According to website statistics, readership of my blog has been increasing daily (for which I thank all you very much). With this increased readership, comes certain perceptions about my political affiliation. One such reader said I certainly have a "Pro-Obama bias" and obviously am a "Liberal." Another reader of my tweets on Twitter labeled me a "Leftist" (which for me brings up the image of a "Sandinista"). A while back, I came to realize that ideological labels are nothing more than intellectually lazy ways of forcing "round pegs into square holes." None of the existing political ideologies accurately reflect my views. Like many fellow Americans, I tend to be "center-right" in my political ideology, but that began to change when the right side of the political spectrum began veering farther and farther to the right. Traditionally, I have supported Democrats and Republicans for elected office. I am what is known as a "Cross Ticket Voter." Being of one party or another will not automatically win my vote. Instead, what candidates actually stand for will. I honestly do not hate anyone in this World. I am not necessarily "Pro-Obama." Instead, I am "Anti-hypocrisy, dishonesty, ignorance, stupidity and all those that attempt to capitalize on it." I hope you forgive me.
Which brings me to a few points today. It's primary season here in Florida. Being a registered Independent, I am not allowed to vote, but I am still subjected to a bevy of political signs lining our local streets. One of them caught my eye. Not because it was a pretty sign, but because it said the candidate was "100% Republican." Yep, 100% Republican, just like Pure Beef. What does that statement really mean? What if his opponent is 98% Republican but 2% Whole Milk? What has our society come to when political affiliation is now based upon some form of litmus or political purity test? The irony is that the GOP is the party that claims it abhors any government action that restricts individual freedoms, but now it seems in order to be an elected Republican, you must be exactly like all other GOP members, 100% pure. Anyone see the growing problem with this sentiment?
Republicans continue to push a narrative that government is essentially "no good," wasteful," inefficient," "too big", etc. If they truly believe this rhetoric, why do they fight so hard to get elected to lead it? For the past two years all I have heard is that the "Uncertainty" of our tax code is the real reason "Job Creators" are not hiring. The first lie was relating to the extension of the Bush Tax Cuts. Folks routinely told me to my face that "Employers are not hiring because they are uncertain whether the Bush tax cuts will be extended." When the Bush Tax cuts were extended, where were the jobs promised? Didn't happen. The second lie was when the GOP promised before the 2010 mid-term elections that "Priority One" would be jobs bills, they instead pushed from bill #1, social issue related legislation instead of the promised "jobs bills." As the year rolled on, the very same folks that told me that the "Uncertainties" created by the debate over extending the Bush Tax Cuts was no longer an issue, but Obama's "Job Killing Regulations" were instead. Ironically, a study recently revealed that claim is a lie as well. As reported in Forbes (hardly a radical "leftist" publication), that government regulations under Obama are fewer than they were before President Carter (he served from 1976-1980...some time ago). In fact, Obama's regulatory scheme is less than those imposed under President Reagan. According to The Economic Policy Institute of the National Federation of Independent Business (not normally considered "leftist" either), only 13% of unemployment is attributable to government regulation, and many of those regulations include inane state and local regulations not even tied to those in place on the Federal level. So, if the "Uncertainty" for not creating new jobs is really not Obama's "Job-Killing" regulations, than what is it? According to the GOP in Congress, it's Obama's fault for not supporting the over 32 jobs bills passed by the GOP House that were rejected by the Democratic controlled Senate. Alas, the real reason for high unemployment! Oops, not according to several economists, including those from Moody's (also not a "leftist" organization).
According to economists, all 32 of the GOP sponsored "Jobs Bills," the very same ones Speaker Boehner (OH-R) and his side-kick Eric Cantor (VA-R) promote (incessantly) do not help current unemployment, not one bit. According to an article in The Huffington Post (gasp, a leftist organization), senior economist Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics said " legislation as narrowly targeted as the Republican package is unlikely to do much for real job creation." From the report, another expert, Mr. Carl Riccadonna, a senior economist at Deutsche Bank, said some of the (GOP) bills could create jobs, but that they would amount to more of an afterthought in terms of achieving broader policy goals. "They are very narrowly targeted, and it gives the impression that maybe some of this is special interest really pursuing these, not really taking a macro view but a very, very micro focus in what the impact would be," Riccadonna said. For most of the bills in the package, "jobs are a second- or third-order effect, not the main priority."
