per person. Anything less sends the wrong message.
Another area of concern is the personal habits of the people showing up for these handouts. How many of these people are just going to trade in the toys and clothes they receive for drugs? Without a drug testing policy children of poor drug addicts all over the country might end up with a toy or two for Christmas. Worse yet these children could start to think that their parents’ actions have no impact on how the system treats them. If these kids don't take personal responsibility for their parents they really don't deserve these toys do they?
Former presidential hopeful Pat Buchanan stated that "Barack Obama is a drug dealer of welfare;” because Buchanan believes "He (Obama) wants permanent dependency". This is something that many Americans have been concerned about for a long time. We shouldn't have a system that allows people to receive benefits year after year without some sort of work requirement. Yet that is exactly what the charitable organizations do. Shouldn't these people be required to prove they are at least looking for work to participate in these programs that help the less fortunate?
The other question we should be asking is what are the motives of these unconditional handout institutions? Everyone knows that when liberals argue in support of welfare and food stamps they are doing it to keep these poor people poor while simultaneously buying votes. Are these giveaways just a way to proselytize these people in their time of need and tether them to a system of dependence?
If the results of the most recent elections tell us anything it’s that Americans are in full support of the conservative Republican agenda that encourages all of those lazy "takers" to become useful members of society and join the "maker" class. These charities are waging a full frontal assault on traditional American values and need to stop. If they refuse, congress should spend much of the next year symbolically voting to defund these organizations because hypothetically protecting the integrity of this once great nation from the scourge of the down trodden is a 365 day a year job.
Friday, December 19, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
Republican road funding plan deals another blow to democracy
For more than a decade now the Michigan legislature has failed to properly fund the Department of Transportation which has resulted in a steady decline in the quality of Michigan's roads. The Michigan Senate agreed on bipartisan legislation to address this issue which Governor Rick Snyder supports however Speaker of the House Jase Bolger is concerned that the Senate plan would increase taxes and increasing taxes is something that the Michigan Republican Party doesn't approve of unless you are a retiree, poor, a homeowner or any of the other 50% of Michiganders who have seen their taxes increase under Bolger's watch.
The real problem with Bolger's plan is the shell game required to "generate" the funds for fixing Michigan's roads. Instead of increasing fuel taxes as the Governor had proposed Bolger wants to raid education funding to the tune of $800 million to pay for roads. A spokesman for Speaker Bolger says there is nothing to worry about because the bill also includes wording that suggests education funding can't be reduced. Given that it has taken over a decade of constant decline to get the legislature to find the funds to repair Michigan's roads, trusting the legislature will magically find additional revenue to plug the gaping hole in education spending that this action creates is suspect at best.
Bolger's office also says that increased revenue will cover any potential losses. The only problem is that when the former director of the Michigan House Fiscal Agency - Mitch Bean - examined the real world results of Bolger's plan he found that the biggest loses occurred in the last few years when Michigan was supposedly making its comeback, while one of the few years in which revenue would have actually increased occurred in the middle of the Great Recession. The data suggests Bolger's plan is more wishful thinking than thoroughly vetted economic strategy.
Of course even if you believe Jase Bolger's understanding of economics is better than that of Mitch Bean, it should be noted that relying on increased revenue can have damaging consequences. For example one of the only reasons that Rick Snyder can claim to have increased education spending over his time in office is because of the money he poured into the teacher pension program. Were it not for pervious administration's errant assumptions that the economy would improve because of their efforts these extra contributions to the system would likely have been unnecessary.
Perhaps the economy will continue to improve or perhaps it won't. Jase Bolger doesn't own a crystal ball and wagering education funding on the promise of Republican governance can't be very reassuring to many Michigan parents.
There are also those who believe the government already has enough money and just needs to shift it around. If that is the case why divert money that is dedicated to education to fund the roads only to have to find another budgetary item to cut to make up for the lost education dollars? If you are going to cut the $2 billion Department of Corrections budget to pay for Michigan schools why not just leave school funding alone and increase road spending at the expense of the DOC. Only a person with ulterior motives would make this funding change so convoluted.
