Theda Skocpol last week laid out how the Republicans are undercutting the economic recovery (and Folkbum did a nice job amplifying the point in these parts). The latest example: Thanks to Republican obstructionism, 1.3 million laid off workers (all of them clearly moochers) won't get their benefits reinstated before Congress goes into recess. Hundreds of thousands more face the threat with each passing week. Republicans, hilariously, claim they're concerned about adding to the debt, though the bond markets don't seem particularly punitive.
The hope, of course, is that a bad economy=bad results for Dems at the polls in November. The Republicans are rooting for high unemployment and economic pain to continue. How do we know that? Christian Schneider told us so last May!
Basically, the GOP has to secretly root for unemployment to stay high for another year, in hopes of regaining control and making fundamental systematic changes that help unemployed workers in the long run. It appears that endless fruitless bailouts have fatigued voters, which may form a good platform on which the GOP to rebound.
The GOP is hoping short term pain brings long term gain. Let's hope it doesn't bloody Wisconsin's nose irreprably in the next twelve months.
Skocpol says Dems need to declare -- loudly -- what the Republicans are doing. The Brawler agrees. It also seems a bit bizarre that the House Republican leader wants to jack up the retirement age to keep funding the war in Afghanistan.
Republicans have shown they care about one thing and one thing only- POWER. And they couldn't care less if the state or the country collapses into a shell of itself, as long as they get to be the ones in charge of it.
And that's why no one under 40 with a working brain and working junk will ever vote for them in the next 20 years. The GOP has NOTHING when it comes to solutions to our real problems other than talking points about lower taxes and other failed tripe.
Posted by: Jake formerly of the LP | July 02, 2010 at 08:17 PM