Are Republicans Trying to Hurt the Economy for Political Reasons?

[ProSense]

Robert Creamer

Are Republicans Trying to Hurt the Economy for Political Reasons?

Yesterday, ABC News leaked a confidential report from investment bank Goldman Sachs warning that the spending cuts proposed by the Republicans to take effect this year would slow the economy by 2 percent of Gross Domestic Product. It also found that even compromise cuts of $25 billion would cut growth by 1 percent.

<...>

Right now, the government projects about a 2.7 percent rate of growth in the economy this year. So according to Goldman Sachs, if the Republicans have their way, most of that growth would be wiped out and we would be perilously close to a double-dip recession.

<...>

You have to ask yourself, why would the Republicans propose a policy that even Wall Street thinks would be suicidal for the economy? Here are two options:

Reason 1: To Damage the Economy for Political Purposes

Mitch McConnell -- the Republican Senate Leader -- made it very clear at the end of last year that their major goal for this session of Congress is to defeat Barack Obama in 2012 and take over both Houses of Congress. And there is no question that the most important key to President Obama's reelection is an improving economy.

<...>

Reason 2: Because the Inmates Have Taken Over the Asylum

A second reason that the Republicans are supporting these damaging policies is that the crazy relatives they used to try to keep out of sight have burst into the living room.

more

[liberal N proud]

1. I do remember McConnell's speech

where he said that the number one goal of the republican part was to make sure Obama was a one term President.

I put nothing past the right wing.

[sofa king]

2. It is a further redistribution of wealth.

First, screw everything up because you're incompetent gangsters,

Then, impose belt-tightening measures against the poor and disadvantaged, while providing further "trickle down" incentives (profits) to corporations,

Next, divert the money offshore where it can't be recovered.

The end result, however, is going to be far more painful for them than for us, because it won't be long before all those trillions swirling around in computer-land are devalued to nothing, because the United States won't be able to back its currency with a trained workforce and productivity will fall through the floor as its poorest workers succumb to poverty and ill health.

And once that happens, the fat bastards will be first on the menu. Literally.

[BobbyBoring]

4. I'll have 1 order of fat bastard

and a side of swine. Koch to drink please!

[jenmito]

3. K&R. No doubt about it! n/t

[Samantha]

5. I have thought Republicans would attempt to suppress job creation

through 2012 from the date I first heard McConnell make that statement. Prior to that we had heard from many people that the unemployment rate would have to go down to at least 7.2% in order for Obama to be re-elected. Republicans and corporations in general ticked off by the regulations Obama has imposed will do all they can to keep that unemployment number higher than, say 8%. It is in their best long-term interests to do so, defeat Obama, and install a puppet. So what if it hurts many, many people and the Country overall -- if it is in THEIR best interests, that is all that matters....

[JoePhilly]

6. Absolutely. nt

[Armstead]

7. Probably because they can't even balance their own checkbooks

One shouldn't underestimate the power of Idiotic ideologies

[winstars]

8. I NEVER DOUBTED IT FOR A SECOND!!! nt.

[moondust]

9. Well, destruction is what they do.

Destroy anything they perceive to stand between them and power/wealth.

[PurityOfEssence]

10. They're ideologues

It doesn't matter what happens as long as they get their way. Even if they KNEW that their model of society would implode, they would pursue it nonetheless: it's RIGHT in their eyes.

As for the willingness to risk financial catastrophe, they don't care one whit. Even though the House of Representatives truly controls the purse-strings in our government, the people don't understand that, and the reactionaries are well aware of this. If Obama or other Democrats resist one single part of their agenda, it will then be shown as the cause of any ill that may befall us. Even if Obama caves on everything, it will be shown that his stewardship is to blame for any mishaps, and will be used as a justification to replace him.

The media won't help. Obama himself won't help; he still thinks that they're somehow "reasonable" people, and he suffers from the naivete of many pluralists: the belief that others give a tinker's cuss about other people, and that everyone accepts some differences in people and is willing to tolerate some other points of view. This is patently silly: a REAL conservative KNOWS what the truth is, just as a true believer KNOWS the truth. They're the same impulse, really, but that's a different screed; the point here is that, while liberals accept that others are different, REAL conservatives view all difference as not only sick but a danger to all that's good and true. Difference isn't just an odd detail, it's a threat to one's very existence, and this firebrand intolerance typifies the soul of conservatism.

We are not fighting back. Even when we resist, we're cowed into denying the seriousness of the ugliness. We should be using the term "class warfare" on a constant basis and making it our own.

As for the willingness to risk economic calamity for personal gain, the right is all for it. They may not be actively wishing for it--although some are--but it's all fair to wrest control of society from the shirtless hoards and back into the hands of the few patricians who deserve it.

It truly beggars logic, and it's been amped up by 30 years of atavistic reactionary control of our government: the concept of "enough" is more un-american than ever. The unquenchable greed of the Financial Industry's bonuses and salaries would have been unthinkable a generation ago, and it's not anywhere near slaked. The idea of EVER crimping the "financial innovations" if they pose a dire threat to society itself is anathema.

'Nuff said?

[HowHasItComeToThis]

11. THEY WILL DESTROY AMERICA TO HAVE POWER....

[opihimoimoi]

12. Ed Zachery...the GOPer Arrogance revealing Delusion is ASTOUNDING

[prolesunited]

13. Yes, they could give a shit

about all of the people who are suffering right now.

[customerserviceguy]

14. It worked for them in 2010

Why wouldn't they try it now? They can point out that they don't control the Senate or the WH, and use that as the reason to put them back in charge.

Next year's gonna be rough.

[craigmatic]

15. I'd never put it past them. Look at how nixon tried to screw over LBJ in the peace negotiations with

Vietnam or how reagan tried to screw over President Carter by prolonging the hostage crisis for political gain.

[high density]

16. It's clear they've been excellent at doing damage

The Republicans have run up a huge debt with tax cuts for the rich and wars we don't need, and now the only solution is to bust the unions. The scary thing to me is how the right-wing corporate media has such a large swath of the population brainwashed into supporting this nonsense.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. The public should be informed of this

[old mark]

18. K&R- Of course they are, and have been since Obama got elected...nt

[Moosepoop]

19. K&R n/t

[DCBob]

20. As Rush Limbaugh has said many times they want Obama to fail..

or else that would validate "socialism". They are desperate fools and would rather America go down the tubes than become dominated by liberal ideals.

[Sheepshank]

21. Since Day one of the Obama Presidency

their obstructionist stance had nothing to do with what is best for the USA.