Not surprisingly it appears that eliminating the fuel tax that currently funds education is a workaround to Proposal A - the voter approved constitutional amendment that equalized education funding two decades ago. By changing the fuel charge from a tax on consumers to a fee on suppliers this money will no longer be subject to the rules of Proposal A. This is the same kind of subverting the people's wishes that the Republican pulled when the voters repealed the state Emergency Manger Law only to see the Republican legislature implement a new version a few months later that was no longer subject to a voter referendum. Based on the manipulative past of this legislature you can bet this won't be the last time Bolger and his cohorts redefine a sales tax as a "fee" to avoid properly funding Michigan's public schools.
Having said that the entire basis for Bolger's actions demonstrate just how disconnected he is from the average Michigan voter. Polls show that 62% of voters were willing to pay an additional $10 or more per month to repair and upgrade bridges and roads in Michigan while 71% said they would not vote against an elected official for such a tax increase. Voters just don't have the same doomsday view of tax increases that Republicans pretend they do.
Polls also show that while Michigan voters would really like to see more money go towards roads their top priority is education funding. This makes the Bolger plan that much more perplexing especially given the fact that the real per pupil foundation allowance has fallen by $648 under Republican control. Is taking another $475 per student away from public schools just a ploy to put more districts in financial distress so they can be converted to for profit charter schools that big donors love?
The reality is that Jase Bolger has taken a bipartisan bill to improve Michigan's roads that had the support of voters and turned it into something that cuts education funding, vitiates the will of the people, and Governor Snyder has "serious reservations" about - all under the guise of some rigid ideology that the majority of Michigan residents disagree with. But perhaps most concerning is how this legislature continues to use nefarious tactics to avoid the law of the land and spit in the face of the voting public. No wonder Bolger waited until after the elections to bring such a polemic bill to the floor.
The real problem with Bolger's plan is the shell game required to "generate" the funds for fixing Michigan's roads. Instead of increasing fuel taxes as the Governor had proposed Bolger wants to raid education funding to the tune of $800 million to pay for roads. A spokesman for Speaker Bolger says there is nothing to worry about because the bill also includes wording that suggests education funding can't be reduced. Given that it has taken over a decade of constant decline to get the legislature to find the funds to repair Michigan's roads, trusting the legislature will magically find additional revenue to plug the gaping hole in education spending that this action creates is suspect at best.
Bolger's office also says that increased revenue will cover any potential losses. The only problem is that when the former director of the Michigan House Fiscal Agency - Mitch Bean - examined the real world results of Bolger's plan he found that the biggest loses occurred in the last few years when Michigan was supposedly making its comeback, while one of the few years in which revenue would have actually increased occurred in the middle of the Great Recession. The data suggests Bolger's plan is more wishful thinking than thoroughly vetted economic strategy.
Of course even if you believe Jase Bolger's understanding of economics is better than that of Mitch Bean, it should be noted that relying on increased revenue can have damaging consequences. For example one of the only reasons that Rick Snyder can claim to have increased education spending over his time in office is because of the money he poured into the teacher pension program. Were it not for pervious administration's errant assumptions that the economy would improve because of their efforts these extra contributions to the system would likely have been unnecessary.
Perhaps the economy will continue to improve or perhaps it won't. Jase Bolger doesn't own a crystal ball and wagering education funding on the promise of Republican governance can't be very reassuring to many Michigan parents.
There are also those who believe the government already has enough money and just needs to shift it around. If that is the case why divert money that is dedicated to education to fund the roads only to have to find another budgetary item to cut to make up for the lost education dollars? If you are going to cut the $2 billion Department of Corrections budget to pay for Michigan schools why not just leave school funding alone and increase road spending at the expense of the DOC. Only a person with ulterior motives would make this funding change so convoluted.
Not surprisingly it appears that eliminating the fuel tax that currently funds education is a workaround to Proposal A - the voter approved constitutional amendment that equalized education funding two decades ago. By changing the fuel charge from a tax on consumers to a fee on suppliers this money will no longer be subject to the rules of Proposal A. This is the same kind of subverting the people's wishes that the Republican pulled when the voters repealed the state Emergency Manger Law only to see the Republican legislature implement a new version a few months later that was no longer subject to a voter referendum. Based on the manipulative past of this legislature you can bet this won't be the last time Bolger and his cohorts redefine a sales tax as a "fee" to avoid properly funding Michigan's public schools.