So, extending the Bush Tax Cuts did not create jobs because the "Job Creators" pocketed the profits instead. Obama's Regulations really are not "Job Killers" as portrayed by the GOP. It appears the saviors of jobs in the GOP Congress did nothing to help the jobs market because it might interfere with their special interest supporters. Now we have Romney hiding his real history at Bain and the Olympics. In the current political climate, are these narratives reflective of being a proud 100% Republican?
As I mentioned earlier, I am "Anti hypocrisy, dishonesty, ignorance, stupidity and all those that attempt to capitalize on it." In the current political climate, and unlike candidates for elected office, I prefer to be referred instead to as 100% American!
Which brings me to a few points today. It's primary season here in Florida. Being a registered Independent, I am not allowed to vote, but I am still subjected to a bevy of political signs lining our local streets. One of them caught my eye. Not because it was a pretty sign, but because it said the candidate was "100% Republican." Yep, 100% Republican, just like Pure Beef. What does that statement really mean? What if his opponent is 98% Republican but 2% Whole Milk? What has our society come to when political affiliation is now based upon some form of litmus or political purity test? The irony is that the GOP is the party that claims it abhors any government action that restricts individual freedoms, but now it seems in order to be an elected Republican, you must be exactly like all other GOP members, 100% pure. Anyone see the growing problem with this sentiment?
Republicans continue to push a narrative that government is essentially "no good," wasteful," inefficient," "too big", etc. If they truly believe this rhetoric, why do they fight so hard to get elected to lead it? For the past two years all I have heard is that the "Uncertainty" of our tax code is the real reason "Job Creators" are not hiring. The first lie was relating to the extension of the Bush Tax Cuts. Folks routinely told me to my face that "Employers are not hiring because they are uncertain whether the Bush tax cuts will be extended." When the Bush Tax cuts were extended, where were the jobs promised? Didn't happen. The second lie was when the GOP promised before the 2010 mid-term elections that "Priority One" would be jobs bills, they instead pushed from bill #1, social issue related legislation instead of the promised "jobs bills." As the year rolled on, the very same folks that told me that the "Uncertainties" created by the debate over extending the Bush Tax Cuts was no longer an issue, but Obama's "Job Killing Regulations" were instead. Ironically, a study recently revealed that claim is a lie as well. As reported in Forbes (hardly a radical "leftist" publication), that government regulations under Obama are fewer than they were before President Carter (he served from 1976-1980...some time ago). In fact, Obama's regulatory scheme is less than those imposed under President Reagan. According to The Economic Policy Institute of the National Federation of Independent Business (not normally considered "leftist" either), only 13% of unemployment is attributable to government regulation, and many of those regulations include inane state and local regulations not even tied to those in place on the Federal level. So, if the "Uncertainty" for not creating new jobs is really not Obama's "Job-Killing" regulations, than what is it? According to the GOP in Congress, it's Obama's fault for not supporting the over 32 jobs bills passed by the GOP House that were rejected by the Democratic controlled Senate. Alas, the real reason for high unemployment! Oops, not according to several economists, including those from Moody's (also not a "leftist" organization).
According to economists, all 32 of the GOP sponsored "Jobs Bills," the very same ones Speaker Boehner (OH-R) and his side-kick Eric Cantor (VA-R) promote (incessantly) do not help current unemployment, not one bit. According to an article in The Huffington Post (gasp, a leftist organization), senior economist Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics said " legislation as narrowly targeted as the Republican package is unlikely to do much for real job creation." From the report, another expert, Mr. Carl Riccadonna, a senior economist at Deutsche Bank, said some of the (GOP) bills could create jobs, but that they would amount to more of an afterthought in terms of achieving broader policy goals. "They are very narrowly targeted, and it gives the impression that maybe some of this is special interest really pursuing these, not really taking a macro view but a very, very micro focus in what the impact would be," Riccadonna said. For most of the bills in the package, "jobs are a second- or third-order effect, not the main priority."
So, extending the Bush Tax Cuts did not create jobs because the "Job Creators" pocketed the profits instead. Obama's Regulations really are not "Job Killers" as portrayed by the GOP. It appears the saviors of jobs in the GOP Congress did nothing to help the jobs market because it might interfere with their special interest supporters. Now we have Romney hiding his real history at Bain and the Olympics. In the current political climate, are these narratives reflective of being a proud 100% Republican?
As I mentioned earlier, I am "Anti hypocrisy, dishonesty, ignorance, stupidity and all those that attempt to capitalize on it." In the current political climate, and unlike candidates for elected office, I prefer to be referred instead to as 100% American!
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