Tag Archives: sabotage

Would the GOP Deliberately Sabotage the Economy? Is There Any Doubt?

24 Thursday Jun 2010

Posted by in Congress, Conservatives, economy, financial reform, financial regulation, Politics, Republicans

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Commenting on a Huffington Post piece about how Republicans, and Ben Nelson (excuse my redundancy), appear poised to kill the tax-extenders bill in the Senate, Steve Benen at Washington Monthly writes:

“In the real world, this means millions of jobless Americans will lose their already-modest benefits, and hundreds of thousands of workers will be laid off over the next year, including teachers, police officers, and firefighters. All of this will happen because Republicans are more concerned about the deficit — a deficit they created under Bush/Cheney — than the economy.

It’s unpleasant to think about, and I really hope it’s not true, but it may be time for a discussion about whether GOP lawmakers are trying to deliberately sabotage the economy to help their midterm election strategy.”

What’s to discuss? It’s true. Of course Republicans are trying to deliberately sabotage the economy to help their mid-term election strategy, as well as their 2012 presidential election strategy. Republicans in Congress don’t care about deficits (see Dick Cheney) or the debt, except when they’re out of power. When they were in control of everything in D.C. from 2001-2007 what happened? Were there even any cursory attempts to rein in the deficit and pay down the debt?

Quite the contrary. With 2 wars and tax cuts and Medicare Part D, all on the credit card, the debt exploded.

You bet your ass the GOP wants the economy in the tank, as far in as possible. If unemployment is double what it is now and we go into a double-dip recession, or in their wettest dreams a depression, the champagne corks will be popping and ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’ will be blaring from the speakers in Michael Steele’s office. Do you think they care about the pain and suffering it would cause the American people? They care about one thing and one thing only—power. That’s it. If the “small people” have to bear the brunt of that quest, so be it.

Of course once they get it, their faux concern about the deficit and excessive spending will go out the door as they come in. Just like it did before.

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McCain Fiddles While The Economy Burns

26 Friday Sep 2008

Posted by in Election 2008, McCain, Obama, Politics, Uncategorized

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John McCain rode into Washington, D.C. on his white horse yesterday, after suspending (not really) his presidential campaign, and proceeded to sabotage negotiations which had produced a tentative agreement on a plan to rescue the crumbling financial markets.

In an attempt to revive his sagging poll numbers by exerting leadership and looking presidential, McCain attended a meeting at the White House, along with Congressional leaders from both parties. His contribution, according to those in attendance, was virtually nothing.

From Talking Points Memo:
“During the late afternoon meeting at the White House McCain sat silently at the table until nearly the end, according to a Hill source who was briefed on the meeting. At that point, I’m told, McCain vaguely brought up the proposal being pushed by the Republican Study Committee, the group of House conservatives that is bucking the GOP leadership. But McCain didn’t offer any specifics and didn’t necessarily advocate for the plan, according to the Hill source.

Responding to McCain, Treasury Secretary Paulson said that the RSC proposal was unworkable, my source says, at which point McCain didn’t really advocate for it or state his own position. The meeting adjourned soon after, amid confusion over where negotiations could go next.”

The House Republicans, by the way, are pushing a plan which includes more deregulation and more corporate tax breaks. Great idea, let’s put out the fire by pouring gasoline on it.

But some Republicans in the House may have other plans, from  Politico:
“According to one GOP lawmaker, some House Republicans are saying privately that they’d rather “let the markets crash” than sign on to a massive bailout.”

Nice job Republicans, let’s sacrifice the economic stability of the country to try and score some political points. For some reason I have this image of Emperor Nero in my head.

Here’s my take on what happened. McCain saw that progress toward an agreement was being made without him. So he went to Washington and joined with House Republicans to create a deadlock where none existed in order to appear to be the one who brings the Republicans on board, thus showing his leadership and presidential qualities.

What Senator McCain has actually shown is that he is so desperate to become president that he is willing to risk our economic future and the possible collapse of the financial markets for his own personal gain. This is putting country first? I don’t think so.