Having said that the entire basis for Bolger's actions demonstrate just how disconnected he is from the average Michigan voter. Polls show that 62% of voters were willing to pay an additional $10 or more per month to repair and upgrade bridges and roads in Michigan while 71% said they would not vote against an elected official for such a tax increase. Voters just don't have the same doomsday view of tax increases that Republicans pretend they do.
Polls also show that while Michigan voters would really like to see more money go towards roads their top priority is education funding. This makes the Bolger plan that much more perplexing especially given the fact that the real per pupil foundation allowance has fallen by $648 under Republican control. Is taking another $475 per student away from public schools just a ploy to put more districts in financial distress so they can be converted to for profit charter schools that big donors love?
The reality is that Jase Bolger has taken a bipartisan bill to improve Michigan's roads that had the support of voters and turned it into something that cuts education funding, vitiates the will of the people, and Governor Snyder has "serious reservations" about - all under the guise of some rigid ideology that the majority of Michigan residents disagree with. But perhaps most concerning is how this legislature continues to use nefarious tactics to avoid the law of the land and spit in the face of the voting public. No wonder Bolger waited until after the elections to bring such a polemic bill to the floor.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
White ignorance at the core of racial tensions
The recent grand jury decision to not indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson for shooting and killing Michael Brown resulted in protests across the country for those disappointed with the outcome. Of course for those who believe Wilson's actions were justified the response was slightly different. There are those like Ted Nugent, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck who chose to react with all the class of an Anthony Weiner twitter photo. Some like Sean Hannity took the opportunity to blame President Obama for inciting violence and heightening racial tensions. Others have decided to use their victory lap as a way to "educate" the African American community.
It is this last category of people that are the most frustrating. They avoided the outlandish talking points offered up by the classic attention whores but still managed to prove they were completely out of touch with reality. For example longtime Fox News contributor Cal Thomas opinioned that the "real problem" for the African American community is that they have "an attitude of victimhood".
This has been a popular narrative for conservatives for a long time. Rather than admit that there are systemic inequalities that make being black in this country inherently unlawful, they bury their heads in the sands of the Aryan echo chamber and trivialize this struggle with patronizing rhetoric. Having said that the question for Cal Thomas and others like him who believe liberals play the victim is - have you met the American conservatives?
While protesters try and get people to recognize the racial bias of the U.S. legal system that has resulted in the deaths of numerous black men at the hands of law enforcement the conservative media portrays these men as violent thugs and claim it is the officers who are in fact the victim. There is perhaps no bigger disconnect in the mind of these conservative pundits than suggesting the biggest problem in these cases is a "victim mentality" while simultaneously asserting the murders are the victims.
If you want to see a true victim mentality on the topic of race you need look no further than conservatives. These are the people who whine that they can't say anything about race without being called racist. They also think it is a huge injustice that black people can use the 'N' word but they can't. These poor white folks just can't catch a break.
Of course race is hardly the only topic that conservative play the victim card on.
Despite the fact that nearly every Senate has refused to consider partisan House bills Republican's like Eric Cantor are acting like this is the first time in history such an atrocity has occurred. Why must Republicans be forced to suffer so?
Despite the fact that the only guns laws to be passed recently have actually expanded the rights of gun owners that doesn't stop the NRA and some gun owners from pretending there is an all out assault on the 2nd amendment. Will the persecution ever end for these patriots?
Despite the fact that voter fraud is almost non-existent and has never determined the outcome of an election conservatives insist on changing the rules and making it more difficult for some people to vote. They're just trying to uphold the sanctity of the democratic process and are being attacked for no reason.
Despite the fact that it cost taxpayers more money than it saved Florida governor Rick Scott was forced to test welfare recipients for drug usage before handing out checks because protecting every of penny of taxpayer dollars is of paramount importance. How awful it must be for these people to see any of their money fraudulently used.
Despite the fact that renewable energy costs as much or less than fossil fuels, creates jobs and lowers carbon dioxide emissions - saving lives, conservatives insist that any attempts to address climate change would be a job killing move that Americans can't afford. After all, they just want what's best for the country.
Despite the fact that when union membership is highest the middle class is strongest and income inequality is lowest conservatives can't help but be concerned for the poor corporations and the scads of workers who are being forced to accept higher wages and better working conditions against their will. Set my people (and companies) free!
Despite the fact that bans on gay marriage have been found to be unconstitutional conservatives believe that marriage equality weakens traditional marriage. Don't those people realize how tough it is to be straight in this country?
But perhaps most important this time of year are the poor Christians who are being shamed in to considering other people's religious views. Is there any greater indignity than saying Happy Holidays to a fellow American?
The reality is that African Americans and liberals don't hold a monopoly on victim mentality. The only difference is that to conservatives when a liberal claims something is unfair they are playing the victim while when a conservative claims the same it is a fact that proves liberals are ruining this great country.
The "real problem" with Ferguson, New York, Cleveland or any other city where the police have executed black males is not "an attitude of victimhood". No, the real problem is the group who sit in their ivory tower doling out sage advice to people they clearly don't understand about a situation they have no experience with that does nothing but increase the ever widening gap in race relations. Because pretending to know what it's like to be black in America isn't even remotely close to actually being black in America.
It is this last category of people that are the most frustrating. They avoided the outlandish talking points offered up by the classic attention whores but still managed to prove they were completely out of touch with reality. For example longtime Fox News contributor Cal Thomas opinioned that the "real problem" for the African American community is that they have "an attitude of victimhood".
This has been a popular narrative for conservatives for a long time. Rather than admit that there are systemic inequalities that make being black in this country inherently unlawful, they bury their heads in the sands of the Aryan echo chamber and trivialize this struggle with patronizing rhetoric. Having said that the question for Cal Thomas and others like him who believe liberals play the victim is - have you met the American conservatives?
While protesters try and get people to recognize the racial bias of the U.S. legal system that has resulted in the deaths of numerous black men at the hands of law enforcement the conservative media portrays these men as violent thugs and claim it is the officers who are in fact the victim. There is perhaps no bigger disconnect in the mind of these conservative pundits than suggesting the biggest problem in these cases is a "victim mentality" while simultaneously asserting the murders are the victims.
If you want to see a true victim mentality on the topic of race you need look no further than conservatives. These are the people who whine that they can't say anything about race without being called racist. They also think it is a huge injustice that black people can use the 'N' word but they can't. These poor white folks just can't catch a break.
Of course race is hardly the only topic that conservative play the victim card on.
Despite the fact that nearly every Senate has refused to consider partisan House bills Republican's like Eric Cantor are acting like this is the first time in history such an atrocity has occurred. Why must Republicans be forced to suffer so?
Despite the fact that the only guns laws to be passed recently have actually expanded the rights of gun owners that doesn't stop the NRA and some gun owners from pretending there is an all out assault on the 2nd amendment. Will the persecution ever end for these patriots?
Despite the fact that voter fraud is almost non-existent and has never determined the outcome of an election conservatives insist on changing the rules and making it more difficult for some people to vote. They're just trying to uphold the sanctity of the democratic process and are being attacked for no reason.
Despite the fact that it cost taxpayers more money than it saved Florida governor Rick Scott was forced to test welfare recipients for drug usage before handing out checks because protecting every of penny of taxpayer dollars is of paramount importance. How awful it must be for these people to see any of their money fraudulently used.
Despite the fact that renewable energy costs as much or less than fossil fuels, creates jobs and lowers carbon dioxide emissions - saving lives, conservatives insist that any attempts to address climate change would be a job killing move that Americans can't afford. After all, they just want what's best for the country.
Despite the fact that when union membership is highest the middle class is strongest and income inequality is lowest conservatives can't help but be concerned for the poor corporations and the scads of workers who are being forced to accept higher wages and better working conditions against their will. Set my people (and companies) free!
Despite the fact that bans on gay marriage have been found to be unconstitutional conservatives believe that marriage equality weakens traditional marriage. Don't those people realize how tough it is to be straight in this country?
But perhaps most important this time of year are the poor Christians who are being shamed in to considering other people's religious views. Is there any greater indignity than saying Happy Holidays to a fellow American?
The reality is that African Americans and liberals don't hold a monopoly on victim mentality. The only difference is that to conservatives when a liberal claims something is unfair they are playing the victim while when a conservative claims the same it is a fact that proves liberals are ruining this great country.
The "real problem" with Ferguson, New York, Cleveland or any other city where the police have executed black males is not "an attitude of victimhood". No, the real problem is the group who sit in their ivory tower doling out sage advice to people they clearly don't understand about a situation they have no experience with that does nothing but increase the ever widening gap in race relations. Because pretending to know what it's like to be black in America isn't even remotely close to actually being black in America.
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